It's humorous to see people drawing these radical conclusions about how a device that hasn't been released yet is going to look or feel. These pictures are reportedly quite old and supposedly look nothing like what the final version is going to be, yet people have already concluded that it can't compete the with iPhone. Very premature.

Wow it looks excellent. Wish I could get my hands on this thing right now. XD

Is it possible this is photoshopped?

The key (no pun intended) is how user friendly the keyboard is going to be.

The phone looks really nice. Too bad that it won't come to T-Mobile and others.

I highly doubt it. This was from a reputable source (Kevin @ CrackBerry.com). When the photoshopped ones come out, they are usually associated with a shady website somewhere and no one can tell where they come from. I would have to say on photoshop

I've only recently been introduced and settling into the Blackberry way of things (had my 8700g for about 3 months now at least and loving it so far!) and yes this does seem like a departure or evolution even for RIM...

I'm going to reserve my judgement on this until i see a UK release (regardless on what network, so i can have a play about with it in store) so for now, looks alright, sounds alright but then again as with any phone it's all down to the software and how it can execute its full potential and functionality...

"If people will take 10 minutes and read about the Iphone 3G and it's capabilities and how Apple has totally changed this device to a more corporate device and overall a phone that anyone can use from young to old you will realize Apple has indeed set the bar."

I have to disagree on the corporate comment. The iPhone cannot be remotely managed in the same manner as a BlackBerry. The iPhone can only get software from the apple store, whereas I can push out software to the BB from my BES. I can also set policies for the BB, not so much on the iPhone.

Bottom line is that the iPhone is still a personal gadget and has still has no place in the enterprise for companies who truly care about security and policies. Microsoft still has a long way to go in developing ActiveSync, too.

That pretty much echos what I think about the iPhone. I personally am interested in it, but I don't think corporate users are too interested in coverflow album art or pinch/enlarging photos or most of the "wow, look at that" features. The iPhone is all about the big beautiful screen mainly, and the typing, security, email, and synch comes second. You can fanboy it all you want, and it's a remarkable device, but it's not as good as a BB for the corporate messageladen person.

the phone reminds me of the LG Voyager from the look alone. I am sure it works entirely different. I myself have never fancied the touch screen that the voyager had but that is just my opinion.

So its a wash.

The iPhone is going corporate and the BB is going consumer. I always like how people say the BB's is trying to be an iPhone in the consumer market. Well here is some breaking news, the iPhone is trying to be like the BB's in the corporate market.

This phone looks pretty good, but I'd still rather get the Bold or Javelin :P Touch screen keyboards just don't do it for me.

I really couldn't disagree more. The distinction between consumer and corporate devices is blurring with each release from Apple or RIM. RIM started as corporate messaging devices, yes. iPhones started as consumer devices, yes. I got my BB from my company before I really knew what they were about. I'm slowly starting to use mine for photos, music and internet browsing, features typically associated with the consumer, not the corporate user. Many iPhone users I know started using their devices for photos, music, phone, browsing, and are now finding themselves wishing for better email integration. I think comparisons are inevitable and somewhat justified for users who begin to blur the line between corporate and consumer even further. If you only want to carry one device, comparisons are not only valid, but necessary. In my opinion, of course.

what O.S. is it gonna have?

For now, but that will change. Bet on it. Remember the phone has only been out a year and is on its second rendition. Didn't the first BB look like a pager?

Yes it did, but how long ago was that?

BINGO, you got my point...

It's running OS 4.7. It's most likely going to be OS 4.6 optimized for touchscreen use.

Jibi posted this story in BlackBerry News a couple weeks back.
EXCLUSIVE: BlackBerry Thunder now the BlackBerry 9500, OS 4.7.0 | BlackBerryNews.com

Personally I was unimpressed with the original iPhone. Then when I heard about the new iPhone and what it had to offer I was seriously thinking about switching from Verizon to ATT to get the new iPhone.

Now, I've had all 4 major US carriers and have gotten by far the best service from Verizon and everyone I communicate with regularly has Verizon so for me to switch would be a big deal. So when I heard about how the new iPhone performed I cringed and quickly decided to stick with Verizon and wait for this to come out before getting a new phone.

