BlackBerry PlayBook Android App Support Delayed Until Late Fall

The BlackBerry PlayBook keeps us interested for one reason and one reason alone: its promised ability to run Android applications through the use of emulation software. The RIM tablet shipped without the functionality out of the box, but an update including the Android App Player was said to be coming this summer. We have seen a leaked version of the App Player in that time, but still no official update. It doesn’t look like it’s coming any time soon, after all. According to sources speaking with Engadget, the PlayBook won’t be officially running Android applications until late into the fall. With the tablet off to a rocky start and the appeal of the feature being quite the selling point, having the feature deployed by the start of the holiday season smells a bit like “do or die” at this point.
source: Android Phone

RIM Announces BlackBerry Torch 9850, 9860 And 9810

Research in Motion (or RIM) has just announced their new smartphone, the BlackBerry Torch 9850x9860 and BlackBerry Torch 9810. Both of smartphones runs OS 7 and expect to available worldwide starting later this month. Regarding specs, the BlackBerry Torch 9850x9860 will come out with a 3.7 inch touchscreen WVGA, 1.2GHz single-core processor, 768MB of RAM, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, BlackBerry Maps, 5MP camera with flash and 720p video recording, 4GB of internal memory but equips MicroSD card for expansion. The only differences is that the Torch 9850 support GSM / HSDPA network, while the Torch 9860 is a CDMA device.

At the other side, the Torch 9810 will features3 .2 inch VGA (640 x 480) touchscreen display, 1.2Ghz processor, 768MB of RAM, 8GB of on-board memory, and HD video recording. [ Via RIM ]
source: Today Gadgets

T-Mobile leak points toward BlackBerry Bold 9900 pricing details

Research In Motion (RIM) has just introduced its latest BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone which runs on the new BlackBerry OS 7 to boot. No idea on just when it will arrive, but a leaked document from T-Mobile does give a semblance of an idea – making it a rather expensive smartphone when you consider all the dollars that you exchange for it.

T-Mobile does seem to be targeting an August 31st release for the BlackBerry Bold 9900, burning a near $300 hole in your pocket. Wait a minute here, that shouldn't sound too bad after you include a mail-in rebate, right? Sorry guys and girls, the $50 mail-in rebate has already been taken into account, resulting in the $300 price point.

It is understandable that the Bold 9900 will not fall short when it comes to its internal hardware and kind of technology it packs, but the price tag might seem to be far too high compared to what you're getting – relatively speaking, of course. We do wonder though – should it not sell well at all in the market, could we be looking at a revised price (downwards, of course) shortly?
source: Ubergizmo

BlackBerry PlayBook Android app compatibility arriving in fall?

Before they PlayBook hit the market, RIM officially announced that the tablet will be able to run Android apps. In fact, it was one of the selling points of the tablet - after all, who wouldn't want a device that was capable of running QNX, BlackBerry Java and Android apps? Exactly. But the tablet was launched - without app compatibility present. There was no confirmation to when it would be arriving, but it's already been awhile and people are anxious.

The folks over at Engadget were recently tipped off by a reliable source who told them that this highly anticipated feature of the PlayBook won't be arriving anytime soon, with “late fall” as the ETA. Nevermind Android app compatibility, but the PlayBook really is still suffering from lack of apps - it's pretty much gimped when untethered to a BlackBerry phone. As of now, we're still yet to see the native email, calendar and contact apps arrive on the PlayBook. RIM had better buck up, if not it's going to have to cut more than just 2,000 jobs.
source: Ubergizmo

BlackBerry Bold 9930 & BlackBerry Torch 9850 Coming to Sprint This Fall

Sprint has announced two new BlackBerry smartphones: the BlackBerry Bold 9930 and BlackBerry Torch 9850. Both are world phone capable and are powered by a 1.2GHz processor running the next-generation BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 7. Browsing on these phones is supposed to be 40 percent faster than BlackBerry 6 based smartphones and up to 100 percent faster than BlackBerry based smartphones.

The BlackBerry Bold 9930 smartphone is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone ever. At 10.5mm thick, it features a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen display, the widest QWERTY keyboard available on a BlackBerry smartphone and a trackpad for easy navigation.

The BlackBerry Torch 9850 smartphone will be the first full-touch BlackBerry smartphone from Sprint. It features a 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen display, the largest ever on a BlackBerry smartphone, and trackpad for easy navigation.

No word on pricing yet, but these phones will be available this fall. What do you think, is Blackberry still in the game? Or will is it destined to go the way of Palm/HP?
source: The Gadgeteer

New BlackBerry Torch 9850, 9860 and 9810 officially announced

Research in Motion has finally taken the wraps off two new BlackBerry smartphones that run OS 7: the Torch 9850x9860 and Torch 9810.

