A BlackBerry OS hybrid takes the best of the various OS builds and puts them into a single load. Sometimes an OS version will have a faster browser or menu navigation, and someone capable of building a hybrid OS can extract that app/file and run it on a different OS base. A hybrid OS will also tend to remove extra files that aren’t needed, allowing the device to run a little smoother. The hybrid OS world is something unique to BlackBerry, and it’s something that every BlackBerry user can enjoy getting in to. The average user tends to avoid hybrid builds because they’re not official and can sometimes lead to critical failures. You have to be comfortable enough loading a new OS on your device and restoring a nuked BlackBerry in order to really enjoy the process.
Bell has officially announced the BlackBerry Tour 9630! The Tour is the latest BlackBerry device and it operates on both EVDO and HSPA high speed networks globally. The device is now available to purchase online and will be available at Bell Mobility stores nationally starting July 11th.
I’ve been playing around with the BlackBerry Tour 9630 on TELUS and I’ve put together my impressions, pics and some Bold and 8900 comparison points. This BlackBerry Tour is not a commercial unit, so while it’s running final code, it didn’t come with all the branded packaging – not that you would really care.
In general, this device is where the Curve 8900 meets the Bold. This is indicative of RIM’s latest device strategy of making hybrids to satisfy a gray area of customers, while working on the the more evolutionary devices which take longer to produce. This strategy is summed up as follows:
“You may not love every BlackBerry released by RIM, but rest assured there is a BlackBerry for everyone.”
The TELUS BlackBerry Tour 9630 is rumored to hit shelves July 15th for $249.99 on a 3-year contract.
What do you think of the pricing? It’s always expensive to be an early adopter, but at least the Tour isn’t as rich as the Bold when it first launched.
There’s a rumor going around that Verizon will be announcing the BlackBerry Tour tomorrow with a release date. This could be in response to the fact that Sprint has officially confirmed the device, and Verizon doesn’t want to lose any customers switching for the device.
