We’ve known for some time that RIM is working on a touchscreen BlackBerry. We didn’t know that the device would be code named the BlackBerry Thunder and that it could be a lifetime exclusive to Verizon and Vodafone.
Lets let that sink in for a minute. Not only could the touchscreen BlackBerry Thunder be coming to Verizon first in the U.S., it may only ever be offered by Verizon.
The BlackBerry Thunder will have a touch screen only. According to BGR, the first touchscreen BlackBerry will not have a slide out keyboard and only have 4 physical keys. Rumor also has it that the BlackBerry Thunder will by a hybrid device with CDMA EV-DO Rev. C and GSM HSPA for when you traveling internationally.
For clarification, Rev C., known as UMB is practically dead. If the device will indeed launch with a 4G solution, our bet is on LTE
I’ve been debating or not if I want to buy the new Verizon BlackBerry Curve. I don’t really need it, as my 8130 is working just fine. I believe that I will wait to here bit more about the BlackBerry Thunder. If this is really coming out next quarter, I think that I just might have to wait for it and forego the Curve.
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I think I’d have to wait and see if/how RIM improves the OS and multimedia experience before I bit on this. No point in having a nice big touchscreen if the web, picture, video and music experiences are all still lacking.
Robb,
You mislead your readers with the selective block quote from the BGR. Boy Genius states in a P.P.S. that “For futher clarification about the whole LTE thing, the chip might support it, but that does not mean the network will be ready by any means…OK?” People (…or a particular person…) may confuse what you wrote to mean that VZ is giving up on the CDMA technology (which is technically superior to GSM, but not as popular). Not happening yet.
I can’t wait to see the new BB in action, though I probably won’t upgrade from my Pearl.
P.S. Have you ever given any thought to whether we would even have the GSM v. CDMA debate if ATT had adopted CDMA and VZ adopted GSM? To put it another way, I wonder if the popularity is really a function of the technology or of the company that pushes it? Conversely, is ATT and TMO’s ability to offer less expensive plans a function of less costly technology? (If so, then how do you explain Sprint offering such low prices? I know, it’s a dying company, but still…).
This may be the mobile “chicken or egg” debate.
I think that in the case of wireless carriers pricing has more to do with what a carrier “can” charge and remain viable in the market as compared what a carrier “must” charge to subsidize the cost of their network.
Robb, you make a really good point. Verizon, Sprint, and Altell all license Qualcomm chipsets in their devices and I believe that Verizon is the only one who is able to charge significantly more than the GSM carriers for bassically the same type of plans.
I for one, LOVE my new VZW Curve! I had the Pearl for a month prior to buying the Curve and I couldn’t stand the SureType keyboard. I like the separated Full-QWERTY keyboard of the Curve. I know that on many sites BlackBerry enthusiasts have blasted the iPhone for having an “on-screen” keyboard. Saying things like, “the iPhone will never make it in the corporate market because it’s not as simple to quickly type out an email on the ‘on-screen’ keyboard.” I subscribe to this point of view. I’m wondering if the same will be true for this “BlackBerry Thunder”.
Clearly the “BB Thunder” is RIM’s response to the popularity of the iPhone. I’m just wondering how many BlackBerry enthusiast corporate types will pick up one of these. Perhaps the “BB Thunder” is catering more towards the younger (iPhone) crowd.
I am excited that it seems to be exclusive to Verizon though! That’s a step in the right direction versus waiting a year after AT&T gets it as we did with the Curve! I’ll likely do a trial on it when it comes out… just to see if I can handle the on-screen keyboard. If it’s not a problem for me… I’ll probably buy it… haha.
@ nedcom
Sprint once had the lead for highest price per consumer, with Nextel second. Now they merged. As for the technology, I personally make my division based on the technology, hence best service for me. Also, not sure on what you see as misleading in the post. The word ‘if’ forms the possibility based on opinion. I would guess the same as well.
Interesting on the fact that it may be all vzw on this one. Kind of BB’s answer to AT&T and the iPhone.
I personally would probably pass on this device only because it doesn’t have the physical keyboard. As tempting as all the other pieces may be, I need and love the BB keyboard.
bluehorseshoe nails it: this is the BB/VZW response to the Apple/ATT iPhone.
While I am sure it will be cool in its ways, and will sell a good amount, I still personally don’t get the idea of a BB without a keyboard.
