Device Arena
Archive for the ‘BlackBerry’ Category
Research In Motion (RIM) today launched Facebook® for BlackBerry® Smartphones, an exciting new BlackBerry software application that enables fast, streamlined and optimized mobile access to the popular Facebook social utility using a BlackBerry smartphone. The application leverages the push-based BlackBerry system architecture and Facebook Platform to create an unparalleled mobile experience for Facebook users.
Mike Lazaridis, founder of Research In Motion, will join Dustin Moskovitz, co-founder of Facebook, to formally unveil and demonstrate the Facebook for BlackBerry Smartphones application today at the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment show in San Francisco. T-Mobile USA has been selected to be the first carrier to provide the new software application to its customers.
With the Facebook for BlackBerry Smartphones application, Facebook users can wirelessly send and view messages, photos, pokes and Wall posts. The rich, native application goes beyond browser-based access, automatically pushing notifications to the user’s BlackBerry smartphone as friends and colleagues send notes, Wall posts or pokes. The application allows users to take a photo, upload it to the site with captions and tags; quickly and easily invite friends; manage events; manage photo albums; and manage their status while on the go.
“Facebook is one of the fastest growing web destinations among BlackBerry smartphone users and it has become an important element in the evolving fabric of personal communications,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “Facebook and RIM share a vision for enhanced mobile communications and social networking based on open, standards-based platforms and this has allowed us to produce a rich mobile application for Facebook users that leverages the push-based architecture, multimedia features and industry-leading usability of the BlackBerry solution.”
No Comments »We will start this article off by stating this is subject to change prior to public release, however, here’s your first look at BlackBerry Desktop Manager 4.3! We’ve not yet fully uncovered what it’s capable of, although we from first impressions, it doesn’t look like much more than a visual upgrade of the initial application view, as well as an updated version of Intellisync. Also bundled with this version of BlackBerry Desktop Manager is an update to Roxio Media Manager, now sporting some advanced encoding options and enhanced support for other video formats.
No word on a release date, but with the BlackBerry 8120 being recently launched with OS 4.3.0, we’d have to think that BlackBerry Desktop Manager 4.3 will follow at some point soon thereafter. Then again, we have yet to hear about the BlackBerry 8120 actually being available from any of the pre-launch and launch carriers in Europe (Telefonica/Spain, TIM/Italy and O2/UK), so who knows.
Rest of the shots, after the break!
New GPS-Enabled BlackBerry Curve Helps Customers Navigate With Style
Posted by VlAD @ 02:12 pmAT&T Inc. and Research In Motion (RIM) have announced the availability of the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8310, which adds the power of built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) to the popular BlackBerry Curve, which was first introduced in the U.S. through AT&T. In addition to GPS, the new BlackBerry Curve 8310 advances the original design with two new eye-catching colors for AT&T customers.
With the BlackBerry Curve 8310 handset’s built-in GPS capabilities, customers can take advantage of location-based applications and services such as TeleNav® GPS Navigator™, which provides GPS-enabled turn-by-turn voice and on-screen directions that feature colorful 3-D moving maps and traffic alerts with rerouting. Customers will find TeleNav GPS Navigator useful in vehicles as well as while walking.
Building on its incredible visual appeal, the BlackBerry Curve 8310 from AT&T is available in two new eye-catching colors — titanium and red. The red model is available in the U.S. exclusively from AT&T.
We just posted our BlackBerry Curve 8310 Unboxing, but it’s always nice to get a view from the other side of the fence, right? We scored this launch kit for the new 8310, and inside it contains various how-to guides, 2 dummy units (Titanium, and Crimson), and some nice literature on pricing and selling points. It even has a cross-carrier comparison of the new Curve 8310 and the other BlackBerry models available from other carriers. Want to take a peek? Gallery, folks!
Sprint announced plans to offer the BlackBerry® Pearl 8130 next month, giving customers the complete BlackBerry smartphone experience, including exciting new multimedia and communications capabilities for both personal and business use. Sporting a thin, sleek design, this amethyst-colored smartphone supports the broadest range of Sprint Power Vision Services ever offered on a BlackBerry device. Besides accessing core capabilities like calendar management, personal and corporate email, and viewing documents, customers can also take advantage of exclusive Sprint services like:
- Sprint Music Store – Download stereo-quality tracks instantly over the air. Choose songs from thousands of artists in virtually every genre.
- Sprint TV(SM) – Watch live TV or video-on-demand with full-motion video and vivid sound or catch the latest news, sports, weather, entertainment and movie trailers on the go. Choose from more than 50 live television channels.
- OnDemand – Set up personal preferences and get customized news, sports, movies, and weather updates all based on your zip code. Stay informed and connected regardless of where you are on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network.
- Sprint Navigation – As the first carrier to offer GPS-capable BlackBerry devices, Sprint continues this innovation with support for Sprint Navigation which delivers voice-guided and on-screen turn-by-turn GPS-enabled driving directions, 3-D moving maps similar to an in-car navigation system or personal navigation device, as well as local search and real-time intelligent traffic alerts and one-click rerouting, anywhere on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network.
“The Pearl 8130 is the best BlackBerry candy bar form factor ever launched by Sprint,” said Danny Bowman, vice president of customer equipment for Sprint. “Operating on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 combines advanced smartphone features in an innovative design so customers can leave the laptop behind and live large, all at SprintSpeed™.”
Building upon the success of earlier models, the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 maintains a stylish slim device and includes several new features including:
- Built-in GPS
- 2 MP camera with enhanced flash for pictures and video recording
- External microSD/SDHC memory card slot for additional storage
- Enhanced background noise, wind and echo cancellation
- Stereo Bluetooth® support and 3.5mm stereo headset jack
- Improved media player and desktop media manager
“The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 packs an impressive array of communications and multimedia features in an incredibly small, stylish and easy-to-use smartphone design,” said Mark Guibert, vice president of corporate marketing at RIM. “We are extremely pleased to introduce the first CDMA-enabled BlackBerry Pearl with support for the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network and a range of powerful Sprint multimedia services.”
