August 7 - 3:15pm EDT   RIM has given the Kickstart a more definitive name and could launch it well ahead of its Javelin, a pair of leaks suggest today. A Rogers product sheet obtained by BlackBerry Cool now appears to confirm the use of Kickstart as only a codename and that the final phone will ship as the Pearl 8220, positioning it as a replacement for the Pearl 8100 series. The tip also confirms support for Rogers' Talkspot Wi-Fi calling and also hints at a lower price of $50 with a three-year plan when the device ships in September for the Canadian carrier. [full story]

August 6 - 2:05pm EDT   Canadian cell provider Rogers Wireless will put most of its emphasis in the next few weeks on the BlackBerry line and music phones, according to a roadmap slip from BGR. The details confirm the launch of the BlackBerry Kickstart and add that the device will work with Rogers' Home Calling Zone Wi-Fi phone service, which will be rechristened Talkspot. The EDGE-only flip smartphone hasn't been given pricing but has previously been slotted into a late September release that may arrive near that of T-Mobile USA's version. [full story]

August 5 - 2:20pm EDT   Apple's iPhone user base is likely to have surpassed Palm in earnest with the iPhone 3G launch but will face a serious threat by BlackBerry creator Research in Motion shortly afterwards, says a new ChangeWave study. A poll of over 3,500 home users in June showed Apple climbing to 11 percent of active users, up significantly from nine percent in March. The statistic is just three percent below Palm's 14 percent share of current users and on its current trend would have Apple edge out Palm by the researchers' next report. [full story]

July 23 - 4:05pm EDT   Research in Motion's BlackBerry Kickstart flip phone today received a pre-announcement review today courtesy of CrackBerry that also reveals new information. The device will be split into several models as with the Pearl candybar depending on features: while the 8220 in the review is a Wi-Fi version destined for T-Mobile and its HotSpot@Home Internet calling service, an 8210 version (nicknamed the Seawolf) swaps the wireless for GPS navigation and will likely appear with AT&T. [full story]

July 7 - 9:20am EDT   Rogers will quickly follow up its iPhone 3G launch with multiple BlackBerry models, according to a leaked roadmap. The outline reconfirms reports that the BlackBerry Bold launches July 25th as the Canadian carrier's first 3G BlackBerry but also adds that the BlackBerry Kickstart flip phone will be ready by the second half of September as a lower-cost alternative that some have reported may cost as little as $50 on contract. [full story]

June 12 - 9:45am EDT   Two unknown new BlackBerry models have surfaced in an XML device list and suggest the smartphone line will grow larger still in the near future, says a leak from BGR. The list mentions a device known alternately as the Seawolf or 9110 that would be a variant of the still unreleased Kickstart clamshell (the 9100) that adds GPS. Past leaks would have the device also come with a 2-megapixel camera, a native headphone jack, and the same OS upgrade as the Bold. It uses GSM and appears to be a likely candidate as a replacement or supplement for the Pearl 8110 in use at AT&T. [full story]

May 19 - 12:10pm EDT   T-Mobile has an aggressive launch schedule that will see it launch multiple high-profile phones by mid-summer, according to a leaked roadmap. Although few details are known about the release, the US carrier reportedly plans to launch both the unannounced BlackBerry Kickstart flip smartphone and the more official Bold by August, significantly upgrading T-Mobile's smartphone lineup within two months. A previous leak has suggested the Bold would appear only by September. [full story]

May 2 - 12:30pm EDT   More definite specifications for the BlackBerry Kickstart flip phone have surfaced and provide many more details about its feature set and ultimate destination, BGR says. The clamshell will be the first to use a 'next-generation' version of the SureType keypad found on the Pearl and will include a "stealth" external display on its outer shell; when active, the outside screen will light up in a color that matches the outer frame, which should be available in blue and several extra hues. [full story]

May 1 - 2:50pm EDT   Research in Motion has likely already picked out the name for its touchscreen BlackBerry, say those investigating the company's web practices. The site address BlackBerryStorm.com has already been registered by a confidential party as of late 2007 and has since by followed by registrations of several international and mobile domains, suggesting an active attempt by RIM to secure the names before an official launch. [full story]