Given the model number 8230 for Verizon's network and available on June 19th, the Pearl Flip costs $129 after a $70 mail-in rebate with a 2-year contract. On Verizon's own network, the non-Flip BlackBerry Pearl is free (though out of stock), while the superior last-gen BlackBerry Curve is only $99. Over at T-Mobile, the Pearl Flip is available for $49 after rebate. Come on, Verizon. Just because a phone is new to you doesn't mean it's new, and you can't just go around marking up a three-year-old phone nobody really adored in the first place. Can you tell I'm a Verizon customer, annoyed by the seemingly endless stream of badass phones passing me by while stuck with a great network who insists on having the worst handsets? Anyway, here's the press release. [Verizon]

June 4, 2009

Verizon Wireless Customers Will Flip for the New 3G-Enabled BlackBerry Pearl Flip Smartphone

Verizon Wireless Delivers the Full Power of a BlackBerry Smartphone in a Popular Flip Design

BASKING RIDGE, NEW JERSEY and WATERLOO, ONTARIO—(Marketwire - June 4, 2009) -

Verizon Wireless and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) announced today the BlackBerry(R) Pearl(TM) Flip 8230 smartphone will be available on the nation's largest 3G broadband network beginning June 19. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 features the industry's leading mobile e-mail and messaging solution combined with rich multimedia capabilities and the high-speed connectivity of Verizon Wireless' broadband network in a popular flip design.

Available color: Silver

Key features:

- Two high-resolution color displays; the external LCD lets customers preview incoming messages without opening the handset

- 2.0 megapixel camera with zoom, flash and video recording capabilities; video recording requires a microSD(TM) card, which can be purchased separately

- Large SureType(R) QWERTY keyboard for easy typing and dialing

- Advanced media player for music, videos and pictures

- microSD/SDHC card slot with support for up to 16 GB of memory per card

- BlackBerry(R) Internet Service and BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Server support

- Voice-activated dialing and speakerphone capabilities

Lifestyle features:

- Easy mobile access to Facebook(R), MySpace and Flickr(R), as well as popular instant messaging services (e.g. Yahoo!(R) IM, AIM(R), Google Talk and Windows Live Messenger(TM))

- Support for BlackBerry App World(TM), featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for the BlackBerry Pearl Flip. Categories include games, entertainment, social networking and sharing, news and weather, productivity and much more

- BlackBerry(R) Media Sync allows for easy syncing of music collections to the BlackBerry Pearl Flip (certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies)

- Visual Voice Mail to help customers prioritize their messages

- VZ Navigator(SM)-capable, which means customers get audible turn-by-turn directions to more than 15 million points of interest; customers can also get directions to any address in the U.S. and share the directions with others

Pricing and availability:

- The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 smartphone will be $129.99 after a $70 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.

- VZ Navigator is available for $9.99 monthly access, and Visual Voice Mail is available for $2.99 monthly access. Other charges may apply when downloading or using applications.

- Customers can purchase the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 online and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores. For additional information on any Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go online to www.verizonwireless.com. Business customers can contact their Verizon Wireless Business Sales Representatives at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ.

Users of the Pearl, Curve and 88xx phones, despite being highly capable devices, are getting it from all angles; on one front, RIM left these handsets behind for OS 4.6, and the touchscreen Storm looks like it's from a different planet. Other phone makers are moving into exciting new territory, releasing totally new hardware and software at steady clip. In short, it can be rough to own a last-gen 'Berry, not to mention one of the older 7000 series handsets. But the theory here is the same as beforejust because your handset is technically last-gen device doesn't mean it has to feel like one.

Ditch the BlackBerry Browser for Good
RIM's newest browser, bundled with 4.6x and 4.7x handsets, is good. It renders like a modern mobile phone should. NOT SO for the 4.5 and earlier browsers. They might be fine in the exciting world of WAP, but that's yesterday's mobile web.

Opera Mini: This feisty little browser has been backing up RIM's stock software for years, and with good reason. It'll run on almost any BlackBerry, with (old version) support spanning back to the ancient, black-and-white 5810, which was released in 2002. Opera uses server-side optimization to speed things up, but the end result is an experience that at least resembles browsing as we know it today.

Bolt Browser: Bolt, which I made note of a while ago for "not looking horrible", is now available to the public, and it's quite good. It uses server-side compression just like Opera Mini, but generally achieves more faithful results in a shorter time. Most of its magic lies in its rendering engine, the same soon-to-be-ubiquitous WebKit found in Mobile Safari, Mobile Chrome and the Pre's new browser.

Dress Your Interface Up Like a New BlackBerry, Or Pretty Much Anything Else
Pre-4.6 BlackBerry OSes share the same awkward aesthetic. It's at once dry and businesslike, pastel and cartoonish. A relic for sure, but one that takes customization quite well. Plenty of themes are floating around on the internet, but loads of them cost money and nearly all reside in horrible, spammy website. Oh, and 95% of them are terrible. But that means that a few aren'there they are:

Go to Themes4BB. Seriously. Registration is required to access the forums, but once you're done you have access to a huge number of free, occasionally decent BlackBerry themes for almost any model. The obvious iPhone, Mac OS and Windows skins litter the message boards, but the best will give your interface a near-full conversion. If feeling left behind is your problem, there are high-contrast 4.6-inspired skins for most models.

