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AT&T now shipping BlackBerry Curve 3G
The way AT&T announced the Curve 3G a few weeks back, they made it sound like prospective buyers could be in for a wait following the October 17 release of the Pearl 3G, but not so much -- it's already available. You'll pay $99.99 on contract after rebates and discounts for the privilege of putting the latest Curve model in your pocket, featuring a 2 megapixel camera, 3G support, and compatibility with BlackBerry 6 -- whenever RIM and AT&T decide that the update is ready for prime time. Of course, with a QVGA display, we think we might be tempted to go for a Bold 9700 instead or wait for the 9780 -- but seeing how AT&T is still charging $200 on contract for the Bold line, this bad boy will save you a Benjamin. Tough call! [Thanks, Trey M.]
TDK's see-through and curved OLED display eyes-on (video)
Remember the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness? At a list price of $1,000, it'd be hard to forget -- but with a monochrome see-through display, the whole transparency thing was little more than a novelty on a phone that served little practical purpose. TDK might have the solution with its new transparent QVGA OLEDs, available now to manufacturers in monochrome and in a lovely color variant by the end of the year. At two inches, they offer 200ppi pixel density and are more secure than you might think: the light only shines in one direction, so you actually can't see any data from the back even though you can still see through the display. At a glance, the display's didn't seem as vibrant as the best AMOLEDs on the market, but then again, these are passive matrix -- and you can really tell in our videos after the break where the refresh scans stand out. Guess that's the price you pay for transparency, right? We've also got some video of the 3.5-inch flexible OLED screens TDK's got on hand; they're not transparent, but considering the long, narrow resolution, we can't help but think they'd make for amazing wristwatches (or high-tech glowstick replacements at raves). %Gallery-104249%
Levytator claims to be the world's first bendy escalator, has the patents to prove it (video)
You've seen conveyor belts before, most probably at your local airport ferrying beaten-up luggage in circles, but for some reason the same tech doesn't seem to have been applied to people yet. Leave it to City University London prof Jack Levy to correct that oversight with his eponymous Levytator -- an escalator that follows freeform curves (but not convention!) and offers a better "cost per usable step" than your typical moving stairs. Patented in Europe, the USA, and even China, all this thing needs is the gentle push of a kindly investor -- see the video after the break to determine if it's worth your cash. [Thanks, Conrad]
Sprint gets a BlackBerry Curve 3G of its own, going for $50 on contract
Unless you're a huge fan of Sprint's Everything Data plan, it looks as if Verizon's BlackBerry Curve 3G is the one to get -- unless you enjoy spending $20 more (on contract) for the same thing on Sprint, that is. Just hours after Big Red announced that the 9330 would soon be coming its way, in flies Sprint to play copycat. The Curve 3G is the same as it ever was, boasting BlackBerry OS 5, a trackpad / QWERTY layout, two megapixel camera, 802.11b/g WiFi, GPU, dedicated media keys 512MB of Flash memory, a microSD / SDHC slot (2GB card bundled in) and a couple of color options (graphite gray and royal purple). Sprint's keen on you knowing that this here phone will be eligible for an upgrade to BlackBerry OS 6 in early 2011, but you can go ahead and grab one starting September 26th.
BlackBerry Curve 3G launching on Verizon for $30
We would've never figured on Verizon carrying over the "Curve 3G" name from this phone's GSM counterpart, considering all of its older Curve models have already had EV-DO -- but branding consistency trumps logic in this case, we suppose. Given what we know about the GSM model, you can probably guess the specs: 2 megapixel cam and BlackBerry OS 5 with upgradeability to 6 are both in the cards, though interestingly, Verizon's official specs just list 802.11b/g for WiFi -- there's no mention of 802.11n, which the current Curve 3G has under the hood. Regardless, perhaps the best feature is the price: $29.99 on contract after a $100 rebate, making it one of the most affordable brand new smartphones on the market -- assuming BlackBerry OS is your cup of tea, of course. It'll launch in business sales channels this Thursday, while in-store availability for us lay folk follows "in the coming weeks." Follow the break for the full press release.
BlackBerry Curve 3G hitting T-Mobile September 8 for $80
Last we'd heard it'd be hitting shelves "in the coming weeks," and... well, "the coming weeks" have gradually become "now." You follow? Good, because the BlackBerry Curve 3G is hitting next Sunday in your choice of "smokey violet" and "graphite grey" for $79.99 on a new two-year contract -- which actually might make it the perfect back-to-school smartphone if you live and die by BBM, you're an optical trackpad fanboy / girl, or you're just looking for a solid portrait QWERTY keyboard. Of course, you'll need T-Mobile reception on campus -- and a willingness to suppress any lingering Bold 9700 envy.
