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Since getting my new BlackBerry Bold 9700 earlier this week I have been living on cloud nine. It's uber fast. The optical trackpad is silky smooth. The 3.2 megapixel camera is noticeably better than the original Bold's and the additional flash memory boosts operating performance considerably. And I've been blown away by the battery life so far -- over 48 hours before needing to charge!!!
With positives oozing out of the device, the only thing that I have had to really come to terms with is how much smaller the new Bold 9700 actually is compared to its big older brother the 9000 (I tried to get the images above close to actual size and scale). And reading through the Bold 9700 forums and talking to other original Bold owners making or looking to make the upgrade to the 9700, it appears I'm not the only one.
When the Bold 9000 came out, I was a Curve user. At the time, I actually griped over the Bold's big size and deemed the size a negative. But over the year and a half following its introduction, I have really grown to LOVE the big-boned Bold. They keyboard is heaven to type on, and that extra 1/4" of width in the screen makes a difference. Plus, the device just looks impressive - the full leather back, the chrome band, the shiny black area above the display.... the Bold 9000 is the luxury SUV of the BlackBerry Smartphone line and when you see it in public it stands out in the crowd. The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is stellar, but it's more of one of these new, smaller, cross-over SUVs. The 9000 was my daily driver for the past few months, and making the switch to the Bold 9700 it now feels like I've gone away from using a Bold to using a Curve again.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Bold 9700. I just hope / wish RIM would also release a same-sized upgrade in the Bold 9000 form factor for all the people out there who appreciate a bigger device with a little extra bling (the 9700 has a more conservative look). Honestly, when I went to the Rogers store Wednesday to buy a 9700 they also had the new Bold 9000 in white on display. If only that white Bold 9000 had 256MB of flash memory and a 3.2 megapixel camera, I would have purchased it over the smaller Bold 9700. The Bold 9700 needs to exist as device (it's awesome!), but it's almost like RIM should have branded it the Curve 3G or something (maybe slapped on a Curve-esque keyboard), then released a bigger device as an update to the Bold more true to the original Bold's heritage. On the other hand, to each his/her own. My girlfriend traded in her Curve 8320 for the Bold 9700 and is head over heels for it. I love the Bold 9700 too... I just can't help but miss the 9000's big keyboard everytime I pick it up.
CrackBerry Poll: Whaddya think? Like your Bold big or small? Cast your vote above!
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Do You Wish the New BlackBerry Bold 9700 Was Bigger? Like Say the Same Size as the Original Bold??
SAN FRANCISCO HERE WE COME!!! Monday kicks off the 2nd Annual BlackBerry Developer Conference and CrackBerry.com will be there in full force. Adam, Bla1ze and myself will be blogging the news, live-blogging the general session, recording podcasts, conducting interviews and doing up some videos if and when applicable. Keep it locked to CrackBerry.com for all sorts of DevCon goodness. This event is about the BlackBerry platform and is for the developers in attendance - don't expect any device announcements during the week (plus the Storm2, Bold 9700 and Curve 8530 have just all been announced in rapid succession), but we're bound to see some cool things get displayed that you won't want to miss.
If you're a developer attending DevCon, reach out to us! We want to meet you over the course of the week and get to know you. Want to say hi to CrackBerry Nation? We'll interview you and feature your app on the blogs! Want to get some tips on how to engage the CrackBerry community to build better apps and promote them? We'll share our experience and give you the do's and don'ts. Definitely do not be shy. If you see us walking, stop us and talk to us. And if you somehow miss us during the day, the odds are good you'll find us at the hotel bar late at night. See you @ DevCon!!
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. CrackBerry Coverage Goes to San Francisco Next Week for the Second Annual BlackBerry Developer Conference!
Entry #17: The Scent of a BlackBerry!
Yup, that's right... the Grand Prize Winner in our I Love My BlackBerry Video Contest is Matt Galo's amazing video production, The Scent of a BlackBerry. If you haven't seen it yet, watch it above and be blown away! For his creativity, efforts, and wicked video, Matt will be taking home a new Macbook (in honor of the launch of BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac), his choice of BlackBerry Storm2 or BlackBerry Bold 9700, and the Schlage LiNK home system!!
