BlackBerry Thunder live shot, damn we’re good!
252 comments
Filed in BlackBerry, Exclusives, Verizon, Vodafone
You all know the Thunder right? Well, looky looky who got a cookie. Yeah peoples, live shot of the BlackBerry Thunder right here. By just looking at the photo, we can see that almost every button on a traditional BlackBerry like the convenience keys are still there. Like we reported, there are only four physical buttons on the front and a large touch-screen. It is also coming to Verizon. Take a look at a larger shot after the jump and stay tuned for more information on it soon. Wow, we were almost spot on with our mock-up…
Tags: blackberry thunder, EV-DO, exclusive, GSM, HSPA, Verizon
This phone will be just a touchscreen Bold. So nothing revolutionary like the iPhone has been. Also, why so many buttons all around the phone? I’m sure it will sell well, but you won’t see people line-up all across the country like it was the case for the iPhone.
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Where and when I want to be first in line! Long live Verizon best Canadian phone company by far.
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I also am a disgruntled Verizon customer. I was with them for over 8 years and the supposed #1 in customer service is really bad. But to each their own. Everyone has their own opinion and is entitled to get service from one or the other company. That is the beauty of the free market.
I have been waiting to see all that the Thunder offers. If it comes to Verizon it will eventually be release in another version for other networks. (At least I hope so.) I admit I love the keyboard, but I would be willing to give that up for a larger screen to surf the web on and to view videos on and to view the GPS on. I have used a touchscreen keyboard and it works just fine.
I am sure RIM will do a great job on this one as well!
Bring it on!!
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True,
but as far as your last comment,
I know Verizon is notorious for it, I myself am a customer of theirs.
But it’s also fair to point out that AT&T also locks GPS, at least on their Blackberries. You have to use TeleNav (or is it AT&T Nav now, I don’t remember) in order to use their GPS Services. And if i’m not mistaken, I think i remember hearing something about sprint doing it too, but that could just be to use their software, not the GPS itself. I agree it sucks, but it’s all business. It’s sad to think about, but if they were to cater to our every whim like we all wish they would, they would go out of business. It’s a business model that the customer likes, however, it’s flawed from a financial standpoint as far as Verizon or any carrier is concerned.
Hopefully when Verizon goes open handset in a couple of years, things will change. But I wouldn’t expect it to happen very soon. Especially not anything federally mandated. Telco and Government have been in bed together forever, as we all know.
So all i’m saying is, yeah, Verizon is a bitch for locking GPS, and their (sub)standard UI, but there are gripes you can hear from all carriers. T-Mobile’s lack of widespread 3G, etc.
Its a lose-lose game as far as wireless services go.
Just my 2 cents.
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FYI i dont believe it will be called the thunder, as the blackberrythunder.com domain name was registered after the bgr story in May of 2008. Also the name is not reg. to RIMM. I don’t believe RIMM would not register the name prior if it was going to call it Thunder. I gues the only thing that will keep us in suspense is the name.
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Eventually .. all wanna be an iPhone ..
Tomorrow is the showdown !
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all of you talking about stripped down ui, and features from verizon. they dont really touch the blackberry, i have a pearl from verizon and it has no features locked that an 8130 from sprint would have. im looking forward to this or the bold. probably which one hits first. this is verizon exclusive, the bold will hit gsm first then cdma
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I must say, I was feeling down on RIM lately, but I feel as though they’re really adapting appropriately now. I see the kickstart drawing in younger consumers — high schoolers, etc. And from there RIM is expanding opportunities: suretype devices, traditional (but still awesome) BBs like the Bold, and now a touch BB. Not an option for me, as I’m on att, but I’m happy to see RIM responding, adapting, and attempting forays into various new markets.
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MY GODDDDD!!!!!!!!! I SWEAR, PERSONALLY I AM A HUGE BACKBERRY FAN AND EVEN THOUGH I HAVE T-MOBILE I WILL DROP MY PHONE IN A HEART BEAT IF THIS PHONE IS BETTER THAN THE IPHONE, I MEAN, I AM LITERALLY DYING TO BUY THIS PHONE!!! ANY NEWS ON A RELEASE DATE BECAUSE I WANTED TO BUY AN IPOD TOUCH BUT I RATHER WAIT FOR THIS PHONE!!!!!
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From what I have read in the post, Blackberry Thunder is supposed to be “Lifetime exclusive” to Verizon Wireless. Werizon will soon become the number 1 carrier in the US with the acquisition of Alltel, formely Radiophone. But, someone posted a website with has very interesting information that could be a hint to other carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile. It states “They say when you hear Thunder… Lightning isn’t far behind.” So, could Blackberry “Lightning” be the GSM version set to go to AT&T and/or T-Mobile? Time will tell. This can be found at http://blackberrythunder.net Enjoy!
