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.
T-Mobile announces BlackBerry Curve 8900
You’ve heard this already, no? Earlier this week T-Mobile announced that they will carry the BlackBerry Curve 8900 beginning in February. The latest rumors have this at February 11, which replaced the old rumor of February 18. Good news for T-Mo subscribers. We basically know the deal on this killer device already: 3.2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, and a high-res display. It’s billed as the thinnest BlackBerry to date, which good news if you carry your phone in your pocket. I didn’t see a price on it, but I’m guessing between $150 and $200 after rebates and contract.
Sprint eyeing CDMA Bold release this quarter
One of the most disappointing aspects of RIM — at least for us using Verizon, Alltel, Sprint, US Cellular, etc. — is that they typically do not innovate for the CDMA platform. This is understandable, since most of the world runs on GSM. CDMA releases are always behind, and that is no exception with the Bold. Ah, but there’s been a recent development. Looks like Sprint is looking to release the CDMA Bold in the first quarter 2009. This went under the code name Niagra, and has been long-rumored. The specs are pretty much the same as the Bold, down to the Wi-Fi, which is a strange addition for a CDMA phone. You have to imagine that Verizon will cripple it once it picks up the device.
BlackBerry users addicted to Twitter
Okay, so plenty of people are addicted to Twitter, the service that wants you to answer the question, what are you doing? We’ve talked about the TwitterBerry application before, noting the good and the bad. A recent survey has it ranked as having the most Tweets per user of any Twitter client. It still loses out to clients like TweetDeck in terms of percentage of users, but those who use TwitterBerry tweet up a storm.
Orange to drop BlackBerry bold for good?
Back in September, we discussed UK carrier Orange dropping the BlackBerry Bold because of software issues — presumably the same software issues that kept the device off AT&T shelves until November. Now, due to “ongoing technical issues,” Orange might permanently remove the Bold from its lineup. That’s not good news for RIM. Orange is seeing more returns than normal with the Bold, which is probably why they’re making this decision. It’s not official yet, at least as far as I can tell, but it could happen in the coming weeks.
Obama doesn’t want to give up BlackBerry
President Elect Barak Obama is a noted BlackBerry addict. During his campaign this fall he was photographed many times while holding the devices, sometimes while using it. Just after his election we found out that he might have to give up the device once sworn into office. This week, he said that he’s still fighting to keep his BlackBerry. Says the soon-to-be president: “I’m still clinging to my BlackBerry. They’re going to pry it out of my hands.” Security and legal issues are at the heart of the matter, and in the end Mr. Obama might not have a say in the matter.
Four reasons why the BlackBerry Storm doesn’t suck
We’ve seen plenty of reactions to the BlackBerry Storm since its November release. Some are rave reviews, some tepid, and some are downright scathing. Brian Jackson of IT Business picks out four reasons why the Storm doesn’t suck. Good for him. He notes some misconceptions, like that the keyboard is tough to type on (it’s not; I actually love the keyboard). Worth a read if you’re on the fence about a Storm purchase.
Lazaridis speaks about Application Center
We haven’t heard much about the BlackBerry Application Center lately. This was announced at the BlackBerry Developer Conference, but hasn’t gained much attention since. BlackBerry Cool finds some quotes by RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis about the Application Center. Check it out of you’re psyched about it like most of us are.
AT&T upsets BlackBerry users
Unless you have a Bold, your AT&T BlackBerry is running on the company’s 2G network. AT&T has been pushing 3G for quite some time now, and have made a drastic change for non-3G users. They’ve moved 2G to a different spectrum, one not nearly as optimal for getting reception indoors, and which doesn’t offer nearly the signal strength of the old band (850 MHz). If you’re within the 30-day return period, you might want to consider exercising your right to a refund. You can also call and complain, which might prompt AT&T to compensate you. I’d even recommend trying to get them to cancel your contract.
Push to Talk for your BlackBerry. HipVoice is a service that leverages data transfers to create a push to talk network. Check it out.
Confirm email delivery. Just a quick tip on read receipts and send confirmations.
Total cost of a BlackBerry. Including data charges, messaging plan, insurance…the whole shebang. A commenter notes that this doesn’t take into consideration the phone subsidy or what you would have paid otherwise. That’s fair. Still, this the gross cost of your service over a two-year term.
Re-install BlackBerry Messenger. In case you goofed and deleted it.
Watching video podcasts on your BlackBerry. Hint: You’ll need a PC. Hopefully that changes soon.
Windows Live Messenger on your BlackBerry. No description needed, really.
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