BlackBerry Curve 9330's marriage with Sprint seemingly leaked by RIM
When RIM crafts a CDMA BlackBerry, you can bet -- well, usually bet -- that it's destined for both Sprint and Verizon, since there aren't many other carrier partners anywhere in the world where Waterloo can recoup the R&D costs. We've already heard plenty of rumors that Verizon's signed up to get it in the coming months, and now we've got information from none other than RIM itself that Sprint has its eyes on the 8530 successor, too. A knowledge base article on RIM's site (which has now been pulled, of course) referred to a "Sprint BlackBerry Curve 9330 smartphone," which pretty much says it all -- we suppose it's possible that the article's author was just preparing for the possibility that Sprint would be getting it, but we think the more likely scenario is that it was official info that went up a tad early. So, who's upgrading?
Right on time: Verizon phasing out Pre Plus, Storm2, Curve 8530, others?
Judging from some documents we've received, Big Red is looking to clear out a lot of inventory right about now -- presumably to make room for some upcoming models, some of which we've already heard about through the grapevine. Specifically, the Pre Plus along with the BlackBerry Storm2 and Curve 8530 are apparently marked "Phase Out"; in the case of the Pre Plus, we know Verizon's site has had it marked out of stock for a little while now, while rumors of a Storm3 and Curve 9330 have been floating around for some time. Also on the chopping block are a couple netbooks, a USB modem, and the MiFi, a device we've heard would be replaced with the ZTE-sourced, dual-mode Fivespot in the near future. All makes sense, doesn't it? Follow the break for a second shot. [Thanks, Wildkat]
Verizon's remaining 2010 roadmap to be an Android-fest of phones and tablets?
Practically everything we've heard -- both officially and through tipsters -- lines up with information coming out of Phone Arena this week detailing a truly Google-heavy upcoming Fall and Winter release schedule for our friends at Big Red. Starting next month, it seems that we'll see a global version of the just-launched Droid 2, possibly with a white option (though it seems this could also be the R2-D2 model), and the Motorola WX455 we'd leaked has been named "Citrus" and will (as you probably could've guessed) target the low end of the market and the young'uns who are looking for an affordable way to get into Android; as WWAN-enabled laptops go, they'll be picking up the Dell Vostro V13 and the HP Pavilion DM1. Follow the break for the rest of the action! [Thanks, Steven C.]
BlackBerry Curve 3G (9300) is officially BlackBerry 6 ready
The cart left the gate on Thursday and here comes the horse: the official BlackBerry Curve 3G (model 9300) announcement just landed in our inbox. So in addition to sporting (800/850)/1900/2100MHz or 900/1700/2100MHz HSDPA data, quad-band GSM, WiFi, and GPS, we now know that if you buy this BlackBerry 5 device today you can upgrade to BlackBerry 6 "in the coming months." Assuming your carrier can get its act together, of course.
BlackBerry Curve 9300 for sale on Rogers, still not announced
Uh, RIM ol' buddy, is there something you'd like to tell us about this unannounced BlackBerry Curve 9300 that's up and dancing on Rogers' website right now with a $79.99 Canadian price tag on a three-year contract? We're looking at a quad-band GSM and HSDPA 850/1900/2100 candybar with 802.11n WiFi, GPS, 256MB of RAM, a 2 megapixel camera, microSD expansion (2GB in the box), and 2.4-inch display throwing 320 x 240 pixels. And no, that's not the latest and greatest OS which makes us wonder about the possibility for a BlackBerry 6 upgrade. Maybe T-Mobile USA would like to say something, anything? [Thanks, Samir A.]
Cricket launches BlackBerry Curve 8530, says Kyocera Zio is in the cards
We'd wondered what had happened to Kyocera's low-end Zio with Android after its March announce at CTIA... and lo, here it is. Cricket announced today that the phone is indeed in the pipe for 2010 -- a little later than earlier rumors that we'd see it in July -- marking just their second smartphone after their branded version of the BlackBerry Curve 8530, which ships later this week. Pricing for the Zio hasn't been announced, but the Curve 8530 will run $279.99 after discount -- pricey, yes, until you consider that you're getting that devoid of a pesky contract. Cricket's excited to trumpet that its unlimited BlackBerry plan runs just $60 a month in total, which means that voice, text, and data are all off the meter. Not bad -- but considering Cricket's positioning as a regional value brand, we'd expect no less.
RIM's BlackBerry Curve 9300 spotted in T-Mobile branding (update)
It's certainly not the first time we've seen this here BlackBerry (with "this here" meaning "Curve 9300"), but it's the first time we've seen it outfitted in carrier clothing. Notice that T-Mobile logo at the bottom? That's the clearest indication yet that this particular 'Berry will soon be headed to T-Mob, but given that it's unlikely to support an upgrade to BlackBerry OS 6, your off-the-chart excitement level may indeed be unwarranted. At any rate, we're also hearing that Rogers in Canada will be snagging this at launch, but we'll be passing along official details just as soon as we get them. Update: As it turns out, this actually isn't the first time we've seen a magenta-scarved Curve 9300, just the one that has us most convinced it's got a date with destiny. Not to mention stateside availability.