To me a BB is largely for power email, and that requires a physical keyboard at this point. Maybe someday someone will perfect the virtual keyboard, but for now I cannot imagine a BB without a keyboard.
As for the other features…multimedia, web browsing, touch screen, etc…I still maintain that you cannot out-Apple Apple. I defy anyone to come up with a better multimedia player than Apple with their legacy of iPod interaces. I defy anyone to come up with a better and smoother touchscreen interface, with instant responsiveness and great software transitions. I defy anyone to come up with a better mobile browser experience.
But I do think the BB Thunder will definitely become the best touchscreen device on VZW’s network, and so will do very well.
I used to think I wanted a keyboard. Still do. But I notice that I use my BB more to read email than to write it. When I write it, I usually limit it to a few sentences. I may be able to make that work on a high quality touchscreen.
I am trying to do a Jedi Mind Trick on myself hoping that I won’t have the same issues with the BlackBerry Thunder that I do with the iPhone. At the end of the the day I will get one if for no other reason than the BlackBerry Thunder will be so evolutionary to BlackBerry design compared to what’s out today that I simply cannot pass it up if for nothing more than to just talk about it.
“is ATT and TMO’s ability to offer less expensive plans a function of less costly technology”
First of all, ATT doesn’t offer less expensive plans. Tmobile and Sprint offers less expensive plans because they don’t have the network quality and consumer base to be able to demand a higer price point. If either were as large and had the network quality of Verizon or ATT, they wouldn’t be offering cheapo plans, it makes no business sense.
I find this very disappointing. I love BB and think it is great they are going to release a product that will be far superior to the toy called the iPhone. However, locking it to Verizon counts me out forever. Verizon may have a good network, but their prices are ridiculous. There is a reason AT&T continues to stay far in the lead. AT&T has great customer service (and this did not used to be true) and a great network.
BKW13 has it all wrong Sprint and TMob reduce their cost to be more competitive and have longer term clients and can afford to do it. Networks are always going to compete but the bottom line Sprint and Verizon have a great foothold in this country and will continue to build. ATT has alot of growing ang money to fork out to ket up with the big boys. Oh, and if you don’t know TMob works on the ATT GSM networks
“BKW13 has it all wrong Sprint and TMob reduce their cost to be more competitive and have longer term clients and can afford to do it. Networks are always going to compete but the bottom line Sprint and Verizon have a great foothold in this country and will continue to build. ATT has alot of growing ang money to fork out to ket up with the big boys. Oh, and if you don’t know TMob works on the ATT GSM networks”
Dude you gotta be kidding me. lol Anybody with common sense thinks that a business would make their prices much lower than their competition even if there product was really up to par with the competition? Lol. And they are doing it to be more competitive? Are you really on this planet called Earth? Look at Sprint? They actually lose more customers than they bring in. Compete? They have to lower their prices to compete because their customer service and their product is simply not up to par. Why do you think Tmobile and Sprint has so few customers in comparison to Verizon and AT&T? Say something that makes sense please. And why do neither of these 2 companies ever bring anywhere as close as many customers in each quarter as Verizon and AT&T?
I hear the THUNDER will have a SURETYPE softward KEYBOARD (ala pearl) vs the full QWERTY. The primary problem with the IPHONE keyboard is the keys are TOO small….with a SURETYPE SOFTWARE KEYBOARD, the KEYS WILL BE TWICE AS BIG, and twice as easy to use………surprised APPLE doesn’t offer this, it seems like a no-brainer
uhhhhhh if the iPhone key pad is to small, and you hit 2 buttons when you try to press one, whats the difference if the q and w keys are actually one? Your still hitting 2 letters and letting the software figure it out. The plus with apples is that if your not impaired when your typing you can be very accurate. you can press one button for one letter. But if you do end up pressing 2 letter, it can figure it out for you. So, in a way, its like the suretype feature, with something like a value added.
I like to play with my pee-pee
Sprint rocks man, I haven’t paid for a single phone since 04 and have had their best phones, the palm wx and the bb 8830 and the new curve witch is awesome! I can watch cnn and discovery channels and text like a chicken pecker. Internet is fast, andif I have a problem, they fix it or give me a new phone, or once again…another upgrade. Sprint is awesome. I never feel left out with having the phone I have, it does mostly all. I wish it had flash tho.