RIM Makes BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360 & 9370 Official!
In one fell swoop RIM has introduced the new BlackBerry Curve lineup. Today’s announcement includes the BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360, and 9370. They do not mention the differences between the models but obviously there is GSM and CDMA models but maybe the third is for T-Mobile AWS 3G since it is not the all touch Curve that has also been rumored.
About availability of these devices here is what RIM has to say:
The BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 smartphones are expected to be available from carriers in Canada this month and from other carriers around the world beginning in September. Availability dates and pricing for specific devices from specific carriers will be announced in conjunction with RIM’s partners.
Check out the full press release below:
RIM Introduces New BlackBerry Curve Smartphones
Sleek, fast and easy-to-use smartphones feature next-generation BlackBerry 7 OS and deliver smooth social experiences wherever you go
WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Aug. 23, 2011) –
Editors Note: Photos for this release will be available on the Canadian Press picture wire and AP PhotoExpress.
Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced three new BlackBerry(R) smartphones featuring the BlackBerry(R) 7 Operating System (OS). The all-new BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 9350, BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 9360 and BlackBerry Curve(TM) 9370 smartphone are exciting additions to the popular BlackBerry Curve series.
These new models are designed to address a large and important segment of the global mobile phone market where customers are looking to upgrade their existing feature phone or existing BlackBerry Curve with an affordable, easy-to-use, full-featured and socially-connected smartphone.
"These new models will build on the incredible success of the BlackBerry Curve line and further expand the largest global launch of BlackBerry smartphones in our history," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. "The new BlackBerry Curve smartphones are absolutely stunning and offer a significant performance upgrade with an unmatched mobile social experience for the millions of feature phone users in the market as well as our existing Curve customers."
Everything You Need
The new BlackBerry Curve smartphones are slim, stylish and simply beautiful. They are ergonomically designed with a comfortable and iconic keyboard for fast, accurate typing and an optical trackpad for easy, one-handed navigation. GPS and Wi-Fi(R) support are also included, as well as a 5MP camera with flash and video recording so that memories can be captured and instantly shared on social networks. The microSD/SDHC slot supports up to 32 GB memory cards for additional media storage.
In addition to supporting the new BlackBerry 7 OS, the new BlackBerry Curve smartphones feature a range of powerful hardware enhancements including upgraded processors, displays and memory, and built-in support for NFC (Near Field Communications), a new technology that is enabling many exciting capabilities, including the ability to pair accessories or read SmartPoster tags with a simple tap of the smartphone.
Next-Generation BlackBerry 7 OS
BlackBerry 7 introduces a next generation BlackBerry browser which combines the dramatically improved performance of the advanced WebKit browser engine with the hardware enhancements in the new BlackBerry Curve smartphones to deliver a significantly faster, more fluid web browsing experience. Additional enhancements to this next generation BlackBerry browser have also enabled smoother navigation and optimized HTML5 performance for incredible gaming and video experiences.
BlackBerry 7 OS also includes a number of other pre-loaded applications and integrated functionality for increased productivity and collaboration right out of the box. The Premium version of Documents To Go is included free of charge, offering users powerful document editing features as well as a native PDF document viewer. BlackBerry(R) Protect is also pre-loaded(i), offering customers the peace of mind that personal data can be backed up and secured in the cloud. With BlackBerry Protect, users can locate their misplaced BlackBerry smartphone using GPS or remotely turn up the ringer for an audible notification if their handset is close-by. BlackBerry(R) Balance (announced May 2, 2011) is integrated in BlackBerry 7, allowing users to enjoy the full BlackBerry smartphone experience for both work and personal purposes without compromising the IT department’s need for advanced security and IT controls. The popular universal search capability has also been enhanced with support for voice-activated search, so users can now simply speak to begin searching their device and the web for information.
Best In Class Communications and Social Experiences
The next generation BlackBerry Curve smartphones deliver the world’s best mobile communications and social experiences with a highly refined and integrated suite of phone, email, messaging and social apps to keep users connected and productive throughout the day.
