Posted on August 8, 2008, at 8:31 am .
Three shiny new shades of BlackBerry 8120 are coming to T-Mobile in the near future: tahitian green, indigo and light blue. We’ve seen the indigo before, but if these mock-ups are close to the real deal, then I could see that green one doing pretty well. Of course the BlackBerry 8220 and BlackBerry Javelin are on the way to T-Mobile as well. The flip BlackBerry previously known as the Kickstart will also be available in a variety of colours (we’ve seen it in blue and red so far) and shipping with OS 4.6 – expect it on shelves around late September for $50 with contract. As ever, the BlackBerry Javelin, looking like a Bold/Curve hybrid and shipping with OS 4.6.1, should be coming out late November on T-Mobile. That’s a lot of new stuff coming down the pipes for T-Mobile before the end of the year, but the lack of 3G on the Javelin and the potential for the touchscreen-packing BlackBerry Thunder to be coming out on Verizon in the same time frame might make it a tough call for some buyers.
(via BlackBerry News)
Posted on July 31, 2008, at 12:42 pm .
There’s some interesting chatter coming out of RIM HQ in Waterloo recently about the myriad BlackBerry devices they have in development. First off, it seems as though the internal preference is not for RIM’s flagship device, the BlackBerry Bold, but for BlackBerry Curve successor Javelin. The reason? RIM employees care not a rot for the Bold’s 3G because they spend the majority of their day on the company Wi-Fi, giving them leeway to choose the Javelin’s better battery life and slimmer design. It will be interesting to see if this internal trend will continue in the enterprise space once both devices are released.
Secondly, it appears as though our friends in Waterloo are feeling the crunch to get the BlackBerry Thunder (referred to internally as the Storm, or as we like to call it: the HalleBerry – zing!) up to RIM standards. With little time to submit the device to Verizon/Voda for review, our boys in the ‘loo seem cautiously optimistic they can improve the Thunder’s haptic touchscreen from iSuck to iPhone-level quality.
As always, we’ll keep you informed of any more RIM chatter that comes our way.
Posted on July 25, 2008, at 7:40 am .
Two chargers were launched by Duracell today, offering BlackBerry users a full hour’s worth of talk time and the equivalent in data use. The PowerSource Mini is packing two miniUSB ports, in case you’ve got a RAZR that needs charging at the same time, and can charge its lithium-ion battery through your car, AC outlet, or even your computer. It’s a little bulkier than your standard charging cord, but hey, for an extra charge on the go, I think I could make some room. Duracell also kicked off My Pocket Charger which runs on two double-AAs rather than a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and has the added benefit of supporting microUSB in case you plan on picking up the BlackBerry Kickstart or BlackBerry Javelin whenever they come out. If you’re interested, the PowerSource Mini is going for $49.99 and the Pocket Charger for a more affordable $14.99.
Posted on July 12, 2008, at 8:32 pm .
It certainly wasn’t a quiet week at BlackBerry Cool HQ. With barely any time to recover from back-to-back national holidays, we learned that Bell and Telus are trying to charge us for incoming SMS, the BlackBerry Thunder may not be the BlackBerry Thunder, and the BlackBerry Javelin may be here before Christmas. Oh, and let’s not forget the release of the sequel to the most hyped mobile device, ever.
On the home front, Simon was able to piece together the mother of all BlackBerry IM client reviews while also providing an in-depth guide to everything you’d want to know about The Smartphone Challenge (trust us, this is something you want to know about).
Sorry for the late post, but it was so we could debut our wicked new podcast banner. You’ll find podcast downloading/streaming options, as well as links to all the relevant posts, after the jump. Enjoy!
Click here to listen to the BlackBerry Cool Podcast
Posted on July 11, 2008, at 7:14 am .
