BlackBerry Storm Pictures Leaked!

The winds from the BlackBerry Storm are starting to pick up and Verizonb customers with crappy cell phones should stand by for mobile evacuation directions. In about the one millionth leak in the past two days, we have the pleasure of seeing BlackBerry Storm pics taken live from the eye of the storm:

That’s the storm alright. One slightly surprising thing to note is that it seems the bottom panel below the screen takes up a little more real estate than we once thought. If the touch screen button is as cool as it could be, we won’t mind. But, does this thing not look a wee bit like the Voyager in that last picture?

[Via CrackBerry]

BlackBerry Storm Specs Leaked

Well today is supposed to be the day, according to rumors, that the BlackBerry Storm for Verizon Wireless is officially announced. But before they could, even more information about the Storm has been leaked. This time, we’ve got our hands on an internal “talking points” for VZW employees that should help them convince consumers it will, “Take The World By Storm”

Some awesome facts ans features that this document confirms:

The rest is pretty much what we were expecting… and it looks nothing short of pure awesomeness, depending on how that touchscreen button works once we’ve got the BlackBerry Storm in our hands!

Stay tuned… we’ll have the latest news as soon as we get it!

[Via GlydeGuy on HoFo]

BlackBerry Storm: Announcement & Release Dates

An internal Verizon email featuring clouds in the background, a thumbprint in the foreground and the words, “We’ve got some exciting news to share. Stay Tuned. 9.15.08″ is leading some to believe that Verizon’s BlackBerry Storm will be announced on Monday. The fact that the image in the email is named comingstormjr1.jpg supports the rumor.

The email was initiallly uncovered on Howard Forums by Kevin Byrne who received the email. The BlackBerry Storm is Verizon’s branded version of the BlackBerry Thunder - the first ever touch screen by BlackBerry. Speculation is that the phone will be announced on Monday and the phone will launch on November 1st.

Verizon would be smart to get this information out there ASAP. With T-Mobile slated to announce their HTC Dream in the coming week or two, it would be helpful to already have the Storm/Thunder in people’s minds as one more thing to prevent them from switching networks.

We’ve had our BlackBerry Thunder forum running for some time now and have added a BlackBerry Storm forum to help organize conversation. However, most are saying the phones will be close to identical except for the carrier differences.

This is exciting news… we can’t remember the last time wanted the weekend to end so quickly! By the way that text reading, “Stay Tuned for the Next Minute with Mike.” is likely referring to Mike Lanman, Verizon Wireless VP and Chief Marketing Officer.

UPDATE:  Once the announcement is made, Verizon will have their landing page for the Storm at http://www.verizonwireless.com/storm

Google Apps For Your BlackBerry

Google isn’t spending ALL their “mobile” time on Android. The proof is in the blogging: Google’s Official Mobile Blog today launched their Google Mobile App for the BlackBerry, a simple but effective tool that gives you single location to access Google Search, Mail, Maps, Calendar, Reader and more.

It’s basically a one-touch Google home screen… and with the ever growing amount of services that Google offers, this one little screen is packing a lot of punch. One thing is for sure - you’ll see something just like this on the HTC Dream.

You can download Google Mobile Apps by visiting http://m.google.com from your BlackBerry.

[Via Google Mobile Blog]

LG VX9600 = LG SmartLink

If a purported internal Verizon document listing upcoming release dates for mobile email is to be believed, the LG VX9600 will be named the LG SmartLink.

The screen shot shows many other devices that have already been named including the Samsung Sway, Motorola Blaze and Motorola Rapture. The Blaze is thought to become the Kraze while the Rapture was once nicknamed the Nokia, so the SmartLink name is anything but set in stone. Plus, nobodies sure if this “leak” is real or not. Time will tell we suppose.

Engadget initially reported on this leaked information but the focus was on the Moto ZN4 being pushed back to October and the Nokia 7205 delaying until January 2009. We’re suckers for knowing what the next cool phone will be called…

So will it be called the LG SmartLink?

[Via EngadgetMobile]

Xperia “Paper Airplanes” Commercial

Sony Ericsson has made its first commercial for the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 availableon YouTube. Featuring a ballerific rendition of The Beatles “Magical Mystery Tour” and phones that shoot magical paper airplanes out of them, its actually kind of cool. Minus the fact that someone is going to have to pick all that paper up… or be punished for littering.

Check out the video for yourself:

Sprint: 5 New Phones Announced!

Sprint seemed to make the first splash at CTIA although the size is debateable: they’ve announced the LG Lotus, Samsung Highnote and Samsung Rant. None of the 3 offer anything groundbreaking but they’re nice additions to the lineup. They’ve also officially launched the HTC Touch Diamond and HTC Touch Pro.

