Feeling overloaded with BlackBerry news and rumors? We know the feeling. We hear new things almost every day, and it can be tough to keep up with it all. that’s why we’re bringing you BlackBerry News from the Wire every Thursday.
We’ll catch you up on everything ‘Berry that happened over the course of the week. Not only that, but we’ll rank ‘em by importance, so you can more easily skim the items and read the ones of most significance. If you only have time to read one article, for instance, you might want to head down to our 5-star section. It’s All the BlackBerry News Fit to Geek.
Ladaridis talks about consumer market, SurePress
When RIM co-CEO Mike Lazardis talks, people listen. And why not? He’s an affable man who is obviously passionate about his company and its products. So when he speaks on two major topics, we’re all ears. First he talked about RIM’s entry into the consumer market. This was deliberate, he says, with the introduction of the BlackBerry Pearl in 2006. While he wouldn’t talk about the impending Storm 2, it’s clear that this is another effort focused specifically on the consumer market — though it does have appeal in the enterprise sector. Lazaridis also talked about the SurePress technology RIM used for the original Storm, saying that the technology is “here to stay.” Yet the Storm 2 doesn’t have the same interface. Could RIM be planning to keep the Storm and the Storm 2 parallel, rather than the latter serving as an upgrade to the former?
BlackBerry still most secure among smartphones
One reason the BlackBerry has been so widely adopted among businesses, beyond the unmatched push email, is the security. While RIM was tops before, do they still rank as high? After all, the iPhone was tops in sales until the Curve dethroned it in the first quarter of 2009. The answer, according to Maribel Lopez, is yes. According to the Lopez’s criteria, the BlackBerry scores a four out of four, while the iPhone and Windows Mobile devices fall short in one way or another. Seeing reports like this is always at least a little reassuring.
AT&T to pick up swath of new BlackBerry models
Is AT&T preparing for life after an exclusive iPhone by loading up on BlackBerry devices? Perhaps not, but they’re still planning to add a ton of models in the near future. This includes the Onyx, which features a 3G radio, WiFi, 3.2 MP camera, GPS, and a smaller form factor than the Bold. There’s also the Magnum, which is said to be a “portfolio evolution” of the Bold, whatever that means. The Gemini, a/k/a/ new-generation Curve with optical trackpad, is yet another addition. Finally, a non-flip 3G Pearl is in the offing as well. Sounds like AT&T customers are going to be like kids in a candy store in a few months.
Live images of the Aries, a/k/a CDMA Gemini
We love device news here at BBGeeks, so when something like pictures of a new CDMA Curve come along, we’re all about it. This one seems to be the CDMA equivalent of the Curve 8520, also known as the Gemini. It will probably replace the 8330, though it could become a prepaid option for Verizon. Then again, given the company’s prepaid structure, that might not be a viable option. MetroPCS, on the other hand, might jump on this new Curve, which again features an optical trackpad, for their prepaid service.
America and BlackBerry team up for mobile Web powerhouse
BBCool found a recurring report from Opera, titled State of the Mobile Web, which as the name suggests analyzes trends in the space. In the latest update they’ve come across two findings relevant to us: Americans browse the most data-intensive Web pages, and prefer the BlackBerry to do so. Not only that, but mobile Web page views across the globe are up massively this year over last, with growth of 249 percent in terms of page views. Then again, considering the population of America, this trend is not surprising.
Check out the BlackBerry Tour user guide
Thinking about purchasing a BlacKBerry Tour when it comes out? Want to RTFM ahead of time? Thanks to CrackBerry, you can. Kevin stumbled across the user guide online, so you can head on over and check out all the nifty features before you even get the phone. Of course, that means you’ll be the guy solving all your friends’ problems. It ain’t so bad, though.
RIM offering more tech support and service
It’s always good news when a company opens up its tech support. Or is it? RIM has added service tiers to their small-medium business and enterprise customers. These might be confusing, as they place all kinds of acronyms on the support levels. You can jump to http://www.blackberry.com/btss for more details.
Want a Curve 899 for $50?
We finish off this week’s crop of links with a deal: BlackBerry Curve 8900 on AT&T for $49.99. Yes, you’ll have to sign a contract, and yes, you’ll have to sign up through a third party. If this floats your boat, head over to Amazon.
Copy and paste text with your BlackBerry. Just in case you want to do it and don’t know how. Just like all our quick tips.
Automatically add contact information from emails. Two applications which will allow you to save some trouble in adding new contacts to your address book.
Freedom Mobile BlackBerry Power Supply. Read Cooper’s review of this nifty and helpful device for your BlackBerry.
Filtering emails with your BIS account. It’s a limited function, but it can still serve a purpose.
This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about Verizon BlackBerry.
BlackBerry News From The Wire for the Week of 5/25/2009
This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about Verizon BlackBerry.
BlackBerry News From The Wire for the Week of 5/25/2009
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