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2012 BlackBerry roadmap leaks, reveals pile of Curves and 3G PlayBook
We've heard some rumors about what RIM had in store for its beleaguered BlackBerry brand, but we're just now seeing some evidence to support those claims. The fine folks over at BGR have gotten their hands on what appears to be a copy of the company's 2012 roadmap, as well as a handful of slides detailing some upcoming products. It looks like an HSPA+ equipped PlayBook is in the works, packing both NFC and a 1.5GHz CPU for good measure, as well as a pile of Curves aimed at the entry-level market. Something new those cheapo handsets will be bringing to the table is a dedicated BBM button, which should make addicts of the messaging service quite happy. Sadly, it also looks like the first BlackBerry 10 (formerly BBX) device may have suffered a slight delay and may not land till October or November. Hit up the source link for all the nitty gritty details.
BlackBerry Torch 9810 up for pre-order, illuminating T-Mobile stores November 9th
T-Mobile is getting ready for another BlackBerry-flavored spark -- the Torch 9810 is now up for pre-order for the carrier's business customers. The 3.2-inch slider will be bringing its full QWERTY keyboard, 4G, 1.2GHz processor and BlackBerry OS 7 to T-Mobile stores on November 9th for $250 -- after the mail-in rebate and with a two-year plan, naturally. Press info after the break.
Spotify releases preview app for BlackBerry users, but not all of them
BlackBerry users haven't had a whole lot to celebrate in recent days, but at least they now have Spotify. Today, the Swedish startup unveiled a preview version of its music streaming app, available to download from its Previews page. At this point, the app is compatible with the 9780 Bold, 9700 Bold, 9300 Curve, 9000 Bold and 8520 Curve handsets, though the Torch 9800 has been left in the cold. It's also worth noting that the service only supports GSM networks (no CDMA, as of yet) and requires a Premium subscription of $10 per month. No word yet on when Spotify will arrive on App World, or whether it'll add extra support when it does, but early birds can grab their worm at the source link, below. [Thanks, Daniel]
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 22, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of August 15, 2011: Phone Releases Fido launched the Samsung Galaxy Q, also known as the Gravity Smart in the US, on Thursday. [via MobileSyrup] The BlackBerry Curve 9360 can already be purchased on Telus for $50 with a three-year contract, and the Torch 9860 will be available on August 30th. [via IntoMobile and CrackBerry] SouthernLINC Wireless announced the immediate availability of the Motorola Titanium, offered for $150 with a two-year commitment. T-Mobile released the Samsung Gravity TXT, a basic messaging phone that's on sale for $10. [via UnwiredView] Cricket has begun offering a new messaging phone called the Samsung Comment, which offers a full QWERTY keyboard, stereo bluetooth, a microSD slot and 1.3MP camera. It can be had for $90 with no commitment required. [via PhoneScoop] Other news The government of South Korea, in reaction to Google's planned acquisition of Motorola, now intends to form a consortium of local companies that will work together in building a brand new mobile operating system. [via IntoMobile] Randall Milch, Chief Counsel for Verizon, is so frustrated with the patent wars going on that this week he filed an appeal to President Obama, asking for him to provide assistance in the matter. [via PhoneScoop] The Motorola PRO is expected to debut in the UK in mid-September, though pre-orders are already taking place at select authorized resellers. [via UnwiredView] Leaked posters indicate the BlackBerry Torch 9850 will be offered by Verizon and screenshots show the same phone going to US Cellular, though we're still unsure of the release date or pricing. [via CrackBerry(1) and (2)] Last week we reported on the rumored Sony Ericsson Nozumi, a smartphone that will likely feature a 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm S2 CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, and 4.3-inch display with 1280 x 720 resolution. At the time, it was assumed to be only selling in Japan; however, there's a good possibility the Nozumi will end up available globally instead. [via XperiaBlog] Pantech's LTE phone on Verizon may actually end up being called the Breakout (rather than the "Apache"), according to a leaked screenshot. When released, it'll feature a 1GHz CPU with 512MB of RAM, dual cameras, and will be preloaded with Gingerbread. Not much to write home about at this stage in the game, considering these are incredibly similar to the specs of the LG Revolution. However, it would be the first 4G phone on Big Red that has a 4-inch display. [via AndroidCentral] T-Mobile may be planning to throw a data pay-per-use feature onto any smartphone that currently has its internet access blocked. If this happens, it will affect current customers as well as new ones. [via TmoNews] Dish has petitioned the FCC for permission to use 40MHz of allocated spectrum to begin building out an LTE-Advanced network. [via PhoneScoop]
