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Ask Engadget: Best BlackBerry handset right now?
Make no mistake, the hottest thing going in the mobile realm just now is the Palm Pre, but that's not to say RIM hasn't gained a lot of attention with its most recent outpouring of smartphones. Max has chimed in with this week's Ask Engadget question (which was sent in via ask at engadget dawt com), and it's all about the latest and greatest BlackBerrys. "I'm considering purchasing the BlackBerry Bold, but the news about the Storm and even the Curve has me intrigued. Which would your readers recommend for a new BlackBerry owner, and why? Pros and cons for each would be excellent." We don't need to reiterate just how high the pedestal is on which the Curve 8900 sits (yes, even today) in the minds of the BB faithful, so we've no doubt that it should be included in this conversation. Go on fanboys, defend your dialer below.
Which BlackBerry would you recommend?
Hey, Mobile reader -- have we got your attention? Good. Head on over to this week's Ask Engadget inquiry on Engadget Classic and bestow upon the world some of your awesome knowledge. The question itself is pretty simple, but we'll implore you to hop over and read the whole thing yourself before blurting anything out.
Biz customers to get T-Mobile's Curve 8900 early?
It's pretty common for carriers' business customers to get special treatment -- they tend to bring boatloads of cash to the table, after all -- and it looks like that hot new 8900 might get swept up into the blatant, corrupt cronyism that's holding most of us back from getting our hands on the goods as quickly as possible. Okay, yes, that language is a bit strong, but seriously, pretty much every BlackBerry user and would-be BlackBerry user on T-Mo is begging on bended knee for this puppy, so to see your suit-clad compatriots getting in on this as soon as January 19 while you're stuck waiting until February 11... that's just torture. The kind of torture banned by the Geneva Convention. Seriously. We can't confirm if this is legit, but we'll know in a week.[Via TmoNews]
T-Mobile bringing the BlackBerry Curve 8900 in February
Sprint's now officially holding up the tail end of the BlackBerry train in the States (though hopefully not for long) now that T-Mobile has announced that the thoroughly modern Curve 8900 is hitting the lineup. Like the 8320 before it, the 8900 does WiFi for UMA-based HotSpot calling service and a 3.5mm headphone jack, but the similarities end there; besides arguably becoming the hottest BlackBerry in RIM's stable, the 8900 features a 3.2-megapixel cam with image stabilization and a glorious 480 x 360 display that'll put anything shy of a Storm to shame. Look for it next month -- T-Mobile hasn't committed to a date, though we have no reason to doubt the 11th rumor at this point.
BlackBerry Curve 8900 caught on the lam in some T-Mobile store
The good news: odds are decent your local T-Mobile store has a Curve 8900 locked away somewhere. The bad news: you can't have it. Word on the street is that T-Mob staff are under strict orders to keep the 8900 out of shopping bags until February 11, the last rumored launch date we'd heard, so keep saving your pennies... to, you know, bribe a store this week.
Chins up, Australia: BlackBerry Curve 8900 gracing Optus and Vodafone
We wouldn't have guessed it a few months back, but it's starting to look like the Curve 8900 might actually be the device in RIM's portfolio with the most momentum going into '09, not the Storm or the Bold. Wild, huh? The latest evidence of that comes from RIM's own site, where they've revealed that both Optus and Vodafone will apparently be picking up the svelte QWERTY beaut at some point, though no mention is made of when or for how much dough. Theoretically, we'd expect it to be less than the Bold -- so for anyone who really doesn't need 3G, consider this your belated holiday gift. Hopefully not too belated.[Thanks, Edward]
T-Mobile's BlackBerry Curve 8900 seemingly pegged for February 11
Product delays are the greasy, disgusting lubricant that keep the wheels of the consumer electronics world turning, so when we hear of something being pushed back a week, a month, or a quarter, we really don't think much of it. Moving a launch up, though -- well, that's a totally different ball game, and it always brings a smile to our faces. Word on the street had been that T-Mobile USA would take delivery of the luscious new Curve 8900 come February 18, but now we're hearing it's actually coming a week earlier on February 11, just in time to stuff RIM's latest hardware in your loved one's box of chocolates, bouquet, or gift basket of sundry sausages, cheeses, and jams. 'Course, WiFi and 3.2-megapixel cam might be enough to get you to dump your life partner flat on his / her / its ass, so don't blame us if this thing wrecks your otherwise happy home.[Via PhoneDog.com]
Curve 8900 Replica theme now available for impatient, theme-obsessed CrackBerry addicts
While you may be in love with the 480 x 360-pixel screen on the latest and greatest 'Berry straight out of Waterloo, we know that the really tantalizing draw of the 8900 is that gorgeous theme. Luckily for all you wannabe addicts out there, CrackBerry Forums member Tom1|21 has worked some magic with Plazmic's Theme Builder and has made the theme available for all 83xx and 88xx devices -- albeit for a price. Of course, the truly classifiable BB elite would've known that this very same theme -- or something remarkably similar -- was available for the incredibly low price of free just days ago. Interestingly, the original forum post has been updated and points to purchase links rather than the free-OTA download links that it was pointing to prior. A little bit of searching might lead you to the free version, and you can start saving up that coinage for the finally-available Sling client -- once it loses the beta label and gets priced, that is. Or, you can just bypass the whole theme situation and hopefully get the real deal sometime around February 18th.Read - CrackBerry Forums threadRead - CrackBerry Blog theme availability
Shadow II, Curve 8900, Samsung Memoir due in coming weeks on T-Mobile?