Fill Out Your App List:
While you've got a prime messaging device in your pocket, there are areas where the standard BlackBerry apps are lacking. We've covered browsers, but there are other apps that can have an equally transformative effect on your handset.

Google Apps: Aside from plethora of mobile web apps offered by Google, there are a few native ones as well. Google Mobile provides access to Gmail (possibly a bit redundant), GPS-compatible Maps (a must-have) and Google Sync, which will keep your contacts and calendars neatly paired with Google Apps.

VoIP: BlackBerrys have been sadly neglected by Skype, but that doesn't mean VoIP is out of the question. iSkoot is a surprisingly functional 3rd-party app which uses Skype's network and is able to make and receive relatively clear Skype voice calls, even over 2G networks. Truphone is a simple app that'll route international calls at local call rates. Gizmo5 is one of the better of the sea of second-tier Skypes out there, and their VoIP app, which offers not just free calls to other Gizmo5 users, but instant messaging on a range of popular networks, is worth a download.

WebMessenger Multi-Protocol IM: Some BlackBerrys are blessed with a bundled AIM app; most aren't. WebMessenger does a handy job of combining most popular messaging protocols into an easy interface. And honestly, what is your BlackBerry good for if not furiously typing short messages to all your friends through as many channels as possible?

TwitterBerry: Further facilitating the aforementioned HAVE QWERTY, MUST COMMUNICATE ethos is TwitterBerry, the preeminent Twitter app for any BlackBerry. The iPhone may have seized the attention of the Twitterati, but any BlackBerry, new or old, is better suited to the service that the Apple's buttonless handset. TwitterBerry has the potential to bring upon the world heretofore unseen levels of oversharing, courtesy of you, last-gen BlackBerry users.

Viigo RSS Reader: Viigo is a fantastic RSS reader, able to consolidate any number of feedswebsite content, Google Alerts, social networking sitesinto a friendly, simple interface.

Dealzmodo Hacks are intended to help you sustain your crippling gadget addiction through tighter times. If you come across any on your own that are particularly useful, send it to our tips line (Subject: Dealzmodo Hack). Check back every other Thursday for free DIY tricks to breathe new life into hardware that you already own.

Forum moderator Godzilla posted the roadmap, which offers minimal details actual specs. It only says that the touchscreen Bold (9900, codename "Pluto") will maintain the same form factor and keyboard, and that the Storm slider is unconfirmed and targeted towards Europeans. which in addition to the aforementioned phones, also makes reference to HSPA and EV-DO versions of the 8900 (referred to as the 9220 and 8930, respectively), a 3G Kickstart, as well as an EV-DO/HSPA Bold. There was also talk of a refreshed line of Pearls with the new UI. The EV-DO products are due for a release in the first half of 2009, while the potential heavy hitters are slated for a release at the end of 2009. [TmoNews Forums]

1. Nintendo Wii: 2,056,866 related items sold
2. Microsoft Xbox360: 1,297,903 related items sold
3. Sony PSP: 350,591 related items sold
4. iPod Touch: 281,361 related items sold
5. Nintendo Wii Fit: 266,584 related items sold
6. Apple iPhone 3G: 212,837 related items sold
7. BlackBerry Pearl: 207,688 related items sold
8. BlackBerry Curve: 193,788 related items sold
9. Sony Playstation 3: 103,333 related items sold
10. Guitar Hero III: 98,159 related items sold

Nothing all that surprising hereapparently people like to yack and sit around playing video games. If you're interested in reading beyond the top 10, head on over to the link. [CrunchGear]

However, this trackball was designed to work on more than just the Wii. Acidmods guarantees it for the PSP 300, PSP Slim, DS, Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers.

Unlike most mod demonstrations, Acidmods wants to sell you this actual product. They're not taking orders yet, but they will traditionally sell you the necessary hardware or mod your controller for you at an additional cost. The first link at the end of this post isn't up yet, but it should have purchasing information soon. [Shop via Acidmods and MaxConsole]

Design
I was a pretty, um, harsh critic of the Pearl Flip's design as photos of it leaked out. Turns out, it is the most design-challenged phone in RIM's new lineup, but for a different reason than I suspected. It's like each half of the phone comes from a wildly different gene pool. The top half is glossy black outside, and (fake) brushed metalwonderfully modern and beautiful, if thick. The bottom half feels like it came from white trash branch of the familycheaper-feeling, toy-like plastic (in black or red) that seems more appropriate on a carrier freebie. Totally incongruous, a bottom more like the top would've made it truly lustworthy. That said, it feels surprisingly nice in your hand, despite being something of a fatass.

Compared to the old Pearl, it differs in two big ways on the navigation front: the trackball is recessed (so it can close) and the keys are almost completely flush (there's a barely noticeable, but palpable curve to them). The trackball groove actually works, cradling your thumb while you zoom around. The flush keys make it harder to cocksuredly touch type than if they were more pronounced, though the keyboard isn't unusable by any means. That really depends on how you feel about RIM's SureType keyboard generally.

OS and UI
Besides being a flip phone, the most significant update from a user standpoint over the original Pearl is that it's loaded with the latest, shiniest BlackBerry OS, with its incredibly polished Tron UI, as seen earlier on the BlackBerry Bold.

