God-damn you, Verizon.

I think I'm just about to leave you after 5 years and you pull this bullshit. Along with the Dare's release in September, you actually have some phones worth looking at twice!

I'm sick of your shit, VZW. I'm off to AT&T to be fucked by them instead.

shiftyeyedgoat

@Geraldo: The Bold's browser is actually really good, so the 9500's should be at least as good, methinks. Also, "Apple Killer" is what RIM calls it, not us, check the link.

matt buchanan

@MeIee:
Yes, really. So what if I get a bigger, higher res screen for my blackberry (which I still carry in addition to my iPhone)? If I get the same interface (and really crappy web browser), then how does it make it a better experience?

I'd really like to be proved wrong. RIM truly has some world-class capability, but interface design doesn't strike me as something they're great at.

And yes, I'm also tired of hearing iPhone-f***ing-killer everytime something has a stupid touch screen on it ;-)

Geraldo

With so much buttons, what's the point of a touchscreen?

ripfire

since this phone

a) looks very cool
b) has not been available on a GSM network for over a year
c) has a verizon logo on it

it is obviously a fake.

sisiay

@aseriesoftubes: I seem to remember Jobs saying that no one wants to watch video on iPod screens too.

itchytooth

Wait, don't the BlackBerry folk tend to poo-pooh the iPhone's lack of a physical keyboard?

Regardless, if this device is confined to Verizon's walled garden (like almost all of their other devices), it'll have only a small fraction of the iPhone's functionality.

aseriesoftubes

RIM is a very good company, but one thing they have to do is, make the screen itself fun to use. I'm not one that likes to compare the iPhone and the Prada/chicken and egg thing. But, one thing NO ONE has been able to duplicate to date is the responsiveness of the iPhones touch screen. It makes it so much more fun to use then the Vu, Dare and instinct. And yes, I've used all three. My point is, is that in order for people to go gaga for this phone, it can't have a sub-par touch screen/interface, that feels rushed and like manufacturer doesn't care, as long as it sells.

MeIee

(p.p.s)

My icon keeps jumping back and forth between past and present. If it doesn't find a constant soon, it's going to get too unstuck and die. Penelope!

itchytooth

So this is a multi-touch device? It's still Java underlying?

altus

(cont.)

I like the escape key though. I'm often needing to escape.

itchytooth

I'll just have to see this in person.

DJJS

The Basics are, actually, kind of complicated.

itchytooth

@duffyanneal: Well played.

doobiebros22

I have a Curve and an iPhone. Later this month I will have two iPhones and a doorstop. Sorry Blackberry.

duffyanneal

Question: Does it have WiFi? No? Then "Apple Killer" it is not.

ripfire

I'm sorry before ANY phone can be considered an Iphone killer they have to do the very basic thing that Apple does with all their products.....Give it several GIGS of storage. I still remember my first Ipod, great music player but also a great portable HD. Its ridiculous for any product on the market to not have substantial storage capasity in this day and age. So with that said, I wonder what the storage will be in this device.

BWilde

@matt buchanan: *claps*

Good job, friend.

@duffyanneal: Tell me if you want to drop that other iPhone someone else's way.

Metkis

no wifi? no chance in hell. Sorry Verizon, but f-you.

xxdesmus

@Metkis: My wife already has a pink case picked out for it. You can wrestle my wife for it, but watch out she fights dirty.

duffyanneal

Interesting that it has no keyboard. RIM has been cutting down Apple with no keyboard, yet they are going to produce one without it. So I guess they can call themselves fools also right?

Ken_Darrow

I'd definitely give it a try. My office will be giving me the option of taking a stock blackberry or buying my own and getting a partial reimbursement mid september, so what do I have to lose. So long as it's multitouch and the keyboard works well I'm more than happy to be ahead of the curve technology wise in the office. If I have to be leashed down with a blackberry I might as well enjoy it. As for the storage issue, I couldn't care less. I have enough music playing devices and anything blackberry or apple makes would be a step down in sound quality from what I'm used to anyway...

Nev-in-NYC

@MeIee: I tend to agree, and I wouldn't mind for RIM to take the reasonable time it could take them to tighten the 9500's interface, that said, I really like this phone.

Tohe

Forget it RIMM, just bend over and kiss your butt goodbye. The last time I checked, no one's developing anything for you. No developer's kit.