Our 1st runner up was our wild card pick, APPLECALYPSE, which drew in a lot voter support, capturing 24% of the vote compared to 26% of the vote for The Scent of a BlackBerry. 2nd place will get Kevin Leung his choice of BlackBerry Bold 9700 or Storm2. From there it was CrackBerry Therapy followed very closely by BlackBerry... A Love Story for third and fourth place respectively, each getting 11% of the votes. You can view the finalist voting breakdown below.
ALL OF OUR FINALISTS Will be receiving some great prizes, including a $50 coupon code for accessories from ShopCrackBerry.com, a free custom battery door cover from Coveroo.com, and a 1-year subscription to both SmrtGuard and Slacker Radio Plus. With the finalists and grand prize winners taken care of, we still have some shout out awards that'll be hitting the blogs over the next few days. To all our participants -- we'll be following up with all of you soon as everybody will be getting prizes (stay tuned for a big thank you to our sponsors post too). BIG CONGRATS go to all our our finalists!
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. And the Winner in the I Love My BlackBerry Video Contest Is....
A few months back Verizon Fios released an application that allows users to control their DVR from a mobile device. The app lets you search, view TV listings, record programs and more. While it was a step in the right direction, I was still frustrated that my cable company, Cablevision, had yet to release their own. Well a few months down the road, Cablevision finally got it together and revealed a web portal that allowed users to control their DVR, and Thursday they finally unveiled a mobile site for doing the same. While not a full featured app (as we could hope for down the road) the mobile site simply lets you see what programs have been recorded, delete them or search for new shows to record. Unfortunately there are no TV listings and you have to search for each program, but its definitely a good start. The service is for Cablevisions iO TV customers (a small few of us I know) and can be reached by logging into your account on your device via optimum.net. View the full press release after the jump.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Remote DVR Access Now Available on BlackBerry Smartphones for Optimum Online and iO Customers
Drum roll please...... and the winning bumper sticker slogan in the Where and Traffic.com Bumper to Bumper Contest is....
I would honk, but I'm on my BlackBerry!
Nice. I guess it's fitting that CrackBerry.com readers would vote the slogan with a BlackBerry theme the highest. You can see the finalist voting results below. This bumper sticker was submitted by chadmd23, who has won himself a new Garmin Nuvi 1390 T. Congrats! Big thanks to Where.com for setting up this contest, and if you haven't already, be sure to check out the Traffic.com Application for your BlackBerry today.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Where and Traffic.com Bumper to Bumper Best Bumper Sticker Slogan Contest Winner Announced!
With the BlackBerry Bold 9700 getting set to launch on a whole lot more carriers around the world, we've taken the time to team up with BlackBerry Emporium in order to being you a contest you are sure to love. Up for grabs is a brand new, unlocked T-Mobile branded BlackBerry 9700 Smartphone as soon as the device becomes readily available. The contest is simple. Leave a comment here on this post stating why you feel as though the BlackBerry Bold 9700 is better then any of the other BlackBerry smartphones released and we'll pick a winner. BIG Thanks to BlackBerry Emporium for offering this up for our readers! Be sure to check their new website out.
[ Contest will run until the T-Mobile 9700 becomes officially available via the T-Mobile website, then a winner will be chosen shortly after. Enter once, duplicate entries will be ignored ]
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. CrackBerry Contest: Win an Unlocked T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9700 From BlackBerry Emporium And CrackBerry!
RoadRunnerGPS is a great app whether your an avid jogger, runner, or just walk your dog each day. It uses your BlackBerry's GPS to give you an in depth summary of your distance traveled, average speed, pace, calories burnt off, and the time it took you to do so. Its built in mapping shows a detailed description of where you are, where you have been, and how you got there. After each trek you can upload all this information to the online server for review. If you're a runner or walker, you know how invaluable it can be to see all your stats, and not having to buy a separate GPS device is a big bonus. RoadRunnerGPS is available via BlackBerry Appworld for $4.99 with a 14 day free trial.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. RoaderRunnerGPS - Analyze Your Walking or Running Workout with your BlackBerry Smartphone
Just bought a new BlackBerry Bold 9700 running the latest and greatest firmware? Well... it is a pretty dang wicked device, but depending what carrier you're picking it up from when it goes on sale, you may not have the latest firmware. Example: Rogers launched the 9700 with 5.0.0.321 while T-Mobile released it with 5.0.0.330. As we head into the weekend, we have OS 5.0.0.344 up for grabs. While this is an evil leaked OS, word is it is the gold candidate build for a couple of the European carriers out there that will soon be releasing the Bold 9700, so it should become "official" soon enough.
