3 Hong Kong and RIM Launch the BlackBerry Torch 9860 Smartphone in Hong Kong

Press Release

3 Hong Kong and RIM Launch the BlackBerry Torch 9860 Smartphone in Hong Kong

Hong Kong - 3 Hong Kong, the mobile operation of Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong Holdings Limited (HTHKH, SEHK: 215), and Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced that the new BlackBerry® Torch™ 9860 smartphone, the first all-touch BlackBerry® smartphone featuring the new BlackBerry® 7 operating system, will be available tomorrow.

With a spectacular 3.7” all touch display, the largest ever on a BlackBerry smartphone, the BlackBerry Torch 9860 smartphone is optimized for displaying web pages, photos and videos, as well as delivering powerful gaming experiences. It also delivers the highly refined, real-time communications and collaboration experience loved by millions of BlackBerry smartphone users around the world.

3 Hong Kong will offer the BlackBerry Torch 9860 at zero pricing if customers subscribe to its HK$398 monthly service plan* which includes 1,000 voice minutes, unlimited data usage and unlimited access to the Wi-Fi services. The BlackBerry Torch 9860 handset is also available at a standalone price of HK$4,888 from 3 Hong Kong. The first, 1,000 customers will receive a GelaSkin from 3 Hong Kong for free.

“We were the first operator in Asia to launch the BlackBerry service in Hong Kong in 2002 and started the trend of wireless email. As one of the largest telecom operators in Hong Kong, we strive to provide the best devices and services to our customers and we are excited to partner with RIM and be the first carrier in Hong Kong to bring the BlackBerry Torch 9860 to our customers,” said Amy Lung, Chief Operating Officer (Mobile) of HTHKH. “By combining this innovative smartphone with our highly competitive service plans, we have created yet another winning combination, which we are sure will delight our customers.”

Urpo Karjalainen, Senior Vice President for Asia Pacific at Research In Motion commented, “We are very excited to be bringing another BlackBerry 7 smartphone to Hong Kong together with 3 Hong Kong.  This time, we are introducing an all new touch experience with the BlackBerry Torch 9860 smartphone, which allows customers to stay connected, informed and entertained while on the go.  Customer will be thrilled by this refined, all-touch smartphone, which delivers a smooth user experience with faster browsing and richer multimedia.”

BlackBerry 7

The BlackBerry Torch 9860 smartphone runs the new BlackBerry 7 operating system (OS). BlackBerry 7 provides users with a fast, fluid and intuitive experience, featuring a next generation BlackBerry browser, voice-activated searches, the ability to manage personal content separately from corporate content, as well as additional personal and productivity apps out of the box.

The next generation BlackBerry browser combines the dramatically improved performance of the advanced WebKit browser engine together with the powerful hardware enhancements found in the new BlackBerry Torch 9860 to deliver browsing results that are up to 40% faster than BlackBerry® 6 based smartphones and up to twice as fast as models running BlackBerry® 5**. Additional enhancements to the browser have also optimized HTML5 performance for incredible gaming and video experiences.

The new BlackBerry Torch 9860 smartphone also features Liquid Graphics™ technology, which combines a dedicated high-performance graphics processor with a blazingly fast CPU and stunning high resolution display to deliver a highly responsive touch interface with incredibly fast and smooth graphics.

In addition, the BlackBerry Torch 9860 smartphone comes with the newest release of BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger) which now extends the real time BBM experience to a range of other apps. These ‘BBM connected’ apps can integrate the popular functionality of the BBM service and offer users the ability to interact with their friends from within the app itself.  Advanced sensors in the new BlackBerry Torch 9860 enable new augmented reality applications such as Wikitude that can be seamlessly integrated with BBM 6, allowing users to interact with their BBM contacts and discover new BBM users around them.

Key features and specifications of the new BlackBerry Torch 9860 smartphone include:

• 120 x 62 x 11.5 mm, approximately 135 g

• 3.7" high-resolution (800x480 WVGA) capacitive touch screen (253 ppi)

• 1.2 GHz processor, Liquid Graphics technology and 768 MB RAM

• 4 GB on-board memory, plus microSD slot supporting up to 32 GB cards

• 5.0 MP camera, supports 720p HD video recording

• Orientation Sensor (Accelerometer), Digital Compass (Magnetometer), Proximity Sensor

• Built-in GPS

• Wi-Fi® - 802.11 b/g/n

• Bluetooth® 2.1

• Wireless Network support: Tri-Band HSPA+, Quad-Band GSM/EDGE

• 1230 mAh, removable, rechargeable battery

• BlackBerry 7 OS

For more information on BlackBerry products, pricing and service plans through 3 Hong Kong, please visit www.three.com.hk.

For additional information on the BlackBerry Torch 9860 smartphone, please visit hk.blackberry.com/torch9860.

