Verizon to offer the Tour with or without a camera
Despite the fact that BES admins can put IT policies into effect that physically prohibit their use, many companies, organizations and governments (and gym locker rooms) flat our refuse to give their employees a BlackBerry that is equipped with a camera. With the 88xx series devices being the only camera-less BlackBerrys still on the market and no new camera-less devices having been announced by RIM, it looks like those who work in extremely security-conscious environments will have to hang onto their antediluvian devices for the long haul, right? Wrong. Having shown up as available for pre-order on Verizon’s website without any sort of official announcement from either Verizon or RIM, a camera-less BlackBerry Tour 9630 has now been confirmed to exist and it will go for the same $199.99 as the camera-equipped model. Just in case you’re wondering — yes, we too think President Obama needs one of these ASAP. Hit the jump for a pic of the camera-less Tour’s backside.
Thanks, Ben!
Enjoy your CDMA 8900 lol
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Ponte Vedra Beach United States
Am I first?….stupid!
Will the tuh tuh tuh Tour also be available without WiFi? Thanks Verizon for yet another smartphone failure…
You know what grinds my gears?
My calm Treo 755p that I had to go back to after the “STORM”
(yeah, I’m still bitter)
WOW, three TOUR articles in a row. nice
replacing battery door, ASAP!!!!
Hate to break it to you but this isn’t the CDMA 8900….but of course you would know everything with your over price iPod in hand.
More wifi begging. I was the same way until I got my Touch Pro WITH Wifi, and I can honestly attest that back when I had the TP (I swapped it for a curve 8300), I NEVER used wifi.
The phones nowadays can barely render pages as fast as they download them over 3G. Videos don’t stutter on Verizon Wireless’s network. Wifi is pointless and is another excuse just to bitch about a phone. Unless you’re on AT&T, then wifi is mandatory if you want decent data speeds.
I am a Verizon Wireless customer and if you go to the website to upgrade your phone, it isn’t even listed as an option. Only new customers can pre-order this phone. I called Verizon to ask them, and they kept me on hold for 20 minutes, and finally came back to me and told me that existing customers can upgrade to the phone on July 12. What a load of crap.
Too bad my “expensive ipod” fits my needs you retard that’s why I have one. Im just saying this phone is very similar to 8900 and bold only on CDMA service. Great phone for you vzw people. And I dont have 1 issue with att 3G network. I consistently have 3 mbps download speed on my 3GS with att network.
RIM: “So you can have 1 with or without Wifi or with or without a camera.
Verizon: “No thanks. We’ll do without the wifi, but a camera-less version would be greatly appreciated.”
@attguy WOW 3mbps. Where do you live? REALLY?
My friend has the storm and I was playing with it. To be honest, VZ 3G data network is slow compared to other wireless companies. The reason behind this slowness is because VZ strip away the Wifi in which it causes an overload in its network. Their coverage is excellent in terms of talking but data wise is the slowest. There are maybe 2 phones that have wifi and it is not like vz have to built a wifi network it the manufactor that builds a wifi chip or a program on the phone so VZ is not loosing any thing.
Well th is not kool I have wait till the 12th to upgrade I was really hoping to be able to pre-order
Does it really matter that you can’t pre-order as an upgrade? It is less than 2 weeks away, you can go into a store and get your upgarde as it appears pre-orders won’t ship until 7/13/09 anyway.
We have waited this long, at least we have a date!
@grr
I like right outside of jacksonville in Florida. We have 4 3g towers in a town that’s only maybe 15 square miles it’s awesome. I never need to use wifi
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Jacksonville United States
@attguy that’s awesome! i’ll try next time i’m in FL.
BlackBerry’s don’t need wifi. I never use wifi on my Bold on Rogers. Before I actually got my BB, I thought wifi would be a huge advantage, but after a few months, I don’t use wifi at all unless I have no signal, which is extremely rare.
88xx series is not the only series that you can get w/o camera. Sprint currently sells the 8350i with or without the cam.
Its amazing how differently the viewpoint are on wifi. Lol. Seems like for some its a definite deal breaker as for others its really not an issue at all. For me personally..my last two phones have had wifi and I didnt use it once ! Lol. Please give me my Tour !!!!
Do we know if it still has the hatdware, but it is just covered by a different battery door and disabled in software? Or is it a totally different phone with no camera hardware?
People stop talking out of your ass. Everyone knows AT&T has the slowest data speeds and this is no secret to AT&T, Sprint or Verizon users. Get over it your last. It may be “fast” in your area, but overall, its the slowest.
I work for a contractor for the US Army. The facility I work at is on an Army depot. Here we are subject to searches. upon entry and egress. NO CAMERA PHONES! Which is rediculus. There is very little one could do with a camera there that would be a security concern. Outdated rule. So long 8830!
I’ve been to tulsa nashville memphis huntsville oklahoma city and parts if florida and my data on my storm has always beat my friends iphone. Don’t say that arts network is over loaded because once you go outside the city you fall back to edge. Lol