*OS Disclaimer - Please Read: Keep in mind this is NOT an official release and as such is not supported by RIM or your Carrier. If you choose to install, do so at your own risk and only if you're comfortable in the process of upgrading and downgrading your device software. It is quite normal during operating system development for certain features to be crippled or disabled while others are tested, and these beta builds often reflect that. They are not always better. Depending on your BlackBerry comfort level, it may be best for you to wait for community feedback on a build before deciding to download and install for yourself or simply wait for the next official release. If you require support, you will find it in our CrackBerry forums via our extremely knowledgeable community base - do not contact your carrier or RIM for Beta OS technical support (their first course of action will be to advise you to downgrade to a supported OS). Follow the links below for more information and instructions. *
- Download OS 5.0.0.344 for Bold 9700 (rapidshare) >>
- Download OS 5.0.0.344 For The Bold 9700 (Mirror)>>
- Instructions: How to Upgrade your BlackBerry's Operating System >>
- Instructions: How to Downgrade your BlackBerry's Operating System >>
- Instructions: Mess things up? Fix a Bricked BlackBerry Here >>
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Leaked: OS 5.0.0.344 for the BlackBerry Bold 9700!
The application Blurts from MLH Software has been released to the public with version 1.0.0.1.
We covered Blurts a few weeks ago when they had put out a call for beta testers in the forums.
If you are like us, you sit in front of a PC most of the day with a BlackBerry in your pocket. Every time it rings you have to dig it out just to see who is calling, and you think to yourself, wouldn't it be nice if the caller ID just popped up on my computer screen so I could see who is calling before going through the trouble to dig it out of my pocket?
Having had the opportunity to personally participate in the beta testing, I can honestly say that this is a very handy app to have, particularly for those who can't pull out their Berry in the middle of class or the office. If you find yourself sitting in front of a computer all day (as a lot of us do) then Blurts is definitely worth checking out. The pro version sells in the CrackBerry Store for $5.99, but is currently on sale until Nov 15th for $4.99.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Blurts Out of Beta - Now Available for Download
A very pleasant November to you all. Can't believe November is here... the holiday 'silly season' is upon us, and it's only a matter of time before we see what RIM has planned for the holidays (besides the Storm2 and Bold 9700 of course!). Getting back to the app scene, here's what I have for you in this weeks' edition of the App Roundup:
In Case You Missed It: BlackBerry App World Updated, Slacker Radio Updated to Version 2.0.91, Elertify, Mobile Auction Manager for eBay
New This Week: Copy2Contact, Bubble Shooter!, My Electrical Calculator, 365 Solitaire Club
Apps on Sale: In Case of Emergency, I Charge Cool, Free Ringtones Maker, Calendar Date, Mobile Checkbook for BlackBerry
Cool at BlackBerry App World: Smarter Than a 5th Grader 2010
Freebie of the Week: Wallpaper Changer Lite
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry App Roundup for November 6th, 2009!
Hmm... this is interesting. Just yesterday we told you about DreamTheme's new offering of PrimeThemes, DreamTones and StillScreens. I was just clicking through App World catalogue this morning to see if there was any new apps on the BlackBerry scene and lo and behold, I stumbled onto a few of DreamTheme's new PrimeThemes! These are standard themes, built with the Plazmic CDK.
We've been hearing that RIM will soon announce support for themes in App World (at least to RIM ISV partners who pay the annual fee and assure RIM they are only using content they own the rights to in their themes). This is either a little slip up -- maybe naming it PrimeTheme and throwing in a few extra wallpapers was all it took to get past QA and into App World -- or maybe this is just the first of themes to show up. I guess time will reveal all.
