10/19, 4:55pm
Storm to get Storm2 features via firmware update?
BlackBerry Storm 9530 users can get some of the functionality of the handset that replaced it, the Storm2 9550, via a software update from provider Verizon, an unnamed Verizon representative tells PhoneArena. Users will be able to perform the same flick scrolling, tabbed browsing and threaded texting on the Storms, however. The 9550 also has an improved SurePress typing system with four sensors and a freeze-out feature when the device is off.
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10/14, 11:20pm
Hardware and software could be ready for public
RIM's BlackBerry Storm 2 has surfaced in several authorized reviews, potentially indicating the device is almost ready to be launched. Although several unauthorized videos have been circulated, the latest materials likely feature hardware and software that has been finalized for close scrutiny.
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08/21, 5:15pm
BB Storm2 dated for Telus
The sequel to the BlackBerry Storm smartphone, the 9550, is expected to be released at provider Telus on September 15th, according to an unofficial report on the Internet. Telus is also teasing in TV commercials and in movie theater previews with a September 15th date, but does not reveal what is due on that date. Verizon is rumored to get the new BlackBerry handset sometime in October.
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01/27, 11:35pm
Verizon sells 1m Storms
Following up with its quarterly financial disclosure, Verizon representatives have finally confirmed that the company has sold more than 1 million BlackBerry Storm handsets, according to Computerworld. Unofficial estimates last month suggested the company had sold 500,000 of the devices in the first month since its release. If the number was accurate, the achievement of 1 million units points to a sustained distribution through the second month of availability.
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12/26, 8:10am
Rogers Fido Roadmap 2009
An initial 2009 roadmap for phones at Canadian provider Rogers and its sub-label Fido has leaked and provided clues not only to devices coming to the West for the first time but a new BlackBerry device. A new Pearl Flip will represent a quick turnaround for RIM and will add HSPA-based 3G for faster Internet access; it will also be the first non-QWERTY phone from the company to have both GPS and Wi-Fi at the same time. The new Flip is due sometime in the first half of 2009 and will be available only through Rogers.
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12/05, 4:00pm
Verizon Storm update
Verizon has officially released the 4.7.0.75 firmware update today for the BlackBerry Storm handset made by Research In Motion (RIM). The update addresses the newly released handset's numerous issues, including a large amount of lag, voice-dialing problems and need to perform reboots. While the update was leaked to a select few Storm users last week, this release will cover all Storm owners.
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12/03, 1:10pm
T-Mob. cuts G1 price in UK
The UK division of T-Mobile has slashed prices on the Android-based G1 smartphone, an announcement reveals. People should now be able to get the phone for free when signing up for a £30-per-month contract; previously, the G1 could only be had for free with a £40 tariff plan. Though the company is not providing an automatic discount to earlier customers, it is offering to switch people over to the cheaper plan.
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12/02, 11:25am
Needham on iPhone Share
The iPhone is now not only the second most popular smartphone in the world but has saved the smartphone industry from a decline this past summer, according to a research note by Needham analyst Charlie Wolf. Apple's handset has represented about 16.6 percent of the entire smartphone market worldwide for the quarter ended in September and is now second only to Nokia. The latter has already acknowledged struggling smartphone share but is now known to have plummeted from 63.3 percent of the market a year ago to 43.6 percent owing largely to the spike in iPhone sales triggered by its 3G version.
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12/02, 8:45am
BBerry Storm Telus Pricing
Telus today priced out its version of the BlackBerry Storm. Contradicting some early rumors, the Canadian carrier says it will offer the Storm at promo pricing for $250 CAD ($200 US) on a three-year plan, or closer to (but still above) the cost of the iPhone 3G on Rogers. The phone will also be available on shorter terms and should sell for $600 when contract-free. More details should be available shortly, the company says.
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12/01, 3:50pm
BBerry Storm Firmware Leak
A leak from BGR on Monday reveals that Research in Motion is already close to releasing a firmware patch for the BlackBerry Storm that will address the numerous software flaws affecting the launch edition phone. The 4.7.0.76 update dramatically improves the response time for tasks such as rotating to landscape mode, browsing photos or playing music, all of which have suffered from delays as long as several seconds for certain tasks.