Noobs-R-Us

Wow... no physical keyboard... great... (read as: stupid)

How am I supposed to be able to type, without looking, when there's no tactile feedback? One of the primary reasons I love the BB is because of the physical keyboard. I've played with an iPhone and I'm just not that impressed. I don't think I'll ever be happy with an Apple designed/inspired (yes, firefox, i'm looking at you!) UI. I'm probably not the target market though. Who would want to sell things to a high tech worker, in their mid 20s?

junk

@matt buchanan:
I am way behind the times on my BB then -- you mean I won't have to click 'Next' fifteen zillion times to actually get to the content ;-)

wrt to the 'iPhone-killer' comment -- I didn't mean Giz specifically, I meant I'm just tired of manufacturers calling their product 'something-killer'.

Enjoyable article as always - thx.

Geraldo

I dont see why everyone rags on VZ, Ive been a customer for years and never had an issue. Well there was that one time I went to pay my bill and none of the cashiers had change for a hundred dollar bill, now that was stupid. Otherwise my experience with Verizon has been stellar.

Justapspfan

Under the phone key it says "Open the phone". What does that mean?

Intro24

I feel like you can't be THAT impressed with hardware for these touch screen phones, the magic happens in software. If RIM can ship an OS that will rival the iPhone, THAN we have something on our hands...(wow no pun intended)

NeoXY

@NeoXY: RIM shipping and OS that can rival the iPhone is highly unlikely for awhile. From what I've read, the iPhone is Mac OS X. Granted a customized OSX. Still its Apple themselves that did the customizing/optimization of OS for the iPhone.

Ken_Darrow

wake me up when this thing has a sim chip...

keysereble

@junk: "Who would want to sell things to a high tech worker, in their mid 20s?"

That's funny, because every high tech worker in their 20's that I know owns a macbook of some flavor. I think you're in the minority on this.

ppiddy

"...One of the lesser-discussed features of the 9500 is that it's hardwired to destroy any functioning iPhones within a 30 foot radius using light artillery and lasers.
The 9500 will also destroy the iPhone's user and render them lifeless, though future firmware updates may allow for the 9500 to merely maime or castrate the user, rendering them nut-less."

Ghost_Of_Christmas_Past

You fools think you HAVE to get this phone. Get the Bold if you want a keyboard! I don't see what the problem is. Why rip on a phone you aren't forced to buy?

Wegmans

@rudolphdude: in reference to the 9500 going up against iPhone within the networks

rudolphdude

@rudolphdude: This was in reference to the comments that the 9500 would be competing from Verizon as opposed to within Verizon.

rudolphdude

Isn't the iPhone going on all the networks soon as the At&t exclusivity expires?

rudolphdude

@MeIee: @junk: @aseriesoftubes: If there's one thing RIM understands, its that their physical keypads are one of -- if not their biggest -- selling points. I doubt they're going to phone this one in and half ass the touch pad when BlackBerry is known for their QWERTY-friendliness. I'd expect RIM to really give Apple a run for their money in the screen responsiveness department.

Its way too early to assume they wont include tactile/haptic feedback as the finer details of the Thunder haven't been revealed yet. Like Matt said, the closer we get to September, the more we'll know.

After all of this iPhone/iClone ranting, this is really the first phone that can even be compared to the 3G. Standing the iPhone next to the LG Dare/Vu or Samsung Instinct really isn't a fair comparison in the least bit, its the whole feature phone vs smart phone debate. It really is apples and oranges. The BB Thunder is a touch screen smart phone and [I say this as being the furthest thing from an Apple fan] is the only true competition the iPhone has in its category.

thrashanddestroy

Apple phone = 1 choice, no physical keyboard.
BB phoneS = many choices, from full keyboard to suretype, to (apparently) soon to be released touchscreen keyboard.

Not sure why so many posters seem to write as if this 1 model of BlackBerry phone will become the only offering from RIM. (maybe because they apply the Apple model to everything around them?!)
A BB touchscreen allows additional marketshare, not shifted marketshare.
All the potential customers will have more choices, and we all know that choices are good!

iSee

Does RIM have anything like the App store? I am very new to the smartphone market, but what I see as the IPhone killer app is the entire appstore and the apparent ease of development for it.

The IPhone has a chance of competing with the DS/PSP market and not just the cellphone market. The RIM devices (especially this one) seem too different in screen size to have much in terms of third party app support.

As far as touchbuttons go, I am hoping that Apple is smart and is working on some haptic tech. Height adjustable pixels on an IPhone interface would be great, so you could have onscreen physical like keys that you could 'press'.

Alluvian

@sisiay: You don't need the second point there. "looks very cool" and "verizon logo" never seem to go together. It is the fruit cake of the mobile world.

mattxcorePOP

There are just too many keys on this phone. I just can't feel comfortable with the thing in my hand. Seeing it's going to be sold by Verzion, I'm not surprised that it looks more complicated than it should be.

sheatsb

100 buttons against 4 buttons...

Th3Chos3n0n3