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Mobile Miscellany: week of April 9th, 2012

Zachary Lutz — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:30:00 EST

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we've seen clues to suggest the Galaxy Nexus will arrive at Sprint in a matter of days, and leaked materials suggest Rogers will have the HTC One X in stock by April 20th. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of April 9th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of April 9th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of April 9th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BleckBarry raises the bar for KIRFs, casually crawls under it

Joseph L. Flatley — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:59:00 EST

BleckBarry! This is the handset that puts the "phone" in smartphone but, sadly, leaves out the "smart." Featuring a 2-inch display, Bluetooth, a whopping 506KB internal memory, FM and TV (with antenna!), and all the dual SIM action your heart can take, this $62 wonder does one thing well: it makes the BlockBerry look great in comparison.

BleckBarry raises the bar for KIRFs, casually crawls under it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm Pre fake tires of waiting for webOS 2.0, takes up iOS and BlackBerry OS lookalikes instead

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:09:00 EST

We feel your pain: you love your BlackBerry at work and your iPhone for personal use, but as hardware goes, nothing gets your motor running quite like the Pre's pebble-esque shell. Trust us, we've all been there! Well, a new clone out of China seeks solve all your technological woes by combining an iOS-inspired user interface and the Pre's body -- with an iPhone home button thrown in for good measure, of course -- and when the time comes to throw on the suit and tie and head to work, you can switch the UI over to BlackBerry mode. As far as we can tell, it still functions like an iOS clone here, but at least the skin will remind you of the good ol' Bold days. Looks like you can't buy this thing online, but considering how well the software works in most of these things, it's probably for the best.

Palm Pre fake tires of waiting for webOS 2.0, takes up iOS and BlackBerry OS lookalikes instead originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM BlackPad tablet priced at $499 when it ships in November?

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 06:14:00 EST

Come on, admit it, you want to believe that RIM is working on a tablet called the BlackPad don't you? You'd better, because Apple Daily is piling on with more unsubstantiated rumor this morning. So, in addition to the 9.7-inch display, Bluetooth, WiFi, and front- and rear-facing cameras already mentioned by Bloomberg's sources, Apple Daily claims that Quanta won the bid to manufacture the tablet with plans to ramp up for 2 million units starting in September (for a November retail launch) with another 8 million planned for 2011. The price? $499 is the target, naturally.

RIM BlackPad tablet priced at $499 when it ships in November? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 06:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Research In Motion enters Chinese retail channel with BlackBerry 8910 Curve

Richard Lai — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:08:00 EST

Remember the mysterious BlackBerry 8910 Curve that showed up briefly back in January? Well, forget that -- this is the real 8910 here. RIM was at China yesterday to launch this familiar-looking device -- OK, it's actually just a 8900 sans WiFi, but it's also the first BlackBerry that'll be sold through Chinese retail channels -- carried by Digital China -- instead of just enterprise contracts. Nothing fresh from the rest of the specs: 2.4-inch 480 x 360 screen, quadband GPRS, 512MHz processor, 3.2 megapixel camera with flash, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0, and microSD expansion of up to 32GB. Press release and a couple more pics after the break, if you still care.

Continue reading Research In Motion enters Chinese retail channel with BlackBerry 8910 Curve

Research In Motion enters Chinese retail channel with BlackBerry 8910 Curve originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Telecom launches BlackBerry... the BlackBerry Storm, that is

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 18 May 2010 16:08:00 EST

When a carrier announces that it's adding BlackBerry devices and BES support to its lineup, very rarely does that mean a touchscreen BlackBerry -- but hey, crazier things have happened. China's CDMA-based giant, China Telecom, has announced a partnership with RIM to bring the Storm (the original 9530, as far as we can tell) into the mix in the second half of this month, available in some sixteen provinces for a yet-to-be-announced price. At any rate, it's fair to assume your privacy will be compromised at no additional charge.

China Telecom launches BlackBerry... the BlackBerry Storm, that is originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 May 2010 16:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Telecom launching Palm Pre, BlackBerry handsets this summer

Darren Murph — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:36:00 EST

We've been hearing that China Telecom would be grabbing hold of Palm and RIM's respective stables of smartphones since early last year, but at long last we've some official quotes to prove those whispers correct. According to a new report over at the Wall Street Journal, Chairman and Chief Executive Wang Xiaochu has affirmed that it will offer an undisclosed amount of BlackBerry devices in China this May, while Palm's Pre (no word on the Pixi) will hit this July. These deals could certainly bode well for the carrier; as it stands, it's going up against China Mobile -- which already sells BlackBerry handsets -- and China Unicom, which is home to Apple's iPhone. Unfortunately, pricing details weren't available, but we're guessing those will pop sooner rather than later.