In the meantime, if you haven't loaded it up on your device yet, be sure to grab the new CrackBerry Theme Store. It's full of free and paid themes from all developers who choose to include their collections there (no fees to developers).
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Themes Now Showing Up In App World?!
Seems as though RIM is not only flooding the market with new BlackBerry smartphones but now also getting in the habit of relaunching old devices, just with new paintjobs. First we saw the BlackBerry Bold 9000 arrive in white on AT&T and Rogers (more carriers coming) but now we are getting a look at the BlackBerry Curve 8900 in white.
BGR didn't have any details on release date or anything along those lines but at least we get a glimpse at it. What do you all think? A lot of folks loved the white BlackBerry Bold 9000, so who is on board for a white BlackBerry Curve 8900?
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Curve 8900 In White Coming To AT&T?!?
A few days ago we covered a story that was posted on the Inside BlackBerry Blog. RIM had posted that they would be answering questions regarding BlackBerry App World and clearing up some unanswered questions about the application. After some issues with the blog not accepting questions being submitted another post went up yesterday, the second half. In it you'll find some common questions but one specifically may peak everyone's interest.
"Why won't BlackBerry App World work with my leaked OS?"
While I appreciate the power user's need to have the latest and greatest, you are using something that has not been publically released or fully tested, and of course has not been approved for use. You should only use the latest released OS for your BlackBerry smartphone - available from your carrier or at BlackBerry.com - and we think you'll find that everything will run smoothly on finalized (read: public) product.
A relevant question. But that answer doesn't really sit so well with me and probably not many others out there. It sounds as though running a leaked OS is the cause for all things not working right? But..Umm..how can this be? Considering some of the issues we have seen with officially released OS' on devices these days, we as users certainly know what was said is NOT the truth here. We could start off with themes not working (9530), media player bugs, menu system errors (9700) and the list really does go on and that folks, is the truth. Keep reading.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Does An Official BlackBerry OS Update Correct All Problems? RIM Seems To Think So
DreamTheme entered the BlackBerry personalization scene at the end of last year with their truly unique LiveScreen offerings. They have now extended their offerings further into the personalization space with what they are calling "PrimeThemes", built using the Plazmic Toolkit so you get the interface and navigation you expect, along with the customized icons and high caliber aesthetic DreamTheme is known for. With their new "DreamTones" apps they have also entered the ringtone pack space with some cool sounds. The DreamTones app is a small app you install that gives you access to over 20 professionally recorded track segments you can then save as a ringtone. The 6 DreamTone products they have started off with cover a broad range of genres to span most tastes and they claim that more will be coming regularly. To complete their full Personalization offering they have also launched "StillScreens" -- an offering of themed wallpapers of outstanding quality.
DreamTheme seems to be committed to a full service personalization model and have bundled all of these products, from all 4 of their product lines, into a personalization package called "Ultimate Dreaming" that will be available at a deep discount for a limited time at www.dreamtheme.com. We will be reviewing some of the individual products and collections in more detail in the next few weeks, but wanted to let everyone know that these guys are serious about being category captains in the personalization space.
DreamTheme Contest: The folks at DreamTheme love their BlackBerrys too, so they're going to be giving all of our finalists and "shout out" winners in the I Love My BlackBerry contest a free Ultimate Dreaming package. As for everybody else reading this -- check out the site and leave a comment to this post letting us know exactly which PrimeTheme or DreamTones or StillScreens you'd like to have on your BlackBerry. 5 lucky winners will get their pick!
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. DreamTheme Now Offering PrimeThemes and More for BlackBerry Smartphones!
You didn't think it was only Verizon that would be getting the BlackBerry Curve 8530, did you? Sprint users looking to get there hands on the new Curve can sign up now to be notified of its release, which we'd imagine is coming soon... no pricing and release date have been announced just yet. Oh, and in case you don't like the Royal Purple color pictured above, it also comes in black.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Sprint Announces the BlackBerry Curve 8530 Smartphone
By Purchasing From ShopCrackBerry.com You Help Support This Site.