The most interesting of the announcements is the LG Lotus since we already new about the Diamond/Pro. It’s offered here in purple and is square in shape:

Here are dates and prices:

HTC Touch Diamond
Date: September
Price: $249.99 after $100 rebate on 2-year contract

HTC Touch Pro
Date: October 19th
Price: $299.99 after $100 rebate on 2-year contract

LG Lotus
Date: October
Price: $149.99 with 2-year contract

Samsung Highnote
Date: October 19th
Price: $99.99 after $50 rebate on 2-year contract

Samsung Rant
Date: October
Price: $49.99 $50 rebate on 2-year contract

Here is the portion of the press release that describes the phone’s in detail… but for more information you’ll want to read the full release:

* LG Lotus: Available in October for $149.99 with a two-year contract, the stylish LG Lotus makes a distinctive fashion statement as a full QWERTY flip phone with a unique square shape and two attractive color options - textured purple or satin black. LG Lotus is one of the first Sprint devices to offer One Click, a highly customizable user interface that makes texting, Web access, email, Sprint Navigation, Sprint TV(SM), Sprint Music Store(SM) and other features easier to access. A Sprint exclusive, it offers the perfect combination of both style and substance with a full QWERTY keyboard that is ideal for quick text messaging, email or instant messaging. It also features stereo Bluetooth(R), a 2.0 MP camera/camcorder and Wireless Backup for safekeeping your contact list in the event that the device is lost, stolen or damaged.
* Samsung Highnote: Available on Oct. 19 for $99.99 with a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate, Samsung Highnote offers a unique dual-slide design, making it easy to take your favorite music with you on-the-go. Samsung Highnote slides up to reveal a dial pad and slides down to showcase its powerful stereo speakers. Available in either red or blue, this device features Sprint’s new easy-to-personalize One Click user interface offering quick access to Sprint Music Store, Sprint Navigation, Web surfing, email, texting and more. Additional features include a 2.0 MP camera/camcorder, stereo Bluetooth, expandable memory up to 16GB, and speaker-independent voice recognition.
* Samsung Rant: Available in October for just $49.99 with a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate, Samsung Rant offers blazing fast speeds of the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network and a popular messaging form factor. Samsung Rant features a smooth horizontal slide with a full QWERTY keyboard. This device provides easy access to Sprint Navigation, Sprint Music Store and Sprint TV with an extensive collection of live and on-demand content through Sprint’s new One Click customizable user interface. Additional features include a 2.0 MP camera/camcorder, stereo Bluetooth, expandable memory up to 16GB and speaker-independent voice recognition. Samsung Rant will be available in red or black, and Best Buy will offer an exclusive purple color option.

BEST-IN-CLASS WINDOWS MOBILE DEVICES

Combining HTC’s captivating 3D touch-screen experience, the broad functionality of Windows Mobile 6.1 and the largest mobile broadband network in the United States, Sprint will soon add two devices to its robust portfolio of Windows Mobile devices - HTC Touch Diamond and HTC Touch Pro. Sprint will be the first U.S. wireless carrier to offer both devices. HTC Touch Diamond and HTC Touch Pro set a new benchmark for mobile sophistication, introducing TouchFLO(TM) 3D, an unparalleled touch experience that puts live television, weather, email, photos, contacts, music and more at your fingertips.

Both devices use a new customized Web browser that enables easy viewing and effortless navigation of Web sites in the way they were designed. As part of this browsing experience, users can zoom and pan Web sites with one hand and automatically view optimized content that has been specially created to fit the display. Using gravity-sensor technology, turning the device sideways automatically rotates the Web page view from a portrait to landscape view.

Windows Mobile 6.1 includes Outlook Mobile for simple email integration, Office Mobile, Windows Live and the ability to run thousands of third-party applications. Detailed descriptions of both devices follow:

* HTC Touch Diamond: HTC Touch Diamond introduces TouchFLO(TM) 3D, a dynamic touch-screen experience that puts live television, weather, email, photos, contacts, music and more at your fingertips. Sporting an elegant design, HTC Touch Diamond offers a high-resolution 2.8-inch VGA display, smooth Web experience powered by an Opera browser, crisp 3.2 MP camera/camcorder and stereo Bluetooth technology. Ideal for both business and personal use, HTC Touch Diamond leverages the broad functionality of Windows Mobile 6.1 and provides easy access to Sprint-exclusive multimedia content, including Sprint Music Store’s quick over-the-air song downloads and Sprint TV with its extensive collection of live and on-demand channels. HTC Touch Diamond will be available beginning in September. It will cost $249.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate.