The latest release of BBM(TM) (BlackBerry(R) Messenger) is pre-loaded and now extends the real time BBM experience to a range of other apps, such as Foursquare, allowing users to easily interact with each other from within the ‘BBM connected’ app (see separate announcement on July 28, 2011).
The updated Social Feeds (2.0) app has been extended to capture updates from media, podcasts, and favorites all in one consolidated view. The new Facebook(R) for BlackBerry smartphones (2.0) app introduces features like Facebook chat and BBM integration that makes it easier for users to connect with their Facebook friends in real time utilizing push notifications. Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones also delivers a deeply integrated experience including use of real time push notifications and Social Feeds integration.
Availability
The BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 smartphones are expected to be available from carriers in Canada this month and from other carriers around the world beginning in September. Availability dates and pricing for specific devices from specific carriers will be announced in conjunction with RIM’s partners.
Additional Information
For additional information please visit www.blackberry.com.
Note to Editors:
For devices images and more details, visit the BlackBerry 7 Virtual Press Room at: www.rim.com/newsroom/blackberry7
(i) BlackBerry Protect may not be available in all countries.
BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900
It's been a long time coming, BlackBerry's touchscreen Bold handset. While the BlackBerry Torch offered both a touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard, it wasn't perfect for keyboard aficionados; that annoying edging, the cramped keyboard… although the touchscreen was nice to have, typing was a bit of a pain.
But with the launch of the BlackBerry Bold Touch, its first proper touch and type hybrid, has RIM finally cracked it?
RIM has made a bit of a song and dance about the new handset's looks; it's a fair shout. With aluminium highlights it has a nice, solid feel about it, and the woven glass back panel is very sharp and lightweight too.
We've grabbed some footage of the new BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 which you can watch below for the full sneak peek effect:
It's so nice to pick up a BlackBerry and it not be a bit brickish. The Bold Touch is RIM's slimmest handset to date, and if you're a regular BlackBerry user you'll really notice the difference.
It's rocking a number of buttons around the edge of the handset, including media controls and the camera shutter button. On the front panel, the touch buttons around the trackpad include back, menu, call and end.
The back plate is very stylish, and comes off to reveal the small, lightweight battery - which is removable, despite rumours that RIM may opt for a permanent battery.
While we love the look and feel of that back plate, we can't help but worry it may be a bit fragile; we'd be wary of taking it off and replacing it too many times lest it become loose and eventually get lost.
The screen is just 2.8-inches, which is just a cat's whisker larger than the Bold 9780's 2.4-inch non-touchscreen affair.
When we first got our hands on a BlackBerry Bold 9700, we found we automatically went to hit icons on the screen as though it were a touchscreen phone, so it feels really natural to switch between input with the keypad and touch buttons and the touchscreen.
The only thing is, 2.8-inches is really a bit too small to function as a touchscreen all the time; we didn't encounter any major problems like tapping the wrong icons, but we did have to make more effort to aim our fingers than we do on the Torch with its larger display.
Plus we occasionally encountered issues swiping between screens where the handset was a little slow to respond, so we'd end up swiping again and skipping the screen we actually wanted.
But touchscreen woes could be seen as a minor gripe, given than you still have a trackpad and a full on QWERTY to play with.
When it comes to actually displaying things, the screen is lovely; the super-sauce GPU and sharp screen resolution really come into their own.
BlackBerry Torch 9860
It's no secret that RIM is struggling to compete in today's ultra-competitive smartphone market, playing both hardware and software catch-up to the likes of Android and iOS.
So does the launch of its first full-capacitive-touchscreen smartphone, the BlackBerry Torch 9860, herald a change in fortunes for the Canadian company?
We've snaffled some hands on video time with the new phone, so check out our findings:
We took a good hard hands-on look at the new handset to find out where the new Torch shines brightest.
To start with, it certainly doesn't have the premium feel of the iPhone 4 or even the touch-and-type BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900. The chassis is pure plastic, with the glossy black finish proving to be the forensic examiner's dream, what with its ability to cling on to fingerprints and smudges.
The 3.6-inch touchscreen is fairly bright, although we're not convinced that it will fare too well in direct sunlight as it is super reflective.
There's a front-facing camera on the handset too, for video calling and cheesy profile-picture taking.