Our past props (and jeers) for the re-designed OS and UI mostly stand. Graphically, it's a big step up from the previous OS, though we wish the text-based elements, like in email and the calendar, were bit more punched up as well. It translates fairly well to the Pearl Flip's smaller screen, visually speaking, but it's clear that the Pearl Flip lacks the horsepower of its more respectable brothersit's appreciably more sluggish at times, and we ran into some retardiculous slowdown more than once. On the other hand, it has one of the best startup times we've seen on a BlackBerry (though the first 30-45 seconds of wakey wakey aren't quite usable). Still, on the whole, the new BlackBerry OS is imminently easy-to-use and almost as easy to look at.

Screen and Multimedia
The Pearl Flip's multimedia capabilities are nothing we haven't seen on the other new BlackBerrys. It uses the standard BlackBerry media player and organization (though dressed up in the new skin like on the Bold) that's definitely capable, but fairly generic, and not as enjoyable as using say, a Zune. Video is definitely watchable on the fairly sharp 320x240 screenit's good for this kind of phone, but not mind-blowing like the ones on RIM's two flagships. Annoyingly for some reason, though, YouTube videos don't expand to fill the entire screen like a side-loaded one does, they stay in portrait. The Roxio-powered Media Manager still tests the nerves. And the 2MP camera and video recording are just okaynot abysmal, but not great.

Browser and Other Software
Yep, the browser does indeed work way better than pieces of crap RIM called browsers on the last gen of BlackBerrys. It actually renders HTML correctly! (Most of the time.) However, even on pages where the browser gets it right, you get a sad taste of its less-than-manly hardware as it struggles to keep up with you trying to navigate around the page once it's loaded. Even over Wi-Fithere's no 3G to speak ofit can be godawful slow, especially on sites with a lot of scripts running around (Slate, for instance). The lag makes zooming in and out awkward more often than not. So, while a huge, huge improvement over the past browsing experience, it's held back by a lack of processing juice.

Emaiil is what you've come to expect on a BlackBerryexcellentand like the Bold, it's now in full HTML. It comes loaded with MyFaves like any other T-Mobile phone, and all of the usual BlackBerry softwareBrickBreaker, Maps (though no GPS, WTF), Office to Go, Voice Notes, etc.as well as a healthy dose of IM clients, from AIM to Gtalk.

Conclusion
I'm torn on this phone. The most consumer-oriented phone of RIM's lineup, straightforwardly speaking it's also the weakest. So, while we don't know the pricing of the upcoming Curve replacement (likely $199 or $249), users looking to step up to their first real smartphone might want to wait to check it out before stampeding to the store for the Pearl Flip, since it's not cheap at $150 with a two-year contract. Also, QWERTY > SureType, even as good as RIM's predictive text is.

But it's not a bad phone, at allcompared to the wealth of dumb feature phones out there, it's exceptional. It's a full-fledged BlackBerry that delivers great email, solid multimedia, usable web browsing and all of the other trappings of a smartphone, like apps. And it definitely has a quirky kind of personality to it. So, if you're looking for a smartphone in a tight form factoror maybe for your teenthis might be what you're looking for, since the BlackBerry experience remains one of the best.

T-Mobile USA Launches First BlackBerry Flip Phone

New BlackBerry Pearl Flip Features Most Popular Mobile Phone Design in U.S.

Bellevue, Wash., and Waterloo, Ontario—Oct. 13, 2008—T-Mobile USA, Inc., and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM: TSX: RIM) today announced the BlackBerry® Pearl™ Flip 8220 smartphone—the first BlackBerry flip phone—is now available in the U.S., exclusively from T-Mobile.

The new BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone maintains the popular features and benefits of the BlackBerry Pearl; plus it packs numerous enhancements into the sleek and popular flip design. The spacious keyboard allows easy typing and dialing while the flip design helps protect the large, vibrant internal screen and provides the satisfying finality of ending a call by closing the phone. Customers will also appreciate the external display for previewing calendar reminders, e-mail, text messages and phone calls at a glance.

“The flip phone remains the vastly dominant and preferred design for mobile phones in the United States,” said Leslie Grandy, vice president of product development, T-Mobile USA. “Being the first company in the U.S. to offer the unique BlackBerry experience on a flip phone is a huge benefit for T-Mobile customers.”

The combination of rich multimedia capabilities and RIM’s powerful mobile e-mail solution together with support for text messaging, picture messaging, enhanced Web browsing and built in Wi-Fi® makes the BlackBerry Pearl Flip ideal for balancing a busy lifestyle by enabling customers to share pictures, check the latest sports scores or access social networking sites, including Facebook® and Flickr®.

“The BlackBerry Pearl Flip takes all the advanced features and refined usability that customers have come to expect from BlackBerry smartphones and makes them available in a friendly and innovative design,” said Mark Guibert, vice president of corporate marketing, Research In Motion. “Whether they are sending text messages or e-mail, listening to music or simply making phone calls, customers are going to love using this phone.”

In addition to the new flip design, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip also provides an advanced multimedia experience through video recording and playback, a 2.0 megapixel camera with digital zoom, stereo Bluetooth® support, and an easily accessible external memory card slot.

