So it seems as though 2009 will be the year of the upgrades. The following devices are rumored to hit shelves before 2010:
The BlackBerry Onyx aka Bold 9700
The BlackBerry Storm 2 9520
The BlackBerry Essex
The BlackBerry “Striker” 9100 (rumor probably has the codename wrong)
Lets take a quick look at each device, so you can see why 2009 should be dubbed “The Year of the Upgrades.” While these devices haven’t launched yet, and nothing is final, there are a variety of features that I would like to see ship with these devices, to truly add a great leap forward element for the device. Click through to read about each of these upcoming devices and what features should be included
The latest BlackBerry to surface has been named the Essex. The device is the next iteration of the BlackBerry Tour aka the BlackBerry Niagara aka the BlackBerry 9630.
The Essex looks just like the Tour in size and the major adjustments are in form factor, as well as a couple features such as WiFi will be added.
As with many BlackBerry devices, one of the first things you’ll notice is the keyboard. The Essex has opted out of the Bold style keyboard and chosen a chicklet style Curve keyboard. The BlackBerry community is fairly divided on Curve vs the Bold keyboards, so it makes sense for RIM to change it up and offer both alternatives.
The Essex will also come with the new trackpad, which at this point we have to assume will come standard with all BlackBerry devices that once had a trackball. Again, the device will be a World Phone, capable of roaming between CDMA and GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS networks.
There is also a rumor that this device will be heading to Sprint, which was loosely confirmed when a Sprint exec said we will see a WiFi enabled Tour this year.
Tour owners, how do you feel about RIM launching this device so soon after you bought your 9630? Is WiFi, a trackpad and a new keyboard layout something you would have liked on your device?
UPDATE: I’m going to concede that the keyboard might actually be the same. When you put the two devices side by side, it looks like the keys are a little more separated in a Curve fashion, but it could easily just be the lighting. I’m sure we’ll see more pics coming soon which will clarify.
YouTube user Salomondrin hasn’t been having any problems posting videos of the BlackBerry Storm 2, while other users are seeing their videos ripped down by RIM’s legal department. Why? Probably because it’s good press. He does a good job of selling users on the Storm 2, and in the end it’s good for business. I’d like to see Salomondrin post something highly critical of the Storm 2, and see if he can keep the video up.
Sal gives the following 6 reasons why you should get the BlackBerry Storm 2:
1. The Storm 2 is better looking.
2. WiFi
3. Memory – Storm 2 has 138 MB of application memory and 1.8 GB on device.
4. Texting – the texting experience is much faster due to the new sensors underneath the screen.
5. Faster – Even though Sal is using a device with an older OS, it’s still much faster to browse through the menu options and go from landscape to portrait mode.
6. Better Camera
While having more memory, a better camera and a faster processor is great, it is still very close to the Storm 1. There doesn’t seem to be anything revolutionary going on with the device, and I think with more OS updates to the Storm 1, you could have a very similar experience.
Carriers everywhere are dumping the Storm 1 to make inventory room for the Storm 2, but they’re going to have to do a lot to sell us on the Storm 2. Your BlackBerry Storm is a very decent device, I’m just not seeing the great leap forward. Lets see what marketing has to say about this.
BoxTone have announced another product in their lineup, called the BoxTone User Self-Service Module. The latest product is aimed at enterprise IT staff and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and it’s designed to help them save on the cost of supporting their mobile users.
This latest product allows users to effectively manage their own devices in an organization and resolve issues themselves, therefore taking a load off of the IT staff. Like any support system, BlackBerry and mobile IT admins spend a considerable amount of time troubleshooting issues that could have been handled by the user themselves.
Through a simple web interface, users can check the real-time status of their end-to-end mobile service from a standard browser and follow simple instructions to resolve issues and take action 7 x 24.
The BoxTone User Self-Service Module is also available as an on-device help desk. The application sits silently on your BlackBerry and proactively warns the user of pending risks and issues before service quality is impacted, and then seeks to resolve those issues without the user’s help.
