LG Spectrum and BlackBerry Curve 9370 now available from Verizon Wireless

The BlackBerry Curve 9370 and the LG Spectrum are now available from Verizon Wireless. The LG Spectrum was unveiled during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. It runs Android Gingerbread, has a sharp 4.5-inch True HD IPS display, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, an 8-megapixel camera capable of recording 1080p video and support for Verizon's 4G LTE network. The Spectrum is priced at $199.99 with a new two-year Verizon contract. Also joining Verizon's smartphone lineup on Thursday is RIM's BlackBerry Curve 9370. The Curve 9370 is the slimmest Curve ever and offers GPS and Wi-Fi support, a 5-megapixel cameras and runs RIM's BlackBerry 7 operating system. The new Curve is priced at $99.99 with a new two-year contract after a $50 mail-in rebate.

Pink BlackBerry Curve 9360 coming to the UK in March

The BlackBerry Curve 9360 has so far been available in the UK in both black and white, but what to do if you love pink? Well, it turns out that you just have to wait a little more. That's because a pink version of the smartphone will become available at Carphone Warehouse in March. Yes, that's a lot of waiting to do if you're impatient, but it's just the way things are. No other details have been made available, but we naturally expect this to come with specs identical to the other Curve 9360s out there. Price-wise, again there's no official word but there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to find the pink handset on the same monthly contracts as the others.

Verizon Wireless Releases BlackBerry Curve 9370

Verizon Wireless has just announced the availability of the new BlackBerry Curve 9370 on their network. The handset can be yours for $99.99 with a new 2-year contract agreement and after a $50 mail-in rebate. In case you didn't know, the BlackBerry Curve 9370 packs a 2.44-inch 480 x 360 touchscreen display, an 800MHz processor, a VGA front-facing camera, a 5MP rear-facing camera, GPS, NFC, Bluetooth, WiFi, a 3.5mm headset jack and runs on BlackBerry OS 7. [Press Release]

Verizon BlackBerry Curve 9370 available now, $99.99 on contract

The LG Spectrum is not the only new smartpohne released today by Verizon Wireless. The largest US mobile carrier has also launched the BlackBerry Curve 9370. Unlike the Android-based LG Spectrum, the Curve 9370 isn't a high-end device, and doesn't have support for Verizon's 4G LTE network. The new Curve runs BlackBerry OS 7, and features global connectivity (quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE), a 2.44 inch touchscreen display with 480 x 360 pixels, NFC, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5mm headset jack, 800MHz processor, 5MP rear camera, and a VGA front-facing camera. You can buy Verizon's BlackBerry Curve 9370 online (here), or in VWZ stores. The smartphone costs $99.99 with a new 2-yr contract agreement, after a $50 mail-in rebate.

RIM's rumored 2012 roadmap includes two new PlayBook tablets, one BlackBerry 10 smartphone

If you've been wondering what RIM has in store for us this year (after a rather bad 2011 for the company, especially in the newly-entered tablet space), well, wonder no more. We now have some rumored details concerning the Canadian company's roadmap for this year. Perhaps surprisingly after the while PlayBook debacle, RIM seems intent on launching not one, but two new tablets throughout this year. One will have a 7-inch screen like the currently selling PlayBook, and the other will be bigger, sporting a 10-inch display. The former should arrive around April, with HSPA+ support, and the latter will only be out in December (yet it will get LTE connectivity). PlayBook OS 2.0 will be released by the end of February. Originally, the 10-inch project was scrapped, but apparently it got revived at some point for whatever reason. The first smartphone to run BlackBerry 10, the new OS version from RIM, will be available in September. And it may be the only BB10 phone of the year. It may get unveiled in May during BlackBerry World. But as that will happen so far from its launch date, it will probably just be shown, and won't be ready to play with. We'll also see two new BlackBerry Curve handsets in 2012, both aimed at emerging markets (East Asia and Africa). One of them will be 2G-only, a rare occurrence these days, and they'll both obviously run BlackBerry OS 7.x. Don't forget that this is just a rumor for now, so treat it as such. Even if everything in here turns out to be true, it remains to be seen whether these steps will be enough for RIM to regain its ‘cool factor' in the developed world.

BlackBerry Bold 9790 online in the UK SIM-less

We previously reported that the BlackBerry Bold 9790, the latest touch and type flagship by RIM will be available over at the UK on January 9. It turns out that now is the moment when the Bold 9790 is yours to purchase over in the United Kingdom for 330 pounds SIM-free.

