8130 On Sprint Gets An Official Launch Date Of 11/23/2007

Thanks to theOutsider over on Pinstack, we now have an "official" launch date for the 8130 on Sprint.

CLICK HERE FOR PROOF

GMAIL Users Try IMAP...Flee Back To POP

So yeah, everyone got excited when Google announced GMAIL was going to be available via IMAP.

Then we tried it...

Then we went running back to POP...

Bottom line...IMAP on the BlackBerry via GMAIL is terrible.

ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE!!!!!!!

So heed our warning now...Don't do it. Or do it, just make you sure to tell us we were right once you change it back because you hate it. =-)

4.2 Operating System FINALLY Reveals Itself For 8703 CDMA Devices

WELL IT'S ABOUT TIME!

Verizon has released the 4.2 Operating Systems for the 8703 devices FINALLY.

Sprint of course, still hasn't released it, however, if you are Sprint client and want to run it, all you need to do is delete the vendor.xml file and update your BlackBerry via Desktop Manager.

We have had our hands on the 4.2 OS for sometime now, about 4 months if not longer, and were told by RIM that it was up to the carriers when to release it, so we are wondering what has taken them so long.

Videos!

Apple To Potential iPhone Consumers..."We Don't Want Your Cash!"

Usually we could care less about what Apple is doing, hence the reason why unlike other BlackBerry Blogs and sites, you don't see every 4 posts something to do with the iPhone, but this peak our interest.

It seems as if Apple is now refusing to accept payment for any iPhone unless it's good ole' plastic. And not all plastic at that! ONLY credit card plastic. Get an Apple Gift Card for your birthday and want to buy an iPhone? Not so fast. It's not going to happen.

Could you imagine walking into Best Buy and being told "You can buy any of these computers with cash or credit card, except this one...You can only buy it with a credit card".

Considering the fact that you can purchase ANYTHING ELSE in Apple stores and AT&T stores WITH cash OR credit card, we are wondering how this is going to work out in the legal world?

I thought I remembered something in high school about the dollar being good for "all debts private and public", so I pulled out a dollar bill from my wallet just to make sure, and yep, there it is: "THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE"

Hmmmmmmmm....This could get interesting...Wonder how long it's going to take an attorney to find some 17 year old who wants to puchase an iPhone but they can't because they "legally" can't enter a contract with a credit-card company.

Not that we claim to be psychics at all, but I'm betting $500 that within 45 days you will see a lawsuit popping up.

BlackBerrys Say "Hello, China"

Alcatel-Lucent and RIM Announce Strategic Agreement for the Distribution of BlackBerry Smartphones in China

Paris, France and Waterloo, Ontario - Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced that the companies have expanded their partnership with the signing of a strategic agreement for the distribution of BlackBerry® smartphones in China. The first smartphone offered to Chinese enterprise customers through this agreement will be the 8700 model.

CLICK HERE To Read The Entire Release

RIM Releases Yahoo Messenger v2.0.33

What a busy day for releases!

RIM has released an updated version of Yahoo Messenger which now allows you to send files (up to 5MB), directly from your BlackBerry device to your Yahoo contacts!

The interface is now much better as well.

Check it out with the following OTA Download Link: http://www.blackberry.com/devicesoftware/entry.do?code=yahoo

GoogleTalk 2.0.33 Released For BlackBerrys!

Downloading it now, but we have heard that it is MUCH better than previous versions!

We will be reporting back soon, but in the meantime, check it out for yourself!

Just point your BlackBerry Browser to www.blackberry.com/GoogleTalk/

GoogleMaps 1.6.4 Launched For BlackBerrys

Just point your browser over to www.google.com/gmm to download it.

We are in the process of downloading it now, so will post any changes that we find!

Thanks to Doobs for the heads up!

GMAIL In The Process Of Enabling IMAP For All Accounts

Which is good news for BIS users!

Here is an excerpt:

For the past few years, we've offered POP access, which is similar to IMAP but lacks one critical feature: your changes made on other devices aren't seen in Gmail when you log back in. Instead you are presented with a list of unread mail, and you must re-read and re-sort everything. For this reason, as soon as I started at Google, IMAP was one of the first things I asked about. Since then, I've seen countless blog posts, requests, chats, and just about everything else asking, "Are you guys ever going to do IMAP?" Well now I can say: Yes. Yes, we are doing IMAP. In fact, we are doing it for you for free on all devices and platforms.<p> Click HERE To Read The Entire Story

RIM/Facebook Announce Partnership For Mobile Software

***CURRENTLY, you can NOT download this on Sprint 8703's, however, you can on 8830's...We are working on cracking it so that all carriers can download it. Please report your findings if you are or are not able to download it.

