9000 -- Engadget Mobile

AT&T hits BlackBerry Bold users with visual voicemail

by Laura June posted Aug 25th 2009 @ 1:41PM

Hey, we knew this was coming -- but we're hearing murmurs that actual AT&T BlackBerry Bold owners are starting to get their visual voicemail updates rolling out to them. The voicemail features allow you to store up to 40 messages at a time, and add numbers to contacts from voicemail. We'll let you know all of the perks of software update v4.6.0.508 when we get it up and running on our own Bold, but hit the read link for AT&T's rundown (warning: it's a PDF).

[Via Boy Genius Report]

BlackBerry Bold comes to South Korea at long last

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 30th 2009 @ 11:57PM

It's taken a little longer than they'd hoped, but RIM and SK Telecom will finally begin offering a localized version of the venerable BlackBerry Bold to South Korean customers this week. The move follows last year's scrapping of policies that all but banned foreign handsets from being offered by local carriers, which could theoretically be a boon to manufacturers in one of the world's most advanced mobile markets -- assuming anyone's able to crash through the stranglehold that local favorites Samsung, LG, and Pantech have. It's unclear how big of a deal a device with an English QWERTY keyboard could really be in Seoul, but hey, options are always a good thing, right?

T-Mobile pulls BlackBerry Bold and Curve off European shelves

by Chris Ziegler posted Jan 28th 2009 @ 4:52PM

Okay, relax, T-Mobile USA folks -- this doesn't affect you -- but you should at least show a little sympathy for your European counterparts who are suddenly feeling the sting of a BlackBerry-less existence. Mobile Cowboys has learned that Bolds and Curves have both been unceremoniously yanked from store shelves, apparently due to a bug that's causing overage on customers' plans. The problem's been confirmed on the Curve, and as a precaution, the Bold has been pulled as well -- which, sadly, isn't the first time the 9000's been gagged on a carrier. Presumably, we'll see both of these pop back up just as soon as a new firmware gets thrown into the pipeline -- and existing customers are assured that they'll be reimbursed for any BlackBerry-induced screw-ups.

[Via Mobile Phone Helpdesk]

Seidio goes chunky in the name of Bold battery life

by Chris Ziegler posted Nov 19th 2008 @ 2:01PM

If you've got to choose between endurance and beauty, we can think of plenty of good folks who'd gladly take the endurance card without a moment's hesitation, and for those people Seidio offers this... thing. Discreet, it's not, but what the Seidio Innocell lacks in fashion it should make up for in sheet capability, stuffing 3500mAh of lithium ion juice into a soft-touch shell that extends 5 to 6mm beyond the Bold's standard back -- some 2000mAh beyond what the standard pack is going to give you. Seidio claims it'll ship the week of November 28, and pricing is currently set at $65; we're still waiting for our promised fuel cell revolution, but we guess this'll have to do in the meanwhile.

[Via BlackBerryNews]

AT&T BlackBerry Bold unboxing

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 31st 2008 @ 7:00AM

Yeah, the Bold's out in pretty much every country recognized by the United Nations at this point, but to attention-starved Americans, we can only say this: it's new to you. Unlike the Epix, AT&T has spared RIM's latest and greatest full QWERTY handset from any over-the-top carrier branding, opting for a tiny logo at the bottom of the shell and letting the gorgeous industrial design speak for itself. We're not typically BlackBerry people, but we've got to admit -- this thing feels solid, substantial, and generally just great in the hand, and we can see how you'd feel lost without it in no time. Oh, and yes, everything you've heard about the display is true -- it's insanely crisp, bright, and easy on the eyes. We'll have a more thorough look at the AT&T version of the Bold in the not-too-distant future, but in the meantime, enjoy some photography, won't you?

Gallery: AT&T BlackBerry Bold unboxing

BlackBerry Bold up for pre-order at Best Buy: 680 smackers

by Darren Murph posted Oct 27th 2008 @ 8:14PM

We already knew RIM's BlackBerry Bold would sell for a stiff $299.99 on contract with AT&T, but if you're one of the many AT&T users who'd rather not sign a new agreement (or renew your current one), you've probably been patiently waiting to hear an unsubsidized price. Here is it, but we're warning you, you might want to sit down. The contract-free Bold is listed at $679.99 at Best Buy, and fittingly enough, the product page offers a convenient link for seeking financing. At any rate, it also tells us that pre-orders will typically ship out within one to two weeks, though we'd be hesitant to bet the farm on that. After waiting for like, ever, for this handset to finally hit shelves, are you still so anxious to drop nearly seven bills to claim one as your own?

[Thanks, Christen]

iPhone 3G, BlackBerry Storm and Bold compared on video: awkward...

by Darren Murph posted Oct 23rd 2008 @ 8:19PM

One might think that the BlackBerry Bold and the BlackBerry Storm could get along together, but similar to twin brothers who both aspire to graduate Magna Cum Laude from an Ivy league school, these two aren't exactly the most loving of siblings. Oh, and toss in that iPhone 3G -- which played a huge role in helping Apple sell more phones than RIM last quarter -- and you've got yourself a bona fide mess. Check out all three getting shoved up on one another in the name of comparison just after the break. It's a little uncomfortable at first, but you'll get used to it.

Continue reading iPhone 3G, BlackBerry Storm and Bold compared on video: awkward...