A BIG Thank You Goes to All of Our Loyal Customers!
The BlackBerry Charging Pod is one of those absolute must-have BlackBerry accessories. In fact, it is such a must-have that many BlackBerry users order them in pairs of two, so they can keep one in the bedroom on the night stand and another on their office desk for daytime use. The BlackBerry Charging pod is now shipping for both the Storm2 and Bold 9700 for $24.95 - that's $5 less than the MSRP.
With the BlackBerry Storm2 and Bold 9700 out on the market, you can now order your Storm2 accessories and Bold 9700 accessories straight from CrackBerry.com. Keep in mind that if you upgraded to one of these devices from the original Storm or Bold that many accessories, including the original Storm and Bold charging pod, will not be compatible. Be sure to choose your device model on the selector tool to see only compatible accessories.
The ShopCrackBerry.com Advantage: You can order everything at once! The ShopCrackBerry.com store offers a huge selection of accessories for your BlackBerry. Instead of hunting down and individually shipping accessories from different vendors, you can put everything into one basket and pay for shipping once from a company you trust. Our 30-day money back guarantee and dedicated customer support team ensure you'll always be satisified. Learn more about ShopCrackBerry.com here.
- More Info / Purchase the BlackBerry Charging Pod for the Storm2 >>
- More Info / Purchase the BlackBerry Charging Pod for the Bold 9700 >>
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Now Shipping: BlackBerry Charging Pod for the BlackBerry Storm2 and BlackBerry Bold 9700!
Given the recent ad campaign of Verizon, and AT&T's subsequent lawsuit, iblipped could not have better timing. The application is totally free, an essentially creates real carrier coverage maps based on user data. IT gathers data based on signal strength and dead zones, and compiles the data to create real coverage maps. iBlipped uses volunteered data, so the more people that use it the better. It works on any GPS enabled device, both GSM or CDMA.
Calling up Blips, you start out seeing a page that is acquiring sattelites. Pressing the Blackberry Button yeilds the options menu. Allowing you to set options such as recording mode, either Distance (good for driving) or time (good for walking). When you are done collecting your data, press the blackberry button, then press upload files. Pressing the end button sends the Blips program to the background where it continues to collect data while you go about your travels. Your data will show on our maps within 24 hours (but usually overnight if you get your files in before 9pm). So if you are going across town or across country, iBlipped.com needs your help to succeed.
I think this is a very cool app, especially for free, that over time will provide a great deal of data that could help improve networks.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. iblipped App Shows Real Carrier Coverage Maps
The interwebs have been filling up with review coverage of the BlackBerry Bold 9700, which is now beginning to roll out to carriers around the globe (you'll need to check to see if your carrier has it yet). With so much content out there, and even CrackBerry.com doing up multiple reviews, I figured a little roundup of some links would be useful. And for those who have bought one already, how do you do like it? Sound off in the comments!
- CrackBerry Reviews: Kevin | Adam | Craig | Bla1ze | Member Reactions >>
- Blog / Tech Pub Reviews: Engadget | Gizmodo | BGR | PhoneScoop | Pocket Berry | Laptop Mag | infoSync | Washington Post | PC Mag | cnet | G-Style | more reviews? post the url in the comments!
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Bold 9700 Review Roundup
Sergey emailed me about his latest app Fancy Shake, and it made me laugh a bit. I had a vision of every Storm user shaking their device to answer and Storms flying through windows and into walls. Fancy Shake gives you the option to answer incmoing calls just by shaking your device, and you can also silence and reject calls by flipping your device over. You can choose any combination of shaking and flipping, and can even adjust the sensitivity. Fancy Shake is on sale in the CrackBerry App Store for $1.99 through November 8th. We have 200 copies to give away. Just leave a comment on this post to enter. Contest ends this Sunday at Midnight PST.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Fancy Shake Lets You Answer Calls By Shaking Your Storm - 200 Copies to Give Away
Have trouble sleeping? Just need to relax? Ambiance combines sound and pictures to do just this. After purchasing the app you can download over 550 environments, which include both sound and image, from its free online store. Ambiance also has a fully customizable alarm clock which lets you fall asleep as one sound fades out, and awake as another fades back in at the time of your choosing. Other features include dimming of your screen, marking sounds as favorites and even integration of your devices library. With the online store being updated every week, you are sure to find the right environments for you.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Ambiance for BlackBerry Smartphones Helps You Focus, Relax or Fall Asleep
So it turns out there are no dumb BlackBerrys, just occassionally dumb BlackBerry users which apparently I am one of! If you saw my BlackBerry Bold 9700 unboxing video yesterday or the follow-up tip, you may have noticed I ran into some issues with getting the battery door cover off the thing. It wasn't the device... just me.