As suggested by lots of previous leaks, the BlackBerry Torch 9850x9860 is an all-touch smartphone which comes with a 3.7 inch WVGA display – the largest ever found on a RIM handset. The new Torch also comes with: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, BlackBerry Maps, 5MP camera with flash and 720p video recording, 768MB of RAM, 1.2GHz single-core processor, 4GB of on-board memory, and MicroSD card support.

The Torch 9860 is a GSM / HSDPA device, while the Torch 9850 is a CDMA one (thus it should be released by Verizon and / or Sprint in the US). Other than that, they're identical. You can find out more about the Torch 9850x9860 here at RIM.

As for the Torch 9810 – already spotted n AT&T's website – this doesn't looks different from the old Torch 9800 (launched in 2010), but it comes with enhanced features, including: 3.2 inch VGA (640 x 480) touchscreen display, 1.2Ghz processor, 768MB of RAM, 8GB of on-board memory, and HD video recording. More info can be found here.

RIM says that its new BlackBerry 7 handsets (including the Bold Touch 9900x9930) will be available around the world starting later this month, via more than 225 carriers and distribution partners. For the moment, there's no word on the prices of the new Torch phones.
source: Unwired View

RIM Previews Suite of New BlackBerry Phones

The BlackBerry Torch 9810 series is one of three new RIM phones to be released soon. Photo courtesy of RIM

Research in Motion announced on Wednesday five new smartphones to be released later this year, including two new versions of the BlackBerry Torch series.

As the most noteworthy of the bunch, the BlackBerry Torch 9810 is RIM's flagship 4G device to run exclusively on AT&T's HSPA+ network. The phone will come with a powerful 1.2-GHz processor, a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, and RIM's signature slide-out qwerty keyboard.

All of the devices will run on the company's new BlackBerry OS 7 platform, an updated version of the smartphone software that brings a speed boost to the BlackBerry WebKit browser, enhanced HTML5 performance, hardware accelerated graphics and NFC support.

The company will also offer two Sprint-carried devices, the Bold 9930 and the Torch 9850. RIM boasts the Bold as its “thinnest smartphone ever,” coupled with a 2.8-inch touch screen and qwerty keyboard. Sprint's Torch comes with the largest touch screen ever seen on a BlackBerry at 3.7 inches, pre-loaded Docs to Go software, and no physical keyboard whatever — it's the first full-touch BlackBerry device for Sprint.

RIM has had a difficult year. Once the leader of all things mobile, the company's market share has dwindled to a shadow of its former numbers over the course of the past two years. The release of the PlayBook tablet was supposed to be RIM's turnaround device, but lackluster reviews and dismal sales numbers made the launch a failure.

RIM's suite of new smartphones could help the company move toward a rebound. But as Technologizer's Harry McCracken points out, the company is already talking about future smartphones powered by an entirely different operating system — QNX — which could render this group of new phones obsolete sooner rather than later.

The Torch 9810 is set to debut later this month, while no time frame was given for the Sprint devices. Pricing details are yet to be released.
source: Gadget Lab

BlackBerry Torch 9860, 9850 and 9810 launch details: AT&T, Sprint, Rogers, Telus, Bell, O2, Orange, Vodafone

Earlier today, when RIM issued a press release announcing the launch of BlackBerry Torch 9850x9860 and Torch 9810, the Canadian company didn't provide exact details on where and via what carriers the new smartphones would be available.

Luckily for you, we've spent some time to figure out which mobile operators intend to sell these new Berries in the US, Canada, and the UK. And here's what we've found out:

AT&T will also carry the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 (which may hit T-Mobile on August 31), while Sprint unveiled it would offer the Bold Touch 9930 – the two smartphones have been presented by RIM back in May as the world's first to come with BlackBerry 7 OS.
source: Unwired View

BlackBerry Torch 9810 and 9860 launched

After months of teasing, finally BlackBerry is launching their new Torch and Bold Touch handsets. They're all powered by a 1.2GHz processor, having 768MB of onboard memory, and most importantly is running the latest operating system BB OS7.

RIM claims its new OS is 40 percent faster at browsing compared to OS6-based smartphones, and 100 percent faster than OS5 handsets. It also supports RIM's Liquid Graphics technology, which uses a dedicated graphics processor for smoother scrolling, zooming and panning.

The Torch 9810 has a hybrid form factor. The 3.2-inch touchscreen slides up to reveal a keyboard that is the same size as the screen. The OS was said to be unstable thought, as not all sites will load properly. There was a tiny lag each time the page is zoomed in, with annoying and illegible place-holder text occupying the screen until it was ready to display things properly. No such lags were present when navigating the main OS, however, with home screens, emails and contacts all panning and scrolling with perfect fluidity. The 5MP camera loaded quickly and seemed efficient.

The Torch 9860 (or 9850 in some regions) is for the media consumers out there, who'll appreciate the relatively large and bright 3.7-inch screen. The new OS 7 is perfectly at home on this form factor, although the middle part of the main screen does look a bit strange when there's so much empty real estate: basically, the middle section is just space for the pull-up apps screen or pull-down notifications screen to appear when you need them.