UK online retailer Clove has received stock of the Bold 9790 and users can already order up. The price is not what you'd consider a bargain and many would argue that buying a BlackBerry device without a BlackBerry service by a carrier is illogical.

Another UK retailer lists the Bold 9790 as free on a contract with all major UK carriers, save for Three UK. Head down to source link number 2 if you want to explore other options.

Still if you want the Bold 9790 it offers a 2.45x480 x 360 resolution, 1 GHz processor, 5 MP camera with autofocus and VGA video recording.

P.S. We just got ours and it's entering the reviewing queue as we speak.

Source 1 | Source 2 | Via

BlackBerry roadmap reveals two tablets and BlackBerry 10 smartphone (leak)

A leaked BlackBerry roadmap does have some important dates that you might want to take note of, especially if you are a BlackBerry fan. Word on the street (from N4BB actually) has it that there is one BlackBerry 10 model in the works, where it will roll out this coming September. This will be the first BlackBerry 10-powered handset that might end up known as the BlackBerry London, although certain circles do claim that this could be the BlackBerry Surfboard instead. Regardless of what it is called, you can bet your bottom dollar that RIM has to get this particular launch right in terms of hardware and software, as many see it as a last chance saloon before consumers, no matter how loyal they were to the RIM brand, makes the jump to other smartphone platforms. Apart from that, there might be a couple more tablets from RIM coming your way – you know what they say, if at first you do not succeed, try again. Do you think when April rolls around, marking the first year anniversary of the BlackBerry PlayBook, a 3G version of the 7″ tablet might actually roll out in commemoration as well? Apart from that, if RIM manages to pull over to December this year, then do expect to see a 10″ tablet sporting LTE 4G connectivity.

BlackBerry Curve 9370 Launches at Verizon

BlackBerry phones remain your thing? You would be delighted to know that a new model has just been announced for Verizon Wireless. The BlackBerry Curve 9370 is a budget-friendly RIM device, which was recently introduced at CES 2012. It still has the design form expected from any BlackBerry smartphone: the full QWERTY keyboard, the 2.44-inch display, the candybar mold, and a 5-megapixel camera with flash at the back (highly unlikely to shoot videos, though). It also has Bluetooth, WiFi, a microSD card slot for up to 32GB of expanded memory, and a pre-installed 2GB microSB card This new device supports CDMA radios as well as GSM for people who roam around the world more often. It even has NFC capabilities in anticipation for developments on mobile payment technology. The phone can be upgraded to BlackBerry OS 7.1, the latest in RIM's software department. The BlackBerry Curve 9370 will cost you $99.99 with a two-year contract from Verizon after a $50 mail-in rebate.

BlackBerry Bold 9790 now available in the UK SIM-free for £330

A few days ago, we got word that the new BlackBerry Bold 9790 would be out in the UK on January 20, which is this Friday. However, as is rarely the case in the mobile world, the phone has arrived in stock early. The Bold 9790 is already available at Clove, a well known online retailer. The price being asked is £330, VAT included. That's £12 cheaper than announced last week, and you'll be getting a SIM-free and unlocked smartphone for the price. If you're interested in buying one, go to Clove right now.

WhatsApp for BlackBerry gets refreshed, here's a first look

The most popular and successful multi-device communication platform is without question WhatsApp. More of a text messaging replacement than straight BlackBerry Messenger competitor, WhatsApp has been the number one service people rely on to communicate across iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone devices. We were sent a preview copy of the new version of WhatsApp for BlackBerry smartphones, our exclusive first look is after the break.To start, the entire app's user interface has been refreshed, and it really looks strong. It's clean, it's sophisticated, and it's one of the better interfaces on a BlackBerry product that we've seen. The app contains the same basic 5 tabs that you're used to - chats, favorites, contacts, status, and settings - but it's done in a way that feels natural and light. There's a really intuitive context button on the right of the top tab bar, and it changes based on what tab you're on. If you're in the chats tab, the button changes to allow you to start a new chat, if you're on the favorites tab, it changes to refresh favorites button, a search option on the contacts tab, add a status on the status tab, and add a friend on the settings tab. I have noticed a couple little issues using this pre-release version on my BlackBerry 9900, though. The touch area for the tab buttons at the top of the interface are a tad small and I have tapped a contact's name and started a chat instead of changing to the tab I aimed to switch to. Additionally, the rows that list your favorites or contacts are very narrow, and while that works fine for navigation with the trackpad, not the best possible spacing for touch selection. All in all, the app gets a very welcome refresh, and the best multi-platform communication service gets even better. It should be available tomorrow directly from WhatsApp's beta site, and in BlackBerry App World soon after.

