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First 3G BlackBerry Announced

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the now-make-it-wearable-with-a-hud dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Register is featuring an article on Research In Motion's first 3G BlackBerry, due shortly for release in the UK via Vodafone. The big news is that it contains an integrated 3G data modem - meaning UK addicts will be able to connect from the device and their laptop (via USB/BlueTooth) at 3G broadband speeds. No EDGE so the US will have to carry on waiting, but for those in the UK and Europe, short of integrated GPS, is the BlackBerry 8707v finally the first example of mobile device convergence everyone has been waiting for?"

5 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. Convergence Device by cstec · · Score: 4, Insightful
    "is the BlackBerry 8707v finally the first example of mobile device convergence everyone has been waiting for?"

    No, that would be the Treo. And we stopped waiting a while ago.

  2. Heard Blackberries aren't that great by maan · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I've never tried a Blackberry myself, but I've heard from someone that Email is the only thing it does right. Is that the general consensus? I'm using my Treo 650 for my (very) occasional mobile email needs, and SnapperMail is working great for me. And as a Palm, I find it a great PDA.

    Maan

  3. Mobile Device Convegence by timmyf2371 · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I don't see this as the first example of mobile device convergence everyone's been waiting for; the first obvious feature missing is the ubiquitous mobile camera.

    From looking at the market and hardware available, there's no one device which does anything and everything the "ultimate mobile device" would do. What I do see, is a few devices which merge some features, but miss out others.

    For example, this new Blackberry device gives instant email, phone service, and 3G data access, but it's big and bulky and doesn't feature a mobile camera. The Nokia N-Series provides smartphone capability using Series 60, multimedia features, and high spec cameras, but it's small and only has a standard mobile phone keyboard.

    The above examples are the way I see the mobile device market going; there will be many devices which offer convergence in many different ways. But, I don't see it possible to create a "one device fits all" type handset, purely because there are so many different market sections and types of people who use them.

    --

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  4. It's a killer by romit_icarus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    By positioning the 3g phone as a high speed modem, blackberry is doing something very significant: it is saying that the best thing about 3g is not that you can watch movies or do video calling on a phone screen , it's the sheer access to bandwidth wherever and whenever you want.:)

  5. Re:nobody wants blackberry in the UK by Tyr_7BE · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The blackberry is not a consumer device. It is a business device. Hence, no mp3 player, no camera, no third party software installed by default save for java to run the apps.

    RIM is just starting to think about the consumer market with its 7100 series. It's the first "phone-like" blackberry.

    Blackberries have always been targetted at business users. That means it has to work well and it has to work all the time. A blackberry does both. It handles email like a champ, makes calls without a problem, and gives you access to the web when you need it in a decent mobile browser. Now, according to the article there's an integrated 3G modem, meaning business types will be able to use 3G networks on their laptops, just by syncing via bluetooth to their blackberry. This makes it an even BETTER business device.

    If you only consider what it was meant to do, Blackberry is best of breed.