Hasta La Gadget!

It’s been something of a long time coming, this emboldened Bold. We got our first glimpse of the thing in February, spent some quality time with it back in June, and since then have sat around eagerly awaiting its release. Now, here it is. From a distance, or at a quick glance, it looks little changed from 2008’s Bold 9000. But get closer, pick it up, and the difference is astonishing.

RIM has gone to great pains to talk up this device’s high-end design, its luxurious stylings, its sophisticated aesthetic. We’re far from Vertu territory here, but the first time this phone hits your palm you know a lot of people spent a lot of time making it feel just right — even if it still looks just the same. Of course, it’s what’s inside that counts, so join us as we find out whether the soft and hard bits beneath the surface can do the business too.

Continue reading BlackBerry Bold 9930 review

BlackBerry Bold 9930 review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the fall of 2010, AT&T stores nationwide installed a mysterious shroud housing some sort of exhibit. Even employees didn’t even know what was inside, and anyone caught tampering with the makeshift wall in order to find out was terminated. What was this strange hype-building marketing ploy? A new iPad? Perhaps it was some secret Android device that nobody had heard of? The atmosphere was thick with suspense. When the curtain was finally lifted, it turned out to be… a BlackBerry Torch 9800.

This curious marketing attempt must’ve worked at least to some extent, since Research in Motion decided to tempt fate a second time with the Torch 9810. Known in its early days as the “Torch 2,” the new version of the portrait QWERTY slider was released to much less pomp and circumstance. This time it was unveiled alongside two new BlackBerry BFFs: the Bold Touch 9900 / 9930 and the Torch 9850 / 9860. The 9810 in particular wasn’t a surprise because we’d been given the opportunity to preview the device in May. Though it’s nearly identical to the original, it packs a processor that nearly doubles the speed — a behind-the-scenes upgrade culminating in a night-and-day contrast. But how does it fare against the blooming market of superphones that are flooding the market? And is this the best BlackBerry you can buy today? Let’s find out.

Continue reading BlackBerry Torch 9810 review

BlackBerry Torch 9810 review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hav you been waiting for some more details about those BlackBerry 7-sporting handsets coming to Sprint? Well, wait no more friend — August 21st will be the day of days for WiMAX fans and BBM addicts. The Bold 9930 and Torch 9850 will arrive together for the carrier in the bumblebee suit, at $250 and $150 respectively — though the Torch price is after a $50 mail-in rebate. You’ll find a few more details in the PR after the break and, if you need a refresher on what to expect from the latest RIM devices, check out our hands on coverage.

Continue reading Sprint’s BlackBerry Bold 9930 and Torch 9850 land on August 21st for $250 and $150

Sprint’s BlackBerry Bold 9930 and Torch 9850 land on August 21st for $250 and $150 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve already seen Verizon’s BlackBerry Bold 9930 rear its head in a leaked video and now, it looks like it’s finally gone all official on us. The slim, QWERTY-equipped handset has just popped up on Verizon’s site, where users can now order one for $250 on a two-year contract, or $510 sans contract. Its specs, meanwhile, coincide with what we’ve already heard, including that 2.8-inch, 640×480 VGA touchscreen, 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and .41-inch thickness. The 9930 also comes equipped with BlackBerry 7 OS, bringing voice-activated search and speedy browsing capabilities to the palm of your hand. No word yet on when the phone will arrive in actual stores, though rumor has it that August 25th could be the big day. For more details and ordering information, check out the source link, below.

BlackBerry Bold 9930 now available from Verizon for $250, on contract originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 03:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The BlackBerry PlayBook is currently only available as a Wi-Fi device.

Updated 5:17 P.M. PST with comment from RIM

RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook tablet just can’t catch a break.

Sprint announced Friday that it will not be selling a 4G version of the PlayBook on its Wi-Max network.

“We apologize for any inconvenience but the BlackBerry 4G PlayBook Tablet that was announced in January for summer availability will no longer be coming to the Sprint network,” a Sprint representative told Wired.com in a statement. “This was a mutual decision between Sprint and RIM.”

The news was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

AT&T and Verizon do not currently support the PlayBook on their networks. AT&T announced it would support the PlayBook’s “bridge” application, which is necessary for users to access e-mail and calendar functions, in July.

Without carrier support, RIM can only sell a Wi-Fi version of its product. It must be paired with a Blackberry phone in order to access a carrier’s 3G network. When the product was announced, future 3G and 4G models were promised.

RIM is coloring the announcement somewhat differently.

“RIM has decided to prioritize and focus its 4G development resources on LTE,” a RIM spokeswoman told Wired.com in a statement.

Sprint’s 4G network is based on Wi-Max technology, a competitor of AT&T’s and Verizon’s LTE-based networks.

Reception of the BlackBerry PlayBook has been less than enthusiastic generally. The tablet has struggled with displaying Flash, which delayed the device’s initial launch a month. RIM initially said it planned to release the PlayBook on the three largest U.S. carriers (Verizon, AT&T and Sprint). In May, Wired.com reported that Sprint was delayingthe BlackBerry PlayBook release.

Apple’s highly successful iPad is supported by both AT&T and Verizon, and reported sales of approximately 9.3 million units in the first quarter of 2011. The Wi-Fi-only PlayBook shipped 500,000 units over that same time period, and the Motorola Xoom saw only 440,000 tablets ship.

Mike Isaac contributed to this report.