OTA Download Link: http://www.blackberry.com/devicesoftware/entry.do?code=facebook

New software application runs natively on BlackBerry smartphones and provides an unparalleled mobile experience to users of the popular Facebook social utility.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA--(Oct. 24, 2007) -

CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment 2007, Booth 1033

Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today launched Facebook(R) for BlackBerry(R) Smartphones, an exciting new BlackBerry software application that enables fast, streamlined and optimized mobile access to the popular Facebook social utility using a BlackBerry smartphone. The application leverages the push-based BlackBerry system architecture and Facebook Platform to create an unparalleled mobile experience for Facebook users.

Mike Lazaridis, founder of Research In Motion, will join Dustin Moskovitz, co-founder of Facebook, to formally unveil and demonstrate the Facebook for BlackBerry Smartphones application today at the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment show in San Francisco. T-Mobile USA has been selected to be the first carrier to provide the new software application to its customers.

With the Facebook for BlackBerry Smartphones application, Facebook users can wirelessly send and view messages, photos, pokes and Wall posts. The rich, native application goes beyond browser-based access, automatically pushing notifications to the user's BlackBerry smartphone as friends and colleagues send notes, Wall posts or pokes. The application allows users to take a photo, upload it to the site with captions and tags; quickly and easily invite friends; manage events; manage photo albums; and manage their status while on the go.

"Facebook is one of the fastest growing web destinations among BlackBerry smartphone users and it has become an important element in the evolving fabric of personal communications," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. "Facebook and RIM share a vision for enhanced mobile communications and social networking based on open, standards-based platforms and this has allowed us to produce a rich mobile application for Facebook users that leverages the push-based architecture, multimedia features and industry-leading usability of the BlackBerry solution."

"T-Mobile is focused on helping people effortlessly connect with those who matter most by providing our customers with meaningful ways to stick together," said Leslie Grandy, vice president, Product Development, T-Mobile USA. "We are pleased to be the first wireless carrier in the U.S. selected to offer this innovative service that gives customers another compelling way to stay in touch."

"The worlds of wireless communication and social utilities, such as Facebook, continue to converge. As people look for new ways to stay connected and network with peers and colleagues, true mobile access to these types of utilities can only become more popular," said Jill Aldort, Sr. Analyst, Consumer Research at Yankee Group. "Even at this nascent stage of the market, 19% of adult consumers who access social networks on their PCs also regularly access these same sites on their mobile phones."

Facebook for BlackBerry Smartphones, which will be available as a free download(i), makes it faster, easier and more convenient for users to stay wirelessly connected with their Facebook friends and colleagues. The application allows users to:

- Receive notifications and messages automatically - Leveraging the BlackBerry platform's push-based architecture, notifications and messages are automatically sent to the user; the user can also set a unique alert (vibration and/or ringtone) for Facebook related content

- Quickly access essential features - Convenient onscreen icons let users quickly change their Status, upload a photo, add a friend, poke someone, write on a Wall, or send a message. Users can also quickly scroll through messages and notifications as they do with email messages

- Invite friends to join Facebook and accept new friend requests

- Quickly snap and post pictures along with a caption and tags - The photo upload feature is also integrated with the BlackBerry smartphone camera and photo management applications on the smartphone

- View the Status of friends

- Read, compose and reply to messages even while offline - If the user is out of wireless coverage, messages are queued until the user returns to an area of coverage

Facebook users will be able to download the application at www.facebook.com from their PC or BlackBerry smartphone beginning later today.

(i) Wireless data charges may apply. Check with wireless service provider.

AT&T Officially Announces/Launches 8310 BlackBerry Curve

Yeah, so there has been tons of hype over the 8310. And in a way, we are almost getting tired of it.

As we reported before, there are 3 different varieties of the 83XX series BlackBerry, and now AT&T has launched the 8310. SO, to reflect our previous post: The 8310 is the same thing as the 8320 minus the wifi, add the GPS. And the same thing as the 8300 but with GPS. Make sense?

The NPD Group: iPhone's First Round Punch Lands Hardest on Treo

So we all didn't REALLY think the iPhone was going to be that big of a threat to BlackBerrys did we? I mean, WinMobile manufacturers probably had more to worry about than did BlackBerry.

Well, the NPD group has done a study on what devices the iPhone has actually been a threat to.

Initial iPhone buyers were 10 times more likely than other new phone buyers to have previously owned a Treo and three times more likely to have owned a T-Mobile branded phone, such as the popular Sidekick model. Both the Treo and the Sidekick offer a physical keypad -- something the iPhone, with its touch screen-based interface, does not. In contrast, iPhone buyers were no more likely than the average buyer to have previously owned a Blackberry. “The iPhone’s lack of corporate email support appears to make it less appetizing to current Blackberry owners,” Rubin said.

