Some weeks we’re lucky enough to get news updates on multiple new BlackBerry devices. This time around we have word on the BlackBerry slider, a hot topic of late, and the BlackBerry…well, the new CDMA device that is an update to the Tour. Until now we had no idea what to call it. At first it was the Tour2 9650, then they wanted to drop the Tour2 part, and now, well, now it appears to be a Bold. Odd transformation it’s undergone. Anyway, there’s plenty of new BlackBerry goodness to go around.
BlackBerry slider gets pictured, numbered
That’s surely what you wanted to see, a more pictures of the BlackBerry slider. You can find a few more at BBLeaks, but I chose the above one because, again, it shows the thickness of the device. That seems to be the main concern, and while it is definitely thicker than a Curve 8900, it doesn’t seem too too bad.
Now for news on where the device might be headed. As Boy Genius Report mentioned late last week, their source saw the device with Spring branding, which raises the question of whether it could be an exclusive. Verizon, as we know, has an exclusive on the Storm in the U.S., so Sprint could counter with this. Why RIM would want to partner with a carrier with under 50 million subscribers I’m not sure. I don’t think it would be a great idea to keep this away from Verizon’s 80+ million subscribers.
Then again, BGR notes that this could also be a dual CDMA/GSM device, making it the 9900 and 9930. The GSM radio supports the 850 and 1900 MHz bands, so it would work with both AT&T and Rogers. From the sounds of it, the slider will probably hit all carriers, rather than certain ones exclusively.
Tips of the week: Overhaul your address book and mailbox with Xobni and BerryMail.
9650 gets a name, release date (plus OS 5.0 for the Tour and PTT)
A few news items got clumped into one, because they’re all somewhat related. So let’s take it from the top.
First, BRG dropped word that the new CDMA BlackBerry will drop in May. At the time they were still unsure of the name. Later that evening BBLeaks posted the user guide, which said that it will be the Bold 9650. In a way this makes sense, because the Tour was a one-off thing to promote the U2 tour last summer. Now they’re having the device fall back in line with their primary releases. Sure, they could have gone with 9730, but I don’t think it makes a huge difference.
Does this mean that we’ll have to wait until May for the OS 5.0 upgrade for the Tour? Absolutely not. Part of BGR’s report centered on the Tour upgrade, which should hit in two to three weeks. Finally. Not only will it involve the normal OS 5.0 functions, but Verizon will also include a Push-To-Talk feature, available for $5 per month. Adam at CrackBerry has some more information on the PTT plan.
Another tip: Use your calendar to set multiple alarms on your BlackBerry.
BIS 3.0 to NOT feature two-way Gmail sync?
BIS 3.0 is headed for the U.S. next week, and I couldn’t be more psyched. As a heavy Gmail user, I’ve been waiting for a two-way sync forever. BIS 3.0 rolled out in Europe this week, and as Ronen from BerryReview reports, it did not include the Gmail sync feature. I felt like tossing my BlackBerry across the room after hearing that. We got some hope from a forum posting, but it still appears not in the cards. Drat.
Could BlackBerry users flee for iPhone and Android?
We’ve seen plenty of articles and analysis regarding the health of the BlackBerry platform. Just last week we found a research article that stated Apple would soon overtake RIM’s market share. This week we get a report from Brian Deagon of Investor’s Business Daily who cites a poll of iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry users. Users of the iPhone and Android seem content, 90 percent of them saying they didn’t plan to leave any time soon. With BlackBerry, however, people seem more apt to leave. Of the respondents, 39 percent said they’d prefer an iPhone, and 34 percent said they would like to get an Android phone.
The good news is that there will always be a market for the BlackBerry. Again, nothing tops its email system, and that’s why many users — at least its business users, prefer it over other platforms. On the consumer side, though, Android is doing a great job of marketing its devices, and Apple, well, is Apple. I think the former has changed the landscape for BlackBerry more than the latter.
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Roundup
Just the last few things on the list for the week.
- The idea behind BES Express was to allow companies to utilize BIS plans and still get BES support. In other words, to save money. Verizon’s having none of that, though. They’re requiring BES plans for BESX, which will still costs users another $10 per month. That reduces savings — although companies still save on the BES expenses on their end.
- RIM teases new features for BBM. They want to make sure you have the latest version of BBM so that you can take advantage of these features right away. You can download the latest version of Messenger here.
- RIM opens push framework to all developers. The best feature of BlackBerry might spread a bit further. I’m excited to see what developers can do with access to BlackBerry push services.
This post originated at BBGeeks.com – home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.
BlackBerry News From The Wire for the Week of 3/15/2010
This post originated at BBGeeks.com – home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.
BlackBerry News From The Wire for the Week of 3/15/2010