HTC Touch Pro: HTC Touch Pro is a professional workhorse that enables mobile professionals to easily balance their professional and personal lives. Along with the features available on HTC Touch Diamond, HTC Touch Pro adds a five-row, slide-out QWERTY keyboard for easy data entry, expandable storage capabilities with a microSD card slot (1 GB card included) and a business card scanner application to automatically capture and convert business card information to contacts using the built-in 3.2 MP camera/camcorder. Additionally, with Windows Mobile 6.1, users have access to security and device management capabilities desired by most business customers when used with Microsoft’s System Center Mobile Device Manager solution. HTC Touch Pro will be available Oct. 19 for $299.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate.

Xperia X1 Comes September 30th

For folks in Sweden, Germany and the UK, the title applies beautifully as Sony Ericsson has launched an Official Press Release announcing the Xperia’s launch date as September 30th. Other geographic areas will have to wait in line though as it simply states it will come sometime in Q4 elsewhere.

The other thing is… the United States isn’t listed as one of the “Coming Soon” countries. You’ve got to be kidding, right? We’ve included the majority of the Press Release below, but click here to view the entire thing:

Sony Ericsson announces launch dates for Xperia™ X1

10 September 2008London, UK – 10 September 2008 – Sony Ericsson today announces 30 September 2008 as the official launch date for the highly anticipated Xperia™ X1 – initially available to consumers in the UK, Germany and Sweden. The handset will be available in other markets across Europe, Asia and Latin America throughout Q4 2008.

APAC

  • Indonesia, Singapore, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam

Western Europe

  • Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal

Central Europe

  • Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic

Middle East

  • UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait

Africa

  • South Africa

Latin America

  • Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia

Availability dates for North America, China, Australia and Russia along with other countries not mentioned above will be announced by local markets in the coming months.

Webcast
To start the countdown to the launch of Xperia™ X1, Sony Ericsson will host a live global webcast on September 15 at 13:00 GMT + 1, offering viewers the first in-depth demonstration of the handset. The web cast will also premiere the first episode of an alternative reality thriller Johnny X. To register to view the web cast and Q&A session with Xperia™ X1 Senior Product Manager Magnus J Andersson, please visit: www.sonyericsson.com/premiere.

“We are extremely pleased with the innovation and new user experience we have created for consumers on the Xperia™ X1,” said Rikko Sakaguchi CVP and Head of Creation and Development at Sony Ericsson. “The in-depth demonstration on the web cast will showcase how this handset is truly unique. The nine panel eco system puts the user in total control of the primary experiences available on the phone and allows consumers to personalise the panel interface to suit their needs and lifestyle.  The Xperia™ X1 has the highest quality screen on the market, four-way navigation keys and optical joy stick to give a stressless browsing experience and, with its super fast processor and network speed the Xperia™ X1 really bridges the gap between personal, entertainment and work mobile needs.”

Johnny X Alternative Reality Thriller
Johnny X is about a young man with amnesia desperately piecing together his identity. The webisodic thriller comprises of nine episodes, created to demonstrate the rich, immersive and experiential elements of the Xperia™ X1.

The storyline follows Johnny X on his mission to rediscover his identity. As he finds out more about his lost life in a race against time, he updates his Xperia™ X1 with new content to piece together his personality and identity, reflecting how the phone can be personalized to suit users’ individual lifestyle and needs. Will Johnny X find out who he really is before it’s too late?

“Producing the Johnny X thriller has given us an engaging platform to demonstrate all the capabilities and features a user can experience with the Xperia™ X1 phone,” said Lennard Hoornik, Head of Marketing at Sony Ericsson. “The panel interface is a perfect way to reflect your personality and can be tailored and changed to suit your exact needs at any given time.  No two Xperia™ X1 will ever have the same combination of panels on the phone; we are all individuals and deserve to have a phone that reflects that. ”

Over a three week period, one new episode of Johnny X will be posted online at www.sonyericsson.com/Johnnyx every Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting on Monday, September 22.  Check out the trailer for the series at www.whoisjohnny-x.com

Global Launch
The official global launch of the Xperia™ X1 will take place at Tent London as part of London Design Week between September 18 – 21st.  Journalists are invited to attend the official Tent London opening party on Friday evening 19 September 2008 to see the Xperia™ X1 and meet with Sony Ericsson spokespeople. To register, please email: sonyericsson@bm.com

Tent London is one of the most comprehensive and diverse design events of the year. It is a multi-disciplinary event in an exciting location that will appeal equally to designers, media and consumers - embracing art to architecture, vintage to contemporary and raw talent to established trend-setters.