CLICK HERE to read the entire report

BBG Pearl 2 Waiting List

Want to be the first to get the new CDMA Pearl 2 once it comes out? Of course you do. BlackBerryGuy has a reservations list for this new device. All you need to do is email info@blackberryguy.com with "Pearl 2" as the subject line, and you will be on the list. While there still isn't an "Official Release Date", all reservation orders will be placed the morning of Dealer Ordering (Which is generally 2 weeks before they are available in retail outlets), and should arrive in our office within 48 hours of us placing the order. So what are you waiting for?! Email info@blackberryguy.com and get on "The List"...

VIDEO: CDMA Pearl 2 In Action!

Phonescoop was able to get their hands on a new 8130 Pearl and do a little video on it. So here it is for your viewing pleasure!

Sprint Officially Says "Hello Pearl"

Today Sprint officially announced that the 8130 was going to be hitting thier shelves. Nothing too ground-breaking and shocking here, as we have already told you most of this, but it's always nice to see something official... Sprint Introduces the BlackBerry Pearl 8130, A Polished Package To Keep Customers Connected, Informed and Entertained At SprintSpeed™ First Sprint-powered BlackBerry smartphone to support Sprint Music Store and Sprint TV(SM) Built-in GPS, 2 mega-pixel camera, external microSD slot and stereo Bluetooth just some of the many enhancements for this next-generation BlackBerry Pearl.

READ SPRINT PRESS RELEASE

A few of the big features that you will be interested in are:

Sprint Music Store: Download stereo-quality tracks instantly over the air. Choose from thosands of artists in virtually every genre.

Sprint TV: SPV allows you to watch live TV-From the channels you know-on the go with full-motion video and visit sound at broadband-like speeds

On-Demand: Retrieve customized, up-to-date web content such as sports, weather, news, money and movie informaiton with the push of a button.

Built-in GPS Technology

Stereo Bluetooth

Meida Player for video, music, audio, pictures and ringtones

Voice Command and Voice Activated Dialing

8310 Curve On AT&T Gets A Release Date...Kind Of...

So according to some internal launch sheets, it appears as if the AT&T 8310 Curve is slated for launch October 11th, which is a mere days away. The devices are rumored to be available in Crimson (AKA: Red) and Silver. A few reports though have popped up suggesting that the 8130 launch will be delayed until October 16th, 5 days later. That is really no big surprise, because when was the last time that AT&T did flop a BlackBerry launch? More information as it becomes available.

2007 ALA Convention Give-A-Way!

It's Been A Busy Quarter For RIM!

So RIM announced their second quarter results today, and to be honest with you, we really didn't want to look at them, because, well, to be quite honest, it's just depressing to us that we never invested $5,000 to them back in the day... But, being that it IS RIM, we did have to glance over some information, and we noticed that RIM has been busier than a hive of bees for the second quarter! Here are some of the highlights from Q2!

• Revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2008 was $1.37 billion, up 27% from $1.08 billion in the previous quarter and up 108% from $658.5 million in the same quarter of last year.
• Approximately 1.45 million BlackBerry® subscriber accounts were added in the quarter and over 3 million devices were shipped.
• The total BlackBerry subscriber account base at the end of the second quarter was approximately 10.5 million.
• Income for the quarter was $287.7 million, or $0.50 per share diluted, compared with net income of $223.2 million, or $0.39 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and net income of $140.2 million, or $0.25 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE Q2 RELEASE

RIM Shows Telefonica BIS Users Some Love...US BIS Users Probably Next

Madrid, Spain and Waterloo, ON - Telefónica and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced plans to introduce BlackBerry® Unite!™ -- a free PC-based software offering that will allow small groups, such as a family or small office, to stay connected and enhance communications and coordination. In addition to wireless email and web browsing, BlackBerry® Unite!™ software will provide groups of up to five users with mobile access to shared calendars, pictures, music, documents and other desktop content through BlackBerry® smartphones*. This is good news for BIS users, especially those that find themselves working for a small company, such as real estate offices or construction firms, as this will give you that extra bit of functionality of your BlackBerry, before taking the leap to invest in an Exchange Server and BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Read The Entire Press Release With More Detailed Information

Desktop Manager Hates Your Computer

Well, not really. However, there reports of the Desktop Manager CD that is included with the newest BlackBerry devices is actually locking up and won't go past the "Initializing" screen when attempting to load the software. We don't know if this has anything to do with a bad batch of Desktop Manager CD's, a certain common factor, or the Roxio Media Bundle, but we have received numerous calls stating this issue. So, while our Canadian friends to the north look into this and find a resolution, we are making it easier for you to find the direct download link for the Desktop Manager software to load directly from your computer:

DESKTOP MANAGER SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD LINK

If you really don't use the Roxio Media Manager, then we suggest downloading the package without the media manager, as the media manager download weighs in at a hefty 256MB!!!

