EXCLUSIVE: BlackBerry Thunder now the BlackBerry 9500, OS 4.7.0 | BlackBerryNews.com



...slightly larger screen resolution than the iPhone...

Launch date? j/k.

yeah. we will see if they ever roll out 4.5.HA!

This is cool news. The more info that we get about this, the better I feel about holding off on the Bold and waiting for this. I don't think I'll like the touchscreen keyboard, but I don't type too many long messages anyway. I might have to sell my Creative Zen M when this drops.

It make sense as 9500 requires different OS to run with its touchscreen. Too bad, no love for NA gsm and 3g

Looks good for the Verizon/Vodafone crowd but there is no returning to Verizon for me. It will be interesting to see how the touch screen UI will change how BB users use their devices. I will definitely play with one when it launches but I'm not a big touch screen fan anyone for the cellphone side. Now if RIM made something like the iPod Touch or hell I could pick one up for fun

The device looks great, and I am sure 4.7 will be every bit as good as the hardware, but the concern has got to be, what features will Verizon lock-down...

OS 4.7 ... Where's OS 4.5?? (I'm sorry I had to)

I think I'm just going to upgrade to the Curve when I can, I'm not sure about a touch screen Berry.. Of course I can't wait to mess around with it but I don't think I can deal with a Touch screen just my preference.

*moved to 9500 forum*

Well lookie here! A Thunder section. Anyway, can't wait to see more info on this device. I really want to see what kind of tweaks there will be to the OS.

so tmo or att wont be dropping this?

My first thought is to say that the touchscreen does not appeal to my tried-and-true-BB-with-buttons side. But upon further thought, RIM has never really let me down. I've owned BB's starting from the 6000 series, gone from monochromatic to color, done both suretype and full-qwerty, and have always loved each and every one of my BB's (albeit some were easier to love than others...7700...ahem).

The bottom line for me is, RIM has earned my respect through the years and the least I can do is give them the benefit of the doubt. And having said that, I'm excited to play with the Thunder whenever it's released to see exactly how RIM will execute their version of a touchscreen smartphone.

Until then, my 8330 is the cat's meow!

I am poised and ready! I want this one! ....I think.

I believe the deal with VZW/Vodafone is dependent on them meeting a certain sales quota (whatever that is). I'm not sure, but from what I've heard if they don't meet the quota, then the exclusivity will dissolve.

I agree with you on that.

Lifetime exclusive on Verizon.........thats the nail in the coffin for me, Verizon is terrible in my area and you couldn't pay me to switch to them, too bad looks like a great phone.

I don't get it though, why a lifetime exclusive deal, I understand 90 day etc, but a lifetime deal on the first ever touchscreen BB, makes 0 sense to me to launch on a carrier that has been in at least 3rd position+ on phone launches in the past.

Just my 2 cents though.

If memory serves correct there was a lot of debate when the pearl trackball came out as well, I know this one is a little more major, but like you said BB usually does it right when they do it.

Not to threadjack, but I used my old 8700g the other day and I *really* miss the click wheel. The trackball really is a poor substitute -- why they didn't just put both on every phone, I'll never understand.

I hate exclusives, PERIOD. The cell phone biz in the US is already a racket with device lock ins, ETFs, hidden costs. The "life time" exclusive takes it one step forward.

You'd think with the whole iPhone/AT&T ordeal and the amount of people wanting the iPhone unlocked for use on other carriers that they would shy away from exclusives. Then again when the cellular carrier is willing to subsidize a large percentage of the development and hardware costs, I suppose it's hard to resist. Still, it's bad for consumers in the end, and it's sad that the interests of the consumer aren't given more consideration.

From Crackberry.com:

...This is HUGE for the Verizon lovers. For once they’ll get an exclusive device, but Verizon will have a sales quota for the device and if they don’t meet those numbers, we’ve heard the exclusivity will then dissolve and it’s over.

Also of interest in that same article:

We’ve heard the unit will be a hybrid device with CDMA EV-DO Rev. C (for clarification, Rev C., known as UMB is practically dead. If the device will indeed launch with a 4G solution, our bet is on LTE), and GSM HSPA for traveling internationally.

The thing is that the iphone is exclusive also that I know about, like sprint has with Sanyo phones. All companies have that or will have that, since the government is talking about making a law that you will be able to use any phone with any service. I do not know if the cell carriers have to add CDMA or GSM to their lineup or not yet, but I know sprint carries some GSM only phones in their international section, also they have world edition phones with both CDMA and GSM.

Can't wait

UMB is dead.

If it is launching in the next few years, LTE is a dream. There wont be a working LTE network until '10 or so at the soonest.

My wild guess says this thing will be Rev A 850/1900, GSM/EDGE 900/1800 and HSPA 2100.

-An awesome shot of the multimedia function

i think thats photoshop

*nod* That's not a live shot. The lack of live shots is really starting to irk me. I can't imagine we'll really see a September release.

Miss the click wheel too, but if I recall correctly, the thumbwheel was abandoned because it would have cost RIM more to re-engineer it to fit into their newer and thinner lineup of phones, versus going with the trackball.

Recently played with my 7103e (which I use now as a second battery charger), and still liked it a lot. But definitely not pining for it over my 8330!

Let's see if the Thunder can make my 8330 become a third battery charger! I doubt the first version of their touchscreen device will be able to do this, but I'll leave my opinions out until I get to play with one in real life.

? The trackball is a huge improvement. It is one of the absolute best interfaces of any phone. It is fast, precise and, since there is no touchscreen, very good at resisting accidental input.

By contrast the wheel was much more slow, it seemed to spin more slowly then the trackball. Not to mention the need to use two hands (one for the wheel, one for the button press) to move left or right in text or a map.

^I agree totally.

I has used the wheel for so many years that the trackball was a painful transition. After almost two years of a trackball the only thing I miss is the tactile feedback and ability to 'count' icons using the wheel.

I'm interested to see how the Thunder plays in this space. The LG pseudo-haptics make me nervous so I'm hoping Thunder is much better.

Just a curiosity question? Why don't you like Verizon? I had a bad experience with them.

I love Verizon-it works everywhere I am and visit, almost flawlessly. When I fly to London, which is several times a year, I switch on my BB 8830 whilst we are taxiing to the gate at Heathrow and within no more than 30 seconds the 8830 has found Vodafone and all my emails download immediately from the overnight 8 hour flight-I even check the baseball scores before the leaving the 747!

Love the Thunder! Not too sure about the touchscreen keyboard though... I have to actually use it in the store before purchasing! First time for that. I usually buy the first day they drop (sight unseen).

I am so sorry I got a Treo and when my contract is up at the end of Sept I will change. Verizon has the best service here in NY so I would like to stay with them or I would be very tempted by the Iphone. One thing I like about it is the "cloud" I had push on my treo until my organization moved me to the field and away from the server.

I like what I see about the thunder and would like to go that route. Is there any thing like the iphone cloud or ME for blackberry? I would like to keep using outlook and have it push calendar, contacts, todo, and email from several accounts to my phone.

Any discussion on what the 4.7 OS will have?

i cant wait for this to drop