It's official: BlackBerry Bold hits AT&T on November 4 for $299.99

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 22nd 2008 @ 11:00AM

The hopes and dreams for a "summer release" have long since faded, but at least AT&T's finally agreed to a hard date for the hotly-anticipated Bold: November 4. The news comes courtesy of the company's earnings call -- not the most obvious place to slip in news this big -- but at least it's coming straight from the horse's mouth.

[Thanks, Joe]

Update: And the press release just slipped out, too -- $299.99 on a two-year contract. Yikes!

AT&T BlackBerry Bold pops up on eBay, box and all

by Darren Murph posted Oct 21st 2008 @ 7:03PM

It's hard to say how this happens, but yet again, we're seeing a not-yet-released handset up on eBay for those willing to pay the earliest adopter premium. So far as we can tell by the photo above and the one after the break, this here is a real deal AT&T BlackBerry Bold -- the same one you've been waiting months upon months (upon months) for. The current auction price is pretty steep, but if you've got a great feeling about buying a high-end handset that's not yet available to the public from someone with a feedback rating of 2, have at it.

[Via BlackBerry Forums, thanks Vin]

Continue reading AT&T BlackBerry Bold pops up on eBay, box and all

RIM's BlackBerry Bold (probably) hitting AT&T on October 27th

by Darren Murph posted Oct 17th 2008 @ 10:50PM

RIM's BlackBerry Bold wasn't technically supposed to have launched already -- that's the magic in being all vague about a release date, we guess -- but we can safely say we're absolutely relieved to finally have something out in the open here. Even if it's not carved in stone, per se. An internal AT&T e-mail discovered today notes that the "latest ETA" for the release of the Bold is October 27th (with a price TBD), though we'd feel a lot better about that if it said "definitive release date." At any rate, we'll find out in just ten days. Ten. Days.

Guts of BlackBerry Bold found to cost $170

by Darren Murph posted Oct 16th 2008 @ 11:10PM

Not that it really matters to consumers one way or another -- after all, if you want a Bold, you'll pay the asking price -- but recent analysis by research firm iSuppli has found that parts and materials used to make the device "cost $158.16, and that assembly and testing add another $11.25, for a total cost of $169.41." Just for comparison, the Curve costs a cool $103 to build, and assuming RIM can sell the Bold to carriers at around $350, it'll net a gross margin of around 45% before R&D costs, software, marketing, shipping and freebies given to obscenely wealthy celebs are taken into account. The report (er, the part about the nice margins) should come as welcome news to shareholders, who have recently been worried that the current economic situation may keep individuals from snatching up new 'Berrys at a breakneck pace. Now, if only RIM / AT&T would let the thing get through testing, we'd be all set to contribute to those margins here in the US. Ahem.

Orange pulling Bolds to fix software issues, AT&T smiles

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 10th 2008 @ 8:57AM

If you're wondering why you don't have an AT&T-branded BlackBerry Bold in your hand at this very second, the answer might lie a couple thousand miles away where Orange has allegedly pulled all units off the shelves to hammer out some "software issues" that have plagued early devices in subscribers' hands. The whole situation leaves us to wonder whether carriers jumped the gun on validating early builds of the Bold's firmware in an effort to get it out into the market in a non-ridiculous amount of time, while AT&T may have chosen to play it safe with a longer, more excruciating battery of tests -- leading to RIM's swipe that the October 2 miss was all AT&T's fault. It's just a theory, and probably a pretty meaningless one since this Orange fiasco should apparently take a couple weeks to clear up at most, and we're still hearing occasional whispers out of the AT&T camp that they're still pushing for an October release over there. Chop chop, guys.

[Via Mobile Tech Addicts]

RIM's co-CEO sez AT&T still testing BlackBerry Bold

by Darren Murph posted Oct 3rd 2008 @ 5:15PM

We've long since known that RIM's BlackBerry Bold was AT&T bound, but in case you haven't noticed, the rumored October 2nd release date has come and went, and there's nary a Bold on any of AT&T's store shelves. According to RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, the handset is still undergoing testing at AT&T, suggesting that it wanted to avoid the complaints that arose when the newest iPhone hit in July. AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel remained mum on the subject when asked, only affirming that the handset would eventually be available this year. Ah well, you've been looking for a reason to vacation in Chile, haven't you?

[Via phonescoop]

Lindsay Lohan has a BlackBerry Bold, and you don't

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 8th 2008 @ 2:24PM

Nothing says "I'm more important than you, but not as important as John Mayer" better than a Bold in hand these days.

[Thanks, Mo]

BlackBerry Bold now available -- in Chile

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 4th 2008 @ 7:54PM

Movistar's Chilean outpost has now become -- somewhat surprisingly, may we add -- the very first carrier in the world to launch the BlackBerry Bold and put it into subscribers' hands. The carrier's making sure everyone knows what a coup they've managed to pull off, too, proudly proclaiming "FIRST ONES IN THE WORLD" with a red banner draped across the Bold's image on Movistar's site. Pricing seems a little high at 299,990 Chilean pesos (about $588) on a two-year contract, but hey, you've gotta pay to play; just how badly do you want to be one of the first people on the face of the planet (John Mayer notably excepted) to put this thing to use?

[Via Engadget Spanish]