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11/26, 3:00pm
Telus BBerry Storm Pricing
Telus may charge a high enough premium for its version of the BlackBerry Storm that it no longer directly competes with its intended rival from Apple, a controversial leak from BGR claims. The touchscreen phone is now said by an alleged source to be priced at $300 CAD ($243 US) on a three-year plan -- as much as Rogers' high-end iPhone 3G with 15GB more storage and $43 US more than Verizon's pricing in the US for a shorter two-year term.
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11/25, 11:10am
BBerry Storm Ships Sooner
Verizon appears to be quickly recuperating from the initial shortage of BlackBerry Storm phones from its high-profile launch, according to early prospective buyers. While the company had initially said that follow-up online orders might not ship until December 15th, or about three weeks after the phone's initial ship date, the company has bumped the ship date on its order page a week earlier to December 8th, suggesting an improved supply situation.
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11/25, 9:40am
Samsung Omnia at Verizon
Verizon on Tuesday became the first American carrier to offer the Samsung Omnia. The company's second full touchscreen smartphone in as many weeks, the Americanized edition of the Omnia adds a new, customized version of Samsung's TouchWiz interface to Windows Mobile 6.1 that lets users quickly check informational widgets and change core settings without leaving the home screen. It also brings VZ Navigator as an option for the phone's native GPS and the VZAppZone as a portal for downloading third-party native apps.
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11/24, 12:40pm
RIM Falling Short in Q3 08
Research in Motion's heavily promoted BlackBerry Storm launch this Friday may not have been enough to save the company from a poor financial quarter, according to a new research note by Citi analyst Jim Suva. Although the Storm sold out at many Verizon stores since launch, Suva supports claims of a software-based delay and notes that many stores actually received significantly less units than expected, forcing many customers to wait as late as December 15th to get devices they would otherwise have had on launch.
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11/21, 1:55pm
BBerry Storm Long Lineups
Lineups for this morning's launch of the BlackBerry Storm have cracked the triple-digit mark and prompted sellouts, early reports note. One of the company's flagship stores in midtown Manhattan noted over 200 people in line for the touchscreen phone's morning debut and is said to have prompted a minor police response after a phone sellout angered those at the back of the queue. Sellouts have also been reported at other locations but haven't been given more definite numbers.
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11/21, 8:15am
BBerry Storm Ships
Verizon today marked the official launch of the BlackBerry Storm on its network. The device matches the $199 contract price of the rivalling iPhone 3G at AT&T and is widely regarded as Verizon's best alternative to the Apple handset in features and focus. The Storm has a similarly-sized 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen meant for finger input but relies on a unique click action that requires a physical push downwards for some actions, simulating a physical button press.
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11/20, 2:20pm
Bell Smartphone Plans
Bell today heated up competition among cell carriers with a trio of Smartphone Combo plans aimed conspicuously at outpacing Rogers. The Smartphone Combo 45 plan gives users 250 minutes of calling, unlimited evenings and weekends, and 500MB of data for its namesake $45. It also provides choices of extras such as unlimited calling between five phone numbers, unlimited incoming calls, or an earlier 5PM start time for evenings.
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11/20, 8:25am
BBerry Storm Shortage
The launch of Verizon's BlackBerry Storm on Friday may fall short of expectations due to a last-minute flaw, according to tips given to BGR. A security issue discovered at the last moment by RIM has reportedly forced both it and Verizon to update the firmware at the last minute and cut back on the supplies of phones for launch day. One Verizon store slated to receive 100 units will now get just 40, an individual example notes.
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11/13, 3:05am
Verizon's BlackBerry Storm
Verizon early on Thursday finally committed to a final release date and price for its version of the BlackBerry Storm. Initially announced over a month ago, the first touchscreen phone from RIM will be available on November 21st through the carrier and is conspicuously priced at the same $200 contract price as Apple's iPhone from rival AT&T after factoring in a $50 rebate. The cost difference is effectively a trade-off as the device drops the 8GB of storage and full multi-touch display in favor of a 3.2-megapixel camera with video capture, a dual-format CDMA and GSM radio, microSDHC storage and a touchscreen that "clicks" to produce physical feedback.