AT&T's fall and winter 2011 roadmap leaked in spreadsheet glory
Summer is in full swing, but if you happen to take a peek at AT&T's leaked roadmap for the upcoming two quarters, you might just sense the chill of winter in the air. While this doesn't appear to be official from Ma Bell, or entirely exhaustive, we've gotten a spreadsheet that goes in-depth to out the carrier's upcoming smartphones. A host of Android devices are on the list -- all with Gingerbread -- along with two handsets that strut Windows Phone 7.5 and another duo with BlackBerry 7. Of particular note, we see the Samsung SGH-i777 (otherwise known as the Attain), along with the SGH-i927 for you QWERTY slider lovers. Both Sammy's sport Category 14 HSDPA, or (up to) 21Mbps downloads. Curiously, the Impulse -- Ma Bell's rumored LTE phone -- is nowhere to be found. The Motorola MB865, with a full gigabyte of RAM and 8 megapixel camera, aligns very well with the rumored Atrix refresh. You've seen the two phones from RIM before, and while Samsung's Mango handset spent a brief moment in the wild, little is known about HTC's counterpart. Hopefully we won't need to wait for the actual change of seasons to learn more.
BlackBerry Torch 9810 available on AT&T today for $50
The wait is over for BlackBerry fans from coast to coast who happen to use Ma Bell, as the BlackBerry Torch 9810 -- the first of three devices in RIM's fall lineup -- is now available at AT&T stores. All it'll set you back is a respectable $50 (with a two-year commitment, of course), and you'll then be ready to get your OS 7 on along with Liquid Graphics, a full QWERTY keyboard, a 1.2GHz CPU, and more than plenty of the usual RIM features you've come to love or hate. If this phone's flame burns within you, it may be time to head to the source link below.
BlackBerry sucks at making fan videos
Wow! BlackBerry just released, and subsequently pulled, an awesome new video (which can be seen in full after the break) showing off its new Torch running BB 7 OS and sporting... an Android home button?! Man, that new Torch looks so awesome, particularly 15 and 27 seconds in, it hardly even looks like a BlackBerry at all.
BlackBerry Torch 9810 review
In the fall of 2010, AT&T stores nationwide installed a mysterious shroud housing some sort of exhibit. Even employees didn't even know what was inside, and anyone caught tampering with the makeshift wall in order to find out was terminated. What was this strange hype-building marketing ploy? A new iPad? Perhaps it was some secret Android device that nobody had heard of? The atmosphere was thick with suspense. When the curtain was finally lifted, it turned out to be... a BlackBerry Torch 9800. This curious marketing attempt must've worked at least to some extent, since Research in Motion decided to tempt fate a second time with the Torch 9810. Known in its early days as the "Torch 2," the new version of the portrait QWERTY slider was released to much less pomp and circumstance. This time it was unveiled alongside two new BlackBerry BFFs: the Bold Touch 9900 / 9930 and the Torch 9850 / 9860. The 9810 in particular wasn't a surprise because we'd been given the opportunity to preview the device in May. Though it's nearly identical to the original, it packs a processor that nearly doubles the speed -- a behind-the-scenes upgrade culminating in a night-and-day contrast. But how does it fare against the blooming market of superphones that are flooding the market? And is this the best BlackBerry you can buy today? Let's find out. %Gallery-130688%
AT&T confirms $49.99 price tag, August 21st launch date for '4G' BlackBerry Torch 9810
Anxious RIM fans tired of waiting for that app to download will be happy to know that AT&T has confirmed August 21st as the official launch date for its "4G" BlackBerry, the Torch 9810. Although the new QWERTY smartphone is powered by AT&T's 4G network of the HSPA+ variety, the release still marks an upgrade from the previous gen Torch 9800's 3G speeds. Running BlackBerry 7 OS, the 9810 will have a 1.2GHz processor, 3.2-inch touchscreen display, 8GB of onboard memory (with microSD expansion up to 32GB), and a 5 megapixel camera with 720p HD video capabilities. It'll ship for $49.99 after rebates and a two-year contract.