The Wi-Fi-enabled phone provides connectivity for both voice and data, as well as support for T-Mobile’s Unlimited HotSpot Calling service offering unlimited, nationwide calling over any accessible Wi-Fi connection including T-Mobile® HotSpot locations nationwide and great in-home coverage.* Whether through a Wi-Fi connection or the T-Mobile network, customers can quickly surf the Web, view pictures, send and receive messages, download documents, and access attachments.**

Key features of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip from T-Mobile include the following**:

· First BlackBerry smartphone to offer popular flip design

· Wi-Fi-enabled (802.11 b/g) supporting Wi-Fi calling and fast Web browsing

· Support for Unlimited HotSpot Calling, offering unlimited nationwide calling over accessible Wi-Fi networks

· T-Mobile’s myFavesSM support to stay in touch with those who matter most, with quick, one-click access for instant messaging, e-mailing, texting or calling to your Fave 5 SM from the Home Screen

· Enhanced SureType® keyboard to support text messaging, picture messaging, instant messaging (six popular clients), personal e-mail (access up to 10 supported e-mail accounts), and corporate e-mail

· 2.0 megapixel camera with digital zoom, built-in flash and video recording (requires microSD card)

· Advanced media player for pictures, music and video with full-screen video playback

· Stereo Bluetooth® support (A2DP/AVRCP) and 3.5mm stereo headset jack

· Media management software included on the BlackBerry Tools CD, which allows transfer of music files including sync of desktop iTunes music files***

· Enhanced HTML browser for high-performance browsing with a more desktop-style depiction

· Internal QVGA 2.4-inch diagonal screen, 320 x 240 pixels and supporting 65K colors

· 128 MB of flash memory, 256MB microSD card included, and support for up to a 16 GB microSD/SDHC card

· Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE/Wi-Fi network including support for international roaming

· Dimensions: 3.9” x 1.96” x 0.68”

· Weight: 3.6 oz

[T-Mobile]

RIM Introduces the First BlackBerry Flip Phone

New BlackBerry Pearl Flip Brings The Industry’s Leading Mobile Messaging Solution To Consumers Who Prefer Flip Phones

Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM, TSX: RIM) today unveiled the BlackBerry® Pearl™ Flip 8220 smartphone, the first BlackBerry® phone to come in the popular flip form factor.

The new BlackBerry Pearl Flip provides flip phone fans with all the power of a BlackBerry smartphone in a fun and familiar design. One quick flip of the handset opens up a world of possibilities with the industry’s leading mobile messaging solution and a wide range of impressive Internet and multimedia capabilities, all in one powerful yet approachable smartphone. You can send a message to your friends or family, make a call, browse the web, snap a picture, watch a video or listen to your favorite song. It’s all in your control with a simple flip.

The quad-band EDGE based BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone presents a sophisticated look with a sleek design and a chrome-finished frame surrounding its smooth, luminescent face. Packed with an abundance of powerful features, it weighs only 3.6 ounces and measures approximately 3.9” x 1.9” x 0.7”. Featuring two high-resolution, light-sensing color displays, the external LCD makes it easy to preview incoming emails, text messages and phone calls without opening the handset, while the large, 240 x 320 internal LCD displays messages, videos and web pages with impressive detail and contrast.

“The popularity of BlackBerry smartphones has grown tremendously around the world and the introduction of this exciting new flip phone will help extend the reach of the BlackBerry platform even further,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO, Research In Motion. “The BlackBerry Pearl Flip is a full-featured smartphone with a unique and friendly design and it is a natural choice for flip phone users who want to start doing more with their phone than just talk.”

FIRST CLASS PHONE

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone is a top of the line mobile phone that flips open and cradles the face naturally and comfortably during phone calls. It delivers exceptional voice quality and includes many premium phone features, including Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD), support for mp3 ring tones, smart dialing, conference calling, speed dialing, call forwarding, voicemail attachment playback and enhanced background noise cancellation. It also features a speakerphone and Bluetooth® 2.0 for use with hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits and other Bluetooth peripherals such as a GPS receiver. The removable/rechargeable 900 mAhr battery provides four hours of talk time and over 14 days of standby time.

MESSAGING POWERHOUSE

Featuring a large SureType® QWERTY* keyboard that makes typing messages and dialing numbers fast and easy, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip, like all BlackBerry smartphones, provides integrated access to the industry leading BlackBerry wireless services. Users are able to easily access up to 10 supported personal and work email accounts, send and receive text and instant messages, and connect on popular social networking sites with friends, family and co-workers. The DataViz® Documents to Go® software suite is also preloaded, allowing users to edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the handset. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip is supported on BlackBerry® Internet Service, BlackBerry® Unite!, BlackBerry® Professional Software and BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, which provides tight integration with corporate email systems and the security and IT policy controls that enterprise customers require to confidently allow smartphones in their organization.

MULTIMEDIA TO GO

With an advanced media player for displaying pictures, listening to music and watching videos, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip is the perfect on-the-go entertainment center. Videos play smoothly on the large internal display, playlists can be managed directly on the handset and there’s an equalizer with 11 preset filters – including "Lounge", "Jazz" and "Hip Hop" – for customizing audio ranges when using headphones or external speakers. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip works with the new BlackBerry® Media Sync application that makes it easy to sync iTunes digital music collections with the smartphone*** and it also features a conveniently accessible microSD/SDHC memory card slot that supports up to 16GB** for plenty of storage. High Speed USB 2.0 support allows files to be quickly transferred between a desktop computer and the smartphone and the BlackBerry® Desktop Manager software includes Roxio® Media Manager for BlackBerry® to help users easily manage their music and video files. Roxio Photosuite® 9 LE is also included for creating photo albums and editing pictures.

