Blackberry Blogged – Blackberry news, reviews and information

It has been revealed that there is a BlackBerry Twitter app in the works.

It’s a pretty surprising thing to realize that after all this time, BlackBerry has not had an official Twitter as of yet. The smart phone is considered to be a standard in plenty of businesses all over the world and with the popularity of the micro blogging tool Twitter; one would think that by now, the enterprise friendly smart phone would have a feature for it.

BlackBerry was once in the forefront of cutting edge communications by being the first to bring instant email access available to mobile phones –coining the term Crackberry for email addicts who rely on BlackBerry devices to check and send emails.

Anyway, the new Twitter application is still pretty much in its early stages. First off, the app itself is very laggy. The slowdowns are very noticeable taking up to 5 and even 10 seconds of loading. If that was not bad enough, the app currently does not use caching; this means that all the Tweets will have to be downloaded each time you log in and out of your account.

At this point, it is likely that the initial demonstration of the application is simply made to show that the system is possible to execute. It comes with hotkeys and a special search function. Most probably, when the final version of the application comes out, it will be rid of the slowdowns and will be able to use caching.

Officially, this app is still in closed beta and there is plenty of room for improvement. With no definite schedule for the launch date, RIM has all the time they need to polish and perfect the system.

Read more about RIM’s new BlackBerry Twitter application (closed beta version) on Stuff TV.

Up until recently, all reports about the Blackberry Pearl were apparent rumors, and had no official representation. Recently Blackberry published some pictures of the new phone and gave some out as reviews, and already much information has been gathered about the new phone. When Blackberry launched the Pearl 8120 about a year ago, critics were impressed. At the time 2G technology seemed to be at the very top of its game, and the phone was fast making its way to one of the fastest selling phones of all time. Well the Blackberry Pearl 9100 really shows you what Blackberry are capable of delivering.

Coming with and optical track pad along with the usual keyboard, the Pearl 9100 combines ease of use with functionality and reliability. The whole phone has had tweaks made to it that allow it to come to the very front in phone design. The new extended battery life is now expected to last over 2 days, which is very high for a blackberry. The applications have been updated, and include better business card recognitions software.

There are many other great perks to this new phone. A 2.0 megapixel camera is included, and this can be used to create high detail pictures, videos and audio and video recording. Wi-Fi enabled, this phone will always have connectivity in the times when you most need it.

If you want to get your hands on one of these amazing Blackberry phones, you are going to have to wait for an official release date, but expect it to be within the next few months. Again, pricing hasn’t been heard about but considering some of the BlackBerry deals already available, its highly likely the phone will be available on some fantastic pay as you go and contract tariffs.

Research In Motion announced last Monday the signing of a distribution agreement with Digital China Holdings Limited. The terms of the agreement gives Digital China Holdings Limited the permission to distribute RIM’s BlackBerry Smartphones in the Chinese Market.

Consequent upon this agreement, the Canada based Research In Motion will be able to expand the reach of its Smartphones in the Chinese market through its agreement with Digital China Holdings, a company known for its expertise and nationwide distribution network. The BlackBerry is already available in the country.

Research In Motion’s BlackBerry comes as a world class mobile communication platform that has in its collection some of the world’s most popular Smartphones in the world today. Not to mention the array of software and services for them. The BlackBerry solution is targeted at both professional and consumers. Some of the features users can enjoy when they buy it include: Phone organizer; Internet and Multimedia Applications; Messaging; Email and other great amount of wonderful applications available for the BlackBerry platform.

Commenting on the partnership agreement, Guo Wei who is the Chairman Chief Executive Officer of Digital China Holdings Limited noted that “As the leading IT service provider and distributor in China, Digital China has always believed in advanced and cutting-edge products that deliver value to Chinese customers. Through this collaboration, RIM will leverage Digital China’s proven professional services and nationwide coverage to reach more customers and to increase the visibility of the BlackBerry solution across the country.”

“We are delighted to reach a distribution agreement with Digital China. Business partnerships are an important aspect of RIM’s strategy and Digital China’s extensive knowledge and market presence will further expand the opportunity for RIM in China.” Jim Balsillie. Research In Motion Inc went further to reveal a partnership with China Mobile for supporting the carrier’s specific TD-SCDMA and TD-LTE Technologies.

Research in Motion (RIM), one of Canada’s leading mobile phone maker is set for another bang with the release of more widgets for developers of its Blackberry smartphone Operating system. The company, not too long ago launched its application store (App world) for users of its Blackberry smart phone and is seriously working hand in hand with developer partners to increase the number of applications available to users in its App world.

