BlackBerry Curve 9360 vs Nokia Lumia 710

Nokia's Lumia 710 is the second device to emerge from the Finns coalition with CEO Stephen Elop's ex-employers Microsoft, and the device is looking a shoo-in to be as successful as its big-brother, the Lumia 800.The Lumia 710's competition is the newly reinvigorated Curve 9360 from BlackBerry. A device which packs in plenty of features that RIM used to reserve for the top of the line Bold-class smartphones. But does this new Curve have what it takes to best a new, touchscreen only device?SoftwareStraight out of the traps it's easy to see how the Nokia Lumia 710 benefits from the Windows Phone 7.5 OS. It's fast, slick, offers almost every feature imaginable and looks the part too.The new iteration of the OS, version 7.5 (Mango), adds plenty...

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Android gains ground from BlackBerry in latest US mobile comScore figures

The outlook has been grim for RIM’s BlackBerry platform for some time, and new figures out today from comScore add to the gloom. The data company’s report, looking at mobile market share in the US in October 2011, shows BlackBerry dropping 4.5 percentage points in terms of share of smartphone subscribers since July, dropping to 17.2% of the market. Meanwhile, Google’s Android has gained 4.4 percentage points, extending its lead with 46.3%. Apple saw a modest gain rising 1 percentage point to 28.1%. Meanwhile, Microsoft and Symbian’s market shares by platform both saw modest 0.3 percentage point declines in the three months up to October. There was little change in terms of manufacturer market share though. Samsung held steady at the...

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BlackBerry Mobile Fusion manages corporate assets on Android

RIM is having a tough time right now. They’re being squeezed from the top with iOS and from the bottom (well, bottom, top, sides and everywhere else) with Android. But the BlackBerry hardware is only part of RIM’s overall business, and they’re making a major effort to expand even more into the corporate services space. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will allow IT managers to access and control company assets on BlackBerry, Android and iOS devices, essentially making the existing Enterprise Server cross-platform. Managing a workforce that increasingly relies on mobile hardware isn’t easy when there’s dozens of different configurations to customize. But as long as employees stick to a late model BlackBerry, Android Froyo or Gingerbread or...

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Android continues to gain market share in U.S. while Blackberry OS continues to dwindle

comScore released their latest U.S. smartphone market share report, and as expected, Android continues to dominate. During the 3-month period ending in August, 2011, 84.5 million people owned smartphones in the U.S., a 10% increase from the previous 3-month period. During the 3-month period ending in August, Android’s OS market share increased by 5 percentage points to control 43.7 percent of the smartphone market in the U.S. Apple came in second with 27.3 percent of U.S. smartphone market, an increase of 0.7 percent from the previous period. While Apple and Google gained market share, RIM on the other hand didn’t do so good. Overall, Blackberry OS saw a decline in market share by dropping to 19.7 percent, a 5 percent decrease from...

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Leaked screens of BBM for Android surface

One of the things about Blackberry devices that is most liked by users is the Blackberry Messenger service. If you are an Android user that used to have a Blackberry that may well be the only thing you really miss from the Blackberry. Apparently, that BBM service is heading to Android devices and will let you get back on BBM if you want.TechRadar has landed what are supposedly the first screenshots of the BBM on Android to surface. The port from Blackberry to Android has been rumored in the past, but this is the first time screen shots have surfaced. BBM for Android is expected to land in 2012. The screen shots show the BBM icon on the Android home page of the device in the photos.The other screen shot shows the contract profile page....

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BlackBerry Curve 9350 reportedly delayed until October

Sprint is moving the launch of the BlackBerry Curve 9350 smartphone back by a month, according to Phone Arena’s sources. The company has reportedly sent out an internal memo to employees informing them of the change of plans. RIM unveiled the BlackBerry Curve 9350 in August this year and the phone was set to be launched on Friday. The phone has a non-touchscreen 2.44-inch screen with a resolution of 360×480 pixels and a 5-megapixel camera. It is expected to be priced at $80 with a two-year contract with Sprint. The memo seems to have given no reason for the delay.Engadg...

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Verizon gets official with BlackBerry Torch 9850 launch date and pricing

No more waiting on details for the Verizon BlackBerry Torch 9850 we spotted earlier this summer. As expected, RIM’s latest all-touch smartphone will be available online starting on September 8, and will be in stores on September 15. Pricing will sit at $199.99 on a two-year contract, which is a bit pricier than what Sprint’s asking, but I’m sure that cost will go down quickly enough. The BlackBerry Torch 9850 lines up with the other new OS 7 devices from RIM, packing a 1.2 GHz processor, 768 MB of RAM, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p video recording, a solid 3.7-inch 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen. Augmented reality is finally a go on the newer devices, but this one doesn’t have NFC, and the rumoured inclusion of mobile...

