RIM testing new 3.5G BlackBerry device - BlackBerry 9000 on the way?

What, you're using 3G? That was, like, soo last year (at least for Americans). The truly hip folks at RIM have decided to get with the times and have announced that they are testing a new BlackBerry with 3.5G data capabilities. The Financial Times is reporting that Research In Motion President Mike Lazaridis has confirmed the near-term release of a 3.5G-enabled BlackBerry smartphone.

Apparently, it pays to be the President of RIM. Lazaridis said that he is toting around a prototype of the new BlackBerry that can hop along the internet superhighway at HSDPA speeds (where available, of course). The new BlackBerry could very well be the BlackBerry 9000 that we've been talking about for some time now. If so, we can expect a large 480×320 screen, GPS, and Wi-Fi - all features that have been confirmed for the new BlackBerry device.

We're keeping our fingers crossed for an announcement at CTIA in a little over a week from now. With AT&T's announcement of HSDPA network upgrades nationwide, the BlackBerry 9000's timing could indicate a release later this year, following a May European launch - 3Q in the US, perhaps?

[Via: Electronista]

RIM to bring the BlackBerry to Russia in 2008

Welcome to the age of the CrackBerry, Russia. We’re glad to hear that you’re finally getting with the times and letting RIM bring their heralded BlackBerry lineup within your borders, starting in 2008. Hey, you’ve caught up to Communist China!

With the Russian security agency’s (FSB) approval to let Russian wireless operators MTS and Vimpelcom carry the BlackBerry phones from RIM, carrier-branded BlackBerry handsets should be making their way into email-addicted Russian hands in Q1 2008.
BlackBerries have been in use on MTS’s Ukraine network since October, but those handsets used foreign SIM cards as roaming handsets. This announcement marks the first legitimate entry of the BlackBerry into Russian wireless networks. Vimpelcom has been greenlighted to sell 1,050 BlackBerry 8700 smartphones as soon as the handsets pass certification tests.

MTS and Vimpelcom have a one-year sales window, so Russian could go back to the pre-BlackBerry dark ages in 2009 - although, we’re going to put our money on a long-lived Russian BlackBerry market.

[Via: Reuters]

RIM prepping 3G, iPhone-fighting BlackBerry 9000/9xxx?

RIM is really on a roll recently. They’ve been pumping out handsets faster than ever, and it looks like RIM’s next big handset will aim at Apple’s iPhone. It makes sense, since every phone manufacturer out there is gunning to, well, out-gun the iPhone with touchscreen offerings of their own. Research In Motion (RIM), makers of the unfortunately touchscreen-less lineup of BlackBerry smartphones, is reportedly working on a new BlackBerry 9xxx/9000 that takes aim squarely at the iPhone.


We’re hearing through the grapevine that RIM’s BlackBerry 9xxx/9000 will be sporting a full-fledged 3G radio with HSDPA (on US-friendly frequencies), 600Mhz processor, and an undeniably iPhone-esque design. As you can see from Boy Genius’s questionable mockup/blurry spy pic, the BlackBerry 9000 is looking pretty damn slick. We can only guess that the full-body screen will be a touchscreen (if not as the sole means of input, then perhaps with a slide-out keyboard). Oh, and we’re also hearing that the BlackBerry 9xxx will have a backup feature that will move all data on the phone to a removable memory card.

With a release date slated for early 2008, we’re sure recent BlackBerry 8800 buyers aren’t none too pleased. But, being firmly planted in speculative soil, BlackBerry 8800 owners can hope that this rumor turns out to be nothing more than that - a rumor. We’re thinking that this BlackBerry 9xxx could indeed be in the works - it makes sense for RIM to go after Apple’s iPhone. Stay tuned!

[Via: Boy Genius Report]

iPhone Could Hurt Palm, Nokia, Moto; Poised To Tie RIM

If sales of Apple's iPhone can match the device's pre-launch hype, it's liable to hurt Treo smart phone maker Palm the most and affect BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) the least, analysts say.


Apple's AAPL combination smart phone, video iPod and mobile Web browser will appeal mostly to well-heeled consumers at first. That's a market now served by high-end smart phone maker Palm PALM.

"Palm will be taking the hit going forward," said Paul Carton, an analyst at ChangeWave Research.

Palm already is reeling from bad news. Its sales hit a wall last year, and its user satisfaction ratings have dipped, Carton says. ChangeWave's surveys of tech-savvy consumers and corporate IT buyers also show a pronounced drop-off in planned purchases of Palm phones, he says.

The surveys also show RIM RIMM increasing its smart phone market share among corporate buyers and holding its lead among consumers.

