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Mobilicity launches BlackBerry Bold 9780
Mobilicity dropped a new set into the wild today: say hello to the BlackBerry 9780. We've seen this device launching all over and it will no doubt bring a smile to the faces of those who've picked Mobilicity over the big three up in Canada. The new Bold is running BlackBerry 6, has a 5 megapixel shooter, a Web-Kit browser (huzzah!), and of course quad band GSM and 3G connectivity in the 2100 / 1900 / 900 MHz realm. Sure the $499 price tag looks steep -- because of the whole no contract thing -- but take heart in the fact you're under no obligation and that this set costs the same at Bell if you skip the contract.
AT&T-branded BlackBerry Bold 9780 spotted by way of eBay
T-Mobile's got an American lock on the Bold 9780 at the moment, but you know how it goes with BlackBerrys: they tend to go pretty much everywhere (Storm and Torch notably excepted) if you give 'em enough time. Sure enough, an AT&T-branded version just popped up... and if you've got $899 lying around and an undying love for unreleased RIM gear, it can be yours. The phone's chilling on eBay right now with a prominent AT&T logo silkscreened at the bottom; obviously, it stands to reason these guys would want to replace their Bold 9700 before too long, so we're not surprised to see it go down like this. Want a white version, though? Well, you'll just have to wait for that.
Rogers, Telus already selling BlackBerry Bold 9780
Look, T-Mobile, don't feel bad -- Americans usually get scooped on new BlackBerry launches by their friendly neighbors to the north! RIM's a Canadian company, after all -- and as is frequently the case, the new Bold 9780 is seeing launches on both Rogers and Telus several days ahead of T-Mobile's retail go-live in the States. It'll run you CAD $149.99 (about $150) on Rogers and CAD $50 less -- CAD $99.99, that is, or about the same amount in US currency -- on Telus, so you can pretty much figure out who's trying to be the value brand here. Interestingly, if you go contract-free, the roles reverse: Rogers charges you CAD $449.99, while Telus asks CAD $499.99. Go figure! [Thanks to everyone who sent these in]
BlackBerry Bold 9780 finally official, hitting T-Mobile on November 17th for $130
After what feels like an eternity of leaks, RIM has finally (finally!) come forward with the first BlackBerry Bold to ship with BlackBerry 6. The Bold 9780 looks exactly as we expected it to (meaning not too far from the 9700 design tree), boasting an optical trackpad, QWERTY keyboard, a WebKit-based browser and a five megapixel camera. You'll also get inbuilt 3G / WiFi, and at least on the T-Mob version, UMA / WiFi calling. Geotagging your images is a breeze courtesy of the integrated GPS module, and RIM's also tossing in 512MB of Flash memory as well as a microSD slot. We're told to expect it from "various carriers around the world beginning in November," with T-Mobile USA confirming that its version will hit on the 17th of next month for $129.99 on a two-year contract.
BlackBerry Bold 9780 starts leaking all over the place (update: video)
Pick your poison: Vodafone Netherlands? T-Mobile UK? A shop associated with Orange? Or heck, how about RIM itself? All of the above have started teasing the BlackBerry Bold 9780 recently, RIM's oft-leaked upcoming replacement for the Bold 9700 -- so it seems like this will be a pretty wide-scale deployment around the globe (as most of RIM's launches tend to be). We've yet to see any leaks via American carriers, but we'd say it's safe to argue that AT&T (and perhaps T-Mobile, too) will be signed up to take delivery of these things before too long. As a refresher, the 9780 is basically a 9700 with a better camera, more RAM, and BlackBerry 6 preloaded... so if you love your 9700, you're probably going to love the 9780 even more. Timing is unclear, but one carrier -- Vodafone Netherlands -- has proclaimed that it'll have 'em in early November. Update: Video review with smooth dutch delivery (subtitled in english) posted after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent these in]
Virgin Mobile Canada getting Samsung Galaxy 5, Bold 9780, and more this quarter?