FULL FEATURED FLIP

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip packs an impressive range of features into its compact design, including phone, email, messaging, organizer, browser and multimedia applications, and it can also support thousands of other mobile lifestyle and business applications. It features a 2 megapixel camera with flash, zoom and video recording**** to capture memories while on the move, and includes BlackBerry Maps to deliver maps and step-by-step driving directions quickly and easily. An enhanced HTML browser displays web pages beautifully in either “Column View” or “Page View” and different emulation settings allow users to choose between desktop-style HTML content and the mobile version of web pages. The browser also supports RTSP for watching online streaming video from sites like m.youtube.com. In addition, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone features built-in Wi-Fi® (802.11 b/g) with support for UMA (unlicensed mobile access), extending wireless email and data coverage and supporting carrier enabled voice calls over home Wi-Fi networks, enterprise wireless deployments and Wi-Fi hotspots.

ACCESSORIES

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip comes with a variety of accessories including a stereo headset, travel charger and USB cable. Additional accessories for BlackBerry smartphones, including holsters and totes, charging pods, premium earphones, Bluetooth headsets and the BlackBerry® Remote Stereo Gateway are available through retail outlets or online at www.shopblackberry.com.

AVAILABILITY

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 smartphone will be available from wireless carriers around the world beginning this fall. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip will be available in the United States exclusively from T-Mobile beginning this fall. Specific availability and pricing details will be announced at a later date.

For more information please visit www.BlackBerryPearl.com

T-Mobile USA customers can check out more details about this new flip phone and register to be notified when the BlackBerry Pearl Flip is available at www.BlackBerry.com/T-MobileBlackBerryPearlFlip

Media can access images and video of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 smartphone at http://rim.mediaseed.tv/

About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM’s portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry® wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

* Keyboard also available in AZERTY and QWERTZ configurations to support different language groups.

** MicroSD/SDHC memory cards are available today in configurations of up to 8GB and the BlackBerry Pearl 8220 smartphone will support upcoming 16GB microSD/SDHC cards.

*** Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies.

**** Video recording requires microSD card, which may be sold separately.

[BlackBerry]

Here's the rundown:
• Has 802.11a/b/g plus good GPS, typically a tradeoff with BBs
• GPS is enhanced and assisted, and the handset has better map rendering, says Laptop
• 480 x 320 resolution screen with 65,000 colorsCrave says "never seen a better-looking display"
• 624MHz Intel PXA270/Marvell Tavor PXA930 processor (reports differ), up from 312MHz
• Runs BlackBerry OS 4.6
• Keyboard has 8800-style "sculpted keys," says PC Mag, "but the rows are separated by curved barriers"
• 4.5" tall x 2.6" wide x 0.5" deep, weighing 4.7oz
• Side-loading MicroSD/SDHC slot for up to 16GB additional
• 2MP camera with flash
• Talk time of 5 hours, with standby of 13 days
• MP3, WMA, AAC, DivX4 and WMV3 codec support
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• "Pretty powerful speakersnone of that weak, tinny junk," says Crave
• 128MB of flash plus 1GB of onboard memory (with encryption)
• Black leather back panel that can be swapped for other color leather plates
• Pricing will be $300 to $500 says BGR, a pretty wide (and obvious) range; Crave narrows it to "$300 to $400"

Why the name? Well, since Mike Lazaridis stopped taking our phone calls (blog allergy, some say), my guess is that those dudes are either fans of Goethe or fans of Cameron Crowe. You know... "Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid." Keep it up, RIM. I think it's working. [Product Page and Press Release PLUS Boy Genius; Laptop; Crave; PC Magazine]

Official Press Release:

RIM Introduces the BlackBerry Bold Smartphone

Top of the line BlackBerry smartphone features premium design and unprecedented performance; perfect for business professionals and power users.

Waterloo, ON- For customers seeking a smartphone that makes a bold statement, Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today introduced the admirable BlackBerry® Bold™ smartphone. Crafted from premium materials, inside and out, that radiate elegance with a dramatic presence, the BlackBerry Bold is designed to give business professionals and power users unprecedented functionality and performance in an intuitive BlackBerry® smartphone. It is the first BlackBerry smartphone to support tri-band HSDPA high-speed networks around the world and comes with integrated GPS and Wi-Fi®, as well as a rich set of multimedia capabilities. From its lustrous black exterior, satin chrome finished frame and stylish leather-like backplate, to its stunning display, sophisticated user interface and newly designed full-QWERTY* keyboard, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone is a symbol of accomplishment and aspiration.

"The new BlackBerry Bold represents a tremendous step forward in business-grade smartphones and lives up to its name with incredible speed, power and functionality, all wrapped in a beautiful and confident design," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO, Research In Motion.

SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE
The BlackBerry Bold smartphone's support for tri-band HSDPA and enterprise-grade Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g) networks and its next-generation 624 MHz mobile processor make short work of downloading email attachments, streaming video or rendering web pages. The BlackBerry Bold also includes 128 MB Flash memory plus 1 GB on-board storage memory, as well as and a microSD/SDHC memory card slot** that is conveniently accessible from a side door. It comes with the renowned BlackBerry productivity applications, including phone, email, messaging, organizer and browser, and works with thousands of mobile business and lifestyle applications, making it easier than ever to stay connected, productive and entertained. With this powerful new smartphone, users can even talk on the phone while sending and receiving email or accessing the web, and download Word, Excel or PowerPoint files and edit them directly on the handset using the preloaded DataViz® Documents to Go® suite.