ChangeWave's surveys of corporate tech buyers show RIM increasing its market share in smart phones sales to 65% in the next 90 days from 61% last quarter. At the same time, Palm's share looks to drop to 19% from 22% last quarter. And Apple is expected to grab 9% market share, taking sales from Palm, Motorola (NYSE:MEU) (NYSE:MOT) MOT and Nokia (NYSE:NOK) NOK.

Among tech-savvy consumers, Apple is poised to tie RIM in sales of smart phones in the next 90 days. Apple and RIM each got 26% share of planned smart phone purchases in the next 90 days in the most recent ChangeWave survey. Palm's share is forecast to fall to 10% from 14% last quarter.

Motorola and Nokia also are forecast to see market share declines in consumer smart phone sales, ChangeWave says. The share of smart phone buyers looking to get Motorola devices is expected to fall to 5% from 14% last quarter. Nokia's share is projected to drop to 3% from 8%.

RIM targets corporate and enterprise markets with its BlackBerry devices, which emphasize e-mail rather than voice communications. A successful iPhone launch would put a damper on RIM's recent efforts to expand into the consumer market with phones like the BlackBerry Pearl and Curve, says Avi Greengart, an analyst with research firm Current Analysis.

RIM's core business of providing secure e-mail devices to corporate and government customers is safe, Greengart says.

"It's hard to imagine corporate IT departments giving out $600 MP3 players for any reason other than a reward for a job well done," Greengart said. While the BlackBerry is seen as a business tool, the iPhone is seen as an entertainment device, he says.

The iPhone goes on sale nationwide Friday evening with models costing $500 and $600, depending on storage capacity.

The first wave of iPhone buyers will be made up of tech early adopters and Apple loyalists, analysts say. But it's the follow-on buyers who will determine whether the product is a hit.

That second wave of buyers will wait for word-of-mouth reviews and for a chance to touch and feel the iPhone themselves.

The product has been demonstrated in TV commercials and Web videos, but hasn't been available in stores for potential buyers to give it a test drive.

"There's only a handful of people without the word 'Apple' on their business cards who've actually used this," Greengart said. "It is one of those things where you've got to touch it to believe it."

The iPhone features a multi-touch user interface that Apple and early reviewers have described as revolutionary. It doesn't have a hard button keypad like most cell phones. Instead you use your fingers on a glass touch screen for dialing, tapping out messages and navigating. Users scroll and zoom in on Web pages with their fingers, and flick through album cover art to find music.

Potential follow-on buyers will be influenced by the reaction of early adopters to the touch-screen interface as well as the speed of AT&T's TT Edge data network.

Early reviews have criticized AT&T's Edge network as slow. But the device also can access the Internet from much faster Wi-Fi hot spots. AT&T is the exclusive wireless carrier in the U.S. for the iPhone launch.

"A lot of people will wait on the sidelines" until the price of the iPhone drops or until it's available from carriers other than AT&T, said Michael Greeson, an analyst with the Diffusion Group.

In the meantime, cell phone makers will have to respond to the iPhone with high-end products of their own, he added.

"It raises the bar on the Nokias of the world," he said.

Originally published in the June 28, 2007 version of Investor's Business Daily.

Copyright (c) 2007, Investor's Business Daily, Inc.

RIM Introduces the New BlackBerry Curve Smartphone

Research In Motion (RIM) has announced the BlackBerry Curve smartphone - the smallest and lightest full QWERTY BlackBerry handset.

Research In Motion (RIM) has announced the BlackBerry Curve smartphone - the smallest and lightest full QWERTY BlackBerry handset.
The BlackBerry Curve features a smooth and friendly handset design in liquid silver finish and chrome highlights. It measures 107mm x 60mm x 15.5mm and weighs approximately 111 grams.
Designed for personal as well as business use, the device delivers the renowned BlackBerry email and messaging experience, premium phone features, innovative trackball navigation system, digital camera, fast web browsing and powerful multimedia capabilities.
The new model features 2.0 mega pixel camera with 5x digital zoom, built-in flash, self-portrait mirror and full screen viewfinder. The camera can capture images in up to three picture quality and size resolutions that can be quickly shared via email, MMS, BlackBerry Messenger or Bluetooth. Photos can also be set as a unique caller IDs or Home Screen image.
Black Berry Curve features EDGE/GPRS/GSM connectivity operating on Roger's high speed nationwide network, with roaming in over 185 countries for voice and 100 countries for data.
Among the premium phone features are noise cancellation, Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VADand Bluetooth® (2.0) support for hands-free use with headsets, car kits and Bluetooth peripherals.
A microSD expandable memory slot for up to 4 GB of additional storage will soon be available for purchase on Rogers.com.
A built-in spell checker with user-customizable dictionary is another value adding feature.
BlackBerry Maps feature helps find addresses and provides step-by-step directions.
The BlackBerry Curve will be available in Canada from Rogers Wireless in retail and business channels in June 2007.

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