There’s not much new to the latest pictures of the unreleased BlackBerry Javelin, aside from a look under the hood, but it’s still good to see the girl in action. These shots are accompanied by a healthy dose of speculation that it will be supporting micro USB slot rather than the mini USB connector we all know and love. Considering the Javelin is aiming to be as sleek and fit as possible, I could understand the desire to squeeze it down a notch, but it’s still a pain for accessory providers. I actually used the same cord for my BlackBerry as I did for my MP3 player for awhile, which was especially handy, but for your everyday user, just using the prepackaged cable shouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience.
(via BerryReview)
Posted on July 7, 2008, at 7:53 am .
A leaked Rogers roadmap for upcoming BlackBerry releases is giving us some good ballpark dates to work with. The BlackBerry Bold and the BlackBerry Kickstart are dates we’re already pretty certain with, but it’s good to hear see the BlackBerry Javelin poking its head out for the Christmas rush in late November. If we could see the BlackBerry Thunder sometime in early ‘09, that would make for a pretty solid lineup in the forseeable future. Of course, we’re always left wondering “what’s next?” Personally, I’m still holding out for a slider.
(via CB)
Posted on June 20, 2008, at 6:49 pm .
This week the BlackBerry Javelin dominates our attention, but of course there’s always something going on in India. Rogers also got some new data plans which just fall short of unlimited, but also offer the BlackBerry 8820, which will nicely take advantage of their UMA service. To cap it all off, we shift gears away from developer interviews, and chat with two specialists out of California: Brian Boxer Wachler, eye specialist; and Glenn Cohen, hand surgeon. Learn not only the physical effects of your BlackBerry habits, but what the experts have to say on device design. Grab the MP3, yoink it off iTunes, or pilfer the podcast from our RSS.
Posted on June 19, 2008, at 3:47 pm .
Engadget’s leak was clearly not happy with just the video, and sent in some crystal-clear pictures of the device, including a rather exposing shot from the rear. Oh my. If you haven’t heard, the BlackBerry Javelin is an upcoming BlackBerry packing most of the goodies of the recently-announced BlackBerry Bold, such as Wi-Fi, GPS, and presumably a gorgeous screen, minus the 3G. Nothing much to say, but dayyyyyim is it lookin’ nice. I’m half-tempted to skip the Bold in favour of this successor to the Curve, but that leather backing has kind of sold me. What do you guys think? Worth waiting for the Javelin, or are you going to pick up a Bold? Is the lack of external microSD hurting anyone?
(via Engadget)
More shots behind the jump!
Posted on June 16, 2008, at 1:23 pm .
Remember the BlackBerry Javelin? It’s the 3G-less BlackBerry in the 9xxx family due out sometime in 2009. A lack of 3G doesn’t mean it’s a lost cause, however, because the Javelin still packs Wi-Fi, GPS, a beautiful half-VGA screen and something the bold doesn’t have: a 3.2Mpx camera.
We’ll keep you in the know as we learn more.
(Via Engadget Mobile)
Check out BlackBerry Javelin details after the jump
Posted on May 5, 2008, at 7:56 am .
Some concepts of a BlackBerry modeled after the 9000 dubbed “Niagara” have surfaced, supposedly minus 3G capabilities. The form factor is a little off from the BlackBerry 9000 shots we’ve already seen, so it’s possible this new model will be the next iteration in the 9000 line. The 9100 is already looking like it won’t be packing 3G, pointing to an ongoing trend of stripping features for the sake of battery life. Cutting features has the added benefit of lowering costs, which could do the rumored pricetag of $800 a considerable favour.
UPDATE: Our main man Boy Genius has taken the time to quell the confusion surrounding his report of a 3G-lacking BlackBerry 9000. Apparently, there are two different codenames swirling over at RIM HQ: the Javelin and the Niagara. BG is reporting that the Niagara is actually an EV-DO BlackBerry coming to Verizon in May of 2009. The Javelin is the previously mentioned 3G-less BlackBerry 9000. Everyone got that? Good. BG was also able to scrounge up (unconfirmed) specs for both devices, so check those out after the jump.
Click here to view specs on the BlackBerry Niagara and Javelin
