“Research In Motion Ltd. debuted a BlackBerry with new software and slide-out keyboard,” Hugo Miller and Greg Bensinger report for Bloomberg.
MacDailyNews Take: A slide-out keyboard? How quaint. Even Android phone makers have begun dropping that anachronism.
Miller and Bensinger report, “The BlackBerry Torch has a touch screen, like the iPhone, and a full Qwerty keyboard similar to those on RIM’s most popular BlackBerry models, the companies said today.”
MacDailyNews Take: RIM’s most popular BlackBerry models. You know, the ones they’re forced to move with unending “Buy One, Get One Free” promotions. Because of Apple’s iPhone.
Miller and Bensinger report, “The phone has a new operating system and Internet browser, and will start selling Aug. 12 for $199.99 with a two-year AT&T contract.”
MacDailyNews Take: The browser is based on Apple’s WebKit work and why would you buy RIM’s thing when you could get an iPhone 4 for the same price? Answer: You wouldn’t.
Miller and Bensinger report, “The phone may help RIM regain lost market share by combining the iPhone’s fingertip Web surfing with a physical keyboard useful for typing long e-mails.”
MacDailyNews Take: Yeah, just like no pseudo multi-touch fake iPhone with a physical keyboard has helped any company regain market share lost to Apple’s iPhone. RIM is like a horse-drawn carriage maker who starts making an automobile that drops horseshit every block in order to make their luddite customers feel comfortable. A slide-out physical keyboard is stupid, wasteful (both in space and margin), superfluous, outmoded, and it’s already been proven by RIM and others not to work in “takin back share” from Apple’s iPhone.
Miller and Bensinger report, “For AT&T, the device helps expand the carrier’s smartphone choices beyond the iPhone. Rival Verizon Wireless plans to begin selling the iPhone in January, people familiar with the plan said in June.”
MacDailyNews Take: Note to building superintendents at RIM, Google, Motorola, HTC, and other would-be “iPhone competitors'” headquarters: Bar the window ledges before January or prepare for extensive sidewalk cleanup.
Miller and Bensinger report, “RIM’s share of global smartphone shipments fell to 19.4 percent in the first quarter from 20.9 percent a year earlier, according to researcher IDC. Apple claimed 16.1 percent of the market, up from 10.9 percent a year earlier.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Listen, RIM, you had a good run, but nobody needs yet another pretend iPhone with yet another fake iOS, especially from a little outfit that still hasn’t even recognized the death of device festooned with little plastic buttons.
WOOOOWOWOWOOWOWOW!!!!
The BEST SMARTHPHONE OF 1999 !!!!!! no doubt!!!
To bad we are in 2010..
But seriously, that’s it?
Did RIM actually ever say that they were launching something that was really going to compete with the iPhone, or was that just the bloggers saying these things?
Because this machine will not turn heads, inspire awe, or even inspire a molecule of interest beyond the crowd that thinks,
“Hey, it’s a new Blackberry! Woohoo! New Blackberry! New Blackberry! New Blackberry!” *excited clapping of hands*
I have to think that RIM is just trying to hold on to (some of) their old customers, and that RIM isn’t truly intending on releasing this insipid-looking device as a game-changer.
2006 anyone?
@NHL: I think you are dead on. Our company of about a 1000 employees is primarily a BB shop, with a smattering of WinMobile devices, and a growing iPhone contingent [including the CIO and the COO]. I see this as an effort to convince current users, especially corporate purchasing offices, that this is just as good as whatever they are longing for “out there.”
Aw…come on RIM, just call it Storm 3.
Look Blackberry…..stop trying to compete with Apple. Just step into a figurative vacuum chamber and make the best phone YOU can make.
That’s what Google did, and now they seem to be a legitimate competitor–or as close as anyone has gotten, yet.
No one is ever going to match the user experience of any Apple product…EVER! The buttery goodness of Apple can only come from the mixture of carbon, atoms, molecules and all that other scientifical-like stuff that has been formed into the Human-like creature we know as Steve Jobs.
Apple with Steve Jobs…Apple…good
Apple without Steve Jobs…Apple…bad
Steve Jobs back with Apple…Apple…good again.
I mean, I ain’t had a lotta fancy, hi-falootin’ math learnin’…
but that’s a pretty simple equation, Cleetus.
I love the word Festooned almost as much as the word Emblazoned.
R U Kidding Me, “iPhone Competitor” OMG. The UI is so Clumsy.
This devise has no Chance Against the iPhone.(DOA)
I posted earlier on this article, but I am really intrigued by this. I have never taken the position that we should have a one-phone market. In fact, I work for a public agency with 8,000 employees. Several of our users still use BBs since we invested heavily in the BB Enterprise Server. And it works for some of them. I really had hoped for better from RIM – if only to keep the market competitive.
My IT guy just told me he has ordered my iPhone 4 – an upgrade from the 3GS. Interestingly he thinks the iPhone is easier to manage. Can I switch back to a BB? I don’t think so. And products that look like this definitely won’t cut it.
Looks like a Curve inbred with a Pre. Torch 9800? That’s exactly how many devices RIM will sell. So, this is AT&T’s post-exclusivity strategy? This is their idea of keeping a brave front as the iPhone prepares to leave home? No wonder the AT&T marketing guy at the unveiling was wetting his pants.
Very nice piece of kit I guess, but why would anyone want a physical keyboard?
iPhone’s touchscreen was the first one I felt comfy with I have to say.
Still, for those who wish one, here it is…
One of Blackberrys most appreciated feature is long battery life, but the new model will run out of power after only 5h of speech time.
This is betrayal on their core clientel and they will hate RIM for this decision.
peter.s – That’s why nobody does a slideout keyboard. It kills space for better stuff like a nice screen, better processor, bigger battery.
The Market got this right for a change. RIM is down. Apple is up (in a down market). Nothing else need be said.
Jay in DC
Not a very original name…
But I was surprised about the 512 MB of RAM… That’s like the iPhone 4 it’s very unusual with that large amount of RAM.
Congradulations RIM, you now have something to compete with the original iPhone
Skate to where the Palm was? the anti-Gretzky. WTF RIM???
Their efforts to overtake the iPhone will prove to be just a “RIM shot” at best.
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@Bream Rockmetteller
“I love the word Festooned almost as much as the word Emblazoned.”
A veritable plethora of emblazoned festoonery!
Oh… When i read the article i was like Wow cool… then i seen the keyboard didnt come out the side as a landscape keyboard… so using the physical keyboard seems that it would make your phone stand quite high above your hands. i would see that as uncomfortable. landscape would have been better. also i would have thought they would push the specs higher to combat my new iphone4
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”raspberry” style=”border:0;” /> heh guess they are still trying to cross the road.
(BlackBerry… my old love… Sigh… honestly, i dont miss you)
Hey, RIM can go after the now small and declining percentage of customers who like to press tiny buttons. Something like this is no threat to Apple.
LOL @ all thse APPPLE HIPSTER FAGS. They jus made cause Android is about to rape them. RIM is for Business, Apple is for little kids. Fisher Price for retarded adults.
Only reason apple is booming is because all tweens and kids want the user friendly Apple. Outside of US, Apple is straight garbage. here in Japan, nokia is light years head of Apple.
Funny thing is that RIM should have built a kick ass digital Developer platform 8-9 years ago. Unfortunately is was painful and difficult to use. They should have been developing multi-touch years before apple. Oops.