 

Welcome to the BlackBerry Family - New commercial from RIM shows off BlackBerry 7 devices in India

The above video is a new promo from RIM that shows off the latest BlackBerry 7 devices and is actually pretty well done. It gives you that feeling that you want to own a BlackBerry and be part of the "BlackBerry Family" by picking up one of these new devices. I actually like this ad quite a bit and I'm not sure why RIM doesn't take the same approach to commercials here in the US, Canada or other parts of the world. As I've said many times before, RIM has always been a bit subpar when it comes to showing off the features of devices, so having an ad like this would be a great morale boost of sorts. It doesn't dive into what the device can actually do, but it give off that "happy frappy" feeling of owning a BlackBerry. What do you think? Would you like to see more ads like this across the board?  Let us know in the comments.

BlackBerry Curve 9350, Curve 9360 and Curve 9370 features and specifications

The new line of BlackBerry Curve smartphones from Research In Motion are some great devices that carry on the BlackBerry Curve name. If you're curious as to just what each device is packing under the hood, check out this full list of BlackBerry Curve 9350, Curve 9360 and Curve 9370 features and specifications. We break down what each device has going for it so you can see just what's what and help to make the decision as to what BlackBerry Curve fits best for you. Read on for all the BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 features! 

 

The new BBM

Make sure your BBM friends never miss out on the fun. With BBM-connected apps, you can invite them to download that app you just can't get enough of or start chatting without leaving the app.

Social apps

Get social from the get-go with BlackBerry® Curve 9350/9360/9370 smartphones. Facebook, Twitter and social feeds are all included so you can easily connect with your social networks right out of the box.

Email and IM

Never waste a moment wondering if you've just received an email or IM. With the ability to send and receive messages instantly, you'll always know what's happening.

 

No matter what you're into, BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360/9370 smartphones have what you need to keep up, including a powerful processor and super fast browser. And with a 5 MP camera with flash, you'll be ready to capture all those fun and memorable moments.

 

The easy-to-use next generation BlackBerry OS delivers the smoothest and fastest BlackBerry experience to date. It also comes with new, pre-installed apps and services like Social Feeds, Music Storefront and BlackBerry Protect.

Liquid Graphics

Enjoy fluid animations and instant response times with Liquid Graphics and get smoother surfing, gaming and multimedia experiences.

BlackBerry Browser

Experience the fastest BlackBerry Browser ever with seamless panning and zooming, better web-based video and gaming, and HTML5 video support.

Near Field Communication

With Near Field Communication (NFC)2 built right in, you simply tap to connect. You can link up with other NFC-enabled devices and read smart tags to exchange data or launch an app.

 

BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360/9370 smartphones are super easy to slide in your pocket and feel "just right" in your hand. Plus, with an array of color options and a ton of accessories, you can really make them your own.

 

 

BlackBerry Bold 9900 makes its way to Singapore and Malaysia

The thinnest BlackBerry smartphone yet and the first to offer a high performance keyboard since the BlackBerry Bold 9000 is ready to rock Asia with pre-orders now taking place in both Singapore and Malaysia. In-store availability is September 1st for Singapore and September 15th for Malaysia. With the BlackBerry Bold 9900 rolling in to more and more countries every passing week, RIM has now proven that its biggest smartphone launch yet has only begun, with expectations to rank high in sales figures on a global scale.

Customers looking to buy the new handset in Singapore can turn to SingTel, StarHub and M1, while the Malaysian population will have to depend on Celcom, DiGi and Maxis. For pricing, Singaporean customers will have to wait until the local carriers release more information, but BlackBerry people in Malaysia will be relieved to hear that the BlackBerry Bold 9900 will set you back a smooth 2188 Malaysian ringgits, or $735 U.S. dollars. Please refer to your local carrier for contract pricing and additional information.

The BlackBerry LED light, blessing or curse?

A while back we posted an article on Word Substitution, one of those "BlackBerry only" features (for now).  Today I'm going to tackle another BlackBerry only feature - the LED light. Most will call this an awesome feature while others I know think of it as a curse and the cause for sleepless nights.  For me personally it is both blessing and curse.  Before I get into that, for our friends reading this article who are not fortunate enough to have a BlackBerry and are not aware of this great feature let me give you a quick overview.

In the top right corner of all BlackBerry smartphones is an LED light.  Out-of-the-box it flashes Green - to indicate network coverage; Blue - for when connected to a Bluetooth device; Red - when you have an unacknowledged message.  Most BlackBerry users I know immediately go into the options to turn the silly coverage indicator (green) light off - seriously is there anything less useful than that?  The Bluetooth one is useful on rare occasions.

The red light is the useful one because the BlackBerry made it's bones as a messaging platform and knowing you have a new message is important.  Other smartphones have a popup or a notification bar that you've go a message, but the challenge to those smartphone owners is if they are out of the room when the message arrives they won't hear the audible alert to let them know they have a message.  Until they walk over to the device and wake up the screen they just won't know that a message arrived.

