Next month will apparently be a busy one for RIM. Besides launching its first ever touchscreen phone, the Storm, they’ll be pushing out their all-new Curve 8900 on T-Mobile Germany, says the carrier’s site. Formerly known by the codename Javelin, it brings the Bold’s design and updated, slicker OS down to a smaller form factor. Unfortunately, it doesn’t carry over 3G, but it will definitely be cheaper. Expect it everywhere else shortly thereafter, since it’s unlikely to be plagued by the same certification issues that the Bold has been wrestling with. [T-Mobile.De via BGR]
In case you don’t feel like waiting an extra month for a WiFi-enabled BlackBerry, AT&T will release the titanium variant of the BlackBerry Curve 8320 on Tuesday, September 23. According to the people at BlackBerry News, the new Curve will run OS 4.5 and cost US$200 on a 2-year contract, with a US$100 mail-in rebate if you subscribe to a data plan. Sure, the Bold, which has GPS and 3G along with WiFi, is coming in October, but its’ also a good US$200 more. [BlackBerry News]
Sprint today unveiled the BlackBerry Curve 8350i Push-to-Talk for its cute little Nextel customers. Our wild guess is that this is a limited run, aimed at the last four people on earth who somehow need a real business smartphone but still use Nextel. [Sprint]
Sure, Will.I.Am’s “One More Chance” video looks like it was directed by RIM, what with it’s huge BlackBerry billboard and a prominently featured Curve. But you know what? Everyone’s gotta eat, and when we insist on BitTorrenting albums instead of buying them, we should expect this from musicians. Along with Jay-Z shilling beer and Bob Dylan peddling panties, Will found a way to continue making music in a climate of slumping record sales, and it only cost a little piece of his soul. Pirating music is the only choice for many of us today, whether it’s out of convenience, cost, DRM or anything else, but we better be prepared to live with the consequence. BlackBerry ad down below. [CrackBerry]
Here’s an alleged upcoming Sprint roadmap for Q3 2008 that shows several interesting phones and several lowbies. What you’re probably looking forward to is the Palm Treo 800W and the BlackBerry Curve in red on July 13, but there’s also the blue LG Rumour, MotoRAZR VE20, Sanyo Katana Eclipse, Samsung M320, Samsung M220, Moto Renegade V950, HTC MP6950 and Moto i365. The HTC MP6950 sticks out to us since the current HTC Touch is the MP6900, so this probably makes it the Touch Pro with slide-out keyboard. We’d definitely want one of those. [Sprint Users]
Case-mate has announced the release of a “groundbreaking” new product designed to protect your iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic (80GB and 160GB) or BlackBerry Curve from scratches using a military-grade Scotchgard film from 3M that was originally designed to protect Apache helicopter blades during Desert Storm. The film is also completely clear, so there are no bulky, ugly cases to contend with. But the real question here is: does it blend? Well, let’s find out:
How many concept products have we shown featuring some form of curved or oddly shaped E-Ink display? A pillion?* Thankfully, the good people at E-Ink have seen fit to make these dreams come true: New “ultra-moldable” E-Ink cells are 40% thinner, can be cut into unique shapes, and even curved. This doesn’t mean they’re bendy, but it does mean you will be one step closer to achieving that bionic soldier-of-fortune look you’d like to cultivate to woo the ladies. The first product to be demonstrated is this humble but high functioning Delphi keychain. In the world of novelty keychains alone, the possibilities seem limitless. [Electronista] *I am not entirely sure there is such a quantity as a “pillion,” but there should be.
I used to sleep through class by tuning my mobile’s FM radio to a classical station, sitting in the back, and putting a jacket over my face, so this XM Radio on BlackBerry is pretty spectacular news. All you need is a BlackBerry 8800, 8700, Pearl or Curve and US$7.99 a month. You’ll get 20 “exclusive” XM channels (list after the jump), and you can download the app here or text “XM” to 47201. Time for a nap. Since this uses the phone’s regular data connection, you hopefully won’t be forced to wear giant ridiculous looking headphones in order to get reception.
Our favorite ladies across the pond, Katie and Alex of Shiny Shiny, got their hands all dirty on the BlackBerry Curve recently and filmed it for the world to see. It is definitely interesting to hear their take on the keyboard of this device, because keyboard and durability issues seems to plague a lot of the newer BlackBerry devices.
Oh, and Katie, my Pearl has the same problem with the shanky back panel always falling off. I think that inevitably means we are soul mates. –Travis Hudson
Shiny Video Review: BlackBerry Curve [ShinyShiny]
Now that the BlackBerry Curve has been officially announced, you’re probably wondering how it is. We’ve got you covered. Here’s a roundup of all the curve reviews on the net.
