• blackberry,  blackberry os,  rim,  verizon

    BlackBerry Storm 2 Coming to Verizon

    October 26, 2009 /

    Verizon Wireless today, along with Research In Motion, has started sending out emails to customers letting them know that the new BlackBerry Storm 2 will be going on sale at retail location, online, and through Verizon business sales channels on Wednesday, October 28, 2009. Starting today, BlackBerry Storm customers will be able to upgrade their handsets to BlackBerry OS 5.0 over the air, via the BlackBerry Desktop Manager, or as a download from the Verizon Wireless website.

    The BlackBerry Storm2 with BlackBerry® OS 5.0 evolves the BlackBerry® touchscreen platform with hundreds of hardware and software enhancements – including new SurePress™ “clickable” display technology and built-in Wi-Fi® – delivering the exceptional multimedia experience and communications capabilities customers have come to expect from their BlackBerry smartphones.

    Key Features:

    • Smooth design and premium finish with sloped edges, chrome accents, glass lens and stainless steel backplate
    • Large (3.25”), dazzling high-resolution 480 x 360 display
    • Capacitive touchscreen with integrated functions (Send, End, Menu, Escape) and new SurePress technology that makes clicking the display practically effortless
    • 3G and global connectivity support for making phone calls in more than 220 countries and accessing data in more than 185 countries (with more than 80 destinations in 3G)
    • Network Connectivity: EV-DO Revision A; UMTS/HSPA (2100 MHz); and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks
    • Supports Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)
    • 256 MB of Flash memory
    • 2 GB of onboard media storage and a microSD™/SDHD memory card slot with a 16 GB card included

    Pricing and Availability

    The BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone is available beginning Oct. 28 for $179.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an Email and Web feature or an Email and Web for BlackBerry plan. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card. plans for the BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone begin at $29.99 when added to any Nationwide voice plan. Existing BlackBerry Storm customers will be able to update their handsets to the new BlackBerry OS 5.0 software via Web software load (www.blackberry.com/update), BlackBerry Desktop Manager, or from Verizon Wireless’ download site (www.verizonwireless.com/storm). The software update is available today.

    You can read the full press release on the Verizon Wireless website.

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  • blackberry,  rim,  sprint

    Sprint/Nextel Releases MR2 for BlackBerry 8350i

    April 6, 2009 /

    Late on Friday afternoon, Sprint/Nextel released Maintenance Release 2 (MR2) for the Nextel BlackBerry 8350i.

    Shortly after it’s initial release, issues where discovered with the long awaited Nextel phone. Sprint and RIM are finally showing 8350i customers some love with MR2. According to a post on Sprint’s discussion forums, MR2 addresses the following issues:

    • Echo Issue
    • MMS Improvements
    • 1.) Remove original message when replying*
    • 2.) Cursor now defaults to the message body when replying

    * Quiet and Vibrate Profiles will move Nextel Direct Connect calls to handset

    Customers that have already upgraded to the 4.6.1.128 (225) software version will be able to complete this upgrade over the air. The upgrade will take approximately 60 minutes.

    That’s good news. However, a few hours after releasing MR2, Sprint discovered that a service book update after the device software update was still required.

    “The one issue we said would be fixed with MR2 that was not immediately fixed was: Remove Original Message when replying to a text message. This fix requires the download of MR2 and a service book push to your device. Sprint conducted some additional testing on the service book push this week and today sent approval to RIM.

    When this fix is available RIM will push it to all devices and it will just require you to reset your device to see the change.

    We estimate this push to be out by April 10.”

    So it sounds like Sprint/Nextel customers who have the BlackBerry 8350i should hold off applying the update until at least this coming Friday, April 10th. If you are one of the brave readers who have forged ahead with this update, let us know how you made out by leaving a comment.

    BlackBerry Device Software 4.6.1.204 (316) [aka MR2] can be downloaded directly from the Sprint BlackBerry 8350i downloads page. You can also download the latest edition of the BlackBerry Desktop software 4.7 and the older BlackBerry Device Software 4.6.1.128 update [aka MR1] from the same page.

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  • blackberry,  rim,  rumors

    Rumor: New GSM BlackBerry Devices

    April 6, 2009 /


    In addition to yesterday’s Verizon HTC Touch Diamond news, BoyGeniusReport.com operatives also got some dirt on new RIM BlackBerry GMS devices that are under development.