Watch the video above. It's actually DEAD EASY and requires very little effort to remove the battery door. You just need to use the right technique and apply a little pressure in the right place. This is obviously the way it was designed to be done...I just somehow missed that message. Maybe it's common sense to other people, but yeah.. errr.. my bad. Lesson learned. Enjoy the video. And if by chance you run into any new BlackBerry Bold 9700 owners struggling with their battery (it'll make me feel better about myself if I'm not the only one out there who had a mental lapse) then show them the proper technique and tell them you saw it on CrackBerry.com. Not mentioning this topic again! LOL :)
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. PROPER BlackBerry Bold 9700 Battery Cover Removal!
The title says it all. Today is the final day to vote in the I Love My BlackBerry video contest. From 80 awesome entries, the judges picked out nine finalists, the community picked out one, adding up to 10 wicked videos for you to watch and pick your favorite from.
There are awesome prizes for the grand prize winner and runner-up (and good prizes for everybody else still), but if you want your voice heard you need to vote, Vote VOTE!!!! If you haven't seen all the finalist vids yet, you can click the image above to watch them all. And you can cast your vote there or below. Good luck to everyone!!
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. iluvmybb contest - Last Day to Vote for your Favorite Video!
Ha! So it's not the Curve2. Looks like all that crazy Curve2 talk and Curve2 promotional material was just VZW being a little overzealous in branding the Curve themselves (in reality you'd think it should be the Curve 8550 now that it has WiFi). Whatever the case, Verizon has gone ahead and announced the BlackBerry Curve 8530 Smartphone. It goes on sale November 20th and will be $99 after a $100 mail-in rebate. GPS, Trackpad, WiFi... it's a nice little device. If you haven't yet, be sure to read our BlackBerry Curve 8530 Review.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Verizon Announces the BlackBerry Curve 8530 Smartphone
After many months of waiting impatiently for the BlackBerry Bold to even just be announced officially, we finally have reached launch day in Canada for it. Rogers wireless was the first to get it out the door here in Canada. Launch went fairly well with the exception of in store availablity. Most stores are still getting their shipments in but customer service will gladly process an order for you with 2-5 days for shipping. I ordered mine the day of release and had it delivered the very next day. Good on Rogers for that, but I'd have much preferred to go to a local dealer and have it the day it showed up on the Rogers website.
We've had a look at the BlackBerry Bold 9700 a few times now and not much has changed from the pre release devices pending on how far back you want to go. We have seen the device go from showing up pre-release with a trackball to now sporting a very responsive trackpad. Follow along and let's have a look at the officially released Rogers version of the new BlackBerry Bold 9700
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Rogers BlackBerry Bold 9700 Review
While Kevin, Chris and Adam are concentrating on the hardware and consumer aspects of the Bold 9700, I'll be reviewing the device through the eyes of a corporate BlackBerry user. If you are someone who already has a BlackBerry and is wondering if they should upgrade to the Bold 9700 when it is released.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Bold 9700 Business User Review
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 takes all of the great BlackBerry features from recent devices, as well as some new flair, and packs a punch that some will argue is the best BlackBerry yet. With an excellent combination of size, a great keyboard, trackpad navigation and BlackBerry OS 5.0, the 9700 is a force to be reckoned with. The device is perfect for both business users and consumers. Those who are new to BlackBerry will have no problem adjusting to the new device as the OS 5.0 improvements keep getting better and better. Here we'll take a look at the best features of the device, and check out the BlackBerry OS including standard features as well as the latest OS 5.0 upgrades.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Bold 9700 First Impressions
If you've been wanting to see how the BlackBerry Bold 9700 stacks up against its BlackBerry brothers and sisters (you can fight in the comments to which is which! lol) then you'll want to check out this one-take, no excuses video. I size up the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and from there we compare it to the BlackBerry Bold 9000, Curve 8900, Tour, Curve 8520, Pearl Flip, Storm2 and more...