STUNNING DISPLAY
The BlackBerry Bold smartphone comes with the most vivid and bold display ever introduced on a BlackBerry smartphone. Its half-VGA (480x320 resolution) color LCD is fused to the undersurface of the lens, making images leap out with stunning definition and clarity. Pictures are vibrant and razor sharp, while videos play smoothly and web pages, documents, presentations and messages snap with exceptional quality and contrast.

DESKTOP-STYLE WEB PAGES
With its newly enhanced, high performance browser and high-resolution, ultra-bright display, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone gives users an on-the-go web browsing experience with desktop-style depiction. The trackball mimics a mouse, making it easy to navigate sites in "Page View" or "Column View" or to zoom in on specific parts of a web page, while various emulation settings allow users to choose between the full desktop-style HTML content and layout or the mobile version. Attachments can also now be downloaded from within the browser and there is support for watching streaming videos (RTSP - real-time streaming protocol).

RICH MULTIMEDIA
While it is designed to meet the extensive requirements of the business professional during the day, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone also caters to the business person's consumer side during evenings and weekends. It features a 2 megapixel camera with video recording capability, built-in flash and 5x digital zoom. The enhanced media player can display pictures and slideshows quickly, play movies smoothly in full screen mode, and manage an entire music collection. Audio can be played over the handset's dual speakers in rich, stereo sound, and when using wired headphones or external speakers, the media player gives the user an equalizer with 11 preset filters - like "Lounge", "Jazz" and "Hip Hop" - that boost or soften audio ranges to create the perfect ambiance.

For managing music and video, the BlackBerry® Desktop Manager software includes Roxio® Media Manager for BlackBerry® as well as Roxio Photosuite® 9 LE, which makes it easy to enhance pictures and create photo albums on the computer. For users that manage their collection with iTunes®, the new BlackBerry® Media Sync application provides a simple way to sync iTunes digital music collections with the smartphone***. Support for High Speed USB 2.0 allows all files to be transferred quickly from a desktop computer to the BlackBerry Bold smartphone.

POWERFUL WI-FI & GPS
For even broader high-speed network coverage, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone supports the 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi standards, ideal for use in enterprise or campus wireless LAN deployments, over Wi-Fi hotspots and on wireless home networks. A new "Push Button Setup" is included, making it faster for users to connect to protected wireless networks that require a sign on process.

Through its integrated GPS, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone can pinpoint its exact location, supporting applications like BlackBerry® Maps and other location-based applications or services. With its improved rendering capabilities, faster download speeds and ability to support simultaneous voice and data, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone even allows users to navigate while on a call.

FIRST CLASS PHONE
The BlackBerry Bold smartphone features a new acoustic design that increases the size of the phone's audio sweet spot, improving listening quality and clarity. It also comes with numerous premium phone features including Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD), Bluetooth® 2.0, with support for hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits (including car kits that adhere to the Bluetooth Remote SIM Access Profile) and other Bluetooth peripherals. It is a quad-band EDGE and tri-band HSDPA handset that supports global roaming**** and features dedicated 'send', 'end', and 'mute' keys, smart dialing, speed dialing, conference calling and call forwarding. It also features noise cancellation technology that offsets background noise, a powerful speaker phone and support for polyphonic, mp3 and MIDI ring tones.

ROBUST EMAIL & MESSAGING
Like all BlackBerry smartphones, the BlackBerry Bold gives users the industry's leading mobile messaging solution. It works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, which enables advanced security and IT administration within IBM® Lotus® Domino®, Microsoft® Exchange and Novell® GroupWise® environments, as well as BlackBerry® Professional Software for small businesses. It also works with BlackBerry® Internet Service, which gives users access to up to 10 work or personal email accounts (including most popular ISP email accounts), and the BlackBerry® Unite! software for SOHO and home users.

CONVENIENT ACCESSORIES
The BlackBerry Bold smartphone comes with a variety of convenient accessories including a stereo headset, travel charger, carrying case or sleeve and USB cable. Users will also be able to personalize their BlackBerry Bold smartphone by purchasing replaceable leather-like backplates that come in a range of colors. The removable / rechargeable 1500 mAhr battery provides multi-hour usage with a target talk time of approximately 5 hours and 13 days standby time.

Accessories for BlackBerry smartphones, including leather holsters and totes, charging pods, premium earphones, the BlackBerry® Remote Stereo Gateway and Bluetooth headsets, are available through retail outlets or online at: www.shopblackberry.com.

AVAILABILITY
The BlackBerry Bold smartphone (model number: 9000) is scheduled to be available from wireless carriers around the world beginning this summer.

For more information please visit: www.BlackBerryBold.com.

About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM's portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry® wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

* Keyboard also available in AZERTY and QWERTZ configurations to support different language groups.

** MicroSD/SDHC memory cards are available today in configurations of up to 8GB and the BlackBerry Bold is expected to support upcoming 16GB microSD/SDHC cards.

*** Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies.

**** Check with service provider for roaming services.

LAS VEGAS, April 1, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/  CTIA Booth #4544 
XM (Nasdaq: XMSR), the nation's leading provider of satellite radio with
more than 9 million subscribers, and QuickPlay Media, the leader in mobile
TV and video solutions, today announced that XM Radio Mobile has selected
QuickPlay's OpenVideo(TM) as the first media management platform to make XM
Radio Mobile universally available on select BlackBerry(R) smartphones from
Research In Motion (RIM). The service, which can run across major U.S.
mobile service providers' networks, enables consumers to get 20 exclusive
XM channels of commercial-free music and 24-hour comedy programming for
just $7.99 per month with an option for a complimentary 24-hour trial.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070313/XMLOGO )

The XM Radio Mobile offering provides BlackBerry smartphone users with
unlimited access to a wide selection of the most popular commercial-free
music channels, including XM's 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s decade channels,
20on20 (Top 20 Hits), Ethel (New Alternative Rock), The City (Hip-Hop/R&B
Hits), XMU (Indie Rock), Watercolors (Easy Jazz) and Highway 16 (New
Country Hits). Customers can also listen to XM comedy channels, The Virus
(outrageous uncensored talk) and XM Comedy (uncensored comedy).

"Together with QuickPlay, XM Radio Mobile will provide BlackBerry users
with access to a compelling selection of XM's acclaimed music and comedy
programming virtually anywhere they go," said Vernon Irvin, EVP and Chief
Marketing Officer, XM Satellite Radio. "Today's announcement reinforces
XM's commitment to making our industry-leading content available to
consumers in ways that fit their lifestyles."

All XM channels are easily accessed via a simple user interface with
graphical icons for content genres and channels. While listening to one XM
Radio Mobile channel, users can see the song title, artist and album, as
well as what's currently playing on other XM Radio Mobile channels.
Subscribers can also multi-task as XM Radio Mobile can run in the
background while the user accesses other data applications on their
BlackBerry smartphone.

BlackBerry smartphones supported by the XM Mobile Radio service require
BlackBerry Device Software 4.2 or higher and include the BlackBerry(R) 8800
Series, BlackBerry(R) 8700 Series, BlackBerry(R) Pearl(TM) Series and
BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) Series smartphones with a BlackBerry data plan on
major U.S. mobile carrier networks. The service, and a complimentary
24-hour trial, is available via a downloadable application that can be
easily accessed by visiting http://www.xmradio.com/bb from the BlackBerry
smartphone's browser, or by texting "XM" to 47201 and clicking on the
download link provided. Subscribers can opt to have their purchase charged
to their credit card or where available billed directly to their service
provider.

"QuickPlay Media is thrilled to partner with XM, the leader in audio
entertainment, to offer BlackBerry smartphone users the ability to easily
discover and enjoy music and comedy from XM Radio Mobile, regardless of
which U.S. service provider they subscribe to," said Wayne Purboo,
president and CEO, QuickPlay Media. "Additionally, we are proud to continue
to expand our portfolio of services for the BlackBerry platform, including
the first audio streaming service for BlackBerry, called QuickPlayer; and
the first free video streaming service for BlackBerry, called
VideoStreams."

[PRNewswire]

*At this point, I would like to out myself as a music fan whose taste runs to GWAR, the Tygers of Pan-Tang, Yanni, Tony Orlando and the Singing Nun. I thangyew. [eBay via Music Thing]

SlingPlayer for BB is only available and certified for one particular European BlackBerry Pearl version with Wi-Fi that's not even available in the US right now, but you can try loading it onto other phones and see if it clicks. Sling is adding more models soon, as they've been known to do, so it won't be long until you're hopping onto the can to sneak 5 minutes with Judge Judy in the afternoon.

Altec Lansing earphones shown in the photo will ship with it. The charging dock, as well as the rubber and leather cases, will sell separately.

In addition to the tech specs we shared Monday, here are a few additional carrier-side confirmations:
" Price is unannounced, but will be "competitive" with other Pearls$150 to $250 with contract.
" BlackBerry data plans are $45 on top of voice plans; an extra $15 will let you turn it into a 3G modem for your laptop.
" The 3.5mm headphone jack may actually be compatible with many of the iPhone-targeted headphones hitting the market, such as V-Moda's Vibe Duo.

From the fact sheet:

The BlackBerry® Pearl™ from Verizon Wireless
Available to Verizon Wireless in an exclusive silver-grey and backed by the power of the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, the BlackBerry Pearl is perfect for customers who want a slim form factor and easy access to the office, family and friends in a single device. With a HTML browser, e-mail, messaging, calendaring functionality and a 2.0 megapixel camera, the BlackBerry Pearl easily transitions from business to personal use and helps customers remain productive and in-touch when they are on-the-go.

The BlackBerry Pearl from Verizon Wireless also features GPS technology and can access VZ Navigator, allowing customers to get mapping, audible turn-by-turn navigation and access to information on more than 14 million points of interest.

Still not much information on pricing or a release date, aside from the Thanksgiving rumor, but we're definitely liking the slimmer body  it's something we could really see ourselves settling down and starting a family with. [Pinstack]

" Moto Q9m and Q9c are the CDMA versions of the Q9h, and the consumer and business models, respectively. Q9m probably dropping by the end of the month; Q9c available Q4.

" UTStarcom SMT5800 (HTC Libra) is a WM6 smartphone with both a numeric and sliding QWERTY keyboard, 2MP cam, 128MB flash, 64MB RAM, EV-DO (upgradeable to Rev. A). Most likely available in Oct.

" Samsung i760 is hitting in Sept.

" Another HTC phone, a Verizon version of the Mogul (UTStarcom XV6800)same specs as Sprint's model it seems, also dropping in October.

" Palm Treo 755p will be in available in November, running Palm OS 5.4.9.

" RIM BlackBerry 8130 Pearl is another Verizon version of older phone, though it comes with a 2MP cam and EV-DOstill, not so exciting with the Pearl 2 around the corner probably the Pearl 2. No release date mentioned, oddly.