BlackBerry gets Game Boy skin

Here is a little throwback to the age where a quartet (and later, just two) of AA batteries delivered hours of handheld fun wherever you went, even while you are busy collecting them all Pokemans! The Game Boy Skin for a variety of BlackBerry models are now available, retailing for just $8.95 a pop. Supported BlackBerry models include the Blackberry Bold 9000, Blackberry Bold 9650, Blackberry Bold 9700, Blackberry Bold 9780, Blackberry Bold 9900, Blackberry Bold 9930, Blackberry Curve 8520, Blackberry Curve 8530, Blackberry Curve 8900, Blackberry Curve 9300, Blackberry Curve 9330, Blackberry Curve 9350, Blackberry Curve 9360, Blackberry Curve 9370, Blackberry Curve 9930, Blackberry Torch 9800, Blackberry Torch 9810, and the Blackberry Torch 9850, where you will need to specify just which BlackBerry you would like the skin to fit when you checkout. The skin is said to bring some retro flair to your smartphone without adding any additional bulk, while delivering protection from minor surface scratches.

BlackBerry Bold 9790 Now Available For Pre-Order At Clove UK

You can now pre-order the all new BlackBerry Bold 9790 in the UK via Clove. The handset can be yours for 342 GBP (about $524) unlocked and will start shipping from January 20th. To refresh your memory, the BlackBerry Bold 9790 offers a 2.4-inch 480 x 360 touchscreen display, a 1GHz single-core processor, a 768MB RAM, an 8GB of storage, a 5MP camera, a full QWERTY keyboard, HSDPA, NFC, GPS, WiFi and runs on BlackBerry OS 7. [Product Page]

BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 hands-on

Research In Motion didn't unveil any new devices at the Consumer Electronics Show this year, but the Waterloo, Ontario-based vendor still managed to appease fans with a preview of its first major PlayBook OS update that will finally be released some time next month. We spent a good amount of time putting the OS 2.0 through the paces and while there are still some kinks to iron out - we had apps crash on us a number of times - we absolutely walked away impressed. Check out our hands-on photos in the gallery below and hit the break for our impressions. PlayBook owners have been waiting for what seems like an eternity for RIM to finally bring native PIM functionality to the PlayBook, but the wait was worth it. We were already fans of RIM's tablet, but the addition of in-built email, calendar and contacts without the need to tether to a BlackBerry smartphone is obviously a welcome addition. RIM did a great job with the apps as well, providing what is easily among the best email and calendar experiences we've seen on a tablet. Apps integrate with each other seamlessly and we're big fans of the layered UI RIM used in the email app. The email app opens to reveal a unified inbox with a list of messages on the left, and the body of highlighted messages appears to the right. Interactions with the menu buttons on the far left beyond the message list reveal a new panel on which users can perform searches, apply view filters, drill down to individual accounts and more. The calendar and contacts apps function much the same way, with layers of panels that slide to the right as the user selects menu items. Integration across apps is also well-designed. For example, contacts are tied to meeting entries in the calendar. In the day view, a panel opens up to the right that displays a complete list of all contacts the user is scheduled to interact with over the course of the day. If changes to a meeting need to me made, the user can quickly and easily call or message contacts scheduled to attend the meeting and notify them of the changes. The PIM functions in PlayBook OS 2.0 support the standard mix of email services along with LinkedIn and Twitter right now, but more integration with various social services is coming. While BlackBerry Bridge is no longer needed for email, calendar or contacts, RIM has added some great new functionality that we will be showing off in a forthcoming video walkthrough. Most notable is the new remote control feature, which allows users to type, navigate and even perform gestures on a PlayBook using a BlackBerry smartphone. Even with all its improvements, the PlayBook OS is still missing key elements - most notably, support for two features RIM is well known for are still missing: BES and BBM. The absence of this core functionality makes the PlayBook 2.0 still feel like an incomplete solution, but from what we know so far, RIM is working hard to overcome the development obstacles we have detailed numerous times here on BGR. As it stands now, assuming RIM works out the stability issues we saw, PlayBook owners should absolutely be happy with the PIM features and other new functionality coming to the PlayBook next month.

