Ever since Research in Motion started giving BlackBerry’s names going back to the BlackBerry Pearl, it has taken a week or so for the name to settle in and start to sound natural to me. BlackBerry Pearl, BlackBerry Curve, and even the yet to be released BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry KickStart just kind of role off the tongue after you say them a few times. BlackBerry Thunder, on the other hand, just isn’t working for me.
This is just one man’s opinion so take it with a grain of salt, however, BlackBerry Thunder is about as ridiculous a name for a mobile phone that I’ve heard. It sounds more like power tool or something.
“The Black & Decker Thunder… The most powerful electric leaf blower money can buy…”
I certainly hope that BlackBerry Thunder is just the code name and that RIM will come up with something a bit more eloquent. Like they named the 8100 the Pearl after the trackball introduced on the BlackBerry Pearl, the BlackBerry 9500 should be named after the touch screen it will introduce.
Where’dya get that photo? Another mock-up?
Actually someone emailed it to me but i am going to venture that it was at some point on cellfanatic.com because of their mast at the bottom. I am not sure where it originated.
Yeah, I saw the watermark, but couldn’t read past the “cellfan” part.
As it stands, I don’t have a problem with the name. “Thunder” is no better or worse than “Pearl” or “Bold,” IMO. To 99% of the people I talk to, I’ll just refer to it as “my BlackBerry” anyway.
I have to wonder if RIM’s marketing department was thinking something like “We’ll call it ‘Thunder’ ’cause by leaking a touchscreen BB before WWDC, we’ll be stealing Apple’s thunder regarding the new iPhone Exchange support! Get it? Clever, right? Anyone?”
Sounds more like a energy drink name to me… “Drink Blackberry Thunder!”
how about the ‘BlackBerry NoQWERTY’? 😛
Although this mockup is better the most we’ve seen, it definitely is fake. Why would you need four buttons at the bottom if the thing has a touch screen?
I agree the photo is probably fake, but I don’t think the four keys necessarily make it so. There are a number of current touchscreen devices that still have one or more “hard” keys.
Maybe the could take a page from LG and call it the Blackberry Chocolate Thunder.
Maybe it will have a vibratory feedback feature. Like when you touch it, it let’s your finges know what’s going on.
Personally, I don’t have a problem with the name. I’m sure it’s part of some marketing campaign that they have planned. Similar to how Motorola did the RAZR Black with AC/DC’s ‘Back in Black’. Perhaps RIM is going with AC/DC’s ‘Thunder’ song and showing it off on a commercial blitz (I can see it now…pretty catchy). If I had to pick a silly name for a phone, I’d say the Curve is. Yippee, the edges are curved, hence the name? Comon’. Someone in marketing can do better than that.
@ rab
Or how about the Blackberry Darryl Dawkins. 🙂
I can see the BB now, rotating on the TV screen, showing off its features as AC/DC plays their tune in the background, chanting ‘Thunder’. Yeah…I can see it.
guys, i have a question. Im thinking of buying a curve 8320 (wifi). Im still buying it, even if the response is “true”. But i still want to know…
Does RIM blocks the browser from accessing websites if i dont have the ISP data plan included? Meaning i buy the phone and use the wifi at my home without data plan, will i still be able to access let’s say rimarkable.com, google.com, amazon.com ?
Not on Wifi they can’t block it. You’re picking up the site from your router (or any other wireless connection for that matter which is providing the feed). RIM can’t block that. You’d be able to access various web sites. When you’re out of range of wifi, then you’d need to subscibe to the internet plan to access those same sites.
While I am convinced that RIM/Vzw were the ones that originally leaked info on the Thunder, I think they really ought to “officially” announce something before WWDC.
As of now, I don’t think that rumors and vaporware are going to deflect much attention from the iPhone w/Exchange announcement that will likely take place on the 9th.
blackberry thunder sounds awesome.
“Chocolate Rain” has a nice ring to it.
I agree with Rob that the name is not right for the device. Hope it is a code name. Whatever the name, let them just release the thing so I can trade in my “old” 8830. Which, by the way, has changed my life.