Unlike many Android manufacturers, RIM has kept a few buttons alongside the Torch 9860's touch control. Under the touchscreen are four navigation buttons and an optical trackpad; call and end, menu and back - these are physical buttons rather than soft keys.
As is RIM's wont, the lock/power button sits on the top side of the handset while the back features a 5MP snapper which comes with an LED flash situated a few centimetres away.
To take pictures, there's a rubberised, slightly raised shutter button on the edge of the handset, with volume controls nearby. These buttons are very subtle but also kind of difficult to actually press, which may mean you're safe from accidentally turning the volume up and down in your pocket, but does make taking pictures a bit of a pain.
The other edge of the Torch 9860 is home to the micro USB port.
BlackBerry Torch 9810
Last year, the BlackBerry Torch 9800 was by far the most touted device out of RIM’s camp mainly due to its new form factor and updated platform experience. It was expected to be a rival of other high-end smartphones at that time, but unfortunately (for RIM), it was unable to establish itself as a phone capable of reeling in new users.One year older and wiser, RIM unleashes its obvious successor in the face ofBlackBerry Torch 9810 for AT&T, which is hopeful in making a bigger splash than its predecessor thanks to its upgraded hardware and OS. Will it be enough to bring back any glint of prominence to this still relatively new BlackBerry line?
 |  |
- RIM BlackBerry Torch 9810
- Hands-free 3.5mm stereo headset
- microUSB cable
- Wall Charger
- Polishing Cloth
- Quick Start Guide
- Safe and Product Information Booklet
Design:
Not hiding it at the very bit, the BlackBerry Torch 9810 recycles the design of its predecessor in every way except for the new paint job it’s sporting - which is a black and silver trim this time around. The Torch 9810 is clearly not one of RIM’s most iconic devices, utilizing a mostly plastic casingwith some metallic accents. Far from being charming, the Torch 9810 has the same weighty (5.68 oz) feel in the hand – albeit, it doesn’t seem too overbearing in size.
 |  |  |
Not hiding it at the very bit, the BlackBerry Torch 9810 recycles the design of its predecessor | ||
Although it’s not the first time we’ve seen successive devices relying on older designs, it still would have been nice to see some subtle changes to give it the illusion of being a different handset altogether. Recycling the design of the original is actually hurting the Torch 9810 mainly because it’s going to have some difficulty in shedding its predecessor’s missed expectations.
 |
You can compare the RIM BlackBerry Torch 9810 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.
Turning on the handset, we’re greeted with the first recognizable improvement – its 3.2” display now features higher VGA resolution (480x640 pixels), which translates to a pixel density of 253 ppi. Naturally, there’s some progress made seeing that details are more sharp looking than before – but still, pixel density is not world's best. It is able to display some luscious looking colors that retain their vividness – though, fading at extreme angles can be noted. Finally, we’re still left finding ourselves shielding it occasionally while under the presence of the gazing sun.
 |  |  |
As we’ve mentioned a few times, the Torch 9810 retains its predecessor’s design – meaning, we find the same set of buttons and ports . One of the more notable items that we continue to find refreshing is the optical trackpad, which appears to be one of the hallmarks of any BlackBerry smartphone. It provides an easier way of positioning the cursor into an exact spot – as opposed to fumbling around touching the display to get it into the correct position.
 |  |  |
It’s not to say that we fell in love with the Torch’s keyboard, but we were yet again hoping to see some sort of discrete change with the Torch 9810. So whether you loved or hated it, the same exact keyboard is back with this one. Indeed, it’s not the best one that RIM produced - buttons are tiny in size and stiff to the touch. With this combination, it definitely impedes our rate of inputting text, but for those with plenty of patience, they’ll find it to be usable for most occasions.
 |  |  |
The keyboard of the RIM BlackBerry Torch 9810 | ||
Granted that we find the same 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with an LED flash in the rear, it’s worth noting that the Torch 9810 can now actually shoot 720p high-definition videos – whereas the original was limited to VGA video capture. Finally, sliding off the flimsy plastic rear cover, we’re given access to its unoccupied microSD card slot, SIM card slot, and its slightly reduced 1,270 mAh battery.