Now this is coming out for Verizon and I'm very excited. I'm confident I'll get better network connectivity from a RIM device than the iPhone has and the larger size is great as I find the iPhone too thin for my hands. I already have a 160GB iPod so I don't need a phone that holds much if any music. Finally, as for the interface, I love the current Blackberry UI and if this isn't too different I know I will like it.

I really think that the iPhone vs. the Thunder will be totally a matter of personal preference as long as the as long as the touch screen doesn't suck and as long as it's at least as good as other Verizon touchscreens it will be OK.

We are lucky we even know about this phone guys/have pictures. Two people working on the Thunder got fired from Mike L himself for releasing the pictures so early.

I don't blame him, releasing these pictures did not help RIM out at all that's for sure!

Do you a newspaper article to prove that or is it hearsay?

I doubt he needs or has an article proving this, but seeing he is from Waterloo his info is probably correct as when i get info (way before alot of people here) it is always 100%.... I have over 10 close friends that work for RIM and hold great positions as I am sure alot of people living in Waterloo do as well... So he is probably accurate.

Heard it from a person working there when we chatted about the thunder/storm. But yeah thats what my source said and i wouldn't doubt it. Jim is furious that the bold is still not out and what not. And yes im like 10 min walk from all of the Rim buildings and attend UW.

Iphone killer? Too bulky? Too costumer based? Too corp based? Come on! The pics look a lot like my 8700 that has been photo shopped. Who really cares if it is marketed to the corpate world or to the average Joe. The thing I like best about my BBs is that each and everyone could take a pounding and keep going. As I type this on my 3 year old to me (I bought it used off ebay) 8700 I think back about the time(S) I have dropped it face down on the concete, dropped in to puddies and just over all beat to crap out of it and yet here I set typing away. Just last week I had to replace the LCD because of one too many hits to the gound. I had bought a non working one on ebay change out the LCD and case in about 20 mintues on my lunch break. Let's see the Iphone or razor do that! Water or hits to the ground my money goes hands down to RIM for building an all out trustworthy relyable product. If touch screen is the way they are going you can bet it well be good! Let the appleist go with their apple I will keep on truckin' with my BBs and live happly ever after.

The feature that will put me over the top is if I can take a signature on the touch screen. I sell real estate and do all my work on my tablet pc. It would be fantastic to be able to do quick corrections to contracts on a personal device like the thunder. Does anyone know if there will be some sort of drawing/sketching utility?

Uh, are you looking at the same pictures? That doesn't look ANYTHING like an 8700.

I for one am already on the Verizon list to get shipped one of these. After all, its brand new BlackBerry technology. I don't have any personal experience with this device yet, and am looking forward to the next development in the BB world. Worst case it stinks, its awful, its a horrible BB, will that make me like my Curve or 2 Pearls less? Absolutely not. Will it at least compete in a section of the market that loves touchscreen devices? Absolutely.

I would love it to have a tablet feature, as I could use the signature on site feature as well, so I hope so, but at this point I don;t know the answer to that.

There had better be; it's a fundamental growth market for BB, and a functionalty that Apple has ignored. Can you imagine the sales potential if the secure BB email platform and trademark BB reliability could be adapted for mobile point-of-sale use?

Actually the iphone does have that function... You can scribble your signature or whatever you what.... it's an app that you download from apple.... pretty neat.

Yeah, but wouldn't it be sooo cool if RIM brought the side track wheel back? To be honest, it is my only real complaint with the new Berry's. While the 2D impact of the rollerball is nice, it is way to easy to roll to much or too little and select the wrong menu item. Heck, they could leave BOTH the rollerball AND a side track wheel. They lose nothing, and us old timers get that fabulous feature back.

Cool..lets hope BB guys are reading all this

thx for the shower ^^

Im just wondering if the screen will be more like a palm touch screen or an iPhone touch screen? From the picture it looks like the softer, Palm screen.

does the even hauptic work under glass? id say wont be like the iphone.

Hey guys, I'm a newbie, but have you ever thought that the "preview" pictures are just that? A preview of something as little as, the screen works?

It's in development stages now yes? As it hasn't been released yet... Give it time, good god, you fellows are die hard BB users and you're stomping on it before final release even comes out, not to mention the ALWAYS better v2 where they clear out all the bugs...

