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Research In Motion has revealed a new budget-level BlackBerry smartphone in its range, running the BlackBerry 7.1 operating system. The Curve 9315 will roll out later this month on January 23rd for T-Mobile in the United States, a week ahead of the phone manufacturer's BlackBerry 10 launch events.
Speaking at a BlackBerry World press conference, RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has admitted that the company has no plans to offer BlackBerry 10 updates for existing devices that run the BlackBerry 7 OS. The company has yet to announce a consumer device that will be powered by the new OS, though developers will be able to test apps on the Dev Alpha handset.
RIM and T-Mobile have reportedly scheduled an event on March 15 to highlight "the latest and greatest T-Mobile BlackBerry technology." The invitation does not shed light on a specific device, however it does highlight BlackBerry OS 7 alongside the vague "What's Next" tagline.
RIM said Wednesday that BlackBerry 7- and 7.1-powered devices have earned a coveted FIPS 140-2 certification. The standard means they can now be used by the US and Canadian governments, as they meet stringent security stipulations as outlined by the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA). The current devices that comply include the Bold 9900, 9930, and 9790; the Torch 9850, 9860, and 9810; and the Curve 9350, 9360, 9370, and 9380.
RIM's high-style Porsche Design BlackBerry P'9981 has just received shipping details. It will arrive in the UK in Harrods department stores before year's end, with a steep price of £1,275 (about $2,000 at current conversion rates). This is, however, contract-free and buyers have to bring their own SIM cards.
A newly discovered listing at the FCC indicates a new BlackBerry 7 handset may be around the corner. While only the REA71UW designation is revealed, it doesn't specifically and readily identify a handset, leading some guesses. The listing does reveal AT&T 850/1,900MHz 3G network support and the choice of OS.
Kik has quietly released a preview version of its cross-platform messaging app for BlackBerry devices. The company posted a link on its website, enabling visitors to download a "sneak peek" ahead of the formal release. The update brings a redesigned interface, with support for push notifications and BlackBerry 7 handsets. A new security prompt also asks users before the app takes information from the address book.
T-Mobile is gearing up to launch the BlackBerry Curve 9360. TmoNews has revealed new marketing material for the RIM BlackBerry 7-based smartphone showing a promotional price of $230, as part of a prepaid service offering with the carrier. The phone is expected to hit T-Mobile's shelves on September 14.
Rogers is giving RIM a lift on Thursday by offering its customers $100 off its new BlackBerry Bold 9900 or Torch 9810 if they buy either in conjunction with a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. The deal requires a new three-year contract and is valid only through the end of September.
RIM has officially launched the next-generation BlackBerry Curve running the new BlackBerry 7 OS. The Curve will be available either as the 9350, 9360 or 9370 with the three model variants essentially signifying the type of 3G-radio connection built in to the device and its network compatibility. The three devices all run an 800MHz processor matched with 512MB of RAM, although the 9370 includes 1GB of built-in storage versus 512MB in the 9350 and 9360.
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 has gone up for pre-order on the Vodafone UK website. Customers who pre-order the phone now, can expect to have it shipped out by August 16. It is the first Bold to feature RIM’s new BlackBerry 7, touch-friendly OS.
More photos of the BlackBerry 9860 running Blackberry 7 have surfaced. The latest shots of the device have shown up on the Greek blog GreekBerry. There have been several names associated with the 9860, including Monza, Monaco, and Volt.
A line-up of new BlackBerry handsets coming to Canadian provider Bell has been leaked and posted up on the web by TechFIBE. The leak includes the Curve 9360, the Bold 9900, Torch 9860, and the Torch 9810. All but the Curve 9360 are slated for a late August release, with the single handset due to arrive in September. The Curve is again singled out by sporting an 800MHz processor rather than the 1.2GHz CPUs of the other three.
RIM’s latest Blackberry OS, Blackberry 7, has leaked on the net for download ahead of its formal unveiling on any device. The software, which was originally going to be called Blackberry 6.1, was re-named as it will not run on devices running version 6. The files that are available on the net will only run on RIM’s next generation of smartphones when they launch in the coming months.
T-Mobile in a quick statement Monday confirmed its plans to carry the BlackBerry Bold 9900. While short on details, the carrier confirmed that its version will support the faster HSPA+ 3G to make it "4G capable" on the network. A launch was coming later this year.
RIM kicked off the start of BlackBerry World with its first truly modern smartphone. The Bold 9900 series is the first to have both a fixed QWERTY keyboard and focuses on an exceptionally sharp, 2.8-inch 640x480 touchscreen. The company is also aiming for its first true iPhone-like responsiveness with a 60 frames per second interface that doesn't lag input like on the Storm or Torch.
