RIM BlackBerry Storm 9530

This is a good review of the last Blackberry Storm 9530, you can find the complete article on mobiletechreview.com written by Lisa Gade.

RIM has done something different here: this isn't the resistive touch screen usually found on Windows Mobile devices, nor is it the "simple" capacitive display found on the iPhone and a few other phones. The Storm's huge touch screen display is capacitive but it's a screen made of floating layers, and the screen actually moves downward when you press it, giving a tactile click. Thus the whole screen moves just a hair, and clicks like a key on a standard BlackBerry. Funky. RIM calls this "SurePress". This changes the way, or rather ways we interact with touch screens. The light to moderate touch works with the capacitive layer (it reacts to the electrical resistance in your skin, so a stylus won't work). You'll use this to scroll a web page, document or palette of icons. To select a web link, menu item, icon or keyboard key, you must press down until the display moves and clicks. Very funky... but kinda cool. It's one of those things you're either going to love or hate.

The Storm has an acceleromate that rotates the display when you turn the phone on its side (either side). You'll get the full QWERTY on screen keyboard in landscape mode and a SureType keyboard in portrait mode. The accelerometer is quite sensitive and we found a steady hand was required to avoid accidental rotation.

Obopay available for BlackBerry smartphones

[Obopay's mobile payment service is now available for BlackBerry smartphones. The service allows users to send and receive money, check their balance and payment history, purchase goods and services, plus offers the ability to send money to individuals directly from their BlackBerry Address Book.]

Redwood City, CA -- Obopay, Inc., the pioneering service provider for payments via mobile phones, today announced Obopay will be available for BlackBerry smartphones from Research In Motion (RIM). The new Obopay application for BlackBerry users provides fast, customizable access to Obopay's full suite of mobile payment services.
"The typical BlackBerry user epitomizes our need for convenience as professionals and consumers. This merges perfectly with Obopay's commitment to giving people everywhere expedient means to send and receive money and pay for goods and services," said Obopay Chief Executive Officer, Carol Realini.
Obopay takes full advantage of the BlackBerry wireless solution's features. With Obopay, users can send and receive money, check their balance and payment history, and purchase goods and services. The customized application gives users an elegant experience, including a simple mechanism for users to send money to individuals directly from their BlackBerry Address Book.

RIM's BlackBerry Pearl Smartphone announced

Waterloo, ON -- Determined to develop one of the smallest and lightest smartphones in the world while staying true to the iconic BlackBerry user experience, Research In Motion (RIM) (today announced its latest innovation in mobile handsets -- the small, smart and stylish BlackBerry Pearl.

RIM is once again changing the mobile communications landscape. This feature-rich smartphone incorporates best-in-class technology that is remarkably small and incredibly easy-to-use. The BlackBerry Pearl comes complete with digital camera, multimedia capabilities and an expandable memory slot for the first time, while continuing to provide the industry leading BlackBerry experience that users have come to love.

Beneath its sleek and stylish exterior, which measures just 4.2" x 1.97" x .57" and weighs only 3.1 ounces, the BlackBerry Pearl is a quad-band GSM/GPRS and EDGE-enabled mobile application powerhouse delivering the fast performance of the latest generation BlackBerry handset platform. The built-in 64MB flash memory is now expandable with a MicroSD card, giving users plenty more storage for music, pictures, videos, and data files.

An advanced and easy-to-use phone

The BlackBerry Pearl delivers exceptional phone quality with premium, easy-to-use phone features including Speaker Independent Voice Recognition for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD), support for polyphonic, mp3 and MIDI ring tones, and intuitive call management features such as smart dialing, conference calling, speed dialing and call forwarding. It also features a speakerphone and Bluetooth 2.0 for use with hands-free headsets, car kits and other Bluetooth peripherals such as a GPS receiver. BlackBerry Desktop Software synchronization via Bluetooth is also supported.

Email and text messaging on the go

With a helpful Setup Wizard, the unique 'push-based' BlackBerry service comes to life giving users synchronized access to both personal and corporate email accounts with attachment viewing and the ability to manage multiple accounts while on the go*. The BlackBerry Pearl also comes with a newly enhanced version of RIM's SureType QWERTY keypad technology that makes typing messages and dialing phone numbers quick and easy. The handset is supported on BlackBerry Internet Service as well as BlackBerry Enterprise Server, with a new set of IT policy controls on the latter to allow IT departments to administer camera and expansion memory settings on corporate handsets.

Vivid display and intuitive navigation

Images appear incredibly vivid and crisp on the BlackBerry Pearl's large, ultra-bright, high resolution (240x260) display. Built-in light sensing technology automatically adjusts the screen and keypad brightness for optimum viewing of emails and attachments, pictures, web pages, business applications and games in indoor, outdoor and dark environments. The BlackBerry Pearl also introduces an incredibly intuitive user interface with a supple, responsive trackball that makes vertical and lateral scrolling fast and easy. Dedicated 'menu' and 'escape' keys on either side of the trackball along with context sensitive menus make navigation instinctive, smooth, and true to the BlackBerry experience.

Digital camera - just snap and send

Featuring a 1.3 megapixel camera with built-in flash and 5x digital zoom, users can snap a picture and instantly share it with friends and family by email**, MMS or BlackBerry Messenger. Photos can also be set as caller ID images, and can be easily transferred between the handset and a computer using the included USB cable.

BlackBerry Maps -- quick and easy directions

BlackBerry Maps delivers maps and step-by-step driving directions quickly and conveniently. BlackBerry Maps works together with other BlackBerry applications, enabling users to send maps via email and launch maps from other applications including contacts in their address book. BlackBerry Maps is currently available in North America only.

Built-in media player -- for convenience and fun

The BlackBerry Pearl comes with a media player and stereo headset jack so users can enjoy their favorite music and videos on the go. Music and video clips are delivered with rich sound and vivid color. MP3 and ACC music files and MPEG4 and H.263 video files are supported.

Availability

The BlackBerry Pearl will be available from T-Mobile USA in the United States beginning September 12. It will also be available in October from Rogers Wireless in Canada and a variety of carriers in Europe. Availability in Asia-Pacific and Latin America is expected later this year.

* Includes support for Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino, Novell GroupWise and most popular ISP email accounts.

** Requires minimum versions of BlackBerry Internet Service or BlackBerry Enterprise Server software. Check with service provider or IT administrator for availability.