"Hi! Do you want to meet for dinner at.....HELLO?"

So how many of you have an 8830 World Edition BlackBerry and have noticed that you are experiencing several dropped calls? Or people are telling you that they keep going directly to your voicemail?

Well, it may be that your 8830 BlackBerry has accidently been set to "Global" or "GSM" status, which we have found is resulting in dropped calls and no coverage in areas where the signal goes weak.

We are making a very educated guess saying: It appears as when the device is in Global mode, as the CDMA signal begins to fade, the device is actually going out and trying to connect to a GSM network as a backup, rather than looking for CDMA roaming. This being said, as soon as it is trying to connect to the GSM network, the calls are dropping because, well, the 8830's can not use the GSM networks within the United States.

To fix this, on your BlackBerry go to Options-Mobile Network and under the network, make sure you are set to 1XEV, and not Global or GSM. Save your changes and you should notice the changes immediately.

The ONLY time that you want to have it set to Global or GSM is if:

1. You travel very heavily internationally. (Global)

2. You are overseas and using a pre-paid SIM card while over-seas and are off the CDMA network.

8130 CDMA BlackBerry Pearl Specs

There will be two colors...Black and Gray...Now we aren't rocket scientists, however, if we use our logical thinking, we will place money in Vegas that the Sprint version will be black and the Verizon version will be gray...Why do we say that? Well, because the 8830 was black on Sprint and gray on Verizon, so it only makes sense to us. But enough of that...You want to know about this new beauty...Well here you go...

The BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130 smartphone is designed to help you do everything you want with your life. It comes complete with advanced phone features, multimedia, digital camera, video recording, built-in GPS* and expandable memory. And it offers the full BlackBerry experience — email, browser, text messaging (SMS and MMS), instant messaging, organizer applications and more. Small, smart and stylish.

Features Available Wireless email Organizer Browser Phone Camera Video Recording BlackBerry® Maps Media player Corporate data access 1 SMS MMS 1 GPS 1

Size and Weight 4.2" (107mm) (Length) 1.97" (50mm) (Width) .55" (14mm) (Depth) Approximately 3.4 oz (96g) (Weight)

Data Input/Navigation Trackball SureType® QWERTY-style keyboard with SureType software (Keyboard) Keyboard backlighting Voice Input/Output 3.5mm stereo headset capable Integrated earpiece/ microphone Built-in speakerphone Headset, hands-free and serial port profiles supported (Bluetooth® technology) Display Font size (user selectable) Backlighting Light sensing screen Notification MIDI ringtones Polyphonic ringtones MP3 ringtones Vibrate mode LED indicator

Approximate Battery Life 9 days standby time (Standby time) 220 minutes talk time (Talk time)

Memory Expandable memory – support for microSD card 64 MB (Flash memory)

Modem RIM® wireless modem

Email Integrations Works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for Microsoft® Exchange Works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for IBM® Lotus® Domino® Works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for Novell® GroupWise® Integrates with an existing enterprise email account Integrates with existing personal email account Integrates with optional new device account

Accessories Included USB cable

Device Security Password protection and keyboard lock Support for AES or Triple DES encryption when integrated with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server 2 Optional support for S/MIME

Wireless Network Dual-band 800/1900 Mhz CDMA2000 1X Ev-DO networks

BlackBerry Pearl 2 First BlackBerry To Have Video Recording!

Tis a fact. The new Pearl 2 will be the first BlackBerry device which allows you to record video! Granted, you have to have a MicroSD card in order to do so, but if you have a Pearl, why wouldn't you have a MicroSD card??? Per RIM's website: Instant video on the go Another way to capture the moment – record video clips with your BlackBerry Pearl 8130 smartphone2. You can instantly share them, or simply enjoy watching them on your smartphone’s high resolution display. Wanna check out the whole page? CLICK HERE

CDMA Pearl Officially Announced...Sprint/Verizon Users Rejoice...

It's now technically official that the 8130 CDMA BlackBerry Pearl is coming (and quite soon from what we understand).

Waterloo, ON - Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today introduced the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130, the first BlackBerry Pearl smartphone to run on CDMA networks. The new model stays true to the highly acclaimed style and compact design of the BlackBerry Pearl and comes packed with new features including communications enhancements, a striking new software interface, rich multimedia capabilities, built-in GPS and support for high-speed EV-DO networks. “With its unique blend of functionality and design, the BlackBerry Pearl smartphone has been turning heads and winning praise from business users and consumers alike,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “The new BlackBerry Pearl 8130 builds on all the great features and aesthetic design that people love about the BlackBerry Pearl and offers an exceptional new choice for CDMA customers that are looking to upgrade their mobile phone.” Continue Reading...