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BlackBerry Messenger 5 now available, we go hands-on
BlackBerry Messenger: it's the holy grail of the BlackBerry platform, and, for many, the only real reason why they don't make the jump to another smartphone. Well, RIM has finally gone ahead and released the latest and greatest version upon the world (in an official capacity at least), and we're definitely pleased with the added functionality and other updates that they've cooked in to the app to make it even more useful and better. Read on after the break for a full breakdown of what's hot, what's new, and what we think of it all.
BlackBerry Bold 2 to be announced October 21 for T-Mobile, AT&T
We have it on good authority that T-Mobile and AT&T both currently plan on announcing the Bold 2 -- also known as the Onyx -- on October 21. As a refresher, this would be the touchpad-driven piece with model number 9700 that's been making the rounds on the leak circuit the past few months, a fitting successor to a device that virtually every celebrity this side of Merle Haggard has been photographed carrying at once point or another. What we don't know is pricing or retail launch date, but at least this gives us a pretty hard target for when we can expect details -- so start cleaning out that Bold trackball, because you're going to have something to eBay here pretty shortly. [Thanks, Cody]
Video: BlackBerry Bold 9700 on Vietnam holiday from AT&T
Surely you're not tired of seeing the BlackBerry Bold 9700 yet are you. A handset described as "the most gorgeous BlackBerry on the planet" in early previews deserves a few more minutes in the spotlight, be it official or not. Vietnamese site tinh te returns with some of the best leaked shots and video we've seen to date giving us a crystal clear look at the 9700's orange AT&T splash-screen, real pleather battery cover, and squircle trackpad. They've also taken the time to size it up appropriately with previous gen BlackBerries for your comparison kicks. Video after the break, more images just beyond the read link.[Thanks, Nam N]
Vonage Mobile iPhone and BlackBerry apps available for download
You remember Vonage right? The trailblazing VoiP company is still around and appears at first glance to have instigated a bit of coup in the battle for VoiP calls over AT&T connections. Unfortunately they haven't, at least not yet. See, the free Vonage Mobile app just added to the iTunes App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch has been approved for making international calls over AT&T's cellular network (take that Skype) in addition to WiFi. Unfortunately, we're not talking about SIP calls over EDGE/HSDPA data. Like the rejected Google Voice app, if you're out of WiFi range but still have voice service then Vonage Mobile will redirect your international call (entered directly into the App or selected from your address book) to a local access number in the US -- you're then using your AT&T minutes while being charged Vonage Mobile's discounted worldwide calling rates. The app is strictly pay-as-you-go for the moment and will not give free global calling to those who subscribe to Vonage's $25 per month Vonage World plan -- Vonage says that will come before the end of the year. The Vonage Mobile app for BlackBerry only works over your carrier's voice network while the iPod touch app only works over WiFi, naturally. Also, BlackBerry users will revert to Vonage's lower rates anytime they make an international call whereas iPhone users must launch the Vonage application first.[Thanks, Ricky B.]
Flash 10.1 announced for just about anything with a screen, webOS and WinMo betas this year (update: Pre video!)
Flash 10 already supports HD video on the desktop, but 10.1 -- announced this week at Adobe's MAX conference in Los Angeles -- is being billed the first to really reap the full benefits of the Open Screen Project by unifying feature sets across a wide variety of platforms on the desktop, the laptop, and the pocket. As usual, Windows, Mac, and Linux will all get hooked up with the latest release, but public betas of 10.1 for Windows Mobile and webOS will be hitting before the end of the year as well followed by Android and Symbian in "early" 2010. RIM's also gotten official with its rumored membership in the Open Screen Project, though the lack of a timeline for 10.1 support in BlackBerry OS is a stark reminder of the long technical road that lies ahead for Waterloo as it tries to match the smartphone competition tit-for-tat in the multimedia space. At the end of the day, mobile Flash means nothing without the horsepower to properly drive it, so let's hope that Tegra, Snapdragon, and next-generation architectures like OMAP4 start to come on board en masse just as these builds come out of beta. Speaking of fast chipsets, the other big news out of the show is that Flash 10.1 will take advantage of GPU acceleration on a number of key mobile platforms, including both nVidia's Tegra and Qualcomm's Snapdragon alongside ION for smooth (well, theoretically smooth) 720p and 1080p video on the latest generation of netbooks and smartbooks.Update: Added video of the Palm Pre running three instances of Flash in parallel after the break. Read - Flash 10.1 announcement Read - RIM joins the OSP
BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac now available, we go hands-on
Today is the day that the BlackBerry-toting Mac faithful have been waiting for. After years of "making do" with less-than-desirable options like PocketMac and Missing Sync, RIM has taken it upon itself to finally release a home-cooked solution for Mac users who simply want to back up their devices without having to install a virtual machine or revert to a Windows PC. Well, it's been a long month and a half since they first announced it was coming, but BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac has finally landed (officially, we mean), and we're glad to say it definitely gets the job done. Check out our full impressions and a quick rundown of the big features after the break.
