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.
BlackBerry Tour review roundup
The BlackBerry Tour is set to hit both Verizon and Sprint next week, and it’s the talk of the town. If you’re thinking about picking one up, you might want to check out the reviews first. There are a bunch of quality ones out there, but we’ll stick to the big boys. You can check out CrackBerry’s, which was done all the way back in mid-June. Then there’s BGR, complete with high-res photos from all angles. Finally, Engadget Mobile takes a gander at the device. Their seems even-handed, as they conclude: “Put simply, the BlackBerry Tour is far and away the best CDMA BlackBerry available, and it could very well might be the best BlackBerry period if not for a few shortcomings.” Sounds good to me. You can get the Tour on July 12.
A look at BlackBerry OS 5.0
It’s been in the works for a while, but it appears that the next full version of the BlackBerry operating system is around the bend. We’ve gotten some bits and pieces of what to expect, but not a real full look. We still don’t have that full look, but via CrackBerry we learn of some screenshots of 5.0 at work for the Storm. The webpage is in German, so the link is through Google Translate, but it comes through well enough. Again, it’s not the most thorough look, but it’s the best we’ve seen to date.
BlackBerry App World doubles selection
When BlackBerry App World debuted in April, there were about 1,000 applications in its inventory. Yeah, there were some issues which need fixing, but RIM seems pleased with the development so far. We learned this week that they doubled their inventory to 2,000 applications, representing what RIM VP Jeff McDowell calls a “broad range of choice.” Still, I have to agree with Robb from RIMarkable: “The problem for RIM is that App World is still pretty lame, if you ask me.” Me too, Robb, me too.
Where is RIM headed?
This is the kind of stuff I love. The kind of stuff that takes a step back from fanboydom and takes a real, honest look at a company or product. The Boy Genius takes a real, hard look at RIM and where it’s going over the next few years. He might not be right, per se, in his concerns for the future of the company, but he’s certainly honest in his musings. As he wonder: “…but look ahead three years and tell me point blank you have confidence that RIM knows how to steer this ship. I don’t, and that’s being incredibly honest. It’s not me being negative, it’s objectively looking at the landscape and evaluating things. I want RIM to succeed, I want RIM to make kick ass products. I’m just frustrated that RIM is going through hardware like it’s nobody’s business yet fails to deliver on the things that everyone wants. Screw business people, screw consumers, everyone wants a WebKit-based browser. It’s inexcusable RIM doesn’t get it. It’s inexcusable that people put up with a 2003 operating system with so many limitations and restrictions it would make Ahmadinejad jealous.” That’s a long excerpt, but the whole article is much longer. I encourage a read.
Could RIM benefit from an open source OS?
Continuing where BGR left off, Kevin McLaughlin of ChannelWeb wonders if RIM would be wise to implement an open source OS. Given BGR’s comments about RIM using a 2003 OS, I think the answer is “probably.” Open Source has its shortcomings, but the idea of having so much input for the final product is enticing. It could certainly help RIM’s software performance and selection, which we’ll get to in just a second.
Is it a hardware of software problem for RIM?
So we ask, if RIM’s software is a bit outdated, do they also have a hardware problem? Via mocoNews.net, Tero Kuittinen of GC Research thinks so. The thing is, few people have issues with their devices. He points to the Pearl Flip, which was pretty much a disaster, but he also points to the Tour as an updated Curve. People liked and still like the Curve, though. People rave about RIM’s form factor and keyboard all the time, and it’s only going to get better with the optical trackpad, and possible touchscreen upgrades with the Storm 2. I have to disagree here. I think it’s a software issue. Which, thankfully for RIM, is a bit easier to correct.
More signs that Curve 8520 to hit in August
While it’s not big news that you can get the Curve 8520 in white — or silver, depending on your perspetive, the release date qualifies as news. Again, we have another indicator that it’s coming in August. That’s good news for T-Mo users who want a cheap, full-sized BlackBerry.
Usynced music player to beef up BlackBerry performance
We end with a note to read this article on BBCool about a new music player called Unsynced. It’s supposed to compete with Apple’s interface, which is always a good thing. I can’t possibly capture everything here, so head over and check out the features.
RIM working on enhanced Gmail plugin. Hopefully this is different than the Gmail app which will feature push — and which will also cost you. If free, this plugin could be the answer Gmail BlackBerry users have been searching for.
Twibble for BlackBerry walk through. It’s another Twitter app, and I have to say that I enjoy the simple interface.
Quick look at the WordPress BlackBerry app. It’s finally here, in beta at least. This is a quick look at the available features with WordPress you can access on your BlackBerry.
Review of the GlobalSat BT-368 Bluetooth GPS Receiver. Cooper takes a look and enjoys the GPS unit.
Pick up where you left off in a long email. Because sometimes you just can’t read the whole thing in one sitting.
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 6/6/09
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 6/6/09
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