We're still waiting for even a single American launch of RIM's luscious (or luscious-looking, anyway) Curve 8900, but if the latest blurry screenshot is to be believed, that little indiscretion is finally about to be rectified -- and the curvacious BlackBerry's bringing friends, too. Notables on T-Mobile's alleged list of first quarter launches include the Nokia 7510 Supernova on January 21, the long-rumored Shadow II on January 28, a mysterious Motorola Renew on February 4, and the aforementioned 8900 and 8-megapixel Memoir on February 18. In other words, T-Mob fans, mark your calendars for the third week of February, because that's where the action's going to be. Or so we desperately hope.
SI's CURVE Reference Fixed Frames now shipping
SI Screens is hoping to convince you that curved screens really are the way to go, as its new CURVE Reference Fixed Frames are finally leaving the docks. Designed specifically for very short-throw applications, the inward-curving 30-feet screen helps to counter the pincushion effect and provide "the most immersive experience available." There's no mention of price, but for those that have to ask, you'll probably be better off without the knowledge.
Viettel, Alcatel-Lucent and RIM bring BlackBerry solution to Vietnam
It's a good week internationally for BlackBerry lovers. First we hear that South Korea finally has unbridled access and its own Bold to toy with, and now we're hearing a similar story for the people of Vietnam. Viettel (a mobile operator in the country), Alcatel-Lucent and RIM have all joined hands to make it happen, with "it" being the launch of BlackBerry wireless service. Speaking of launch, prospective buyers can look forward to wrapping their palms around the Pearl 8100, BlackBerry 8700 or the Curve 8320 initially, though we wouldn't be surprised to see even more flavors roll out soon. There's no talk of price just yet, but feel free to phone up your nearest Viettel shop and see what's up.[Image courtesy of thugian]
BlackBerry Curve 8900 now in T-Mobile stores across the UK
If you're too cool for the Bold (and by "too cool" we mean "don't care about 3G"), you've probably been dreaming of the day the luscious-looking Curve 8900 would grace your hood -- and for Brits, it seems that day has come. T-Mobile UK has handily beat O2's UK network to become the first carrier in the land to offer the spiritual successor to the 8300 series, and we're hearing that most T-Mobile stores have already been shipped units. So get it from the store or get it online, but either way, you'll be able to get it for a big fat nothing on a £31.50 (about $47) plan for 18 months.[Thanks, Kristian R.]
AT&T rolls out BlackBerry Curve 8320 at long last
We heard a good while back that the WiFi-loving BlackBerry Curve 8320 would be making its way to AT&T, and here it is. The stunningly conservative Sapphire Blue shade might draw you in if the WiFi enhancement wasn't enough to convince you to upgrade from your 8300. Of course, this is all a bit less enticing now that options like the Bold (and the likely arrival of the 8900) exist, but hey -- better late than never, right? It's going for $149.99 with a two-year contract and a mail-in rebate, or $399.99 if you're just dying to pay full retail and have stacks and stacks of cash lying around.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sprint launches push-to-talk BlackBerry Curve 8350i
Verizon may have been bangin' on Sprint's iDEN network, but that's not stopping the yellow-faced carrier from introducing the "first ever" (wait, really?) push-to-talk BlackBerry on those very waves. Sprint is hailing the Curve 8350i as the "most advanced push-to-talk BlackBerry smartphone ever," and given the options in the past, it's hard to disagree. Thankfully, there's also integrated WiFi / GPS as well as support for Group Connect, international direct connect and Talkgroup; you'll also spot a 2-megapixel camera, multimedia player, speakerphone, video recorder, a microSDHC card slot, Bluetooth 2.0, a stereo headset jack and a removable 1,400mAh battery. It's available now in a rather stocky 4.4- x 2.4- x 0.7-inch frame for as low as $149.99 (after all applicable rebates) on a two-year plan.%Gallery-39336%
RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8900 comes to O2 UK in January
Rogers yelled "first!" when it began selling RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8900 in Canada this week, but O2 won't be too far behind in the UK. Apparently hoping that you'll end up with wads of disposable income post-Christmas, the carrier has just made clear that the handset will be available to customers on January 5, 2009. Those not keen on camping out can pre-register for a unit starting on December 10th (December 22nd online), and if it's pounds you're concerned about, you can get it as low as free (or as high as £234) depending on your choice of contract / plan.
RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8900 has arrived on Rogers
Right now, the vast majority of RIM talk is centered around its touchscreen offering, but those firmly committed to its more traditional kit haven't forgotten for a second about the next-generation BlackBerry Curve. We knew the 8900 was destined for a life on Rogers, but we had no idea we'd feel this compelled to head north once it launched. The handset boasts a 2.4-inch, light-sensing 480 x 360 resolution display, 512MHz processor, quad-band EDGE / WiFi, 3.2-megapixel camera, GPS, a microSDHC card slot, removable 1,400mAh battery and Bluetooth 2.0; sadly, the omission of any 3G support isn't in error, and we're certain that'll be a deal-breaker for some. For those who don't mind (you know, those who just "live" near WiFi hotspots), it's available now in Canada from $179.99 with a pathetically lengthy 3-year contract (with minimum monthly rate plan of $45).[Via BlackBerry News]
US phone sales in October: Curve still in the driver's seat
It's a shame AvianResearch and NPD can't meet up over a couple whiskey sours, figure out a game plan, and go forward with a unified tabulation method for their research -- but until that happens, we're probably going to have to deal with NPD claiming the iPhone 3G is the best-selling phone in the US and AvianResearch saying differently. Anyhoo, RIM's Curve joined forces across AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile to keep its coveted spot atop the list (and with the 8900 waiting in the wings, this can only mean good things for the Curve's future here). Notably new to the list are the G1 -- debuting in the number 7 spot -- and the HTC Touch Diamond, hanging in there at number 10. Anyone care to wager on how the G1 will fare here over the next few months?
Rogers selling the BlackBerry Curve 8900? UPDATE: Yes indeed
Word on the street is that people have suddenly (and rather unexpectedly) started to be able to buy the Curve 8900 on Rogers for $179.99 on a three-year contract with support for the carrier's Talkspot UMA service. Why this wasn't heavily advertised leading up to the release, we don't know -- folks seem to be red-hot for this release -- but at any rate, you should be able to stroll into your local shop in the next few days and pick this sucker up. That eternal question comes up yet again: Curve, Bold, or Storm?Update: Game on -- according to Boy Genius, the Curve is now listed in Rogers' internal database and retail stores are starting to get stocks. So what's it gonna be?
Bavarian BlackBerry Curve 8900s now shipping
T-Mobile Germany's product page still claims that it's not yet available, but reports are filtering in that RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8900 has started to ship to customers in the land of Oktoberfest, lederhosen, and over-engineered automobiles. That doesn't do North Americans terribly much good, unfortunately -- Germans use a QWERTZ keyboard layout, so even if you could get the sucker unlocked, you'd accidentally be typing "zes" instead of "yes" for the rest of your life -- so go ahead and give into the envy for a few weeks while you wait for some more launches to go down. We'll keep you updated, we promise.[Via CrackBerry]
BlackBerry 8350i hitting Sprint on December 1?
We've had a hard time nailing down a date for RIM's latest (last?) iDEN-powered BlackBerry, the 8350i, outside a general belief that we'd see it before the year was out. For push-to-talkers sick and tired of staring at the truly prehistoric 7100i in Sprint's current lineup, we're sure that the new release couldn't come soon enough -- and while December 1 might not qualify as "soon enough" for some of y'all, it could be worse. The latest intel we're getting suggests that the Curve-alike will be ready to order as we enter the final month of 2008, so get your plastic ready (or, more realistically, let your company's purchasing department know what's up).[Thanks, Brian]