    “[O]ne of our ninjas just hit us up with some really interesting BlackBerry info. While the specs of the following codenames are confirmed, releases are not, and as such, this should be used for information sake. Here’s what we got: BlackBerry Onyx, BlackBerry Driftwood, BlackBerry Magnum.

    Now, those are three different devices with practically the same rough specs. We’d wager than the BlackBerry Magnum and Driftwood are the same device just meant for different carriers. Possibly the Driftwood for T-Mobile let’s say, and the Magnum for AT&T (who doesn’t offer UMA). Is that the BlackBerry with touch screen and physical QWERTY? Probably.”

    Head over to BoyGeniusReport.com for the full article including the rumored device specs.

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  • blackberry,  rim

    BlackBerry App World Goes Live

    April 3, 2009 /

    Research In Motion has launched BlackBerry App World; their online vehicle for delivering new applications, both free and paid, directly to customer’s Berry.

    System Requirements

    Before you can use App World on your BlackBerry, you need to meet the following system requirements.

    To ensure that your BlackBerry smartphone will support BlackBerry App World, it must have the following system requirements:

    1. BlackBerry Device Software version 4.2 or higher
    2. BlackBerry smartphones with trackballs or SurePress touch screen
    3. BlackBerry App World is only available to customers in US, Canada and UK and may not be available on all networks
    4. To use BlackBerry App World, you require a service plan that includes access to the BlackBerry Browser

    You will also need to setup a PayPal account.

    Installing App World on Your Berry

    If you meet the requirements, use your Berry to surf over to www.blackberry.com/appworld/download to load up the new on-device application to get started. Want to learn more about App World? Check out this spiffy video or visit the App World support site.

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  • blackberry,  rim

    Telus Flips for BlackBerry 8239

    March 11, 2009 /

    According to a post on the Boy Genius Report website today, Canadian cellular carrier, Telus Mobility, is now offering the new BlackBerry Flip 8230 smartphone. BGR writes:

    “Starting at $49.99 on a three-year contract and going all the way up to $449.99 contract-free, TELUS is hoping the youth market in Canada will receive the clam shell smartphone with open arms — especially younger females considering TELUS’ nation-wide media campaign featuring the all pink Pearl Flip.”

    Read the full Boy Genius Report article…

    [via BoyGeniusReport.com…]

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  • blackberry,  rim

    BlackBerry App World – Coming Soon

    March 6, 2009 /

    Last night’s big news from Research In Motion was that their mobile application store front, App World, is “coming soon.”

    “Coming soon! Find tons of great applications designed for your BlackBerry smartphone in one convenient place – BlackBerry App World. Personalize your BlackBerry smartphone with games, social networks, personal productivity applications and so much more. Message your best friend, track the stock market, or channel your inner rock god. Sign up to receive updates for BlackBerry App World today and discover how to put more of your life on your BlackBerry smartphone.”

    According to the BlackBerry website, App World will require that you have a Berry that has OS 4.2 or later installed and a device with a trackball or a SurePress touch screen device.

    For more details, check out:

    http://www.blackberry.com/appworld

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  • blackberry,  mobile apps 360,  rim

    Mobile Apps 360: WSJ Mobile Reader for BlackBerry

    February 18, 2009 /

    Mobile Apps 360 takes a look at mobile software for your Palm OS, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and the iPhone/iPod touch that will help keep your favorite mobile device fresh with new software.

    Some of my favorite mobile apps are those that keep me up to date with what is going on in the world around me. Ya, browsers are nice, but the site you are trying to read may not render correctly on the mobile device you happen to be using. I prefer an on device client that quickly updates with data from the website so it is easy to read on the go.

    One of those applications is the Wall Street Journal Mobile Reader. WSJ Mobile Reader is a free application that you can install on your device over the air (OTA) directly to your BlackBerry. As the name implies, Mobile Reader downloads content from the WSJ.com website and formats that news that you want to read on your device. Once you install the software, you are shown a list of news categories that you can subscribe to on your device. While the BlackBerry is populating the local cache, you are given the opportunity to review a brief tutorial that shows you some time saving keyboard shortcuts that will help you navigate the software.

    You use the trackball to move left and right across the category tabs. Scroll up and down to look at all the articles in a particular category. When you find an article you want to read, press the trackball to see the article summary and then click again to read the full artilce. It couldn’t be easier.