Maybe give it till it's release date and with the way RIM works that I can see, it wont take long for them to pull back the horses and fix all the muck ups...

Thanks

RIM has already been hard at work improving the user interface.
iPhone style slide-scroll support. Multitouch capable screen. Time to look again:





Reference: BlackBerry Sync Blog

It's also rumored that the UI is skinnable (think as massively expanded Plazmic or similiar that goes well beyond the main icons screen), including the appearance of the pop up keyboards.

And of course, BlackBerry "AppStore" clone in 2009, thanks to the $150 million developer fund that's already been announced. One stop shopping for software and themes.

Also, the Thunder browser is rumored to include a WebKit based browser, which is the same browser engine found in Safari, which is what iPhone uses.

I honestly believe RIM has done at least a little homework here... There's definitely lag behind iPhone, and may not be as good in all ways, but they are definitely copycatting some real useful features -- from what's leaked in blogs already.

At this stage the blogs are mostly-accurate, some corrections here and there -- but connect the dots between all things (The money thrown about, the obvious RIM targetting the iPhone in Bold and Thunder, the Verizon CDMA exclusive, the new RIM $150 million developer fund announced May 2008 as a response to Apple, the stock newswires, the blog leaks, implicit confirmation by insiders, the reprioritization of RIM internal developer resources towards Thunder contributing partially to Bold delays. Believe me, it's easy for a guy like me to connect the dots when you're paying attention to all these sources at the same time.

So expect: Multitouch, slide scroll, pinch-zoom, better UI, animations -- expect all of that in Thunder. Plus, RIM's answer to Apple's AppStore during 2009 or thereabouts to finally bring one-stop in-device software shopping to the CrackBerry experience. Yes, the BlackBerry "AppStore". Honestly, I'd not be surprised if RIM manages to include it in Thunder at release time, as RIM is anxious to make third-party software much easier on a BlackBerry. But we'll see.

Many of my items in my June 2005 post ("Mark Rejhon's Top 7 Most Important BlackBerry Requests for RIM's Growth Success") suggesting RIM improve consumer appeal, almost seems like it has become essentially part of RIM's business plan. Even if RIM has never read my post, that post seems pretty prophetic in retrospect - but they're just following market whims, and consumers are benefitting!

It's already clear RIM is defending their small expansion into the consumer market with all cannons blazing. Thunder is no iPhone, but the market-defending/expanding leap is very significant.

Wow, never saw such anomosity on a thread. My customers tell me they can not believe how quick I returned their e-mails. I tell them my bb has real time e-mail. It makes me money. I can not have an iphone because I need verizon to get and make calls. I am so lucky to have found BlackBerry. The guy at the post office yesterday asked me what I could do with that little box (8830) Well I can book customers and take in money, check all availible book dates while still on line with the customer. I will consider the storm or thunder or what ever they call it. Blackberries have come along way. If I get the storm I will put the 8830 at the rental cabin. People, myself included do not know how to use the 7250 thats tethered to a laptop there.

It has a side wheel and is just not like a regular phone, so yes I believe they have come along way and will do very will with whatever the endevor.

I have had the iPhone for almost a year. I decided against the new 3G version due to all the complaints of buggy software, slow 3G speeds, yellow-tinted screens and cracked housings (thanks Apple for making the new iPhone out of thin plastic). Anyway, I just recently moved and needed to switch carriers due to spotty AT&T coverage. I tried VZW and no luck at my new house. So my last hope was Sprint. I ended up getting a Curve and the unlimited data plan (cheaper than my AT&T bill BTW).

So far I LOVE the Curve, it really does offer so much more than the iPhone. Push email, copy/paste/excellent turn-by-turn GPS and stronger vibrate just to name a few. I know the 3G iPhone offers a few more features, but too many problems.

The 9500 looks to be an excellent device. I will say that Apple has set the bar high for touch screens and nothing out there can compete (I tried the Dare for one day with VZW and also the Instinct with Sprint, both stunk). The glass front and intuitive OS is going to be hard to beat. If people are looking for a very good multimedia phone, the iPhone is the way to go. For me, I prefer function and usability over music and video so the Curve has been an amazing experience so far! I look forward to seeing more on the 9500!

This I think is the key to this discussion.