TiVo for BlackBerry now available, remotely schedules recordings with BlackBerry-like efficiency
Don't expect anything out of a science fiction novel like placeshifting -- better look to the gurus at Sling Media for that -- but if you're just looking for a nice, easy way to peruse your channel guide and set up TiVo recordings remotely from the soft glow of your BlackBerry's screen, there's a new option in town. The aptly-named TiVo for BlackBerry app lets you record one-off shows, set up Season Passes, and browse a guide that looks surprisingly similar to the UI you'll find on the TiVo itself. It's available for download now from App World, and rest assured, you don't need to worry about blowing through your carrier's data caps with this one.
BlackBerry Storm gets a freshly leaked upgrade to OS 5.0
Will Verizon release an official update to 5.0 for the current generation of the Storm? Maybe -- it's a total crap shoot -- but even if they do, your children's children could be having midlife crises before it's actually released considering the glacial pace that Verizon typically gets new hardware and software to market. Of course, that's partly thanks to an infamously back-breaking testing regimen that helps Verizon consistently earn high marks for network quality and generally keeps customers off the support lines, but for those of us who want nothing more than to live on the edge, it's good to see that another packaged 5.0 update for the 9530 has hit the wires -- this one versioned 5.0.0.230. We imagine this one's leaps and bounds more stable than the nearly unusable stuff from earlier this summer, and initial reports from users seems to indicate as much -- the camera works (always a good thing) and there seem to be countless minor tweaks and fixes that folks are describing as "promising." As always, your average BlackBerry user who relies on the phone day in and day out might want to wait for something a little less leaky -- but like we said, it could be a bit of a wait.
Verizon releases new Tour firmware, lets mayhem briefly reign before pulling
We know from discussions with tipsters (and from the simple fact that rumored phones take a century to get released) that Verizon tests the crap out of things -- generally speaking, anyway. Apparently that wasn't the case with the latest Tour firmware to see action, though, because 4.7.1.53 got pulled within a few hours of its release -- but not before wreaking havoc with at least a few users' phones, some to the point where Verizon went ahead and recommended a replacement unit. When you consider that BlackBerrys are probably among the most mission-critical devices in any carrier's lineup, this is a big deal; Verizon did the right thing by moving swiftly to pull the bunk build, but the question remains: how did such a quickly-detected problem make it through what was very likely an exhaustive internal testing phase?
Video: BlackBerry support coming to REDFLY Mobile Companion, adds only marginal appeal
Listen, we feel your pain, we know you've been dying to find another use for your REDFLY Mobile Companion, and while we're not sure this is it, at least you've got another thing you can tell your friends when justifying the purchase. Celio Corp's announced it'll be bringing BlackBerry support to the Companion C8N and C7 as a free update in mid-Q4 of this year. It works via either physical cable or Bluetooth, and at this point supports Bold 9000, Curve 8900, and Tour 9630, with more phones promised as they're released. Crackberry's managed to obtain a video demonstration, which is after the break if you're interested. It's okay if you're not, we understand. Read - Press release Read - First look
BlackBerry Desktop Manager beta for Mac leaks out
Let's be honest: BlackBerry users with Macs have led a pretty rough life. You've historically been afterthoughts in RIM's eyes, offered table scraps of first-party software that you usually end up having to combine with third-party stuff to do what you need to do -- and let's not even talk about firmware upgrades. Fortunately, RIM's finally decided to go all-in for Mac, bringing a proper Desktop Manager suite to the platform this month -- but we're not exactly the patient types around here, and we know many of you aren't either, so you might want to go ahead and grab the copy that's leaked recently. It's not a gold release, but with impatience usually comes early adoption and with early adoption usually comes painful bugs, so it's nothing you shouldn't already be used to.