Open to general public from 18-21st September, from 10am, with admission prices starting at:

  • Public & Students £7.50 in advance £10.00 on the door
  • Child (under 16) £5.00
  • Child (under 5) FREE

For advance ticket purchases, visit: www.tentlondon.co.uk
Address: Circa at Tent London, The Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, E1

Xperia™
The Xperia™ X1 is the first product under Sony Ericsson’s new premium sub-brand Xperia™. Designed to meet consumers’ needs for a converged entertainment and mobile web communication experience, the Xperia™ X1 is an extremely stylish handset encased in a real stainless steel body, with a striking arc-slider design, supported by a powerful multimedia ecosystem.

Consumers can access a world of experiences by tapping on one of the unique customisable panels on the three-inch high resolution touch-widescreen. Windows Mobile® lets you choose from a dynamic range of activities anytime and anywhere; from enjoying your music, watching a video, checking email, shopping online or working with Windows Mobile Office on-the-move. The full QWERTY keyboard and quality metal casing completes this premium handset. For more information please visit: www.sonyericsson.com/x1

About Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson is a top global industry player with sales of over 100 million phones in 2007. Diversity is one of the core strengths of the company, with operations in over 80 countries including manufacturing in China and R&D sites in China, Europe, India, Japan and North America.  Sony Ericsson was established as a 50:50 joint venture by Sony and Ericsson in October 2001, with global corporate functions located in London.

FOR MEDIA INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Sony Ericsson Corporate Communications & PR
Merran Wrigley: +44 7887-628358
General Press: +44 208 762 5858
E-mail: press.global@SonyEricsson.com

Sony Ericsson XperiaTM X1 – At A Glance

Camera

  • Auto focus
  • 3.2 megapixel camera
  • Photo light
  • Video recording

Music

  • Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
  • Media player
  • Music tones
  • Windows Media Player™ Mobile
  • 3D games
  • FM radio
  • Java
  • Video streaming
  • Video viewing

Internet

  • Internet Explorer Mobile
  • Opera 9.5 browser
  • RSS feeds

Communication and Messaging

  • Polyphonic ringtones
  • Speakerphone
  • Vibrating alert
  • Video calling
  • Email
  • Picture messaging (MMS)
  • Predictive text input
  • Text messaging (SMS)

Design

  • Xperia™ panels
  • Optical Joystick navigation
  • Navigation key
  • Picture wallpaper
  • Touch navigation

Organiser

  • Alarm clock
  • Calculator
  • Calendar
  • Document editors
  • Document readers
  • Flight mode
  • Handwriting recognition
  • Notes
  • Phone book
  • Tasks
  • Touchscreen

Connectivity

  • aGPS
  • Bluetooth™ technology
  • Modem
  • Synchronisation
  • USB support
  • WLAN

Windows® Mobile® Operating System 6.1

  • Microsoft® Outlook Mobile: email, contacts, calendar, tasks
  • Microsoft® Office Mobile: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Internet Explorer® Mobile
  • Windows Media Player™ Mobile
  • Windows Live™
  • Exchange ActiveSync®
  • Utility Applications: file explorer, calculator, pictures & video, notes

Facts and Figures

  • Size: 110 x 53 x 16.7 mm
  • Weight: 158 grams
  • Available colours: Solid Black and Steel Silver
  • Main screen: 65,536 color TFT
  • Resolution: 800 X 480 pixels
  • Size: 3 inches
  • Memory
  • Phone memory: up to 400 MB
  • microSD™ memory card support

  • BlackBerry Thunder/Storm Video!

    Uhohs! We’ve finally got video of the BlackBerry Thunder slash BlackBerry Storm from a true mobile phone ninja. Accelerometer? CHECK! Touch screen that uses the whole surface as one big button? CHECK! Total awesomeness to the Nth degree? Hmmmm… we’ll get back to you on that one.

    We edited the video and reupped to YouTube so you wouldn’t have to wade through several minutes of other junk, but the original video can be found here:

    Hopefully the phone is still “delayed” because the accelerometer responds pretty darn slowly and the reviewer seemed to be trying unsuccessfully hard to lift his enthusiasm above pessimistic in regards to that touch screen button feature.

    Maybe its something you just have to “get used to”. Regardless… this phone would have to perform horridly to be anything short of a huge hit (in terms of sales). I mean cmon, its the first touch screen BlackBerry, right?

    BlackBerry Flip Phone is T-Mobile Exclusive

    The next phone in BlackBerry’s Pearl lineup is the BlackBerry Pearl 8220 and as rumored, its RIM’s first ever flip phone. This phone has the potential to gain a LOT of popularity for obvious reasons… the mass market, from business men to teenagers, could find this phone convenient and enticing.

    The phone was only rumored but the number of leaks and pics and all that jazz made it all but official. Now it IS official with Research In Motion’s Press Release announcing the device. Take a look at some of the pics and the actual press release below:

    WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire - Sept. 10, 2008) -

    A photo for this release will be available via Marketwire on the picture wire of The Associated Press

    Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today unveiled the BlackBerry® PearlTM Flip 8220 smartphone, the first BlackBerry® phone to come in the popular flip form factor.

