BlackBerry 8820 on AT&T next month?
Sources are telling us that RIM's upgraded 8800, the 8820, will finally be ready for AT&T come the 15th of September. As a refresher, the 8820 adds WiFi to the 8800's buttoned down, all-business spec sheet, but it turns out there's a very sneaky catch: WiFi won't be usable unless the subscriber hooks up a data plan. We're guessing this'll be hacked in all of about 15 minutes, but yeah, buyer beware. AT&T will be touting the 8820 as rocking twice the battery life of Verizon's 8830, so at least you'll be able to curse the data lockdown for twice as long before you run out of juice.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TJhood @ Aug 15th 2007 5:10PM
I thought engadget had a tester blackberry 8820?
so whats with the anonymous tips?
I'd like this to be tested without a SIM to verify that this is proper information or just more mixed up rumors from various other blogs and chats.
If it is true I would imagin it would just be software restrictions and given that it can be changed it definitly would not take much at all to unleash it. Then again I don't know if I want to stay with a company that would do something like this. I know other networks have Wi-Fi phones that work without ignorant restrictions.. maybe they would like my business.
Octothorpe @ Aug 16th 2007 9:40AM
I say screw at&t. I was so excited about this phone, but if at&t is going to cripple the wifi, who knows what else will be crippled, maimed, or otherwise reduced in function. I wouldn't be surprised if at&t figured out how to make the thing "phone home" to report data usage of wifi.
Damn at&t and maimed phones. I want a 8820 that isn't maimed.
OzzieDog @ Aug 16th 2007 1:55PM
I must have missed it, where does it say AT&T is going to put the restriction you claim? If so why would they release another of the same? They already have the 8800. My two cents.
Jonathan Fisher @ Aug 17th 2007 4:11AM
It won't be hacked. The java vm on the BlackBerry doesn't allow that kind of tinkering.
The carriers carry too much weight and dictate to the manufacturers how the wifi should be implemented - they don't want to lose revenue to free voip so lock users into their own solutions. Users are being shafted by the carriers and Rim have to allow it otherwise the carriers won't push their units. It's a stupid situation given that open wifi will happen eventually on all devices, they can't hold back the tide so it's protecting revenue for the short term only - in the meantime we all get ripped off.
kashif @ Aug 18th 2007 4:46AM
I posted this on the latest news item about the 8820, but I'll try here. Don't the Blackberry's still end up going through the Blackberry servers at some point? Even if you're using wifi to connect, RIM is still managing your email right? Similar to how you can't connect to the internet at all on a Blackberry without a data plan.
That made sense to me, but can someone clarify?
TJhood @ Aug 18th 2007 2:32PM
OzzieDog, it's not that they have disabled it, I understand what you are saying, but they have restricted how it can be used which is threw a service you must buy from them. So it is better than the 8800 somewhat but still a load of BS and I think most blackberry people are people who care.
Now I'm hearing the GPS is going to be restricted to use with Telenav?
My resources are from many reputable sites that deal with stuff like this. I'd like to see if directly from AT&T but they aren't about to do that.
If I have to, I will buy the 8820 or 8320 unlocked at full price and choose who I want to go threw and be free of contracts. Is the rebate really worth having to pay all those extra fee's just to use your hardware on top of being locked into a 2 year agreement. c'mon
OzzieDog @ Aug 18th 2007 9:17AM
TJhood, thanks for the info. Sounds like the inmates are running the "New" Cingular/AT&T Asylum. or is it Jobs and Apple? When you find an unlocked 8820 post it.