China Telecom launching Palm Pre, BlackBerry handsets this summer originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keepin' it real fake, part CCLVI: BlueBerry gets upgraded with optical pad

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:39:00 EST

You see, this isn't our first run-in with BlueBerry. Nay -- this is a firm that has shadowed Waterloo's moves for some time, so when it came time for the real thing to make the transition from trackballs to optical pads, the Shenzhen doppelganger naturally had to follow suit. The result is this here BlueBerry 9500, a device that looks more like a Bold 9500 grafted to a Nokia E72 than it does a Bold 9700 -- but hey, for folks torn between their Finnish and Canadian loyalties, this might be the perfect solution. The impressive spec sheet includes a TV tuner (complete with 9-inch retractable antenna), dual SIM support, and WiFi, and -- most importantly -- the optical pad is said to be "decent." Check out the gallery for a couple more shots -- just don't expect any App World access with this one.

Gallery: Keepin' it real fake, part CCLVI: BlueBerry gets upgraded with optical pad

Keepin' it real fake, part CCLVI: BlueBerry gets upgraded with optical pad originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keepin' it real fake, part CCLI: Xperia X10 + BlackBerry UI + ??? = profit

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:52:00 EST

Meet the Hero C7000, the closest thing you can get to a Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 right now. Problem is, that's not very close -- in place of SE's highly customized Android skin, for example, you'll find a positively delightful rip of RIM's UI for the Storm series on a 3-inch display (as opposed to the genuine X10 article's 4 inches). Not quite what you were looking for? Well, look at it this way: at the right market you'll be able to find it for a minute fraction of the X10's cost -- and without a carved-in-stone ship date, maybe this thing can hold you over for a while.

Keepin' it real fake, part CCLI: Xperia X10 + BlackBerry UI + ??? = profit originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Telecom follows China Mobile's lead, hooks up with RIM to offer BlackBerry

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:31:00 EST

China Mobile's recent announcement that it'd be getting really tight with RIM -- finally -- to offer a more official, customized BlackBerry experience to the locals than it had before must have sent off a wave of jealousy among carriers, because competitor China Telecom has wasted no time in following on with an announcement of its own. No roadmap has been set for when we might see devices in the marketplace -- the company says that it's still ironing out specifics with RIM -- but we figure this should be an easier rollout than China Mobile, since Telecom uses a hybrid (but well-understood) GSM / EV-DO infrastructure as opposed to Mobile's essentially one-off TD-SCDMA network. At a glance, it seems like devices like the Storm and Tour are basically ready to rock here, but there's no question RIM will need to work both with the carrier (to tailor the BlackBerry experience to the needs of a Chinese audience) and with the government, which probably doesn't love RIM's infrastructure any more than India does.

China Telecom follows China Mobile's lead, hooks up with RIM to offer BlackBerry originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry, meet TD-SCDMA: RIM partners with China Mobile

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:33:00 EST

Enterprising Chinese have had access to BlackBerrys for some time now, but they've been met with limited sales for many of the same reasons that internationally successful products often fail in China: high prices, cheap clones, and a general lack of understanding of the local market's needs and behaviors. RIM, like any smart manufacturer, would love to find a way to effectively tap into the market, though -- and they're trying to make headway today on news that they've partnered with number one carrier China Mobile on customized devices. By "customized," we mean that these bad boys will support TD-SCDMA, which is China Mobile's proprietary 3G tech -- probably the only carrier in the world that could get away with that, thanks to its nine-figure subscriber count -- and will be offered through local distributor Digital China, whose market expertise RIM is hoping to capitalize. The silver bullet here might be the fact that China Mobile has committed to subsidizing the handsets; China is a huge prepaid market, but if they can get 'em cheap enough, they could have a shot.

BlackBerry, meet TD-SCDMA: RIM partners with China Mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Telecom to launch Palm and BlackBerry handsets this year?

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:54:00 EST

Although we like to think of the US and European markets as the center of the cellphone universe, there are big (Big!) sales to be had elsewhere behind the unstoppable force of globalization. And when it comes to absolute numbers, markets just don't get any bigger than China with its estimated 700 million subscribers. Rumors of BlackBerry and Palm twist-ups with Chinese carriers are nothing new. In fact, RIM has already been a player in the Chinese market for years. Today, however, we've got a rumored timeline for bringing their handsets to China Telecom: end of 2009 or early 2010, according to a Reuters source. The move would give Telecom its first trendy western mobiles in hopes of improving its third place position behind Unicom and market dominating China Mobile in a battle for the hearts ~~and minds~~ and treasure of China's burgeoning population. And while RIM would certainly be pleased by the additional revenue source, Palm, with its modest marketshare by comparison, would be downright ecstatic at the prospect of tapping into China with its new smartphones.