It was also reported last week about a series of tools that were released to developers and there are great indications that more tools are now available to them. Most worthy of note is the Blackberry Web Plug-in version 2.0 Beta1 edition. This web tools which are excellent for Eclipse and Microsoft Visual Studio have already been released and can now be downloaded. They also offer support and debugging services on the Blackberry Device Software version 5.0

One of the posts from a developer’s blog reads thus “The BIG news for this release is the new support for building BlackBerry Widget projects. These tools will allow you to create BlackBerry Widgets in a much more automated manner compared to calling the BlackBerry Widget SDK via the command line. We have also added a getting started page that will appear when you start using the tooling that will connect you with the right online resources, forums and content to speed your widget development,”

There are also succinct resolutions that the new plug-ins may been made to allow developers relish the new versions of the Blackberry SDK widget as soon as it is been released. These developers do not need to wait a while before they can update the Eclipse or Visual Studio tooling. The blog states “The BlackBerry Web Plug-in Beta1 release is specifically designed to automate the authoring, building and running of a BlackBerry Widget on a simulator within two of the most popular development environments out there.”

The Storm 2 follows on from the successful BlackBerry Storm, one of BlackBerry’s most popular handsets to-date. While taking much of the same design cues the second generation Storm has also learnt lessons from the original Storm’s failings. For one, BlackBerry has done away with the SurePress technology that many Storm users had complained made an otherwise flawless phone uncomfortable to use.

Another development is the inclusion of Wi-Fi for the new Storm. Wi-Fi is becoming more and more relevant today, especially for phone of the BlackBerry Storm 2’s nature, and it is a wonder why so many phone companies are willing to omit it from their handsets. Sure there is 3G, but as Wi-Fi hotspots are becoming more and more ubiquitous it feels a shame to own a phone lacking this feature.

Both the Storm and Storm 2 are quite noticeable for being handsets without the trademark BlackBerry QWERTY pad that has become a visual icon for the Canadian company. Instead all functionality is provided through the touch sensitive screen, and while for some this may seem to defeat the point of having a BlackBerry, it still provides the same exceptional level of messaging functionality as other RIM handsets – albeit with an onscreen keypad. The onscreen keypad is much easier to use on the Storm 2 than the original Storm due to the new screen design and inclusion of multi-touch input. Plus, the added benefit here is that having a larger screen makes the display a great deal more viewable, and actually far more conducive to the tasks that one associates with BlackBerry phones.

The original Storm was tied exclusively to Vodafone but the sequel will fortunately be moving to other carriers after Christmas. The move to a full-frontal touchscreen away from the stereotypical QWERTY BlackBerry phone was a big gamble for RIM, and with the Storm they didn’t quite pull it off as there were technical issues that still needed ironing out. However, with the Storm 2 it seems that BlackBerry has done a far superior job, and in many ways it seems that the Storm 2 is probably the handset the original Storm was meant to be.

The first impressions of the Storm 2 were outright surprise. After the initial release of the original Storm, many thought that RIM should steer clear of transmissive TFT LCDs. The SurePress feature made the original Storm difficult to use, the quality of the device was reported to be bad (some of the keys easily fell off apparently). Worse, the finish of the device was clumsily executed; there were gaps along the edge of the screen which were clearly visible when the backlight was on (some reports that dirt would enter these gaps and cause problems). Still, RIM pushed through with a second device; not stubbornly too. They took into account all the criticisms and comments about the old Storm and made sure to improve it.

Doing Better

BlackBerry Storm 2 reviews are unanimous, the new BlackBerry Storm 2 9520 (or Storm 2 for short), is a great improvement over the previous one. To quote many other reviewers who all said the same thing, “this is what the first Storm should have been”. While the Storm 2 did feature hardware upgrades over the previous one, what really made the Storm 2 a great phone is the fact that it fixed all the old issues. Most notable is the touch screen; the entire screen of the Storm 2 has four sensor areas on all corners instead of having one sensitive area in the center like the Storm 1. The new screen also recognizes multi-touch, which is an essential feature for all devices that rely on a virtual keyboard.

Still, the transmissive screen has its limitations. Pressing two keys beside each other is difficult and can be cumbersome.

Out Now

BlackBerry Storm 2 9520 deals are currently available from Vodafone. Subscribers can get the device for free with plans of 35 Pounds per month (for individuals, Vodafone offers a different plan for businesses).

One look at the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and you know that this mobile phone is not your average device. From the ruggedly good looking textured exterior, to the neatly arranged keyboard on the front of the device, the 9700 combine excellent design aesthetics with ergonomic efficiency to deliver a mobile experience unlike any other.

The 9700 literally puts everything right at your fingertips, no need for fancy slide out functions, no stylus input, just straight up, full typing functionality. The best part of it is that this device goes just beyond messaging. While the Bold 9700 follows BlackBerry’s trend of creating high end messaging devices, like the previous BlackBerry Curve, it offers more in terms of features.

The Hardware of the Bold 9700

Most BlackBerry Bold 2 reviews are praising the phone’s amazingly responsive keyboard. The keys are made in such a way that the device gives a subtle yet noticeable click for every button you press, giving the typing flow a consistent feel. Aside from that, the buttons are nicely raised allowing you to precisely tap the right keys for really fast typing.

The 2.44 inch TFT LCD display has a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels and supports up to 65 thousand colors. The quality of the images are clear, though a little more brightness from the screen would help in the outdoors. Otherwise, the Bold 9700 does a good job at handling different environments.