Leaked Verizon docs point to October launch for Storm 2, Motorola Sholes, LG VX8575
This is all still firmly in the realm of rumors and speculation for the time being, but some purportedly legit internal Verizon documents obtained by BlackberryOS.com are offering a bit more fodder suggesting that the BlackBerry Storm 2 could be launching in October -- or October 14th, specifically. The same documents also point to an October launch for Motorola's Android-based Sholes smartphone, as well as a "mid-October" launch for LG's vx8575 "Chocolate Touch" (which we assume is the same or a variant of the BL40 Chocolate Touch). All in all a pretty big month for Verizon -- assuming everything actually pans out as rumored, of course.
BlackBerry Storm, Storm 2 face off on video, result predictable
Every indication we've got is that the Storm 2 is going to foam at the mouth, tear apart the original Storm limb-by-limb, and eat its young when it's released later this year -- and if you want some preliminary evidence of that, look no further than a newly-posted video detailing a few reasons why the new model's so much better. In the event you'd like to spare yourself four minutes of rimshot-worthy bad jokes, allow us to boil down the video to its bare essentials: the star of the show says the Storm 2 looks better than the original (we're hard pressed to disagree), it's got WiFi, you've got considerably more free RAM and Flash on board, the revamped SurePress mechanism makes typing easier, the interface is snappier, and shutter lag in the camera is way improved. At the end of the day, it's still a Storm in every sense of the word, it's just been tweaked and refined in seemingly all the right ways -- which just happens to be a common theme these days. Follow the break for video. [Via PhoneArena]
Video: Storm 2's new touchscreen tech explained with mindblowing clarity, WiFi confirmed
The last video we posted of the Storm 2 doing its SurePress thing has been unceremoniously pulled from YouTube, but this new video really makes up for it. It turns out the screen uses piezo electronics to detect pressure at any point on the screen, instead of the all-or-nothing click button on the Storm 1, and our video host was kind enough to explain this in painstaking detail in the video embedded after the break. The screen actually stiffens when it's off or locked, and has a sort of spongy give to it when alive. He also confirmed in no uncertain terms the GSM and CDMA versions of the device will be packing WiFi. According to his Twitter account, we should be expecting a video about the OS soon as well. [Thanks, Kristjan]
Enhanced Gmail Plug-in for BlackBerrys arrives, but only syncs one way
Lackluster Gmail support has been a real pain point for BlackBerry users, and we've really been hoping that this new "Enhanced Gmail Plug-in" would solve all that. It's out as of today, and we've certainly gotten some improvements, like support for archiving messages, marking spam and managing labels / stars. Unfortunately, these new management features are only live synced one way, from the phone to the Gmail server, so many of the actions that take place desktop side won't be reflected on the phone once that particular message has been picked up by the BlackBerry Internet Service. There's also the small problem of installing the thing: we haven't been successful so far on two different BlackBerries, and you have to make sure to uninstall the existing Gmail Plug-in. Meanwhile, in BlackBerry Enterprise Server land, the Google Apps Connector has now gone live, which means Google Apps users get push Gmail and what seems to be much tighter Exchange-style syncing. Let us know if you get either of these things working with your particular setup. [Via Boy Genius Report] Read - Enhanced Gmail Plug-in now available Read - Google Apps Connector for BES now available
Video: BlackBerry Storm 2 gets yet another prerelease review
Still not convinced that the BlackBerry Storm 2 is alive and kicking in places outside of RIM's "secure" labs up in Waterloo? How's a seven minute long video showing off this perennially-leaked device for all you skeptics? The blur-free video shows off the updated SurePress screen that only clicks when the unit's actually in use, as well as some size comparisons with the Onyx and Tour. The mystery man behind the camera says that even though his OS is super old -- at least by pre-release firmware standards -- it's much faster than the previous-gen Storm. Also interesting is the fact that WiFi doesn't appear to be present in the "Manage Connections" screen, although we can almost say with 100% certainty that there will be WiFi at launch. The full video's posted after the break, conspiracy theorists: go wild. [Thanks, bighap]
Vodafone launches BlackBerry 8520 in the UK
BlackBerry's newest consumer-class QWERTY smartphone -- the Curve 8520 -- seemed like a lock to launch on Vodafone UK on account of some scanned advertising a little while back, and sure enough, here it is. Considering that you can get virtually any phone in your wildest dreams for free on Voda as long as you pair it with an appropriately pricey contract, we're not sure why you'd take up their offer of the 8520, really -- especially considering that it tops out at EDGE speeds in a country where EDGE-only phones are antiquities better suited for museums than pockets. We guess that'd be what the "Why get this" section on the carrier's product page is for, eh?