    WSJ Mobile Reader is a free application that you can install directly on your BlackBerry from:

    http://wsj.mwap.at/index.php?t=download

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  • blackberry,  rim,  sprint

    Sprint Rolls Out BlackBerry 8350i Update

    February 13, 2009 /

    Since releasing the BlackBerry 8350i a few weeks ago, Sprint customers have been reporting issues with the new software build on the device.

    Yesterday, Sprint released an update to the device’s system software, BlackBerry OS 4.6.1.128. Sprint BlackBerry customers can download the update from the Sprint website. If you haven’t already upgraded to BlackBerry Desktop v4.7, you can download the installer from the same downloads page.

    According to a recent post on CrackBerry.com, Sprint is still working with Research In Motion to address an echo problem.

    ” We are diligently working on a fix for the known echo issue. It will not be fixed in this first release, but we are doing our best to identify the issue and correct it and hoping to include that fix in the next software release. One option that helps alleviate the problem would be to use the headset that comes packaged with the phone.

    Sprint is also working with RIM on a second maintenance release to address the remaining issues, and hope to have it available shortly. Any customers have issues during the upgrade they can call care at 1-800-639-6111.”

    Download the Sprint BlackBerry 8350i update…

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  • blackberry,  dataviz,  rim,  sprint

    BlackBerry OS 4.5 Update Report

    February 6, 2009 /

    I installed Sprint’s specially formulated BlackBerry OS 4.5 update on my Curve 8330 last night. The process when smoothly using BlackBerry Manager 4.7 on my Windows Vista Business SP1 PC.

    So far things look good and appear to be working well. The one thing that I didn’t like was that the pre-installed photos, one of which I liked as my wallpaper, are no longer on my device after applying the update. I haven’t had a chance to follow up with other Sprint 8330 users yet to see if they have had similar experiences or not. All in all, it isn’t a big deal. I’m sure somone posted the photos on the Inetnet. If I find them, I’ll post the link. I’ll also try and see if Sprint can confirm the missing photos.

    Otherwise, email, the browser, and Documents To Go are all working well. I’ll have to spend some more time playing with the new software over the weekend.

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  • blackberry,  pearl,  rim,  sprint

    BlackBerry OS 4.5 Update Posted

    February 5, 2009 /

    Sprint has make good on their word to post the BlackBerry Curve 8330 and Pearl 8130 OS 4.5 upgrade on their website before the end of the day Friday. BlackBerry users rejoice! Sprint has packed in some very nice goodies for their customers who are using older Berries.

    Software Feature Enhancement with 4.5:

    • Send Multi-Media Messages (MMS) which enables sending of text messages with picture and other file attachment.
    • View emails in HTML email format. Users can easily change their email format setting to HTML for emails to appear just like they do on your PC. Will work automatically for BlackBerry Internet Service customers. Requires BES 4.1, Service Pack 6 for BlackBerry Enterprise Server customers (verify with your company’s IT department).
    • Free/Busy Calendar Lookup for BlackBerry Enterprise Server customers immediately lets you know all attendee’s availability. Not available to BlackBerry Internet Service customers. Requires BES 4.1, Service Pack 5 for BlackBerry Enterprise Server customers (verify with your company’s IT department).
    • Remote search for email for BlackBerry Enterprise Service customers creates more access to emails that are not stored on your device but remain stored remotely on your email server. Not available to BlackBerry Internet Service customers. Requires BES 4.1, Service Pack 5 for BlackBerry Enterprise Server customers (verify with your company’s IT department).
    • Word completion for SureType keyboards allows for faster typing on BlackBerry Pearl 8130.
    • Automatically generate a music playlist with specific criteria based on artist, albums or genre.
    • Video recording attachment view supported.
    • Create a Voice Note and attach to an email or Multimedia Message(MMS). Or record a voice note and save for playback when needed.
    • Dataviz Documents To Go Application gives you the ability to download and save a file to your BlackBerry to view or edit later. Requires Visit the DataViz® website to register with DataViz and download an update for Documents To Go that includes Sheet To Go.

    I know that many Sprint BlackBerry customers have been vocal in asking for MMS support on their devices. I’m also glad to see Sprint roll in support for HTML email and going the extra mile to include DataViz Documents To Go.

    Be sure to check back over the next few days as I do plan on posting my experiences with the upgrade process and with the new software features.

    Download the update now…

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