The BlackBerry 9000 Series must have a record in iPhone competitor rumors, but is the Bold what BlackBerry fans have been eagerly awaiting?
Editor's note: Also check out our commentary on How to beat the Apple iPhone.
Research firm analysts and industry insiders have leaked so much information on RIM's 9000 Series that we almost started believing that there was actually a shred of credibility to it all. Today, RIM confirmed that the BlackBerry Bold 9000 at least, doesn't resemble anything but what can only be referred to as a much needed upgrade to the already well-known BlackBerry platform and hardware.
Enhanced music experience out-of-box
The BlackBerry 9000 will get 1GB of on-board storage memory and a slightly enhanced media player, as well as a microSD memory slot supporting up to 16GB cards. Just like the Curve, the smartphone will come with an incorporated 3.5mm headphone jack. Still, there are no BlackBerry music or video services in sight, though the BlackBerry 9000's high-speed data support may trigger carriers to include support for their own multimedia services.
Better productivity support and high-speed data
When speaking of high-speed data support - that's a feature that will be a completely new experience for BlackBerry fans. Since RIM has finally added an excellent productivity tool with editing capabilities to its platform, DataViz' Documents To Go, users of the BlackBerry Bold 9000 will be able to send and receive edited documents at impressive speeds.
However, high-speed data capabilities also tend to drain the battery quicker, so it'll be interesting to see how well this feature has been implemented. Hopefully, we'll see great battery life performance from BlackBerry smartphones also in the future, though they've already gotten more competition.
Increased screen resolution
A feature that may have confused industry insiders is the BlackBerry Bold's 480 by 320 half VGA resolution, the same resolution found in Apple's iPhone. Such a resolution will definitely enhance the usability of DataViz' Documents To Go and BlackBerry's proprietary web browser.
Who is it for?
BlackBerry fans hoping to hold an Apple iPhone competitor in their hand anytime soon, will find some nifty features in the BlackBerry Bold as described here. However, it still seems clear that they have to wait and see what the rumored BlackBerry 9900 will offer, as the BlackBerry 9000 Bold turned out to not be as radically designed as some had suggested.
Business users that can't live without their BlackBerry, but that has longed for high-speed data and better productivity options should however consider the BlackBerry Bold 9000 as a great step forward.
Price and availability
One advantage RIM still has is its great relationship with all major carriers. So we expect to see the new BlackBerry Bold with EV-DO support on Verizon Wireless and Sprint, as well as HSDPA versions for AT&T and T-Mobile, sometime in the third quarter of 2008. They should all be selling in the $300 range with a two-year contract.
Click here to compare the various versions of the BlackBerry Bold 9000.
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