BlackBerry Storm 2 spotted in Vodafone Germany's systems
There's little doubt that the Storm 2 is real, but where's it going, exactly? Not long after its debut in some 1960s-era Verizon mainframe that occupies two and a half acres of rural real estate in an underground bunker in North Dakota (we totally fabricated that, by the way), the phone has shown up in a Vodafone Germany computer of similar vintage and unfathomable size. RIM's latest attempt at the touchscreen craze is undoubtedly being pursued with some vigor by the world's top-tier carriers, and it makes sense that all of the original model's launch partners -- Vodafone Germany included -- would have first dibs. No word on a launch date, but we take it as a good sign that everyone's feverishly entering this stuff into inventory databases now. [Thanks, anonymous BlackBerry lover from Germany]
T-Mobile's BlackBerry Curve 8520 unboxed and handled (with video!)
That new BlackBerry Curve 8520 for T-Mobile is in the house, sucking down EDGE data like it's going out of style (oh, right, it is). For a device that can be scored for $50 at Walmart as of tomorrow ($130 at T-Mobile stores), this is a surprisingly solid handset. The keyboard is classic BlackBerry goodness, and the overall heft gives us at least a little bit of assurance that the phone can hold up to wear and tear better than its predecessors. Most of the changes are for the better, like a trio of media keys up top and the rubberized sides, but we're not completely sold on the touchpad. It works great when it works, but if it's too clean or our thumb is at the exact wrong moisture level, we found that we kind of "stuck" to the pad instead of gliding across it. A bit of texturing could go a long way. We also found the QVGA screen to be pretty dim, which is particularly unfortunate in light of RIM's higher-end, high-res wonders, but it's certainly passable. We're planning on spending some more time with the handset, testing that EDGE network to the limit, giving UMA time to handle some of legendary conversational stylings, and seeing how many Engadget Podcast episodes we can narcissistically cram onto the bundled 1GB microSD card. In speaking with RIM, it's quite clear that the decision to go EDGE was primarily based on price, along with the fact that T-Mobile's 3G rollout is still lacking -- it's still a head scratcher to us, though. The spokesperson also seemed pretty confident that the new touchpad interface is the way of the future, and we get the feeling the BlackBerry's legendary trackball isn't long for this world. Check out a quick video hands-on after the break, or you could opt for some fine unboxing shots below.
Video: T-Mobile BlackBerry 8520 sold and unboxed early
We all know there ain't no party like a Super Walmart party, 'cause the Super Walmart party don't stop. Aiding its cause in being the go-to place for night owls and bargain hunting insomniacs is the fact that it's apparently selling T-Mobile's newest BlackBerry ahead of the August 5th street date. Don't believe us? Jump on past the break for an unboxing video, and afterwards, feel free to call your nearest five Wally Worlds until you find one ready and willing to take your $48.88 (on contract).[Thanks, Alex]
