backtop

Gadgets RIM Launches BlackBerry Bold
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - May 12, 2008 1:52 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 41 comment(s) - last by aebiv.. on May 15 at 6:19 PM

BlackBerry Bold
Bold is the first BlackBerry with GPS, Wi-Fi and HSDPA

For business pros and consumers across the country that are Smartphone aficionados, one of the most recognizable and popular devices is the BlackBerry. RIM announced its latest BlackBerry handset today called the BlackBerry Bold.

The Bold is the first BlackBerry device that offers tri-band support for HSDPA networks around the world and includes integrated GPS and Wi-Fi. The phone has a black exterior with satin chrome accents and a leather-like back plate.

A full QWERTY keyboard makes texting and web surfing easy and the Bold is compatible with 802.11a/b/g networks. The brain of the phone is a 624MHz processor and the device has 128MB of on-board flash memory and 1GB of on-board storage. Memory expansion for the device is via a microSD or microSDHC card slot.

All the applications expected on a BlackBerry are available including phone, email, messaging, organizer, and web browser. The Bold can also send and receive email or access the web while talking.

The LCD has a 480 x 320 resolution and is fused to the undersurface of the lens for clarity and sharpness. Web surfing on the Bold is done with a new enhanced browser that offers page view or column view. The page view allows for full computer style HTML pages to be viewed on the phone. A 2 megapixel digital camera is included that features a built-in flash and 5x digital zoom.

In addition to the tri-band HSDPA network compatibility the Bold is also a quad-band EDGE device. Other features of the handset include Bluetooth 2.0, voice activated dialing, speaker independent voice recognition and support for MP3, polyphonic, and MIDI ring tones. The device features a 1500 mAh battery with a talk time of 5 hours and a standby time of 13 days.

The BlackBerry network suffered from a significant failure back in February of 2008 due to a system update on servers in America. Since then the network has suffered from no serious downtime.

Comments     Threshold


This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
Many see through Apple's gimmick
By bpurkapi on 5/12/2008 2:17:01 PM , Rating: 4
The iPhone might stand out, but for me only as a subpar product which the masses all want. As far as a functional phone the specs on this Bold are impressive. The processor has a decent speed, and the inclusion of wifi with a full qwerty keyboard seals the deal. No need to discuss the fact that blackberry is the business standard, while apple is the hipster standard.




RE: Many see through Apple's gimmick
By FITCamaro on 5/12/2008 3:04:37 PM , Rating: 5
My mom just got a crackberry at work. I'm gonna see how long before she gets addicted. Personally I pity crackberry owners. Seems they all are glued to their phone constantly. If you want to kill someone, just give them one near a cliff. They'll wander right off. Probably not even realize it until they hit the ground.

:)


By BarkHumbug on 5/13/2008 4:05:04 AM , Rating: 1
That would be natural selection at work. ;)


RE: Many see through Apple's gimmick
By tdawg on 5/12/2008 3:27:12 PM , Rating: 5
The only thing I really don't like about owning a blackberry is it's centralized business model. When RIM's servers goes down, all data connections are lost. With the iPhone or a Windows Mobile phone, for example, this isn't the case.

The fact that the iPhone's browser is capable of displaying youtube videos and really having a desktop browser in a phone, makes it much more functional, internet-wise, than a blackberry, in my experience. Even with Opera mini, I really hated using my blackberry to look something up on the internet (which is why I dropped the data package entirely).


RE: Many see through Apple's gimmick
By ksherman on 5/12/2008 3:46:16 PM , Rating: 3
I don't think that is true, regarding the loss of data when their servers go down. You loose the puch email service, but the data service comes from the service provider (ie T-Mobile, AT&T etc.)


RE: Many see through Apple's gimmick
By tdawg on 5/12/2008 6:07:47 PM , Rating: 2
Data itself is not lost, just the data connection.


RE: Many see through Apple's gimmick
By daftrok on 5/13/2008 12:51:55 AM , Rating: 2
That's all gonna change when Firefox releases their new mobile browser (after they launch Firefox 3 in June).


RE: Many see through Apple's gimmick
By aebiv on 5/15/2008 6:18:38 PM , Rating: 2
Or you could have it right now with Opera 9.5 Mobile Beta


I'm In the market
By Adonlude on 5/12/2008 2:49:25 PM , Rating: 2
I'm in the market for a new phone but I can't decide between the 3G iphone that will be comming out soon or this Blackberry. I dont care about e-mail or mp3 players. I simply want the biggest screen with the best entertainment/internet/video/ experience. It seems that a 3G iphone fits the bill. Which one is for me?




