A few weeks ago we got a quick tour of the new BlackBerry 9000’s UI, but now that the folks at CrackBerry have a unit we all benefit by getting a far deeper look at what’s going on. One highlight: (limited) YouTube support! Videos of this thing after the break, check ‘em out.
[Thanks Dave, via CrackBerry]
Photos of a purportedly unannounced Blackberry codenamed “Daytona” are making the rounds in Spain this morning. This new RIM device clearly marked “evaluation unit” on the back is said to sport a 2 megapixel camera with LED flash, GPS, and that glorious WiFi we’re all missing on the 8800. Spanish site Xataka speculates that this media savvy device will carry an 8300 model number when it hits at the start of summer. Perhaps, but we’re still wondering when we’ll see the notorious 8820.
Update: A video has been posted by the Mentesdigitales site. Check that and more pictures after the break.
It’s a little late for AT&T to be quoting “roses are red” in their press release, but they’ve got the red — not (red), as in the money-losing charity — tip covered for the Treo 680 and, of course, BlackBerry Pearl. Both will set you back $200 with a two year commitment. Is red plastic really worth all that to you?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
We’re all about reviews of products before they’re released, but reviewing something before it’s even been officially confirmed by a company is its own special brand of magnificent. Granted, these are more like the hands-on impressions of a self-confessed BlackBerry addict, who was willing to fork over $828 US on the off chance that the eBay auction the other day was actually legit. A week later Kevin of CrackBerry.com has the BlackBerry 9000 in hand and seems to be loving every minute of it. Apparently the keyboard is better than the 8800 series, the OS4.6 is smooth, fast and pretty, and the 480 x 320 LCD is “awesome.” And don’t get Kevin started on 3G: the logo alone brought a tear to his eye — we’re clearly dealing with a bona fide fanboy here. That said, it’s an encouraging sign to see all those leaked shots weren’t just for show, there’s a real-live performer behind the legend. Kevin’s major caveat is the size and weight of the phone, compared to his Curve, but we’re sure the $828 hole in his checking account will have him coming to terms with that drawback in the near future. He’ll be posting more details and impressions as he goes.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
We already got a somewhat vague peek at the 3G-less Blackberry 9000, but it looks like there are actually two upcoming models of RIM’s new hotness on the board — the EDGE version we know about, codenamed Niagara, and an EV-DO edition codenamed Javelin, slated for Verizon. Boy Genius managed to unearth quite a bit more information on these two, and unsurprisingly, they’re basically the same as the 9000 we’ve already seen. Both have a 480 x 320 half-VGA screen, GPS functionality and 3.2 megapixel camera, but only the EDGE-based Niagara gets Wi-Fi. Of course, there aren’t any ship dates or prices in the offing yet, but hopefully we’ll know more soon.
Apparently, RIM is a bit worried that the rumored high price-point for the forthcoming BlackBerry 9000 might be a bit too steep for some, and plans to offer a budget version — sans 3G. According to the Boy Genius, an almost identical model of the next-gen phone will be available without high-speed data, and will have a slightly different bezel and back casing (which he’s gotten a picture of, seen up above) — though we’re not sure why they’d go to the trouble of making a different body when only the guts will change. Clearly it’s one of life’s mysteries we weren’t meant to understand.
This unlocked Blackberry 9000 was spotted on eBay just before the auction mysteriously ended. The seller says the phone is unlocked and will “Not be released until August 2007″ — we’ll guess he / she is a little unclear as to what year it is. However, said seller promises that this particular unlocked phone is actually in stock now and ready to ship for the lucky winner. Listed features (according to this auction) include: 3G, Edge, WiFi, and Bluetooth, as we’ve seen elsewhere. There’s no telling how legit this is, and the seller clearly pulled the auction for some unknown reason, but there do seem to be at least a few of these floating around. Peep the pictures in the gallery here for some photographic evidence.
[Thanks, Ezra]
After seeing it kicked around the Net for a few months, it’s good to see the BlackBerry Curve 8330 finally go live on Verizon Wireless. Well, almost — you’ll have to wait until May to lay thumb to QWERTY while riding that cool EV-DO wave of data. It’ll cost you $270 after a $50 mail-in rebate and two-year contract with further discounts available when signing up for eligible voice and data plans. Your cash will be rewarded with the wee 4.2 x 2.4 x 0.6-inches / 4-ounces curve sporting a 320 x 240 pixel display, 2-megapixel camera, media player, stereo Bluetooth audio, microSD / SDHC expansion, and 260 minutes talk / 11 days standby. Unfortunately, it’s missing WiFi like the early prototype and GPS like the rumored Sprint version coming in April.
Update: Sorry, scratch that. It does have GPS which Verizon touts as vzNavigator.
A fistful of RIM documentation on Waterloo’s upcoming BlackBerry 9000 has found its way onto the interwebs courtesy of the good folks at Boy Genius Report, and while there’s nothing groundbreaking here, BlackBerry fanatics are sure to be drooling by the time they get to the last slide in this page-turner. The spec sheet promises a tweaked web browsing experience — and we’ll take anything we can get there, considering the device’s support for HSDPA. We also see mentions of an improved picture library, automatic music playlists, and inline video streaming in the browser (!!!), all accompanied by a handful of screen shots of the device’s delicious new theme. Seeing how we’ll probably be waiting a few months yet for this thing to get into our hands, go ahead and satisfy your impatience (for a few minutes, anyhow) by clicking through to the full novella.
Turns out the Glyde’s gonna have to share the spotlight a bit when it launches early next month. The Curve 8330 has been confirmed by our sources for a May 9 release through Verizon’s B2B, web, and telesales channels, followed by a May 12 launch in “all channels” (which we assume means you’ll be able to walk into any old store and grab one). It’ll go for $319.99 before $50 rebate on a two-year contract, ranging all the way up to $439.99 if you have no interest in signing your name on the dotted line. ‘Course, Sprint told us point-blank that it’d be launching the Curve in April and that didn’t exactly pan out, so we recommend exercising some restraint here until your jaded heart actually spies it on Verizon’s site — or better yet, on a store shelf.