Both phones will be available from carriers soon within this year, thought it seemed that the BB OS7 isn't that stable to say the least.
source: 2DayBlog.com

New BlackBerry Curve 9360 waiting to be announced, too

Yesterday, RIM announced three new BlackBerry 7 smartphones: Torch 9810, Torch 9850, and Torch 9860. None of them is made for budget-conscious users, so one may wonder if the company still plans to introduce any affordable handsets soon. You know, a new Curve, for example.

Well, we don't know how soon it's going to be introduced, but the next Curve is most likely the BlackBerry Curve 9360, unveiled yesterday by UK-based website OneMobileRing. Previously seen in a leaked Bell roadmap, the 9360 should feature a 2.4 inch HVGA non-touch display, BlackBerry OS 7, HSPA, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm headset jack, and an 800MHz processor.

You can see the Curve 9360 below, compared to the old Curve 9300 in the first two photos, and the Bold Touch 9900 in the third one.
source: Unwired View

BlackBerry Torch 9860 arriving in the UK in August?

While BlackBerry Torch 9860 was announced yesterday by RIM, the company didn't give a date to when the phone will go on sale. But now, thanks to the folks at Carphone Warehouse, a UK phone retailer, we have an idea to when the phone will arrive in the UK. According to the interest registration page, the BlackBerry Torch 9860 is expected to arrive in August 2011, though there is an asterisk stating that dates are subject to change - it's better than having no date at all.

With the BlackBerry Bold 9900 also expected to arrive this month as well, consumers will have two devices to choose from if they want to get a new BlackBerry phone. It's been awhile since we've seen a new device from RIM, and these new BlackBerry phones could help the company recover from its slump. Let's hope Carphone Warehouse has got the dates right - keep those fingers crossed.

Thanks to Carly Page of SoMobile for the tip!
source: Ubergizmo

Prices for BlackBerry Torch 9860, Torch 9810 and Bold 9900 announced by Rogers

As you may already know, Rogers is among the Canadian carriers that will launch the new BlackBerry Torch 9860 and Torch 9810 soon – “this summer” to be (not really) exact. The two smartphones will be joined by the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900, and Rogers has now announced the prices available on contract for the three new RIM devices.

The Torch 9860 and 9810 will cost $199.99 each, while the Bold Touch 9900 will be a tad more expensive: $249.99. All prices will require a new 3-yr contract agreement.

The Torch 9860, Torch 9810 and Bold Touch 9900 run RIM's latest BlackBerry OS 7, and are powered by 1.2GHz single-core processors. Apparently, Rogers intends to market them as 4G handset (because they can provide download speeds of up to 14.4 Mbps).
source: Unwired View

BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 shows up at O2 UK

Just like Vodafone and Three, O2 UK is also getting ready to launch the new BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900. The carrier expects to start selling the 9900 sometime in August (when the ultra-cheap Alcatel 602 Rugby should be out, too). It doesn't say for how much, but customers will surely be able to get the smartphone for free on select plans.

The new Bold will come with BlackBerry OS 7, a 2.8 inch VGA touchscreen display, full QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi, HSDPA, NFC, GPS, 5MP camera, 720p video recording, 768MB of RAM, 1.2GHz single-core processor, and 8GB of internal memory. You can see the handset here at O2.
source: Unwired View

BlackBerry Bold 9900 for T-Mobile coming this August 31st?

Will the last day of August mark the first day of the BlackBerry Bold 9900′s life over at T-Mobile? That seems to be the case as said smartphone has already gone through the rigors over at the FCC, showing off support for T-Mobile's HSPA+ network, while a leaked screenshot (whether on purpose or not, that remains another can of worms) pointed towards an August 31st release date. You can pick it up with a $50 mail-in rebate alongside $20 monthly data plan to go along with your Berry goodness.

Sure, that means you no longer have a new phone to show off to your mates during this summer, but look on the bright side of things – at least you are able to have a new phone for autumn! The only thing is, why did the person who captured this leaked screenshot not get details on the final price point? That would be what most people are looking forward to anyways, as a mail-in rebate is more or less a given these days. Well, another 30 more days to save up for one of these puppies if you are interested!
source: Ubergizmo

BlackBerry Torch 9850 press shot leaked

The replacement to the original BlackBerry Torch, the Torch 9850 has been talked about, leaked in photographs, and now - spotted as a rendered press shot, thanks to the folks at pocketnow.com. But RIM still has yet to officially announce the device. With a rumored August 21 release date for the phone, the press materials leaking today seems about right.

The Torch 9850 will be the CDMA version of the 9860, formerly known under the names of Monaco and Monza. It will feature a 1.2GHz processor, a 3.7″ display, BlackBerry OS 7, and NFC capabilities. Expect the phone to be announced sometime soon in the coming weeks. With the first Torch not exactly breaking ground for RIM, let's hope this next generation model will fare better.
source: Ubergizmo