RE: I'm In the market
By FITCamaro on 5/12/2008 3:01:46 PM , Rating: 2
True the iPhone probably does have the best browser and can watch video and such. But the problem with it is you're locked into AT&T unless you unlock it and then still have to use a GSM service. If you want Sprint or Verizon which have the best data speeds out there, you're out of luck.

With the Blackberry you might be able to get Sprint or Verizon, assuming its offered.


RE: I'm In the market
By MADAOO7 on 5/12/2008 3:03:10 PM , Rating: 2
Without question, if you are looking for entertainment value, the iPhone is what you are looking for. The seemless integration with iTunes and it's respective store is unparalleled. Then again, you have to have AT&T and I believe you need a data package as part of the contract. Verizon has a bunch of LG options, all which are great iPhone imitations (for the lack of a better word). Then again, all we know is rumors regarding the 3G. It's coming, but with what features and at what cost.


RE: I'm In the market
By mikeblas on 5/13/2008 9:07:47 AM , Rating: 2
When you buy an iPhone, you spend $500 for the phone. And you end up spending an extra $20 per month over your existing plan for unlimited data. I tend to keep my phones for two years, so that's a spend of $980 over the two years.

Exactly what entertainment value do I receive in return for that expense? The opportunity to spend more money at iTunes?


RE: I'm In the market
By d1nn0 on 5/12/2008 4:01:09 PM , Rating: 2
Did you check HTC Touch Diamond ?
More info at http://www.htc.com/www/product.aspx?id=46278
I find it's specs are really impressive...


RE: I'm In the market
By FITCamaro on 5/12/2008 4:13:03 PM , Rating: 2
What browser does it use? Doesn't seem to say on their web site.


RE: I'm In the market
By gramboh on 5/12/2008 9:53:37 PM , Rating: 2
You can use Opera mobile since it's Windows platform (at least that is my understanding) thus you have full page rendering like the iPhone (plus Flash). The problem (at least when I investigated the first Touch) is that without a QWERTY keypad, you have to use a touchscreen keypad which is ridiculously small (Windows mobile limitation) that means you have to use a stylus. With the iPhone you can type with your fingers (not as fast as a Blackberry, but that's not the point).

As much as I'm an Apple hater, I'm leaning toward the 3G iPhone (would be my first Apple product) because the UI is just that damn good. My main concerns are browser functionality, multimedia and overall UI.

I'd get an HTC instantly if they had a better touchscreen typing interface.


RE: I'm In the market
By FITCamaro on 5/13/2008 7:55:19 AM , Rating: 2
Personally I don't like touch screen typing. Just means my screen gets all oily that much faster.


RE: I'm In the market
By aebiv on 5/15/2008 6:19:55 PM , Rating: 2
You can get different on screen keyboards for the phones. That is the beauty of the windows mobile platform...


RE: I'm In the market
By Adonlude on 5/15/2008 5:47:34 PM , Rating: 2
No I had not checked this phone, thanks for the link, I am really impressed with it! I am no longer sure about the iPhone.


Bold?
By amanojaku on 5/12/2008 2:10:06 PM , Rating: 1
The iPhone is bold, despite all it's shortcomings and detractors. A company that never sold a phone all of a sudden has one with features that make everyone else a little jealous. You don't have to like the iPhone (I don't) to admit that it stands out, like Paris Hilton on an Amish farm.

How does the Bold stand out? It looks like an amalgamation of the Pearl and the standard handset. It's nice and stylish looking compared to my Blackberry 8700, but it doesn't seem to be BOLD .




RE: Bold?
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 5/12/2008 4:01:08 PM , Rating: 1
The iPhone is a gimmick. The Blackberry is very Bold.


RE: Bold?
By amanojaku on 5/12/2008 4:21:49 PM , Rating: 2
You missed my point. The iPhone, while no more special than today's phones, is a bold statement from Apple considering it's a first generation product. The Blackberry Bold is just another Blackberry from a company that has a long history in making Blackberries. It doesn't seem to add anything other than increased specs and a fancy shell. There's nothing really new here. I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying it's not all that.


RE: Bold?
By Canizorro on 5/12/2008 6:11:04 PM , Rating: 2
They came up with the name Bold by information they obtained from the consumer group they used for testing the product. A many of the members of the group described the screen as brilliant and bold. So out of the two, they decided to name it the Bold. At least that is what I read. In this context I think the name is appropriate, given the couple of reviews I have read about this phone.