The track pad navigation provides a smooth way of navigating the device’s interface. Users can just glide their finger over the pad. The track pad can also be tapped and clicked to access highlighted functions.

Availability of the Bold 9700

BlackBerry Bold 2 deals are currently available on Vodafone and T-Mobile right now. The UK carriers have the device for free on 35 Pound monthly plans. Orange Mobile currently lists the device as coming soon.

Mobile tech site Moby1 has recently confirmed that the new RiM BlackBerry Bold 9700 is not just a sleek mobile device, but a powerhouse of a 3G smart phone. The Bold 9700 sports a new TI core processor and stands as one of the most powerful messaging smart phones to be released. No confirmations about the actual processor speed, while hoping for 1 GHz may be too much, we can assume that this phone will be clocking speeds of up to 768 MHz. Still above all other things the Bold 9700 is a messaging device. If you want a mobile phone for its camera or media player capabilities, the Bold 9700 has those, but there are alternatives.

If you like messaging on the other hand I cannot see what other phone you would want more than this. The physical keyboard is very reminiscent of the BlackBerry curve and that is a great thing. The original Curve physical keyboard was both small and really easy to use. Speaking of the Curve, the design influences from other BlackBerry devices such as the Tour, and the original Bold are pretty noticeable in this new phone. It is a subtle detail, but fans of BlackBerry will appreciate the nostalgic feel as well.

Features are where this device shines best and I have to say, the hardware and software features are truly worth looking forward too. Aside from the usual 3G fare of quad band network support, HSDPA and WiFi, A-GPS and other features. It is interesting to note that the internal memory will be a tight 256MB. It’s more than enough for small files, but hardly the size for media fans, so better whip out those microSD cards for this device. The Bold 9700 will also be featuring some impressive web integrated applications as well.

Blackberry Curve 8520, one of the finest creations of Research In Motion, is tagged to reach out to people outside the strict periphery created by Blackberry. The consumers are happy with the fact this Blackberry phone is no more restricted at the hands of the elitists. This creation is devised to bring smile into the faces of average consumers which the Blackberry Pearl Flip attempted but failed in the long run. The phone, sans the Blackberry signature, is complemented with a QWERTY keyboard which is of Flip format and people both from US and UK are seemed to be addicted to it.

The trackpad of Blackberry Curve 8520 is simply as easy to use. Those familiar with the trackball were overwhelmed to find this work superb. The documentation provided with this mobile is enough to guide any new Blackberry user. Therefore customers, mostly the youngsters are finding Blackberry Curve 8520 a wonderful asset to pocket these days. RIM or Research In Motion has considered various equations in mind while planning the design of Blackberry Curve 8520. The edge to edge keypad, wide screen and the touch screen options are definitely going to reign over the market according to some of the online techies.

The IT people are also eager to know more about this new innovation as they can make the best out of it without several other extra features. If you are worried about the RAM and the processors, then sit back, for RIM has also upgraded the memory size to let you conduct your business without shedding tears. The recent downturn in the IT market has also affected the Blackberry market but this cell phone with a bunch of newness going to win the hearts of people across the globe. This is simply superb and you can go for one to quench your desire of using Blackberry at a reasonable price.

Blackberry Curve 8520 Links:

• Blackberry Curve 8520 Contract
• Blackberry Curve 8520 on O2
• Blackberry Curve 8520 Sim Free

A lot of criticism has gone out regarding the design and construction of the new BlackBerry Curve 8520. Some online reviews are even saying that it looks nothing more than a highly complicated plaything. Our assessment is it actually isn’t that bad. But then again, it’s nowhere near the likes of its outstanding predecessor, the Curve 8900.

Budget Cuts

You need to remember that the Curve 8520 is a mid range BlackBerry device that is catered for the lower market segments (estimated retail price is at £80). This is why you shouldn’t expect all the cutting edge BlackBerry features on the Curve 8520. For starters, 3G is one of the most notable absences on the 8520. Although this actually wasn’t much of a surprise considering the fact that none of the Curve models in the past has ever sported 3G connectivity.

Another element that has been a victim of the budget cuts is the screen. Although at 2.64 inches it’s a bit wider than that of the 8900’s 2.4-inch display, the resolution has gone down to a rather unimposing 320 x 240 pixels (compared to the 480 x 360-pixel resolution of the 8900).

While the BlackBerry Curve 8520’s camera is also one to suffer at only 2 Megapixels (vs. the 8900’s 3.15-Megapixel snapper), a GPS receiver is missing as well.

Keying In

One vast improvement on the 8520 is the addition of a handy track pad as a replacement for the rather frail trackball technology. Performance-wise it is pretty much able to echo the responsiveness of the trackball, so you probably won’t miss it at all.

All in all, the BlackBerry Curve 8520 will be a good if it retails at less than £100. However, if you’ve got an extra 30 to 50 pounds to spare then it would be more than worth it to opt for the Curve 8900 instead.

Blackberry Curve 8520 Links:

• Blackberry Curve 8520 Contracts
• Blackberry Curve 8520 on Virgin
• Blackberry Curve 8520 on T-Mobile