China Telecom to launch Palm and BlackBerry handsets this year? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keepin' it real fake, part CCXXXVIII: Palm Pre knockoff doesn't know what it wants to be when it grows up

Laura June — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:16:00 EST

Yes, this was only a matter of time, and we're a little surprised we didn't see one earlier. Regardless, this is the Palm Pre knockoff we've been waiting for. Seemingly called just iPhone +QWERTY -- this KIRF is being marketed as just that -- a real business phone with a hybrid identity blending the BlackBerry and the iPhone. And really, that's not too bad of a description for this little dude, we guess. Boasting analog TV, Bluetooth, and an FM radio, it runs the much-loved OPhone operating system, and can be had for 600 RMP (about $88). There are two more shots after the break. Hit the read link for a full peek.

[Via PMP Today]

Continue reading Keepin' it real fake, part CCXXXVIII: Palm Pre knockoff doesn't know what it wants to be when it grows up

Filed under: Handsets

Keepin' it real fake, part CCXXXVIII: Palm Pre knockoff doesn't know what it wants to be when it grows up originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keepin' it real fake, part CCXXXVIII: Palm Pre knockoff doesn't know what it wants to be when it grows up

Laura June — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:16:00 EST

Continue reading Keepin' it real fake, part CCXXXVIII: Palm Pre knockoff doesn't know what it wants to be when it grows up

Filed under: Cellphones

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Oh, by the way: July 26, 2009

Chris Ziegler — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:59:00 EST

Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of mobile for the weekend of Saturday, July 25th, 2009:

A small Chinese firm by the name of Beyond Radio Technology is working on an Android phone that they claim to have had in the labs for 18 months now. Problem is, they've posted screen shots, and they're clearly QVGA -- an instant fail. [Via Cloned In China]
Sony Ericsson's PlayNow Arena app store is now accepting apps from developers. Paid apps must cost at least €3 (about $4.25), though freebies will also be allowed; free apps with ad support, however, will require some other form of agreement with Sony Ericsson. There are no submission fees or annual charges for devs, which is nice -- and interestingly, apps that are rejected will have a plan B in the form of official partner GetJar. Java and Symbian are being supported initially, with other platforms (ahem, Android) coming in the future. [Via mocoNews]
All of the intel in the field is now pointing toward an August 5 launch for the BlackBerry 8520 "Gemini" on T-Mobile, which confirms earlier suggestions.
Speaking of T-Mobile, the Samsung t659 -- codenamed "Scarlet" -- has been spotted in the wild. Unless you have a thing for 2 megapixel cameras, we wouldn't get too excited, but the presence of AWS 3G is always welcome.
The global number two manufacturer, Samsung, released its Q2 results -- and they're looking pretty solid. The company managed to push some 52.3 million handsets in the three-month period and said that it'll make good on previous guidance (and then some) of hitting 200 million shipments for the year. [Via mocoNews]
A poster over at the ever-trusty xda-developers has somehow managed to stumble upon themes for AT&T's upcoming Warhawk -- the carrier's version of the HTC Touch Diamond2 -- and they're looking mighty Windows Mobile 6.5-ish. [Via wmpoweruser.com and Fuze Mobility]

Filed under: Handsets, Software, HTC, Others, RIM, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, ATT, T-Mobile, Symbian, Windows Mobile, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS, Android

Oh, by the way: July 26, 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Telecom mulling BlackBerry offering

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:57:00 EST

We've got to assume that it's a momentous occasion for a manufacturer any time they have an opportunity to break into the world's single largest phone market, so if they're prepping the bubbly out in Waterloo, we can't say we'd blame them. China Telecom -- one of China's three nationals -- reported this week that it has engaged RIM about the possibility of bringing BlackBerrys to its lineup. No deal has been made just yet, but considering that China Unicom doesn't offer any of the devices and China Mobile's been soft on marketing it, Telecom could have an ace up its sleeve if it brings hot models to retail and pushes 'em hard. RIM's not talking so far, so there's no telling where the talks are -- or when the deal might be finalized.

Filed under: RIM

China Telecom mulling BlackBerry offering originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keepin' it real fake, part CLXVII: the BlueBerry is exactly what you think

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:16:00 EST

We'd heard the BlueBerry was a no-name nav unit, but the exciting world of knock-offs moves faster than a speeding bullet -- and these days, it's taking the form of a Bold. Just $164.99 buys you a phone with a QVGA display, microSD slot, and twice as many SIM slots as the real thing -- oh, and about as much Exchange support as your uncle's avocado green AT&T Slimline. We'll take two.