    The new BlackBerry Pearl Flip provides flip phone fans with all the power of a BlackBerry smartphone in a fun and familiar design. One quick flip of the handset opens up a world of possibilities with the industry’s leading mobile messaging solution and a wide range of impressive Internet and multimedia capabilities, all in one powerful yet approachable smartphone. You can send a message to your friends or family, make a call, browse the web, snap a picture, watch a video or listen to your favorite song. It’s all in your control with a simple flip.

    The quad-band EDGE based BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone presents a sophisticated look with a sleek design and a chrome-finished frame surrounding its smooth, luminescent face. Packed with an abundance of powerful features, it weighs only 3.6 ounces and measures approximately 3.9″ x 1.9″ x 0.7″. Featuring two high-resolution, light-sensing color displays, the external LCD makes it easy to preview incoming emails, text messages and phone calls without opening the handset, while the large, 240 x 320 internal LCD displays messages, videos and web pages with impressive detail and contrast.

    “The popularity of BlackBerry smartphones has grown tremendously around the world and the introduction of this exciting new flip phone will help extend the reach of the BlackBerry platform even further,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO, Research In Motion. “The BlackBerry Pearl Flip is a full-featured smartphone with a unique and friendly design and it is a natural choice for flip phone users who want to start doing more with their phone than just talk.”

    FIRST CLASS PHONE

    The BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone is a top of the line mobile phone that flips open and cradles the face naturally and comfortably during phone calls. It delivers exceptional voice quality and includes many premium phone features, including Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD), support for mp3 ring tones, smart dialing, conference calling, speed dialing, call forwarding, voicemail attachment playback and enhanced background noise cancellation. It also features a speakerphone and Bluetooth® 2.0 for use with hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits and other Bluetooth peripherals such as a GPS receiver. The removable/rechargeable 900 mAhr battery provides four hours of talk time and over 14 days of standby time.

    MESSAGING POWERHOUSE

    Featuring a large SureType® QWERTY(i) keyboard that makes typing messages and dialing numbers fast and easy, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip, like all BlackBerry smartphones, provides integrated access to the industry leading BlackBerry wireless services. Users are able to easily access up to 10 supported personal and work email accounts, send and receive text and instant messages, and connect on popular social networking sites with friends, family and co-workers. The DataViz® Documents to Go® software suite is also preloaded, allowing users to edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the handset. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip is supported on BlackBerry® Internet Service, BlackBerry® Unite!, BlackBerry® Professional Software and BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, which provides tight integration with corporate email systems and the security and IT policy controls that enterprise customers require to confidently allow smartphones in their organization.

    MULTIMEDIA TO GO

    With an advanced media player for displaying pictures, listening to music and watching videos, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip is the perfect on-the-go entertainment center. Videos play smoothly on the large internal display, playlists can be managed directly on the handset and there’s an equalizer with 11 preset filters - including “Lounge”, “Jazz” and “Hip Hop” - for customizing audio ranges when using headphones or external speakers. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip works with the new BlackBerry® Media Sync application that makes it easy to sync iTunes digital music collections with the smartphone(iii) and it also features a conveniently accessible microSD/SDHC memory card slot that supports up to 16GB(ii) for plenty of storage. High Speed USB 2.0 support allows files to be quickly transferred between a desktop computer and the smartphone and the BlackBerry® Desktop Manager software includes Roxio® Media Manager for BlackBerry® to help users easily manage their music and video files. Roxio Photosuite® 9 LE is also included for creating photo albums and editing pictures.

    FULL FEATURED FLIP

    The BlackBerry Pearl Flip packs an impressive range of features into its compact design, including phone, email, messaging, organizer, browser and multimedia applications, and it can also support thousands of other mobile lifestyle and business applications. It features a 2 megapixel camera with flash, zoom and video recording(iv) to capture memories while on the move, and includes BlackBerry Maps to deliver maps and step-by-step driving directions quickly and easily. An enhanced HTML browser displays web pages beautifully in either “Column View” or “Page View” and different emulation settings allow users to choose between desktop-style HTML content and the mobile version of web pages. The browser also supports RTSP for watching online streaming video from sites like m.youtube.com. In addition, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone features built-in Wi-Fi® (802.11 b/g) with support for UMA (unlicensed mobile access), extending wireless email and data coverage and supporting carrier enabled voice calls over home Wi-Fi networks, enterprise wireless deployments and Wi-Fi hotspots.

    ACCESSORIES

    The BlackBerry Pearl Flip comes with a variety of accessories including a stereo headset, travel charger and USB cable. Additional accessories for BlackBerry smartphones, including holsters and totes, charging pods, premium earphones, Bluetooth headsets and the BlackBerry® Remote Stereo Gateway are available through retail outlets or online at www.shopblackberry.com.