So awesome is this little light that an entire industry of third party developers has created innovative and interesting applications to harness this light and allow for multicolored notifications.  One of the favorites of my on the CrackBerry team is BerryBuzz, it was the runner-up in the Utility App category in the 2010 CrackBerry App Awards. I use it to distinguish my emails from personal vs work, when I walk back into the room work emails flash a different color from personal so at a glance I know what emails have come in.

All good right?  Why is the LED also a curse?  At night when the BlackBerry is at my bedside snug in its cradle the red menace is just waiting for me to turn over and open my eyes at 2:30am.  Calling me like a homing beacon calmly flashing letting me know that I've got mail.  Now I know there is a very good chance it's Bla1ze with his insomnia messaging me but I MUST check my mail!  You just never know it could be really important.

Wether the message was some junk email from Future Shop telling me of the upcoming sale on TVs or Bla1ze letting me know there is an OS leak it will be at least 1/2 an hour before I can get back to sleep.  Another night not sleeping all the way through courtesy of the BlackBerry LED light.

Now I 'could' edit the device profile and create a "night mode" with no LED notification, but I'm a masochist and I just need to know that I've got mail. What if, I mean what if...someday that 2am email is actually important?

What do YOU think? Is the LED light what draws you to your BlackBerry? Or could you get by without it? Sound off in the comments!

 

BlackBerry Bold 9900 Camera Comparison

** Update from Kevin: Hey Guys, I reached out to Research In Motion for some official word regarding the camera on the new BlackBerry Bold 9900 (Torch 9810 and 9850/9860 still have autofocus). Here's the response:

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 has an always in focus 5MP camera (also known as EDOF, Extended Depth of Field) which allows for excellent image quality and it has an ultra thin footprint, which allowed us to achieve the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone to date. The EDOF camera keeps subject matter in focus while offering high quality images and 720p HD video capture. 

So there you have it. What do you think? An acceptable trade-off for thiness or you really need that single-shot auto focus? **

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is hot off the presses, and most of you still haven't plenty of questions about whats new, good, bad and ugly. One of the burning questions is how the camera on the Bold 9900 stacks up to previous BlackBerry devices. The new camera is still 5MP however is loses the auto focus we're used to in favor of EDOF (Extended Depth of Field) aka "all focus". While this means the Bold 9900 can take photos quickly, it doesn't necessarily mean that it takes them better. Keep reading for a few comparison shots between the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Bold 9780. I shot various photos in a few different modes, so you decide which one takes the cake. I'm obviously not the greatest photographer, so I'm sure we'll see plenty more testing from users as they start to get their hands on the 9900. Head to the forums for more.

Discuss more in the forums

 

 

 

 

 

Sprint Playbook shows Sprint launching BlackBerry Bold 9930 August 21st

Sprint announced the BlackBerry Bold 9930 last week, but didn't reveal the date it would be available for purchase, stating simply they would be available "this fall". We've been saying for awhile now that August 21st would be the date, and now that's been confirmed through the Sprint Playbook as well as the price which is listed at $499 outright or $249 on a two year plan. Awesome!!

Thanks Phil!

Leaked screenshots show TELUS pricing for the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and Torch 9810

Hey TELUS users, listen up. Everyone else is getting release dates and pricing for the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and Torch 9810, others have the devices available already, and now some information has leaked for TELUS as well. CrackBerry member Leviathan123 snapped a couple of pics today that will put some of your questions to rest.

According to the screenshots, you'll be able to pick up the BlackBerry Bold 9900 off contract for $629. If you're planning an upgrade, you can get the device for $579 on a 1 year contract, $529 on a 2 year, $349 on a three year, and 149 on a 3 year with a plan of at least $50). According to his information, it will be available August 12th. As for the BlackBerry Torch 9810, Leviathan123's information shows that the device will be available in both grey AND white, August 12th. Pricing here is a bit lower than the Bold 9900 with the outright cost listed at $599, $549 on a 1 year, $499 on a 2 year, $329 on a three year, and just $129 on a 3 year with a plan of at least $50.

Last we heard these devices weren't expected until the 15th of August, so I guess we'll know in a day or two if it's the 12th or not. In any case, they're so close you can practically smell that new 'Berry scent. The only thing missing now is the Torch 9860. You can check out the second screenshot after the break, and jump on over to the forums for discussion.

Discuss in the forums

A crash course in the history of BlackBerry smartphones

Ever wonder what the first BlackBerry was, but not interested in reading so much as watching or listening to the information?  Put together by Phones4u, this is a fun look at the history of smartphones RIM has produced. Take a quick tour through the past and see how BlackBerry has evolved over the years. 

Source: Phones4u