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BlackBerry App World 3.0 now available

RIM has released BlackBerry App World 3.0 for its smartphone users. The redesigned front-end for the company's store has been crafted to make it easier to find applications, games and themes, with each category getting its own channel. Other new features include App Social Sharing, an option to tell friends about a newly discovered application through BBM, Twitter, Facebook, email or SMS, straight from the app's screen; My Account, offering direct access to account information from the home screen, thereby making it easier to manage BBID and payment options; An evolved App Details screen, which now presents a?quick summary, screenshots and star ratings, and allows the user to check out reviews; And there are improved search options,...

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Nielsen: Android takes 40% of U.S. smartphone market in July; iOS flat, RIM down a point

Google’s Android platform gained once again during the three-month period ending in July, increasing it’s share by 1% over second-quarter totals to grab 40% of the U.S. smartphone market. Apple’s iOS stayed flat at 28% and RIM’s BlackBerry OS lost one point from June-quarter figures to fall to 19%. Windows Mobile and Windows Phone combined to take 8% of the market — with Windows Phone responsible for just 1% on its own — and the ghost of smartphone operating systems past is now buried somewhere in the “Other” category. Nielsen also notes that 40% of mobile phone users between May and July of this year owned smartphones, and Android topped iOS in the firm’s survey of which smartphone platform users intend to buy next. From “innovators”...

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Carriers seeking an alternative to Apple, Google may turn back to BlackBerry

Research In Motion will benefit in the near term from the ongoing launch of its new BlackBerry 7 smartphones, which are being described as the vendor’s strongest devices in some time. Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu upgraded his rating on RIM stock to Buy from Neutral, increasing his price target to $35 from $28. Wu sees near-term opportunity in RIM, and he thinks new BlackBerry handsets like the Bold 9900 will be well received. ”The key differences this time include a refined user interface and improved hardware including faster processors, better graphics and displays as well as better build quality with its greater use of premium materials,” Wu wrote on Friday. “The company recently launched the new Bold 9900 and Torch 9810 and we...

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Android Copyright Found Inside Leaked BlackBerry OS 7 – But Why?

A leaked copy of BlackBerry OS 7 (7.0.0.353 to be exact) has been making its way around the internets and someone with a very keen perception to detail, actually took the time to read through the copyrights found within. What did they find? Well, apparently RIM felt the need to give credit to the Android Open Source Project. Wait- what?Now, let me stop you right there. Don’t confuse BlackBerry OS 7 for the QNX OS running on the BlackBerry Playbook. They are entirely different operating systems and I know this would make a lot more sense if BB OS 7 was QNX seeing how its been long announced that it will feature the ability to play Android apps via a handy app player.So what exactly is going on here? No one knows for certain. Its obvious...

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RIM unveils BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 smartphones

Continuing on its peculiar path for BlackBerry 7 device announcements, RIM finally took the wraps off three new additions to its Curve smartphone line in the middle of the night. The BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 smartphones, like the Curve models that came before them, take the best of what RIM has to offer and stuff it into an affordable package that sheds the bells and whistles. Spec highlights include RIM’s slimmest Curve design ever, GPS and Wi-Fi support, 5-megapixel cameras and the BlackBerry 7 OS. ”These new models will build on the incredible success of the BlackBerry Curve line and further expand the largest global launch of BlackBerry smartphones in our history,” said RIM Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis in a statement. “The...

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Android, iOS gain U.S. market share in Q2 while BlackBerry slides, NPD says

Android’s lead in the U.S. smartphone market was extended further in the second quarter of 2011 according to leading market research firm The NPD Group. The firm on Monday released its second-quarter Mobile Phone Track report, which shows that Android devices accounted for 52% of smartphones sold in the U.S. last quarter. Apple’s iOS-powered iPhone showed slight gains in the second quarter as well, representing 29% of smartphone sales. RIM’s BlackBerry platform slid in the quarter according to NPD, dropping to an 11% share of the U.S. smartphone market, while Windows Phone 7, Windows Mobile and webOS sales were flat at less than 5% each. NPD also believes that Google’s planned acquisition of Motorola Mobility will not deter its major...

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Sprint’s BlackBerry Bold 9930 just $199.99 online

Sprint has never been known to follow convention. While other carriers are milking heavy data users for as much as possible, for example, Sprint is standing strong and maintaining its unlimited data plans for as long as possible. Another example: Sprint announced the BlackBerry Bold 9930 last week, stating that it would charge customers $249.99 on contract for the device. The nation’s No. 3 carrier made the device available on Sunday as promised, but the phone is actually priced lower online than Sprint announced; just $199.99 will score you RIM’s latest flagship smartphone from Sprint’s online shop. Oddly, the same $200 can also land you an old Bold 9650 if you have an aversion to touchscreens and gorgeous hardware. Sprint’s Torch...

