Hi folks. Long time reader and poster.

I am posting from a new account since I don't want this traced back to me. But I have some news regarding the 8800 and 8900.

8800: Due out late Feb, Early March. Cingular Only. No Wi-Fi or camera. Does includes GPS, SD slot. 1400 mah battery. Edge only. All the other 4.2 goodies. Slim form-factor like 8100.

8900: Due out about mid-year. This is supposed to include Wi-Fi and camera. No other info.

The news on the 8800 seems to jive based on the infor we have seen from others that they have not been able to see a wi-fi option.

Interesting, what will the carriers be on the 8900?

no wifi?

thats pretty grimm!

I can understand the no camera as this is a business device and many businesses, especially government, do not want that feature and some will not even allow devices with a camera in their facilities (Dept of Defense in particular). I do not understand no WiFi and no 3G. Maybe the battery drain is too high. Or maybe RIM is afraid WiFi will put their networks out of business?

this is disappointing. i don't care about a camera, or about 3G if there's wifi because i'm on a college campus. but without wifi is this device anything more than a slimmer 8700 with SD and GPS? again, i'm not in the corporate world, but i do understand that business users don't care for bells and whistles. even so, i'm curious: even with the slimmer form, SD, and GPS, what incentive is there for even the minimalist BB user to get the 8800?

i ask these questions seriously because i am new to this, and i'm hoping that i'm missing something about RIM's logic here. but if the OP is true, and the initial info from the likes of BG was true, it seems as though RIM has not only pushed back the release of a device but also removed features from it at the same time. perhaps i underestimate the value of GPS to businessmen?

I mostly just lerk here and not post.. However this news of the lack of Wifi is a bumber. I'll patiently wait to see what happens, hope its not true and T-Mobile see this thing.

What? Not available to T-Mobile??? I don't know if I want to believe this. I'm for sure not waiting till June/July for the better phone. I'll probably get the first one to T-Mobile, because I think T-Mobile is getting the 8800 too, and then upgrade to the lastest with the camera mid-year.

How does Cingular get another "exclusive" phone added to their collection? I just don't get it. They get the iphone and now the 8800! What is the world coming to?

Not unhappy here. Cingular YES!

As far as No WiFi, I can live without it and keep the camera!

Yawn. Remember that 3 whole months that Tmo customers got the Pearl before Cingular released theirs?

Umm where did you get your news from? According to the Blackberry Roadmap posted on BGR, BlackBerry 8800 - Indigo & Crimson - Features & Road Map | The Boy Genius Report, the 8800 does include WiFi.

You basically have said nothing different then the Roadmap had said, and that came out last year October.

Not to worry, T-Mo is giving you the Pearl in WHITE! That should hold T-Mo customers for a few months! <vbg>

Yep, CIngular people had to wait for the Pearl. Looks like some of the ATT/Cingular money is getting to Apple and RIM!

It's pretty simple: money.

In any case, TMO had the 7100t, Cingular had the 7290, Cingular had the 8700c, and TMO had the Pearl. It 's not like one carrier is getting all of the BB exclusives.

The lack of WiFi or 3G makes the 8800 a snoozer (if true). I guess time will tell. There is a thread over on HoFo of two guys in the UK that have 8800, once reported a Wifi option, and one said his did not have it.

I kind of feel the need to mention that we really don't like the idea of people setting up dual user names. I appreciate why it has been the case in this thread but from a 'Mod' position I need to mention that we generally don't like it.

People can always anonomously let the Mod team know if they want something leaked out casually I guess!!! There are a few of us (myself not included) that will leak info shared by RIM.

Slim form-factor like 8100, would that mean it does not have a full QWERTY keyboard?

Actually the one with the camera will have a slimmer form factor than the one without, with a qwerty keypad.

Lets not get thickness and width mixed up. The 8800 will be slim as in not as thick as a 8700, likely closer to the Pearl in thickness but wider as the 8800 will be QWERTY. I know someone who has held the new 8800 and they say it is slightly less wide than the 8700 feels solid. The battery door is different on the 8800 and does not allow it to move while typing.

Source?

...in width not depth. It features a curved keyboard (think semi-smile) in order to accomplish this.

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/uploa...nfo/img-08.jpg

Wow! No Wifi. I've been holding off from buying a pearl for that reason. Full qwerty or suretype doesn't matter to me. I recently had to have my 8700g repaired so I switched back to my 7100t, it worked fine. So except for the qwerty what's the advantage of the 8800 over a pearl. The pearl does have a camera if that matters. I thought the 8800 would have all the same features as the pearl plus have wifi. Seems like a step back.

