I'm not referring to the OS and function - I know there are some great new things happening on the 9000. I just don't understand why anyone would think it's design is anything fantastic. For starters, the plastic band around it makes it look like an iPhone (is RIM showing some iPhone envy?). The phone, menu, esc and end keys look way too big and with those small symbols on those big keys, it reminds me of old crappy american car interiors where stuff looks like it's just there because they couldn't find any other place to put it. Huge pieces of plastic with stupid little symbols. Finally, what's with those lines between rows of keys? This device looks like RIM was trying to go retro, but got it all wrong.

I would rather they just upgrade the guts of my 8830 or the 8330 and keep the form factor the same.

couldn't agree more!!! after seeing the video review on youtube, I was absolutely shocked, in a bad way, after seeing the sheer size of that thing!!! its huge!!!! huge in a bad way, the 88xx's were big enough, and that thing is even bigger than the 88xx! another thing is, the youtube implementation and web browser is very very sloppy. if this is the final release then the 9000 is merely the berry's we all have in our pockets now, with a slightly cooler theme, and even that is debatable.

I like rock-n-roll

Form factor-wise, it's likely a final release. Features and operationally, it's probably got some improvements on the horizon.

Wirelessly posted

That's too bad then, because the guts are the only good part.

If it's bigger then my 8830, then I might reconsider....

-Jeff-

CrackBerry.com – The #1 Site for BlackBerry Users & Abusers they have plenty of pictures there

Wow, so the Berry you have in your pocket now has a 624 MHz CPU and is full 3G? My guess is that the size being equal or slightly larger than the 8800's has something to do with the fact that compared to that 8800, they've added another (3G) radio, a camera - and most significantly in terms of size - a much larger battery so that battery life is still reasonable with both 3G and WiFi.

I agree for the most part of what you're saying here. My original point is that the design of the exterior is just quite ugly, and I can't see why anyone (like crackberry.com reviewer guy) would rave about the design. It's fugly, retro just for retro's sake, and my 8830 is a much sleeker and better looking design. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind having the internal stuff from the 9000...

Well, the internal stuff is all based on facts and specifications. The "design" and everyone's opinion of it is purely subjective. One person's "fugly" is the next person's "gorgeous." Personally, I think its better looking than the 8800's, but neither are as nice as the Curve. Of course, I don't think you can put everything from the 9900 into a Curve-sized case right now.

I agree for the most part, however history tells us that certain things are just generally regarded as ugly. The mid-80's Chevy Monte Carlo. The Chinese Crested Hairless dog breed. Windows 1.0.

by the way the stuff around isnt cheap plastic its aluminum.

Not according to Kevin from crackberry.com, Part 1 of his hands-on review. In fact, he stated he was surprised that it was plastic and not metal. Maybe it will be aluminum in the production version, who knows...

While I'd LOVE the use of some metal on the new s (I still miss the metal bezel around the screen from my old Nextel 7520), the problem with a strip of metal surrounding the entire body of the device is that it MAY interfere with the phone's ability to send and receive radio transmissions. This is why phones that are "all metal", like Nokia's gorgeous 8800/8801 slider, still have a small portion of the housing made of plastic, because that's where the antenna is located.

So, IF a metal band around the edge would interfere with the performance of the radios in the , that would explain the use of vac-metalized plastic as opposed to actual metal.

id be happy with plastic. for some reason metal phones have crazy price tags attached to them.
just dont have it pretending to be metal. :D

looks rather beastial tho. maybe a plain jane 3g version will slim it down a fraction!
u americas, with your "used" to be cutting edge old tech ;) mainstream 3g already :P

Check out the new video at BlackBerry 9000 Video Review Surfaces. - Mobile Blog - InformationWeek

I don't know what video you saw on YouTube but check out this video and maybe you'll see what the hipe is all about. the new 9000 looks incredible and is loaded with new features.
YouTube - BlackBerry 9000 - OS4.6 Quick Tour

Aside from 3G, its longer and wider then the Curve. Its even bigger then the 8800 not to mention it has the same keyboard as the 8800. I guess the display is better, its hard to tell with the crappy theme shown running in the demo. Given that and the price, I wouldn't buy one.

To each his own. I think it's ugly. OS looks cool with good new features, but I still say the device itself is fugly. Too big, crappy styling.

First of all, the screen is confirmed to be 480x320, so regardless of what you think you see in the video, it is higher resolution. The processor has also been increased to 624mhz, which according to the 4 parts of Kevin's review at CrackBerry, make it fly through apps like no Berry before it.

Its also comical how you are all bashing the form factor of something you have never seen in person. I agree, it isn't the most attractive looking thing, but that doesn't mean it won't feel good when held, which is more important than looks. Also, if you read all the parts of Kevin's review, you will see that the keyboard is NOT identical to the 8800 series, and due to small tweaks here and there, it actually feels much better, at least according to him. I don't see the complaints about its size either to be honest. It was actually shown next to an 8830, and it is only a hair larger. Why is that such a big deal if it still feels good in the hand?

I am holding my final judgement for when I hold one, but the review from someone in the BlackBerry world that actually has one seems very promising, so I do have my hopes up despite not being in love with its appearance. Why is that so hard for the rest of you? Reserving judgement for when you actually hold one, that is...