BlackBerry Curve 9300 spotted in the wild again, gets examined in-depth
We've already seen what's purported to be the BlackBerry Curve 9300 out in the wild a few times, but Vietnamese site Mainguyen has now gotten its hands on a unit as well, and given us our most detailed look at the phone yet. That includes a better look at the slightly higher-end elements more reminiscent of the now-discontinued Curve 8900 than the Curve 8500 series it's apparently replacing, and confirmation of at least a few specs (including a 3.2-megapixel camera). Head on past the break for a video, and hit up the source link below
HTC Gold with Windows Phone 7 in November, and more from a rumored UK roadmap leak
O, to see what Omio sees. The outlet has obtained what it claims to be "a huge UK mobile phone release schedule for the rest of the year... [from] all the manufacturers" (emphasis its own). So, from where would such an all-encompassing roadmap hail? We don't know, nor can we corroborate any of this, but the details are numerous so let's go through it -- albeit with cautious optimism and a few grains of salt. The biggest phone we can see of this baker's dozen of a lineup is the HTC Gold (sound familiar?), due in November and loaded with Microsoft's mobile OS newcomer Windows Phone 7. Unfortunately, that's all the information provided, but it's certainly enough to entice us. Also in November, we've got Samsung i8700 and Nokia E7 -- the latter being possibly a N8-esque QWERTY slider with AMOLED display and Symbian^3, and the former being a mystery (although Omio takes a gander that its aquatic Greek mythology might suggest a Bada-powered existence). Going up the list Memento style, October purportedly brings across the pond-ers HTC Vision, the virtually unknown HTC Ace, Nokia N8, and Sony Ericsson's Xperia X8 and Yendo. September's a bit of a yawner -- SE Hazel and a Nokia X2 candybar -- as is August with the X6 8GB and BlackBerry Curve 9300. And July? Nokia E5-00, Sony Ericsson W20, and Samsung i5500. As is usually the case, the more you can wait, the better your options. Now, let's see if this supposed roadmap stays on course.
BlackBerry Curve 9300 gets FCC approval? (update: or just an AWS version of the 8500 series?)
Like many companies, RIM generally does a superb job of concealing model numbers of unannounced devices when it files for FCC certification -- but given what we know of Waterloo's product pipeline, we think it's safe to take a stab at what we're looking at here. In all likelihood, this is the upcoming Curve 9300, evidenced by the general shape of the rear and... well, the obvious "Curve" label up top. This particular unit appears to have triband CDMA including AWS, meaning we could definitely see it launch on some of the AWS-packing regionals like MetroPCS. Physically, it's a step up from the 8500 series below it -- but by all appearances, it's not a major redesign. How about that 9800, RIM? Update: Wireless Goodness points out that this could simply be an AWS CDMA version of the 8500 series, since we haven't seen such a version launch yet on the regionals. Seems plausible -- but either way, the 8500 and 9300 seem like awfully similar devices.
BlackBerry Curve 9300 prototype gets handled on video
BlackBerry lovers, are you sitting at home on a Friday night itching for the latest device scoop? Or out but glued to your screen checking news sites in between BBM relays? Looks like TechnoBuffalo (with a little help from Negri Electronics) has you covered: hands-on time with the Curve 9300. This prototype 8500 replacement has T-Mobile UK bands and is actually working (although with OS 5 at the moment). Compared with its predecessor, the keyboard is apparently improved, the side buttons more flush with the device, and there are a few cosmetic differences as you can notice in the picture above. Video after the break... now get on with your evening, k?
Research In Motion enters Chinese retail channel with BlackBerry 8910 Curve
Remember the mysterious BlackBerry 8910 Curve that showed up briefly back in January? Well, forget that -- this is the real 8910 here. RIM was at China yesterday to launch this familiar-looking device -- OK, it's actually just a 8900 sans WiFi, but it's also the first BlackBerry that'll be sold through Chinese retail channels -- carried by Digital China -- instead of just enterprise contracts. Nothing fresh from the rest of the specs: 2.4-inch 480 x 360 screen, quadband GPRS, 512MHz processor, 3.2 megapixel camera with flash, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0, and microSD expansion of up to 32GB. Press release and a couple more pics after the break, if you still care.
Nothing black about these berries: T-Mobile outs fuchsia Curve 8520, white Bold 9700
We kind of already had a hunch on this one, but it's totally official now: the "fuchsia" version of RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8520 is now totally real and available on T-Mobile for $49.99 on a two-year deal (interestingly, you can get either the black or the white versions for free, so you'd better really want the red). Alongside that, the Bold 9700 is getting repainted in white -- a trick we've seen before with the original Bold 9000 -- on May 26 for $129.99 on contract. Oh, and that Bold will come loaded with BlackBerry OS 5.0.586, an update that's now available to existing customers as well. High fives all around -- at least until 6 drops, right?
Skype mobile heading to Verizon smartphones on March 25th
We knew it was coming, and now we have a concrete date. Starting this Thursday, March 25th, Verizon Wireless customers with one of nine select smartphones (Motorola Droid and Devour, HTC Droid Eris, various BlackBerrys) and data plan will be able to use Skype over the 3G network. As we heard before, Skype-to-Skype calls will not affect your VZW minutes, and now you've got the option to use the app for cheaper international dialing using the mobile app. Full list of compatible devices after the break, a list we're hoping gets expanded in the not-so-distant future.