" Moto Z6c Jackques is EV-DO CDMA but packs GSM for jetsetters who can wait until Nov. Its cousin, the Z6tv, um, has TV features, available "second half" of '07, we presume.

" Verizon CDM-8630 is an entry level with a simple UI and one-touch dialing, also second half of '07.

" Samsung SCH-U410 and LG VX5400 are two mid-level clamshells due by year's end, replacing the U340 and VX5300, respectively. The LG VX8300 is also getting bumped in that time frame, by the VX8350.

" Ending the list is a pair of Samsung phones: a CDMA version of the U700 and the U900, which looks to sport a 3MP cam and high-res camcorder. Both are slotted for the last half of '07.

Okay, end spoilers. [Phone Arena, Image via Flickr]

First off, BGR is saying the Pearl 2 will have a 3.2-megapixel camera instead of a 2-megapixel camera like we said. Very interesting. Also interesting is the 3.5mm headset jack, as well as an improved Voice Notes app and media apps.

Here are the preliminary, unconfirmed specs:

* 3.2 megapixel camera * Flash improvement and 6x digital zoom * 3.5 mm Headset Jack * External MicroSD slot * SureType device * New keypad technology * 240×260 LCD display * Wi-Fi capable * 64MB of memory * Streaming media support * 4.5 hours of talk time/15 days of standby * Stereo Bluetooth * Windows Media DRM & MTP * New metallic colors * "Top and rear loudspeaker port" * Voice Notes enhancements * A new battery door latch * "Improved Front Receiver Porting" * Improved Lanyard design * Improved Mic with wind protection * Motion Lock * Improved SIM card holder * High speed USB * Improved mechanical design, and build quality

– Jason Chen

Boy Genius Report

GPS and Wi-Fi? Bye-bye battery life. Travis Hudson

BlackBerry 8120 to replace the BlackBerry Pearl? [BGR]

So today we're giving you a cheat sheet for the updated BlackBerry line. Once upon a time, you just owned one kind of BlackBerry. And so you'd say things like, "I own a BlackBerry," and it was more than enough explanation. But now, their lineup has grown to three models with confusing, overlapping functionality. So what's the deal?

BlackBerry Pearl (8100)
Good For: Push email in your pocket
Bad For: QWERTY lovers
Retail: $499

The BlackBerry Pearl was the first "new" BlackBerry. Shrunk from the holster-sized units of the past, the Pearl can fit in your pocket. And because it's a BlackBerry, you still get full-featured push email. However, due to its smaller form, the QWERTY keys have been shrunk to a double letter SureType formatwhich is a topic of contention among Pearl users.

The Pearl also introduced the "pearl"or trackball (see: Centipede) interface to replace the trackwheel. Since its Pearl debut, the trackball has been incorporated into all new units. The Pearl also features a 1.3MP camera and MicroSD for MP3/MP4 etc. media playback (also BlackBerry firsts).

Many of the Pearl's features have since been incorporated into the entire new line, like the trackball and MicroSD media playback. But if you can handle the lack of QWERTY, the Pearl's smaller form is the way to go.

BlackBerry (8800)
Alias: 8830 on Sprint & Verizon
Good For: Straight upgrade of old BlackBerry
Bad For: Those who really want a less business-streamlined product
Retail: $299

The BlackBerry 8800 is the new traditional-style BlackBerry (translation: full QWERTY). Despite the slimmed form factor, the 8800 still wide enough for awkward-pocket land. And just as with the Pearl, the trackball has replaced the scrollwheel and we have MicroSD media playback.

Many users will take advantage of the built-in GPS, which trumps a lot of its smartphone peers and reportedly functions very well. Also, push-to-talk walkie talkie style communication has been added, which is a bonus for those post-meeting sleepovers.

At its simplest definition, the 8800 is the "new BlackBerry". The lack of camera won't bother most businessmen (or women), though the lack of Wi-Fi could be a dealbreaker when coupled with no 3G support. But that's the price of owning any BlackBerry for the time being.

BlackBerry Curve (8300)
Good For: BlackBerry users who want a camera
Bad For: The 8800. Non-AT&T users.
Price: TBA

So if the 8800 is the daddy, and the Pearl is his scrawnier teenage son, what does that make the Curve? Maybe it's the trophy wife who both men find kinda hot. Or maybe it's the dad post-midlife crisis.

The BlackBerry Curve is a sexier version of the 8800. It's the thinnest QWERTY BlackBerry ever, measuring almost an ounce lighter than the 8800 (or nearly 20%). The keyboard is considered more comfortable than the 8800, and a full-sized headphone jack is a nice addition to round it out the experience (no pun intended).

Plus, the Curve features a 2MP camera, which is the most powerful in RIM's lineup even though it still cannot record video. So why would anyone buy the 8800 when the Curve is basically a nicer 8800? GPS. That's it. And for a little more bulk, using the Curve's Bluetooth could remedy the GPS situation. The only catch is that the Curve is only available on AT&T at the moment...well...when it's actually released any day now.

Now go ace the test.  Mark Wilson

Discover Blackberry [Blackberry]

Oh, and Katie, my Pearl has the same problem with the shanky back panel always falling off. I think that inevitably means we are soul mates. –Travis Hudson

Shiny Video Review: BlackBerry Curve [ShinyShiny]

Product Page [Via Dealhack]

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Live Shots of 8100 [pinstack]