BlackBerry 9800 Torch launched.

[DivideBYZero]

Available August 12th @$199 x 24mo.

Here is the AT&T page:

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/blackberry-torch.jsp?wtSlotClick=1-003R0S!CIHPM01V213DMAINDASANMCKS-1-1&rel=nofollow

Out of all the info and Specs coming out of the press conference right now one stood out for me:

- WiFi music sync. Nice!!

- The third dimension is to make it easier to create applications. We've added a Webkit browser with HTML5 support -- now you can make apps with HTML5 and CSS, and distribute them through App World. These apps aren't limited to the typical restraints of a web browser -- they can run in the background, access files and media on the device, leverage location-based services, get notifications, and much much more.

More to come.

Engadget live blog:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/03/live-from-rim-and-atandamp-ts-blackberry-torch-event/

 

[webdave]

Available August 12th.

Here is the AT&T page:

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/blackberry-torch.jsp?wtSlotClick=1-003R0S!CIHPM01V213DMAINDASANMCKS-1-1&rel=nofollow

Out of all the info and Specs coming out of the press conference right now one stood out for me:

- WiFi music sync. Nice!!

More to come.

Engadget live blog:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/03/live-from-rim-and-atandamp-ts-blackberry-torch-event/

Resolution is disappointing. I'm not a fan of sliders and IMO the device is not attractive at all. Hopefully it isn't plagued by hardware slider issues like the Pre/Pre Plus.

WiFi media sync is nice.

Hopefully they got rid of the poor zomming/panning performance in the new browser.

 

[DivideBYZero]

If you're talking abiout the very early webkit videos, then yeah, the pinch to zoom is now fluid and smooth. Those early leaks were on very old code.

 

[Deeko]

I'm a big fan of portrait sliders, this looks pretty nice. If I weren't waiting on the hope of the Dell Lightning being real I'd consider picking this up.

 

[webdave]

DividebyZero have you heard if OS6 supports Outlook Calendar categories? For the life of me I don't understand why this hasn't been implemented yet. Contacts and Tasks fully support Outlook categories but the calendar never has. I just don't understand why this is.

 

[Anubis]

I'm a big fan of portrait sliders, this looks pretty nice. If I weren't waiting on the hope of the Dell Lightning being real I'd consider picking this up.

yea i think it looks fine and i know a lot of BB fans who are really going to want this as most of them hate onscreen keyboards and dislike the flip out/sideways slider ones like the droid

 

[Deeko]

I agree with webdave about the resolution, though, 480x360 is a bit lackluster these days.

 

[hanoverphist]

I agree with webdave about the resolution, though, 480x360 is a bit lackluster these days.

my omnia has the same size screen at 400X320, id love the higher res screen

i do like the idea of a portrait slider, and this one doesnt look too bad.



(and seriously, compared to whats available for screens these days, that size screen just seems way too small anymore)

 

[webdave]

OS6 is confirmed for the Bold but not for the Storm 2.

BlackBerry 6 will debut on the new BlackBerry® Torch™ smartphone (announced today) available from AT&T on August 12 and it is also designed to run on select BlackBerry smartphones already in market. Subject to carrier certifications in the months ahead, the new OS is expected to be available for the BlackBerry® Bold™ 9700, BlackBerry® Bold™ 9650 and BlackBerry® Pearl™ 3G, as well as future BlackBerry smartphones.

 

[SLCentral]

Any word on off-contract pricing? $199 for new contract probably means $599 for out-of-contract?

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Any word on off-contract pricing? $199 for new contract probably means $599 for out-of-contract?

$499

http://www.dailytech.com/BlackBerry...+Available+August+12+for+199/article19247.htm

According to information AT&T just sent us, the phone will be priced at $199 with a two-year contract and $499 with no commitment. The Torch will be available to customers on August 12.

 

[JS80]

lol that's it? RIP RIMM.

 

[webdave]

Ugh. Still looks like there is performance issues with the new browser.

From Engadget:
"Software-wise, we're still waiting to play with BlackBerry 6 in-depth, but it definitely feels like the OS overwhelms the hardware a little when it's really cranking -- for example, the phone basically locked up while it loaded Engadget in the new Webkit browser, but when it was done loading it responded smoothly to panning and zooming."

If there are issues with the browser on new hardware I don't have my hopes up for the 9700 running it very well.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

This looks pretty cool. Glad to see that RIM is moving forward, even though they are a little bit behind still....

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Love it so far. While I think I'm hooked on Android for the time being, I am really loving the Torch concept. Let's hope that it is as great in practice as this launch hyped it up to be.

Love the slide out keyboard. Love the sync (although it should be expanded to sync any data from desktop to phone). Love the design. The OS looks promising. Hopefull all that pans out to a great product.

 

[hellfire88]

wait so how many inches is the screen?

 

[Deeko]

wait so how many inches is the screen?

3.2, 480x360 resolution

 

[hellfire88]

ok thanks just saw that on the blackberry product page. Kind of "meh" in terms of size but expected as well. I'll see how the Blackberry OS 6 update for my Bold 9700 runs (if it ever comes out) and if its really laggy I'll see to getting a Torch.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

i hate the virtual kb on the storm so this has the S2 beat already (hardware wise).

 

[Dominato3r]

What's going with the security issues? Everyone seems to be talking about them.

 

[webdave]

What's going with the security issues? Everyone seems to be talking about them.

By default data is encrypted between your device, the "cloud", and on RIM's servers. No one but your self (or your company if you are on a BES) can read your messages. RIM is installing a system that will let the UAE Government access to data that was previously encrypted/unreadable.

 

[speg]

What's the CPU on this thing? I thought I read 600Mhz somewhere but can't find it at the moment... Seems a bit slow/old?

 

[webdave]

624mhz

 

[xSauronx]

What's the CPU on this thing? I thought I read 600Mhz somewhere but can't find it at the moment... Seems a bit slow/old?

yeah, like the rest of the specs

i think the price is high for such lackluster specs, id about swear the damn 9700 bold has similar specs, though maybe less ram

i like my old curve, but if i was on at&t and had a choice of phones at the contract price...this isnt the one id pick. a guy at work has the new samsung droid phone. its very nice, and he loves the thing.

 

[MrX8503]

I think the Torch is an improvement, but charging $200 for it is criminal.

Other smartphones have Super AMOLED, higher resolution, bigger screen, better camera, 1ghz processor, Advance GPUs, HD Recording, and wifi hotspot. All of this for $200.