Sprint's BlackBerry Bold 9930 and Torch 9850 land on August 21st for $250 and $150
Hav you been waiting for some more details about those BlackBerry 7-sporting handsets coming to Sprint? Well, wait no more friend -- August 21st will be the day of days for WiMAX fans and BBM addicts. The Bold 9930 and Torch 9850 will arrive together for the carrier in the bumblebee suit, at $250 and $150 respectively -- though the Torch price is after a $50 mail-in rebate. You'll find a few more details in the PR after the break and, if you need a refresher on what to expect from the latest RIM devices, check out our hands on coverage.
BlackBerry Bold 9900 available on Rogers today, Torch 9810 comes August 12th
And so it begins. It appears that Rogers is the first carrier to strike in the BlackBerry battle, taking to its Twitter feed to announce that two of the three members of RIM's fall lineup are now sitting comfortably in its retail outlets. The Bold 9900 will start selling today, with the Torch 9810 closely following on August 12th; the Canadian carrier, however, remains silent on when we can expect to see the Torch 9860. Curiously, no official cost has been revealed for either phone, though the rumor mill's pointing to a $250 price tag for the 9900 and $200 for the 9810. Indeed, Rogers has won this battle, but who will win the war?
BlackBerry Torch 9810 and 9860 may drop on Telus August 15th
First we hear rumors of new BlackBerry devices, followed by the official announcement last week. Now, we're treated to speculation of when these aforementioned smartphones will actually arrive. If the leaked screenshots you see above and below are genuine, we only have one more week until Canadian carrier Telus welcomes two members of RIM's fall lineup. This carries a lot more weight when considering the supposed launch date is just one day before Bell's rumored August 16th release, and factoring in evidence of the 9810's impending sale on Rogers. We're still awaiting pricing info for the two devices, and anticipate rumors of the Bold 9900 launch sometime soon. The likelihood of waiting long for more info is pretty low; given how Telus has spilled the beans on a few new devices lately, we wouldn't be surprised to see more of the same coming down the pipeline soon.
RIM's BlackBerry Torch 9850 goes official for Sprint and US Cellular (update: Bold 9930 for Sprint, too!)
What's a BlackBerry launch without a bit of love for RIM's CDMA partners? Infinite sadness, that's what. While the outfit (understandably) couldn't showcase the BlackBerry Torch 9850 at its London launch event this morning, the CDMA sibling to the Torch 9860 is making its official debut in the US of A. Destined for US Cellular and Sprint here in the States, the 9850 (shown right) will ship with a 3.7-inch WVGA (800 x 480) touchpanel, BlackBerry 7 OS, a "waterfall" screen design that tickles the edges ever-so-slightly, and not one inkling of a physical keyboard. As with the 9860 -- which is destined for AT&T, Rogers, Telus and Bell -- you'll get a five megapixel "zero-shutter lag" camera, 720p movie mode, inbuilt GPS and a 1.2GHz processor. There's no mention yet of a price or release for the SIM-less duo, but you can bet that we'll keep you posted as we hear more. Update: Sprint's just pushed out a full presser of its own (embedded after the break), which also confirms that the Bold 9930 -- shown above on the left -- will also be making its way onto The Now Network. We're told to expect "fall" availability for both BB 7 OS phones, but specific pricing isn't expected until that already-ambiguous time frame draws nearer. As for the 9930, it's boasting an all-too-familiar design, with a 10.5mm-thick chassis, 2.8-inch capacitive touchpanel, the "widest QWERTY keyboard available on a BlackBerry smartphone" and a trackpad to boot. Moreover, NFC support is thrown in, as is a magnetometer for AR apps. Update 2: A trusted source just informed us that the Torch 9850 will soon go for $199 on contract (and after rebate) at US Cellular, or $549 with no strings attached.
RIM launches BlackBerry Torch 9810, Torch 9860 and Bold 9900, we go hands-on!