    AVAILABILITY

    The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 smartphone will be available from wireless carriers around the world beginning this fall. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip will be available in the United States exclusively from T-Mobile beginning this fall. Specific availability and pricing details will be announced at a later date.

    For more information please visit www.BlackBerryPearl.com

    T-Mobile USA customers can check out more details about this new flip phone and register to be notified when the BlackBerry Pearl Flip is available at www.BlackBerry.com/T-MobileBlackBerryPearlFlip

    BlackBerry Thunder: $199 with Contract

    The Boy Genius has got word that the BlackBerry Thunder and BlackBerry Storm will cost $199 with a 2-year agreement. The information came at the end of a post that explains a little skirmish between BlackBerry and AT&T regarding the Bold.

    Apparently the two have been in a tiff over the delay over the Bold. RIM blames AT&T for favoring the iPhone while AT&T insists that RIM needs to get their act together because their product just doesn’t make the grade due to software flaws.

    Apparently THAT is why the BlackBerry Thunder/Storm marketing budget has jumped leaps and bounds. I hope they come up with something truly creative and unique for a marketing campaign… this thing is going to deserve it!

    It’s kind of funny how the pricing was snuck into the bottom of a big post about the BlackBerry Bold since, to us, the pricing news is more exciting. However, the AT&T/RIM story is pretty insightful and I guess they all play a big part in the latest developments. Interesting stuff.

    So at $199… will you buy it?

    [Via BGR]

    Pre-Orders for Palm Treo Pro Begin!

    The unlocked 3G beauty - Palm’s Treo Pro - is now taking pre-orders on the companies US based website. It’ll set you back $549 which is the hardship that unsubsidized, unlocked phones must face. Nonetheless, it looks sweet enough for a decent amount of folks to swallow up:

    It appears to be shipping in 2-3 weeks and the only current color option is Obsidian Black. We’ve got a forum set up for all the folks who want to get, or do get, a Treo Pro so make sure to visit: http://mobileroar.com/forum/palm-treo-pro/

    [Via Palm]

    Sony Ericsson G705: Official Details

    The G705 now has official details as Sony Ericsson has issued a lengthy Press Release about the phone. Most of you can rejoice but Americans can begin whining as it won’t reach our shores until 2009.

    Rather than regurgitate, I’ve copied and pasted the Press Release (Source: SE PR):

    Get your own personal assistant with the new Sony Ericsson G705 mobile phone. The 2.4” screen enhances the premium web experience, whether you are searching Google™ direct from your idle screen, checking emails through the phone’s Exchange ActiveSync™ capabilities or using Wi-Fi™ to access the latest news. The G705 lets you juggle your day the easy way.

    London, UK – September 9, 2008 – This elegant slider phone, complete with large 2.4” screen, allows users to surf the internet at high speed with turbo 3G and its full HTML browser – just use the shortcut key and you’re straight through to Google™ search from the idle screen. Page a bit too small? Use the illuminated zoom web shortcut key or just tilt the phone and it automatically switches to landscape view.

    “The G705 is ideal for those who need a bit of help organising their busy life.” said Catherine Cherry, Global product marketing manager at Sony Ericsson. “This life-enhancing phone has everything you need to keep track of your daily activities and is perfect for keeping in touch with friends. It also allows you to stay fully up-to-date thanks to the full HTML browser, email support, and desktop RSS feeds - all delivered at turbo 3G speeds.”

    The G705 keeps you updated with the information most important to you via RSS feeds that are delivered straight to your phone’s desktop. Whether its sport scores or news from around the world, be the first to break that story to friends or work colleagues. Complete with 3.2 megapixel camera and video capabilities, upload your favourite and funny moments straight to the web for friends all over the world to see. Time to relax? Use the phone’s Wi-Fi™ connection to upload pictures, create a picture blog or download music and videos from your favourite web sites. Entertain your friends and family with all your great images on the 1GB memory card, or relax with the sounds you want through the built-in FM radio.

    On your way to an important meeting but can’t find your way? The inbuilt aGPS combined with Google Maps™ for Mobile and Wayfinder™ navigation means that you will never have to ask for directions again – and it will even help you find a restaurant or bar to relax with friends and family.

    Also announced today is the G705u, the first UMA enabled phone from Sony Ericsson. UMA enables users to seamlessly roam between the mobile network and local area networks thanks to GSM/Wi-Fi™ dual capabilities. The G705u is exclusive to the operator Orange in its territories.