If only Virgin Mobile were this cool in the States, right? The company shares little more than a name with its American doppelganger, but the fact remains that Sprint's subsidiary could probably learn a thing or two from its buddy to the north (Samsung Intercept notably excepted). MobileSyrup says that the Android-powered Galaxy 5 (not to be confused with the much higher-end "S" line) with a 2.8-inch display will be hitting on November 12 for free on contract, while the still-unannounced Bold 9780 -- specifically identified as a "refresh" here, presumably to the 9700 -- is in the cards for CAD $149 ($147). There are also low-end LG Sway and Flick feature phones that you'll be able to hook up for free... but now that the Galaxy 5 promises to bring the era of free Android into the fold, it'll be interesting to see if manufacturers can keep these dumbphone offerings compelling enough to stick around.
Unannounced BlackBerry Bold 9780 covered in detail -- twice over
The floodgates are really starting to open wide on this Bold 9780, a phone that by all accounts seems like an ultra-mild Bold 9700 refresh with BlackBerry 6 preinstalled. Both TechnoBuffalo and Mainguyen, a Vietnamese retailer, have full previews posted where we can see the darker bezel in full detail along with confirmation that it'll be packing a 5 megapixel camera and 512MB of RAM, double the 9700's. TechnoBuffalo is reporting that the new WebKit-based browser is still mad slow on this thing -- but let's face it, painful browsing is something BlackBerry customers are already well-accustomed to, so it shouldn't come as a surprise. Check out the source links for plenty of imagery and video (or, you know, just pull your 9700 out of your pocket and imagine BlackBerry 6 on it).
BlackBerry Bold 9780 in the wild one more time, still looks exactly like a 9700
Look, we know that every new BlackBerry model is going to bear a striking resemblance to the model it replaces -- that's just how RIM does things -- but isn't this getting a little out of hand? The BlackBerry 6-equipped Bold 9780 has been leaked a few times at this point, but we're seeing it now for the first time totally unshackled from Mr. Blurrycam's surly bonds... and yeah, if you had any doubts as to whether it was a dead ringer for the 9700 it'll likely be replacing, you can put those doubts to rest. Of course, when you've got a keyboard as good as the Bold series does, sometimes it's best to leave well enough alone, we suppose -- just makes that lucrative early upgrade market a little tougher to tap. [Thanks, Dion]
BlackBerry Bold 9780 spotted in the wild yet again, this time in white
It's still not official, but the BlackBerry Bold 9780 hasn't exactly been making itself shy over the past couple of months, having turned up in the wild, on video, and now in the wild yet again in a white version. As before, the device appears to be mostly identical to the Bold 9700 it's presumably replacing, with the biggest changes being a new 5-megapixel camera, 512MB of RAM instead of 256MB and, of course, BlackBerry 6 for an OS. Still no firm indication of a release date, but Phone Arena is speculating that it will launch in October, possibly on T-Mobile and AT&T. Hit up the source link below for a few more pics.
BlackBerry Bold 9780 caught on video running OS 6
This new Bold 9780 is really looking like the real deal, isn't it? The phone, which includes some ultra-minor aesthetic tweaks over the 9700, along with 512MB of RAM to handle the new BlackBerry 6 OS, has been described on paper, caught on camera, and now has gotten the requisite video walkthrough. The video, obtained by Driphter.com, includes some nice WebKit browsing, with fast page loads but some slightly sluggish scroll speeds. Of course, this is still pre-release software, so we'll see where we end up when BlackBerry 6 starts landing on these RAM-bumped devices for reals. Video is after the break.
BlackBerry Bold 9780 leaks out with OS 6, QWERTY instead of touchscreen
Take this one with a grain of salt, but it's looking like our old friend the BlackBerry Bold 9700 is getting a wee bit of an update. Yesterday evening, CrackBerry discovered a RIM document that describes a QWERTY-packing, OS 6-rocking "BlackBerry 9780" destined for a GSM carrier near you... and less than 24 hours later, handset sleuth Salomondrin claims to have the first picture of the device. While we quite honestly can't tell the difference, the man who outed the Curve 2 says this device's chrome bezel is a tad darker than the original, and that it'll have 512MB of flash memory when it hits the scene. Of course, this could just be an Bold 9700 with a hacked ROM or a theme of some sort, but we certainly hope not; pepper it up with CDMA, and you've got a shoe-in for the Curve 3. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