[Via PMP Today]

Filed under: Cellphones

Keepin' it real fake, part CLXVII: the BlueBerry is exactly what you think originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keepin' it real fake, part CLXVII: the BlueBerry is exactly what you think

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:16:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Others, GSM

Keepin' it real fake, part CLXVII: the BlueBerry is exactly what you think originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Mobile dragging feet on BlackBerry launch?

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 20:17:00 EST

Despite the news several weeks ago that RIM has started shipping official BlackBerrys to China with the intention of selling them before 2007 was spoken for, its carrier partner there, China Mobile, has yet to pull the trigger and launch them in the retail channel. It's unclear exactly what the holdup is -- even to RIM, whose top exec for the region has said "You should ask China Mobile about the timeline." One popular theory is that RIM needs to convince the Chinese government that its handsets don't pose a security risk to its networks, though with a couple service outage scares around here in recent months, we'd say that the network might actually pose more of a risk to the handsets than anything else.

Filed under: RIM, China Mobile

China Mobile dragging feet on BlackBerry launch? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 20:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerrys (real ones) come to China

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:31:00 EST

Despite the perceived risk of entering a market that is one of the hottest in the world for both mobile phone use and IP infringement, RIM's finally taking the big leap of faith into mainland China, according to Interfax. The report cites TCL Communications, the firm manufacturing RIM's devices in China, as saying that they've secured an exclusive agreement with China Mobile -- with 10,000 units secured so far, no less -- to sell the somewhat outdated 8700 (not pictured) as the "Alcatel BlackBerry 8700." Interestingly, China Mobile has offered BlackBerry services for quite some time, but has targeted them squarely at folks bringing in BlackBerrys from elsewhere; the actual hardware has never officially launched on the carrier. If the report all pans out, expect to see the 8700s in China Mobile's retail channels by the end of the month.

[Via mocoNews]

Filed under: RIM, China Mobile

BlackBerrys (real ones) come to China originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM cleared to sell BlackBerrys in China

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 03:54:00 EST

Step aside RedBerry, after 8 years of hemming and hawing the Chinese government has finally opened their doors to the original RIM BlackBerry. By the end of August, big city suits should find the BlackBerry 8700g on shelves with China Mobile -- the world's largest operator based on subscriber count -- offering up the service. iPhone, what iPhone? RIM now has open access to a population of more than 1 billion who like BlackBerrys based on, uh, their good looks alone.

Filed under: Handsets, RIM

RIM cleared to sell BlackBerrys in China originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 03:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM cleared to sell BlackBerrys in China

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 03:54:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

RIM cleared to sell BlackBerrys in China originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 03:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knockoffs, sticker shock threats to RIM's China plans

Chris Ziegler — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 19:21:00 EST

Though it should hardly come as a shock to readers familiar with our Keepin' it real fake series, RIM might be surprised to find a bounty of BlackBerry-alikes as they enter the mainland Chinese market, undercutting a source of otherwise significant new revenue as millions of new folks discover the addictive devices for the first time. Though unlicensed knockoff manufacturers typically don't fly in the US or Western Europe, Reuters points out that it can cost as little as $125K to bring one online in China -- a compelling proposition in one of the world's hottest mobile markets. What's more, they're finding that some Chinese are buying BlackBerrys strictly for their, uh, sound quality and good looks (can ya believe it?) but are bypassing China Mobile's email hookup entirely, citing it as overpriced. Could the BlackBerry end up a boon for customers in the world's most populous country, yet a bust for RIM?

[Thanks, David]

Filed under: RIM, Misc

Knockoffs, sticker shock threats to RIM's China plans originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Aug 2006 19:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM's BlackBerry to battle "RedBerry" clone in China

Paul Miller — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:58:00 EST

In a surprising turn of events, China has decided to create a cheap domestic rip off of a popular product. With RIM finally readying the BlackBerry for its Chinese release, after a couple of years of delays, China Unicom has launched a "RedBerry" service that will offer push email to current subscribers on their existing CDMA handsets. Never the type to shy away from copyright infringement, China Unicom issued a press release stating: "The RedBerry name extends the vivid name of BlackBerry that people are already familiar with, and it also combines the new red symbol of China Unicom." Good to know they're feeling chipper about it. So far there's no word from RIM, but if a lawsuit doesn't end this there could be some stiff competition in the low-end between the services since the RedBerry offering sounds to be considerably cheaper than RIM's.

[Thanks, Paul]

Filed under: Software, RIM, China Unicom, CDMA

RIM's BlackBerry to battle "RedBerry" clone in China originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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