    In addition, Sony Ericsson is pleased to today announce a partnership with Google™ meaning that YouTube™ will be integrated into selected upcoming models from Sony Ericsson. This capability will allow users to instantly download and upload video directly from their phone to YouTube™. The G705 will be YouTube™ compatible and further models will be announced at a later stage.

    The new G705
    Stay one step ahead of the rest

    • Large 2.4” screen – view websites and emails with high clarity
    • HTML browser – surf the net how it was meant to be
    • Automatic rotation – switch from portrait to landscape with just a tilt of the phone
    • Google™ shortcut key – Go to Google™ from the idle screen with one key press
    • Inbuilt aGPS combined with Google Maps™ for Mobile and Wayfinder™ – never get lost again
    • Wi-Fi™ and DLNA certified™ – connect the way you want
    • 3.2 megapixel camera – snap and share your favourite images via Bluetooth™
    • YouTube™ compatible – upload videos or download favourite clips

    Ditch the filofax and stay organised the stylish way with the G705.

    The G705 and G705u (exclusive to Orange) support GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS/HSDPA 2100. G705 will be available in selected markets from early Q4 in the colours Silky Gold or Majestic Black. G705u (exclusive to Orange) will be available from early Q4 in the colour Luminous Black. The G705 will also be available in a version for American markets supporting networks GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS/HSUPA 850/1900/2100. G705 for American markets will be available early Q1 2009.

    The Sony Ericsson G705 at a glance

    Camera

    • 3.2 megapixel camera
    • Up to 3.2x digital zoom
    • Photo fix
    • Photo light
    • Video light
    • Video recording
    • Picture blogging
    • PictBridge printing
    • Video blogging
    • x-Pict Story™

    Music/Entertainment

    • Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
    • Media player
    • Mega Bass™
    • TrackID™
    • PlayNow™
    • Album Art
    • Music tones (MP3/AAC)
    • 3D games
    • Java™
    • FM Radio
    • Video streaming
    • Video viewing

    Web/Internet

    • Full HTML browser with auto rotate
    • RSS feeds on desktop
    • Photo feeds
    • Web shortcut keys

    Communication & Messaging

    • Speakerphone
    • Polyphonic ringtones
    • Vibrating alert
    • Video calling
    • Email
    • Picture messaging (MMS)
    • Predictive text input
    • Sound recorder
    • Text messaging (SMS)
    • Instant messaging
    • Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync™

    Design

    • Navigation key
    • Auto rotate
    • Picture wallpaper
    • Wallpaper animation

    Connectivity

    • Bluetooth™ technology
    • Modem
    • Synchronisation
    • USB mass storage
    • USB support
    • Wi-Fi™
    • DLNA Certified™

    Organizer

    • Alarm clock
    • Calculator
    • Calendar
    • Flight mode
    • Notes
    • Phone book
    • Stopwatch
    • Tasks
    • Timer

    Location-based service

    • aGPS
    • Geo tagging of photos
    • Inbuilt aGPS
    • Google Maps™
    • Wayfinder™ navigation (three month trial version)

    Accessories
    In-Box:

    • Battery
    • Battery Charger
    • 1GB Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™)
    • USB cable
    • Stereo PHF
    • Sony Ericsson PC Suite
    • Media manager
    • User guide

    Optional:
    Bluetooth™ Headset HBH-PV720

    Stereo Bluetooth Headset™ HBH-DS205

    Desk Stand CDS-75
    Facts and Figures 1)2)

    • Size: 95 x 47 x 14.3 mm
    • Weight: 98 grams
    • Colours:
    • Silky Gold
    • Majestic Black
    • Luminous Black (G705u only)
    • Screen: 262,144 colour TFT
    • Resolution: 240 x 320 pixels
    • Size: 2.4 inches
    • Phone memory: Up to 120MB
    • Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™) support
    • Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 10 hrs
    • Standby time GSM/GPRS: Up to 400 hrs
    • Talk time UMTS: Up to 4 hours
    • Standby time UMTS: Up to 350 hours
    • Video talk time: Up to 3 hours

    Availability and versions
    Networks:

    • G705 and G705u:
    • GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
    • UMTS/HSDPA 2100
    • G705 (American version)
    • GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
    • UMTS/HSUPA 850/1900/2100
    • Available in selected markets from early Q4 2008.

    Xperia X1 Screenshots Surface

    Delayed. Not delayed. SDK. Marketing Campaign. Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 news has been jumping around ALL over the spectrum and now we’ve got even more: Xperia Screenshots have come out and we’re kind of re-excited if that’s even a word.

    The pictures give us a good look at the Xperia’s integration with YouTube and Google Maps and both look awesome. Oh yeah, and we’ve also learned that “Alicia Keys” is spelled “Alicia Quays” in Sweden.