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This is a totally fake picture.. It says its a live shot, instating that the picture is real and its not.. You can cleary tell.. I could honestly make a more realistic looking phone with Photoshop!
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I sold my iPhone to get the new one and for the past couple of days I have been using a BB Curve. As far as AT&T locking the GPS on BB, you are incorrect. The GPS isn’t locked to TeleNav. I have been using it with Google Maps on the Curve without any issues. Works as expected. Just thought I would mention it.
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Blackberry is simply looking to expand their market share. I would think that it’s quite obvious to many that they have the enterprise market on lock. But, as they were attempting with the BB Pearl, there is a huge consumer market out there that is waiting. Blackberry can leverage their already notable reputation for good phones, and make a more consumer friendly product that will catch on with the 18-30yo market.
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@ben
Spot on with #1; and I even work for vz(business - former mci, worldcon, mciworldcom, mci)…don’t even use vzw for same reason…too bad sprint won’t get this…a rather sweet looking device…better have a speedy accelerometer.
*cough* 755p user *cough*
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Ok…so let’s just reflect on your thought here. Who makes out better- a wireless customer that adds 1 million customers and only makes $10 per sub, or a wireless company that adds 500k subscribers and makes $25 per customer? Same deal with the iPhone. Apple takes such a big share of the revenues on that deal that the people they add really don’t add a lot to money pool (which is what wireless companies are in business for).
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I wonder how this phone stacks up compared to the Samsung Instint?
Samuel
http://www.DrSam.tv
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It is probably an important thing to note that Apple may not like ATT having a device that directly competes with their crown jewel- hence ATT might not be in the running for this device. And I don’t know why there is such a hype going for the “3G” iPhone anyways…gotta have a 3G network to run it on first, don’t ya?
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I would have bought your MOCKUP the real thing I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole. Refinement RIM has none of.
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…simply gorgeous, if they do it right I think it will be really big for RIM
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But Capitalist, haven’t you seen the AT&T commercials? They have the best coverage…. you can tell because at the end of the spots it says “Best Coverage” in huge letters on the screen…. of course, it also says “Based on global coverage” in not-quite-as-big letters on the bottom of the screen. Now THAT’S marketing.
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Well since I am on VZ, and I cannot get the Bold anytime soon. I will buy the Thunder on the first day that it comes out if it has the same and more features that my curve has.
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Just a question. Without RIM actually officially announcing this device, how does anyone know that Vodafone and VZW have “lifetime” exclusivity? I think we’re all forgeting that nothing is set in stone and the fact that RIM sells more GSM BBs worldwide than CDMA BBs. RIM is in the business to make money, not carrier alliances.
Building touchscreen BB and not making a GSM version would be industry suicide for them. Even if AT&T chose not to carry the device due to the Apple aggrement, there are way too many other GSM carries world wide to make RIM money. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I think there will be a GSM/UMTS version eventually though. Can’t see RIM changing a business model that has made them billions…
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“Hey! Look at me, I work in retail and for some reason I have a Blackberry!” hahahaha
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What? All 3 of them? It’s no secret that more than 90% of the iPhone sales were existing AT&T customers (and Apple fanboys).
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just a note or two…
A) if the Thunder (let’s call it 9100) get LIFETIME exclusivity. there is nothing stopping Rim from making a 9150 or 9155 or w/e to dole out to other companies.
B)AT&T has an excellent 3G network (upstate New York) i tether to my macbook and get a downlike of about 1.2 mbps and uplink of about 700-800k. which imho is pretty damn good. i don’t know the numbers but i can’t see vzw or sprint (i won’t even compare t-mo) having an evdo network faster than that. it’s about as fast as these technologies get.
also with the iPhone, i’ll admit i’m intrigued. as a blackjack user, former tilt and 8525 user. i’m looking forward to having os x support and a ui that doesn’t suck (i don’t like win mo ui personally) i think the xda-developers have done a sweet job slicking up the dated ui but on the whole it’s not worth the hassle, the fanciness slows down the device. i use a lot of email so i wanted a curve but i didn’t want to get a new data plan [I pay 30 bucks a month unlimited data and text. had it for almost 4 years now :-)] so i have to buy all my phones unsubsidized or i lose that sweet plan and i wasn’t going to drop 500 on a curve. maybe a new iPhone will do it? i am content with my blackjack tho. only time will tell.
but moral of the post, the thunder will eventually come to another gsm company. the razr did, the curve did, the pearl did. even htc made cdma versions of all their phones just for vzw and sprint. (the mogul and cdma derivatives are spin offs of the wizard and the hermes which were gsm phones) what’s to stop RIM from making oh, i dunno a hell of a lot more money? vzw contract? i didn’t realize that even cell phone companies got locked into these contracts i thought only the american people did…
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