Here they are folks. Months after we first got our hands on pre-release Torch and Bold Touch handsets, RIM is finally ready to show off its latest hardware. They're all powered by a 1.2GHz processor, have 768MB of onboard RAM and -- most importantly -- run the latest operating system BB OS7. RIM claims its new OS is 40 percent faster at browsing compared to OS6-based smartphones, and 100 percent faster than OS5 handsets. It also supports RIM's Liquid Graphics technology, which uses a dedicated graphics processor for smoother scrolling, zooming and panning. Hands-on impressions and video follow after the break. %Gallery-129828% %Gallery-129831% %Gallery-129829% %Gallery-129832%
AT&T to launch BlackBerry Torch 9810 this month, Torch 9860 and Bold 9900 later this year
Research in Motion has had better days -- and years, for that matter -- but it's always had a loyal partner in AT&T, a company that's cranked out BlackBerry products faithfully for the past twelve years. The tradition continues, as the GSM giant has announced its intentions to bring the 4G BlackBerry Torch 9810 (aka the Torch 2) to stores sometime this month, followed by the 4G BlackBerry Torch 9860 and 4G Bold 9900 "later this year." No specific dates or prices were given on any of the devices. The Torch 9810 comes with a 1.2GHz CPU, 3.2-inch touch display, a total of 8GB internal memory (with microSD expansion up to 32GB), and a 5 megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture. Oh, and about the "4G" in the title? An AT&T spokesperson confirmed to us that the moniker is simply referring to HSPA+, capping at 14.4Mbps. It's definitely a step up from the original Torch 9800, at least, but our appetite for 4G of the LTE variety runs deep. Will this be too little too late for the Canadian manufacturer, or can this year's fall lineup be enough to keep the company healthy until QNX rolls into town? [Thanks, Gary]
RIM's BlackBerry Torch 9810 emerges on AT&T's website, touts '4G' capabilities
Well, hello beautiful! Can't say we were expecting to see RIM launch a new BlackBerry this evening, but we're sure there's quite a few of you out there that'll take it. The same BlackBerry Torch 2 that we previewed back in June has made the trek over to Ma Bell's network, with a 'Coming Soon' page emerging just moments ago. AT&T claims that this is the world's first 4G BlackBerry on its airwaves, but of course, that asterisk upside the "4G" logo couldn't possibly be more telling. Regardless, the full-featured slider will arrive with BlackBerry 7 OS, a full QWERTY keyboard, sliding display, 1.2GHz processor, 8GB of onboard memory, room for 32GB of expandable storage, 720p video capture, inbuilt WiFi and support for the carrier's HSPA+ network. Mum's the word on a price and release, but you can tap that source link to get signed up for more. Update: It's official! %Gallery-129822%
A new BlackBerry to be unveiled tomorrow, or so Facebook would have us believe
What's made by Research in Motion and is "shiny, new, and social all over?" No one can say for sure, but according to BlackBerry's Facebook page, we're going to find out tomorrow. Might it be the Torch 2 come calling, newly acquired FCC badges in tow? Perhaps Waterloo's hinting at the Bold Touch, its phone of many flavors. Or, maybe it's something yet unseen that will blind all who perceive it with a corona of social networking awesomeness. Whatever BlackBerry's got in store for us, let's hope it's not just another phone with a Facebook button.
BlackBerry Torch 2 slides through the FCC, bound for AT&T?
We've already gotten our grubby little mitts on it, and it looks like soon enough you too will be able to wrap your QWERTY-loving digits around a Torch 2. It looks like the display-centric BlackBerry just slid its way through the FCC, sporting 850MHz and 1900MHz GSM bands, indicating this particular model (listed as RDM71UW) is destined for AT&T. Obviously, even if this is in fact the Torch 2, an FCC filing is not exactly a confirmed release date -- so don't start lining up outside your local AT&T outlet just yet.
BlackBerry Torch 2 preview! (video)
We've already seen the BlackBerry Torch 2 in photos courtesy of Mr. Blurrycam, but a little birdie from Negri Electronics was kind enough to send over a pre-release device for us to get under our own glass for a little photo shoot. Though it has a virtually identical form factor to the original, the Torch 2 bumps the specs in almost every department from the camera to the RAM. Oh, and it's running the next-gen BB OS 7 -- which is really OS 6.1, and still lacks any QNX DNA. Read on past the break for a full preview of this yet-to-be-announced slider, and some glorious HD video if the beautious shots aren't enough to whet your BBM-hungry appetites. %Gallery-125262%
BlackBerry Touch receives conservative makeover before its corporate interview
You've already witnessed a prototype of the BlackBerry Touch and its sleek lines, but get ready for a new peek as RIM has put on its "serious business" face in anticipation of Monaco's release. As you can see, the designers from Waterloo are separating and raising those four iconic buttons. Regardless of RIM's intentions, if this leaked unit makes it to retail shelves, the change would represent a subtle but distinct shift in BlackBerry design. We're guessing the corporate-type won't even notice -- unless those new protrusions happen to catch on their oh-so-fashionable holsters, anyway.