Pricing and Availability
The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 will be available next month online at www.sprint.com, through Sprint Telesales, Sprint business sales channels and retail locations.
Starting tomorrow customers can sign up to be notified of commercial availability of the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 from Sprint at www.sprint.com/pearl. Pricing will be announced upon commercial availability.
Standard Vision charges apply to all content downloads and services listed above.
If you got jealous of those WiFI-bearing T-Mobile users, the BlackBerry Curve 8310 with built-in GPS might give you something to celebrate about. Due to launch this week on AT&T, the BlackBerry 8310 will come in two flavors: Crimson, and Titanium. The Crimson version (Crimson was the name of the BlackBerry Curve internally) will sport a reversed keypad with most of the keys actually in black. We would have gone for a white lens cover, and white keyboard, but we suppose this will work. At least it doesn’t look as bad as the other red device…Titanium looks to be a shade different than T-Mobile’s Curve, but that’s just us looking at the supplied photo above. We’ll have to reserve our final analysis until we get a hands-on with them later in the week. What color do y’all fancy?
Mobile operator MTS Ukraine, Alcatel-Lucent and Research In Motion announced the launch of the BlackBerry wireless solution in Ukraine. Under a distribution agreement with Research In Motion, Alcatel-Lucent will manage the implementation and integration of the solution, as well as provide support services for MTS Ukraine.
MTS Ukraine will initially offer its customers the BlackBerry 8700g smartphone.
Corporate clients will be able to benefit from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, a solution that integrates with IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise and works with existing enterprise systems to enable secure wireless access to email and other corporate data; while individuals and smaller businesses will be able to use the BlackBerry Internet Service that enables users to manage up to ten email accounts from a single device.
Research In Motion (RIM) introduced the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130, the first BlackBerry Pearl smartphone to run on CDMA networks. The new model stays true to the highly acclaimed style and compact design of the BlackBerry Pearl and comes packed with new features including communications enhancements, a striking new software interface, rich multimedia capabilities, built-in GPS and support for high-speed EV-DO networks.
“With its unique blend of functionality and design, the BlackBerry Pearl smartphone has been turning heads and winning praise from business users and consumers alike,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “The new BlackBerry Pearl 8130 builds on all the great features and aesthetic design that people love about the BlackBerry Pearl and offers an exceptional new choice for CDMA customers that are looking to upgrade their mobile phone.”
The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 includes all of the features that have made BlackBerry® smartphones popular among mobile users, including unrivaled email and messaging (SMS, IM, MMS*), web browsing, organizer and more. The new smartphone also expands on its communications and multimedia features and presents the entire offering with a striking new software interface.
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First announced in mid-July and available for $300 with a two-year contract and rebate, the BlackBerry 8820 uses quadband GSM/EDGE connectivity for cellular data, offers a full Qwerty keyboard, a 320 x 240 landscape display, and various business-productivity applications. But perhaps its biggest selling point is the fact that it offers Wi-Fi.
BlackBerry is joining the Wi-Fi parade. Research In Motion and AT&T have announced that the BlackBerry 8820 - the first with Wi-Fi connectivity - will be available on Thursday.
Wi-Fi use on mobile devices is becoming a new standard for both consumer and business users who want fast, easy access to the Internet when not at home or in the office. In announcing the 8820, RIM said that the new model can switch “seamlessly” between cellular networks and Wi-Fi and that voice calls can readily alternate with e-mail access, instant messaging, Web browsing, and other data uses.
The 8820 supports unlicensed mobile access (UMA) for transparent handoff of voice calls. First announced in mid-July and available for $300 with a two-year contract and rebate, the 8820 uses quadband GSM/EDGE connectivity for cellular data. AT&T Senior Vice President Jeff Bradley touted the 8820’s global readiness, saying that the BlackBerry 8820 is an “exceptional world phone for global use by business customers and individuals alike.”
GPS, eMusic, and More
Global travelers who want to know exactly where they are can use the 8820’s built-in GPS hardware along with TeleNav GPS Navigator and TeleNav Track.
And for those who have a little downtime on their hands, there is a built-in media player and support for AT&T Mobile Music, which includes access to subscription-based music content on eMusic, XM Satellite Radio, and other services.
For getting work done, the 8820 offers a full Qwerty keyboard, a 320 x 240 landscape display, and various business-productivity applications. In addition to offering RIM’s regular suite of tools for business users, the 8820 sports the new Roxio desktop media manager, which lets users search for media files, create MP3s, and automatically convert media for playback.
Other features include Push-to-Talk service, Bluetooth 2.0, and a microSD memory slot.
Playing Nicely with I.T.
As it does with its other enterprise-targeted products, RIM is highlighting the ability of the 8820 to play nicely with corporate I.T. The 8820 offers WEP and WPA encryption along with Cisco Compatible Extensions and support for “the most commonly deployed” virtual private network gateways from Cisco, CheckPoint, and others.
In emphasizing the 8820’s value as a global device, RIM is continuing its strategy of increasing its profile as the business traveler’s choice. In mid-summer, for instance, RIM finally won permission to sell its handsets in China, after eight years of trying.
RIM is launching its 8820 smartphone from a position of increasing strength. Earlier this summer, RIM reported a 16.3 percent increase in revenue to $1.082 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2008. This was a whopping 76.5 percent jump over the same quarter the year prior, and was RIM’s first billion-dollar quarter.