Upcoming Verizon news: BlackBerry Niagara, Hub updates, Netbooks, Apex
One of our trusty ninjas just hit us up with a couple details on some of Verizon’s upcoming products and product offerings. First off.. Netbooks. We’ve been told that Verizon Wireless will 100% start selling Netbooks in stores around May of this year. The first one looks to be a 10-inch HP Mini which should go for $99 on a 2-year agreement (with BroadbandAccess plan). On a related note, we’ve been told that AT&T is in the process of setting this up as well (selling Netbooks in stores).
The hate-it-or-love-it Verizon Hub home phone will be getting an upgrade to enable streaming radio on or around February 22nd.
There’s a new feature for Verizon Wireless subscribers rolling out called Media Manager. What we’re told this does is enable you to backup all your ringtones, games, and phone content to one location for free as long as you use the My Account feature online. Basically think of it as a free backup assistant, rumored to be rolling out momentarily.
The BlackBerry Apex (BlackBerry 8230) we’re told was removed from Verizon’s data devices road map. Our contact doesn’t know why or what it possibly means, but he said it either means it is coming very soon (likely) or not being released at all (unlikely).
Finally, the BlackBerry Niagara. We showed you the first photo of it, and it turns out it is pretty much spot on. We do have some more information, however. You can definitely think of it as a cross between the Bold and the Curve 8900. It’s bigger than the Curve, but smaller than the Bold. It has the same 480×320 screen resolution as the bold, and thankfully we’re told rocks the same processor as well (624MHz CPU). Lastly, it runs the 4.6 OS but you didn’t really need us to tell you that. In terms of release date, you’re going to be a little disappointed — we don’t have one. We were originally told by our original tipster that the Niagara would launch in May of ‘09 on Verizon, and darn it, that looks pretty accurate. When we have something confirmed, we’ll obviously share that news. Below is a recap of the information we reported on the Niagara when we broke the news:
- “Large screen family”
- QWERTY keyboard
- 480×360 LCD
- EV-DO Rev. A
- aGPS
- 3.2 megapixel camera
- 4.7 OS platform
- BES 5.0 support (HTML email, etc)
- Qualcomm MSM7600 processor
Pretty good, eh?
Thanks, NotHTCKid!
Some people who have a little bit of information on a subject often have no idea of what is what.
I want!!!
Gotta figure out how to move my Storm when this comes out…
“Our contact doesn’t know …what it possibly means, but he said it either means…”
Say what?
Good to know VZW is going to go 100% into selling netbooks, and not the 70-80% of those OTHER carriers.
does anyone know if VZW will allow the GPS to work with other programs, like they’re doing with the Storm?
Whoa what’s with all these dumb comments today Boy Genius??.All of verizon’s smartphones have had 3G for a while and they’ve had 3G blackberrys for a while now. The bold was the first 3G gsm blackberry. Verizon hardly releases any phone, dumb or smart, without 3G these days. And if you read the post clearly he said the device will have os 4.6. It says 4.7 in the specs because that’s what he had scooped out a year ago. OS 4.7 is the touchscreen version of 4.6. The storm uses 4.7.
Unlikely this is going to have wifi? Verizon wouldn’t want you jumping on the net for free come on guys? It would been available a long time ago! I have to say that Verizon is a rip off in cost but they do push the envelope in terms of getting newer technology. While At&t holds on to their “iphone” customer base. I think its fair to say that this will be in fact just the bold for Verizon it doesn’t seem like they would really push for the Curve. Way to go big red! Encourage the other guys to catch up.
I’ll be pissed if this Niagara is released in douche red like the pics. That much i know
Is this coming to AT&T?
So whats the screen size? 480×320 or 480×360
@StevenGlansburg
No, Niagara is primarily CDMA so it will not be coming to AT&T
How is a phone “primarily CDMA”? Are you saying it’s a world-phone with CDMA + only EU UMTS/HSPA frequencies?
to recap for all the idiots/newbs on the forum.
EVDO rev A. is really 3.5 G
EVDO has been on VZW BB’s much longer than any GSM carrier had a 3G BB, that includes 8830, 8130, 8330.
a-GPS is not stand alone GPS so verizon will only unlock GPS for VZ Nav and BB maps.
Global people…Global…it needs to be Global
So EVDO Rev-A is actually 3G eh…
right on then.
i had no idea.
Thanx
EVDO Rev A is 3G
Can you stream audio with the Niagara?
At least one error here: It will NOT be the same 624 MHz processor as in the 9000/Bold. It may be 624 MHz, but I can guarantee you that it’s not the same kind of processor. It’s a very different processor, even if it happens to run on 624 MHz, which I don’t even know for sure. Just look at who is the vendor of the integrated radio/processor for every CDMA Blackberry, and compare it to the vendor selection for the GSM/HSPA radio/processor in the 9000/Bold, and a 5 year old can figure out that the probability of the successor to the 8830 will NOT contain the same processor as the 9000/Bold, is as close to 0% as it gets.
@Anton Whatever: Righto! Just like your ill-fated claim that all Blackberrys were 3G back in 2003? Pfffft!
I have not said anything like that. What I said was that starting with the 7250 (offered on Verizon starting in or about May 2003, if memory serves me right), every Verizon Blackberry has been EV-DO, i.e., what you would normally categorize as 3G. The 7250 was followed by the 8703, which was followed by the 8830 and so forth (8130, 8330, 9530). They are all EV-DO. I didn’t say anything about the GSM lineage, which saw its first 3G device with the 8707 in 2007 (this device was only offered in some countries such as Japan and the UK, but never in the US) and then obviously the 9000/Bold in 2008.
EVDO Rev A is Super Fast 3G…
i have no clue why you said no 3G…
This phone will have WiFi.
And its not Verizon, it was RIM.
Before, RIM would only put EVOD(3G), GPS, or WiFi.
For CDMA services it was EVDO and GPS.
Now there adding all 3.
Omg to all the people asking if this has 3G, YES it has 3G, on CDMA carriers 3G is specified as EV-DO Rev. A
Plus, it’s on Verizon Wireless, of course it’s 3G.
@JT: i think Verizon is afraid of loosing customers if they offer wifi… just think free data if ya kinda cheap or just wanna save an extra 30 for data… wells that’s at&t’s price… the 30 is well worth it… Now for 3g… Maybe their towers are not equipped for wide spread 3g yet… Like at&t We’re all over… but hey what do i know… AT&T was the first one’s to offer a 3G Berry Device… It dude it’s tight…
You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. VZW has a 3G footprint that covers 85% of the country while ATT covers 50%. That’s a huge difference. Also, there is currently not a single CDMA BlackBerry that offers wifi–none, zero, zip. It’s a moot point though cause al BlackBerry devices require a data plan, same as the wifi equipped iphone.
A big FYI for the village idiot: EVDO/EVDO-Rev A IS 3G. To quote you, “but hey what do I know,” I can answer that one for you: you know absolutely nothing.
A copy of hooked on phonics would help make your posts hurt my brain less as well. Just a friendly reminder if you’re feeling civic minded: never forget to wear a condom please.