    [Via DailyMobile.se]

    Johnny X is Memento Clone

    It’s interesting to note how the mobile phone marketing world has changed. Or perhaps the word is grown, blossomed, morphed or something else. Phone’s used to have boring model numbers… now they have their own superheroes.

    Johnny X is a fictional movie character that uses his Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 to brave the dangers of the world and stop villains in their tracks. Or so we’re told. As if creating a minisite for the phone wasn’t enough, they’ve created an entire website to a fictional character who wields their phone: http://www.whoisjohnny-x.com

    So who is Johnny X? After watching the trailer, it seems like he’s straight from the movie Memento from 2000 with Guy Pierce playing a dude trying to find out who he is and what happened to his wife. Not only is the theme the same but the camera style and specific images such as writing on his body, post it notes, etc… all bare TOO much of a resemblance to the movie Memento.

    Oh well, we’re still amused SE. Plus, we’re happy to see official Xperia stuff popping up again so you’re off the hook. Just don’t let it happen again.

    And by the way, for anyone that hasn’t seen Memento you should… its a good flick.

    [Via TheUnwired]

    LG VX9600: Slowly Less Mysterious

    The LG VX9600 has just passed through the FCC gauntlet and unless there is a cosmic anomoly, that VX means that Verizon will soon have a new phone and the number indicated another awesome device in the 9000 series is on the way.

    We don’t know too much about the device as of now but there are some VERY interesting tidbits to consume. Among the most interesting:

    Game pad? Detachable QWERTY? Wow this thing sounds really, really interesting and we’re dying to learn more. That’s a hint that tipsters are welcome to… you know… send pictures, specs, details… ANYthing.

    [FCC Via Engadget]

    Qwertylicious Specs of the LG PRADA 2

    The LG Prada phone was pretty hot itself but if rumors are true, the phone’s sequel (Prada 2) will successfully be much hotter. Newly featured on the Prada 2? A full QWERTY keyboard and 3G connectivity! This is a much welcomed upgrade and this device should get a fair amount of love from consumers.

    The original Prada phone was a bit difficult to type on and with the success of phone’s like the Voyager and the Glyde and excitement of devices like the HTC Touch Pro, a full QWERTY is a nice direction to go. Its an easy way to ensure, regardless of any issues with the touchscreen, that the device will sell like hotcakes. We’re a huge proponent of physical QWERTY’s so props to you for making it happen, LG!

    Here are the specs from our boy, the genius:

    We’re eagerly awaiting more details…

    Sony Ericsson TM506 Now Available!

    T-Mobile now has a sexy little green 3G flip available that the price conscious customers might want to check out. Its only $80 after a $50 mail in rebate (with 2 year agreement) and comes with a decent feature set such as the standard 2 megapixel camera, aGPS, Bluetooth and all that jazz.

    The impressive thing here though is the 3G speed. Has T-Mobile even launched their 3G network yet? We think not… oh well! Although that begs another question: if you’re in the market for a new T-Mobile 3G handset why not wait to see what the official price/specs on the HTC Dream will be?

    To each their own. Here are the official specs by way of MobileCrunch:

    Samsung Omnia Soon on AT&T and Verizon

    The mighty Samsung Omnia was once feared (by Americans) to only be hitting foreign shores due to the i900’s UMTS 2100MHz only support. While Samsung has been rumored supposedly promised a US-destined version that will support the 850/1900Mhz bands required there. Now, with FCC documentation supporting the claims, it appears the Samsung Omnia will not only reach AT&T but also Verizon Wireless!

    FCC Documentation outed AT&T’s Samsung Omnia as model number i907 with HSDPA connectivity, making AT&T the obvious suitor. That same document talks about the i910, another Samsung Omnia variant that will have CDMA support. You guessed it - that is the one hitting Verizon Wireless.

    As a refresher, the Samsung Omnia is a 5-megapixel multimedia powerhouse that comes with Bluetooth and WiFi, Windows Mobile 6.1 and a ton of media editing options. Given it’s huge potential, we’re welcoming a speedy arrival to American shores.

    We’ll keep you posted as official announcements will likely come soon!

    [Via PhoneArena]

    XPeria in October, SDK Now Live!

    The nasty rumors that the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 has been delayed until 2009 have been bitterly silenced by Sony Ericsson themselves. A few day ago they released the Xperia SDK, claimed the Xperia would be available in the UK and US in early October and now we’re hearing Sony Ericsson will launch the device via closed webcast in two weeks time.

    Wow… talk about a complete 180! We’re glad that Sony Ericsson was able to get their act together and respond to the 2009 rumors rather quickly because if they WERE true I think a lot of people would consiously decide that they no longer cared about the Xperia. It’s just been too long.

    But now, we can look forward to the Xperia once again!

    A few quick links:

    ← Previous Page — Next Page →