PageOne launches Blackberry Responder App

Robust messaging and SOS alert functionality improves operational efficiency at the touch of a button
London, 10th January, 2012 - PageOne Communications, the UK’s leading provider of mobile messaging solutions to the public and enterprise sectors, today announced the launch of its BlackBerry® Responder App for BlackBerry devices. The App provides a simple, quick and secure way of ensuring important real-time operational and emergency messages are delivered to and acknowledged by individual users or groups.
Critical information sent via BlackBerry email can often become lost amongst everyday general messages, meaning staff miss important alerts and do not respond promptly to the sender. With a dedicated inbox, pop-up alerts and 2-way QuickReply options the Blackberry Responder App ensures vital information that needs to be noticed is actioned immediately. Receipt and opening of messages is confirmed and the QuickReply option allows staff to respond with status, action or updates.
“With the average employee receiving 100-200 emails per day, its vital to differentiate those that must be immediately acted upon,” said  Nigel Gray, Sales Director at PageOne Communications. “Doing so instantly makes your existing communications that much more effective.”
The Blackberry Responder App also offers optional lone worker functions such as an SOS alert and GPS location capability to provide additional support and peace-of-mind for lone field operatives. Pressing and holding the BlackBerry’s SOS alert button triggers an audible and visual distress signal direct to their employers Connect or Flare account, together with a GPS location if available. The SOS alert can also automatically be pushed to an email account, mobile or pager.
As part of their employer duty of care, staff overseeing operatives out in the field can see an audited overview of all remote staff and their status via a customised dashboard. Automated periodic reminder alerts can be set-up that must be acknowledged by the user, without which an SOS alert is auto-generated.
“The more for less mantra rippling through both the public and private sector has had a major impact on, and changed, working practices. We have seen a dramatic increase in the number of employees who should be classified as lone workers for some or all of their role,” added Nigel Gray. “The BlackBerry Responder offers a cost-effective way of meeting this employer duty of care to its employees.”
PageOne’s Blackberry Responder service requires no server/network hardware or software to be installed and seamlessly integrates with PageOne’s Connect and Flare web-based suites. Operational staff can send and receive messages to any combination of BlackBerry, pager mobile and email with an automatically generated audit trail of message delivery, receipt and reply. Using status updates they can also deliver more targeted broadcasts, for example sending only to staff who are ‘available’.
For further information on PageOne’s BlackBerry Responder Application, please visit http://www.pageone.co.uk/services/blackberry-smart-phone-messaging-app
-End-
About PageOne. www.pageone.co.uk
PageOne Communications is celebrating 25 years of innovation in mobile messaging solutions. The company has proven expertise in helping clients drive operational and cost efficiencies, deliver effective results and have a real business edge in a competitive market. With a rich heritage in all aspects of messaging - from paging and  SMS through to voice, email and location based services - it places its customers at the heart of its product development to help thousands of organisations across the public and major corporate sectors with reliable, cost-effective and award-winning solutions.
Note to editorsThe PageOne name is written as one word with a capital 'P' and capital 'O'.
Press Contact:Geraldine Fernandez / Robert Hickling 
Say Communications 
Tel: 020 8971 6400
Email: pageone@saycomms.co.uk
Source: RealWire

BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 arriving in February 2012

[CES 2012] RIM's long-awaited OS update for its debut tablet the BlackBerry PlayBook has finally been given a release date. According to an announcement from the company today, PlayBook OS 2.0 will be arriving in February 2012 - which means at most less than two months of waiting. The update which is touted to improve every aspect of the PlayBook will include the following features: A new unified inbox, tabbed email, rich-text email composing and editing, and inbox management tools to give an advanced messaging experience; an innovative people-centric calendar and relationship-centric contacts app for deeper integration of social relationships; a remote control feature for your BlackBerry phone to control the PlayBook and the ability to open files on your BlackBerry phone on the PlayBook itself. Documents To Go and Print To Go have also been updated with improved functionality, and the BlackBerry App World and Video Store will have access to more apps and video content. The web browser has also been updated with a “reading view” to make reading websites a more pleasant experience. Anybody excited about this new update or have you already given up on your PlayBook?