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11/11, 8:50am
BBerry Storm Price Leak
Verizon's adaptation of the BlackBerry Storm could cost more than its Apple rival when it finally becomes available, a page (since pulled) on Verizon's test website has revealed. The first touchscreen phone from RIM will reportedly cost $220 with a two-year contract versus Apple's $199 iPhone 3G. The price represents a partly negative trade-off where the reduction in storage from the iPhone's 8GB to 1GB is compensated for by a sharper 3.2-megapixel camera, room for microSD cards and support for both CDMA/EVDO and GSM/HSPA in the same phone.
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11/03, 10:45am
BBerry Storm Voda Friday
Vodafone UK's version of the BlackBerry Storm could beat Verizon's model to launch by a week or more, a tip sent to Pocket-lint suggests. Third-party reseller Phones4U claims it should start taking pre-orders for the touchscreen BlackBerry as early as Tuesday and will start shipping the device on Friday, substantially ahead of the November 16th date widely rumored for Verizon. Phones4U is reportedly the only third-party UK retailer allowed to sell the Storm outside of Vodafone.
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10/31, 4:25pm
Vodafone prices Storm
UK wireless voice and data service provider Vodafone on Friday announced the pricing and availability for the BlackBerry Storm 9500 smartphone, according to news today. The Storm is available for pre-order on the provider's site now, and will be delivered on November 11th. Buyers get several purchase options, including paying £300 (about $480) for the handset when also signing up for a 12-month contract that costs £40 ($64) per month. With the same monthly plan that includes 600 minutes of talk time and unlimited text messages, although with a longer 18-month contract, the device is free.
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10/31, 9:15am
Verizon Axed Storm Wi-Fi
Verizon's edition of the BlackBerry Storm was intentionally stripped of 3G and Wi-Fi features, according to a claim by "top-level" sources for BGR. Although it would have technically been possible to include tri-band HSPA 3G to allow true world roaming, the American carrier has reportedly had all HSPA frequency support pulled save for its partner Vodafone's 2,100MHz band to discourage buyers from unlocking the phone and using it with AT&T or other carriers.
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10/24, 3:10pm
BBerry Subs Drop Fast
BlackBerry subscription rates have dropped significantly and now leave Research in Motion dependent on its new devices to avoid a potentially damaging level of fall sales, a research note from AmTech Research analyst Rob Sanderson says today. He notes that weekly subscription rates have fallen by 20 percent from September to October and that forecasts of 2.9 million new BlackBerry users by the end of its current quarter, which ends in November, are currently "at risk."
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10/22, 10:55am
BBerry Bold ATT on Nov 4th
AT&T today finally announced a release date for the BlackBerry Bold on its network, giving the much-delayed phone to customers. Company wireless chief Ralph de la Vega in the company's financial quartely call revealed that the first production 3G BlackBerry for HSPA networks will be available on November 4th, or roughly six months after the provider first announced it as an exclusive for its network in the US. Pricing is set at $300 with a two-year contract.
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10/21, 11:55am
BlackBerry App Store
Research in Motion today confirmed the existence of its rumored BlackBerry Application Center, the company's attempt to parallel the iPhone's App Store. The portal will serve as a central hub for BlackBerry owners looking to download and manage apps instead of the web downloads and separate stores used before. Like Apple's offering, customers can buy directly from the software and apply upgrades; a new twist adds the ability to delete software without finding it in the regular BlackBerry OS layer.
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10/20, 11:35am
BBerry 9220 and 9900 Slips
RIM has already outlined most if not all of its phone release plans for next year, a leak of a Rogers Wireless roadmap to BGR says. In addition to getting the Curve 8900 (Javelin) in the first quarter of the year, the Canadian provider will also allegedly receive two devices briefly mentioned in the past. Codenamed the Magnum, the BlackBerry 9220 should appear in the summer and add HSPA-based 3G to the Curve 8900 to bring it up to par with the Bold. RIM's rumored hybrid touch/keyboard device is also slated as the BlackBerry 9900, or Pluto, and would ship next fall.