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 really is an amazing little device. Components-wise, it represents the best of everything Research in Motion currently offers in a smartphone, and it packs it all into an extremly tight and lightweight package. The ultimate communication tool!
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Bold 9700 Video Overview
So this isn't a good tip. Instead, watch this video for how the PROPER Way To Remove the Battery Door on a BlackBerry Bold 9700.
* Update: OOOoooo... Read the comments to this post. There's an even better way to get the cover off (probably the intended way) but I just didn't know it. Never use phones other than BBs so just didn't now. I'll make a new video tomorrow showing the correct method. It's really easy. My bad. *
So if you watched my BlackBerry Bold 9700 unboxing video, you saw me run into some issues trying to get the battery door off not one, but two BlackBerry Bold 9700s. Since unboxing it, I've spoken to a few people who have 9700s. A couple had the same issues, a couple didn't. So maybe some have the natural technique, or maybe some units are simply a bit tighter with the tolerances than others.
Regardless, if when you buy your BlackBerry Bold 9700 you find the battery door doesn't come off easily, simply follow the instructions in this video. Lie it flat on a table, and push down and slide. It seems to do the trick vs. holding it in the air and squeezing and and twisting and everything else. This method is simple, safe and it works. Not as easy as some battery BlackBerry doors, but the design holds the cover on tight and doesn't show off any sort of hinges or clasps or anything. Very clean and smooth. So no complaints here!
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Video Tip: How to Remove the Battery Door from a BlackBerry Bold 9700 if it Does Not Want to Come Off Easily
Another new BlackBerry hits the market, and another new BlackBerry unboxing video hits the blogs. That's the way it goes. It's a ritual. With the BlackBerry Bold 9700 now starting to roll out around the world, it's time we officially unbox this baby. Just to spice things up in true CrackBerry fashion, in this video I actually unbox not one, but two brand new units; one from T-Mobile and the other purchased straight from a Rogers dealer.
As you can see in the video, things were going relatively smooth for me until it came time to remove the battery door. I'm not sure what the heck was going on at first, but with both devices this normally simple task turned into a bit of a nightmare (I literally cut out five minutes of cursing from the video). Tight tolerances for sure. Eventually I got the hang of it (check out this video tip) and the movement freed up a bit. At least I don't think we'll be hearing any complaints of loose battery doors anytime soon.
It's not the best nor most informative nor most engaging unboxing video out there, but if you've been waiting for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 to get released or are contemplating picking one up, then you'll definitely want to watch.
CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Bold 9700 Unboxing Video
Hands-On Review of Research in Motion's BlackBerry Bold 9700 Smartphone...
Whenever I write a review for a new BlackBerry Smartphone, it tends to turn into a 6,000+ word novel. Not this time. For one, Chris, Adam and Craig are all writing their impressions of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 too, each coming at it from a slightly different user perspective. Between us there will be no shortage of Bold 9700 coverage on the blogs. Also, I did a pretty thorough job of covering the BlackBerry "onyx" back in May when we showed everybody what the new BlackBerry Bold 9700 would look like. But most importantly and to the point, this is just an easy BlackBerry to write about. It's a straight forward story about an all-around stellar device.
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is simply the best of everything that Research in Motion currently offers in a smartphone, wrapped into a tight package. I'm sure there will be some Bold 9000 owners out there who may prefer the styling and bigger keyboard/screen size of the original Bold over the smaller and arguably more conservative 9700, but the 9700 meets or exceeds the 9000 on the features and specs sheet in areas that count: more memory, bettery camera and gone is the trackball in favor of the ohhh sooo slickkk optical trackpad. The BlackBerry Bold 9700 really is the pinnacle of the "traditional" BlackBerry Smartphone experience.
Read on For Photos, Video and First Impressions of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 >>
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