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HTC ChaCha vs BlackBerry Bold 9780

We see how the HTC ChaCha stacks up against RIM’s BlackBerry Bold 9870We see if HTC’s ChaCha can take on RIM at its own game against the BlackBerry Bold 9870.Form:HTC ChaCha - 114.4 x 64.6 x 10.7mm, 120gBlackBerry Bold 9780 - 109 x 60 x 14mm, 122gThe BlackBerry Bold looks pretty tidy to us, it’s very elegantly put together with the square-keyed Qwerty being compact but not clumsy.It’s a lot more angular than many BlackBerry phones but we think it works rather well with the ‘Messenger’ phone aesthetic and compliments the broad design.We’re not fans of the ChaCha’s design which appears very spaced out and almost cartoonish.The upper part of the phone is angled away from the lower part where the keyboard sits, lending a very odd look to...

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HTC ChaCha vs Blackberry Curve 8520

We see if HTC’s ChaCha can be outdone by the BlackBerry Curve 8520A budget messenger comparison between the old BlackBerry Curve 8520 and the new HTC ChaChaForm:HTC ChaCha - 114.4 x 64.6 x 10.7mm, 120gBlackBerry Curve 8520 - 109 x 60 x 13.9mm, 106gThe BlackBerry Curve is a remarkably compact and lightweight device, although the ChaCha is the thinner of the two phones.The compactness lends itself very well to the otherwise fairly standardised BlackBerry design.With the screen above the fixed Qwerty keyboard and a fairly short, squat frame BlackBerry’s can sometimes have a tendency to look a little odd, but when the whole thing is downsized it works very well.The keyboard is nicely laid out with neat and interesting lozenge shaped keys.The...

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BlackBerry Bold 9900 vs HTC ChaCha

RIM’s BlackBerry Bold 9900 takes on HTC’s ChaChaWe see how well HTC’s ChaCha competes against BlackBerry’s latest Bold 9900.Form:We just can’t think of anything nice to say about the HTC ChaCha’s visuals. It’s difficult to imagine what HTC’s design department was thinking to be honest.It’s got a peculiar design - the lower part of the phone, where the fixed Qwerty keyboard is housed, juts forward at a funny angle from the upper part, where the screen sits.The result is this oddly broken profile which reminds us of those dedicated, battery driven handheld games devices you used to be able to buy from Woolworths, back when it existed.The BlackBerry Bold 9900 looks more or less like a conventional BlackBerry handset with its smallish screen,...

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BlackBerry Bold 9900 vs Nokia E6

We see how Nokia’s E6 compares to the BlackBerry Bold 9900 in the ‘messenger phone’ stakes.Can Nokia take on RIM at its own game? We find out as the BlackBerry Bold 9900 squares up to the Nokia E6.Form:BlackBerry Bold 9900 - 115 x 66 x 10.5mm, 130gNokia E6 - 115.5 x 59 x 10.5 mm, 133gVisually both phones follow the same design ethos, inspired by RIM’s original BlackBerry devices.In each case a relatively small screen sits atop a fixed Qwerty keyboard in the middle of a squat, broad handset design.The difference comes where the BlackBerry sports more softened and curved edges, while the Nokia has a much harder and more chiselled feel.Although they are more or less the same in overall size, the Nokia has slightly narrower proportions and...

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No Android Apps or Flash Support for Blackberry 7

TweetMost of us remember the hype surrounding RIM’s BlackBerry Playbook and how it’s QNX OS would allow users to load Android apps for use on the tablet. I know how excited some of my developer friends were about this possible new prospect. Given the similarities between Android’s Dalvik VM and RIM’s Java based system it seemed like an easy transition. However, the Playbook was eventually released without the touted Android capabilities to many people’s dismay.Fast forward to today where RIM announced the details of their new BlackBerry 7 OS and although many hoped it would offer some core features from the QNX operating system (Android app compatibility?) – it fell short. RIM officially confirmed today that there will be no Android...

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BlackBerry Enterprise Solution coming to Android and iOS

Tweet Research In Motion (RIM) is making a bold move in that it plans on brining the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution (BES) to Android and iOS later this year.Pending completion of the acquisition, Ubitexx’s ubi-Suite software for device management will be integrated with the management and security controls of BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express. This will support Android and iOs devices and tablets. This is in response to demand from enterprise customers for multi-platform support for BES.This cannot be a surprise to anyone. RIM has already announced that the Playbook will support Android apps. This smartphone war is now between Google and Apple and RIM needed to do something before they lose more...

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