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10/17, 10:10am
Sony Ericsson Q3 2008
Sony Ericsson highlighted the mounting problems for incumbent phone makers on Friday with news of its summer quarter results. The carrier shipped a total of 25.7 million phones in the period, which ended in September; the figure is a slight 5.3 percent boost to its numbers from the spring but a slight loss from the same season a year earlier, dipping from 25.9 million phones in summer 2007.
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10/17, 8:50am
RIM ATT Storm Rumor
Research in Motion is set to significantly expand its touchscreen lineup beyond just the core BlackBerry Storm, early rumors floated by BGR suggest. The Canadian company is reportedly readying a device like the Storm for its Wireless Enterprise Symposium in May and may involve a version of the Storm with HSDPA-based 3G for North American frequencies. Which carriers would receive the example are unknown, though AT&T's exclusivity deal for the 3G-capable Bold and the need to support Rogers in Canada would suggest a model with 850MHz 3G rather than the 1,700MHz used for T-Mobile.
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10/10, 11:30am
BBerry Storm Sequel Leak
Although the BlackBerry Storm has yet to ship, RIM is already developing a second model that would serve as the company's new flagship, two separate tips given to BGR suggest. The unnamed phone would be more a complement to the Storm than a replacement and would have a hardware keyboard in addition to the touch display. It would also carry a sharper, "near-HD" resolution and a five-megapixel camera versus the 3.2 of the device shipping soon.
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10/09, 1:20pm
Bell confirms Storm launch
Following yesterday’s report of Canadian wireless provider Telus receiving the BlackBerry Storm smartphone, Bell has made a virtually identical announcement on Thursday that takes advantage of Telus' non-exclusivity for the first BlackBerry touchscreen device. Features are identical between the two providers, including the 3.2-megapixel camera with flash and autofocus, hybrid 3G network access, GPS mapping and a microSDHC card slot supported by 1GB of internal memory.
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10/08, 8:20am
BBerry Storm for Telus
Quickly following the American launch, Telus on Wednesday also said it would be one of the first to carry the BlackBerry Storm in Canada. Its version is an exact match for the Verizon model and includes both CDMA plus EVDO Revision A for Telus' own network as well as the quad-band GSM plus EDGE and single-band HSPA that let the device roam on world networks. The GPS mapping, 1GB of internal storage plus microSDHC and 3.2-megapixel camera likewise port over to the Canadian edition.
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10/08, 7:25am
BlackBerry Storm at VZW
Verizon and RIM today at last formally introduced the American version of the BlackBerry Storm, RIM's first touchscreen phone and Verizon's most direct competitor to the iPhone. The handset centers on a 3.25-inch, 480x360 display which includes a unique physical "click" to partly recreate a physical button press. In Verizon guise, the smartphone is also special for its inclusion of both EVDO Revision A for cellular data as well as single-band HSPA, giving it 3G access on some networks outside of North America. Calling is also available on CDMA and quad-band GSM/EDGE.
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10/07, 3:35pm
BBerry Storm Tomorrow
The BlackBerry Storm should finally receive a more formal announcement as early as tomorrow, RBC analyst Mike Abramsky claims in an investment note issued today. The researcher expects RIM's first touchscreen smartphone will be announced this week and may appear on Wednesday in London. The venue would likely be used chiefly for the phone's launch on Vodafone but should be accompanied soon if not immediately by news of a Verizon model for the US.
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10/06, 8:30am
BBerry Storm Copy Paste
RIM's BlackBerry Storm will try to better the interface of the iPhone as well as emulate it, a pair of leaks show. A BGR scoop shows that the cellphone maker's first touch device will still include a copy-and-paste function despite the absence of typical controls; a multi-touch input lets users tap the ends of text to highlight the relevant sections; users can then refine where the text starts and copy it to paste it later.