I was going to get the 8800 but in light if this news, I will wait for the 9xxx. Q4 seems years away though.

Wifi was my biggest reason for getting an upgrade, i am still stuck on the 7100 and now looks like i will be holding off until i can get one with wifi. I think Q4 is a bit long, but maybe they are doing it to show apple they have some good stuff too.

wait.. boygenius reported that the 9xxx is out Q4 (on time? pft) but this poster says an "8900" is due out mid yr? so the 8900 is the crimson?.. w/ wifi and camera?.. ooh... the wait hurts.

8800 was going to be out in Jan. Now its looking like Feb-Mar.
8900 is going to be out in June-July. I think i'll wait. Whats so compelling about the 8800 anyway.

Not so much any more. now I know my dual use of the Pearl and the 8700 will mre than do and hopefully RIM/Cingualr would think it over. Wifi for me is important as when I travel I would rather use that as it is free where I go and it would be better than using their roaming. I h=gues i have to shy off into another device like WM5 version (yuk) to over come that. 8800 for me? Thanks but no thanks.

wifi is what i wanted also, living a street off of campus and having wifi on campus. i spend majority of my day on campus and i would love some wifi. looks like i may be waiting for the 8900

maybe RIM will look at this and change their minds, who know they maybe looking for feedback from us ?

I'm still going to get the 8800 but when Q4 ever comes, then I'll get the better one.

Yeah, hopefully they don't hype it up and strip all the cool options and confuse potential customers.

If they are then this is a lousy way of doing it. All what they have to do is look at other threads and what was said. Not having Wifi and be on Cingular just goes contrary to what the New AT&T is looking to do. I think the 8800 would fit jsut right in At&T plans as they go forward and that would be a good start.

Just wondering - in how many threads are you going to complain about the apparent lack of Wifi in the 8800 (so much for totally falling for rumors and hearsay)? If it doesn't have what you NEED, then don't buy it. If you want to Rant about the lack of WiFi in the 8800, then please create a Rant in the Rants and Raves section.

It is a little late to change their minds. The 8800 is built and waiting packaging. adding a WiFi circuit is not like tossing in the manual.

There's an awful lot of speculation and griping on unofficial information. I can't see the point in getting so worked up on leaked data that may or may not be correct but have fun!

Here's my speculation. Wi-Fi is on-board, but is disabled. No one knew for sure if Wi-Fi on the 8800/8900 would be for data, although it was known that it would be used for UMA/GAN access. Cingular does not offer this feature, although T-Mobile does (in select markets). This may be more of a sign that the feature is not going to be used for data. Just a suggestion.

Also, the dates on the 8900 device being mid-year for Cingular would lean towards the actual release of the device as an exclusive in March/April on T-Mobile, as planned.

Anyhow, just thought I'd throw all of that out there.

I've been with AT&T --> Cingular (soon to be AT&T again) for over 10 years now. But if T-Mobile deploys that and Cingular/AT&T doesn't plan to, that could well be the straw that would make me switch service. I really *like* the idea of that becoming my only home phone. I currently have home service via Vonage VoIP over my internet connection already - would gladly shut that down and transition to just a single service and number. I think if Cingular/AT&T doesn't offer that competitively, they'll see significant defection to T-Mobile.

T-Mobile was the first US adopter UMA (possibly globally). Cingular is set to deploy IMS (and UMA), although IMS is the ultimate goal for them. However, I think their dates are late 2007 on through 2009/2010 for these deployments. Cingular started their deployment of UMTS/HSDPA during the time that T-Mobile was readying their UMA deployment (which has just been announced a few months ago), back in mid-2005.

I wonder if there is a software crack for enabling the WiFi on Cingular.

If the hardware doesn't exist, then obviously no.

I realy have not followed teh 8703e on VZW where they have cripled the GPS, any one was able to hack that and get it working or no?

OK, I'm sure I could go google this, but its late and I'm tired - so, what's IMS vs. UMA and what capabilities (and differences) do you get with each - if you wouldn't mind explaining?

Good brief summary: IMS, UMA clash in unfolding FMC battle

Long business case explanation: UMA's Stepping Stone to IMS - 7/15/2005 - Wireless Week - CA626287