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09/30, 4:15pm
Vodafone confirms Storm
The UK‘s biggest mobile phone provider, Vodafone, has confirmed it will carry the upcoming BlackBerry Storm smartphone from RIM by launching an online competition to win the handset. Those who wish to enter the contest are required to register and leave their contact information to get updates on the phone. The Storm will feature a large 3.5-inch, 480x360 touchscreen with a haptic interface, built-in GPS and a 3.2-megapixel camera, among other features.
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09/26, 7:45pm
Verizon handset leak
As the BlackBerry Storm and HTC Touch Diamond draw closer to a release with Verizon, the company's internal product training schedule was leaked Friday, hinting at likely release dates for the products. Engadget reveals that the list shows over a dozen seminars, including sessions for the Storm and Touch Diamond, showing a required completion date of November 2nd and December 3rd for the two devices, respectively. This presumably puts the release dates very soon afterwards.
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09/25, 6:50pm
BlackBerry Storm photos
Screenshots and photos of Verizon's new BlackBerry Storm have been posted, offering users a glimpse of the full touchscreen RIM handset. As seen on StormReviews, the Storm offers a very similar interface to the BlackBerry Bold, albeit with a touchscreen-based keyboard, previously revealed to operate using a combination of touch and pressure levels. When used vertically, the keys join together, similar to how other smartphone keyboards are presented.
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09/23, 2:10pm
GSM BlackBerry Storm Leak
Research in Motion's launch of the BlackBerry Storm on both Verizon and Vodafone will require two separate models, a product sheet leak at BlackBerry News appears to show. Simply labeled as the BlackBerry 9500 versus the 9530 moniker for Verizon's device, the phone would have the same 3.2-megapixel camera, click-feedback touchscreen and GPS of the earlier device but drop CDMA from the design. This would leave only GSM and its related data, including an advanced 7.2Mbps HSDPA link as well as EDGE.
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09/23, 12:25pm
Windows Mobile 7 Delayed
Windows Mobile 7 has quietly been pushed back by several months, according to tips reportedly given to CNET. Microsoft has publicly kept to a goal of launching the major revision to its handheld operating system in early 2009, keeping with the company's yearly update schedule, but is now said to be warning hardware and software partners that the platform won't be ready until sometime in the second half of that same year. The reason for the delay isn't explained.
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09/17, 2:35pm
BBerry Storm Next Week
Verizon's BlackBerry Storm launch could take place as early as next week, the company hints in a pre-release campaign sheet. The provider is reputedly set to start the public side of its marketing campaign on the 22nd for business customers and will reach out to a wider audience on October 1st. The details would also suggest a complete launch as soon as November 1st and cast doubt on a rumor of a multi-week delay.
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09/16, 10:25am
BBerry Storm Video
Verizon is now known to be circulating a video and materials briefing its employees on the upcoming BlackBerry Storm that also single out the iPhone 3G as the direct competitor. The two-minute spot confirms the features of the device, which include its hybrid CDMA/GSM and 3G support, a high-resolution touchscreen with direct "click" feedback, Visual Voice Mail and a 3.2-megapixel camera. The segment also confirms Verizon's US exclusivity for the Storm, which is believed to be matched by a similar Vodafone deal in Europe.
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09/15, 1:55pm
BBerry Storm Data Sheet
A sales sheet for the BlackBerry Storm has appeared on Monday and confirms most of the details of the anticipated iPhone rival. True to expectations, the Storm should have both CDMA and GSM to support world roaming as well as a unique touchscreen produces a tactile click when pressed, providing the physical feedback normally absent from touch phones but without using a vibration feedback system as with other attempts at solving the problem.
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09/04, 4:20pm
BBerry Storm Delayed
Technical problems could keep the BlackBerry Storm from a crucial ship date with Verizon, a tip delivered to BGR says. Although multiple past leaks had penned RIM's first touchscreen BlackBerry for an October launch, software problems have meant the device is only now entering the technical acceptance stage that approves phones for use on Verizon's network and should spend between three to four weeks in testing before it can be sold, pushing it into mid-November.
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05/01, 2:50pm
BlackBerry Storm Rumor
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.
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