Rumor: Electron? [Probably Real!]
 

Anyone heard anything about this?

http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...3&page=6&pp=15

Oh wow... It doesn't even look like a mockup...

I'll take 2 please.

It looks like they took the 7100x and put it in a regular form factor, WITH a normal keyboard. Interesting...

Well, actually, that's a pretty close mockup to the one I've seen. It's slated for a Q3 launch this year, at least on T-Mobile's network, although to be honest with you, the way our launch timetables have been slipping, I just hope to have it out in time for the xmas holiday shopping season.

I know nothing of this alleged RAZRberry however, but the Electron looks pretty damn close.

a

It's "Electron", somebody misspelled on that graphic.

http://www.bbhub.com/2005/05/29/is-t...st-blackberry/

And I think I just wet myself...assuming it has EDGE. I'll take several.

Very interesting!

I hope that the keyboard is still very thumb-touch-typeable!

I hate to ask a stupid question, but didn't T-Mo just launch the 7290. Would they really launch a BB that "replaces" the 7290. I think it looks extremely cool but it just seems a little strange to release the 7290 and the replacement all in the same year?

What ever just my $.02

Why did I have to read this post. I was all set to get a 7290, now this rumor? Sheesh!

engadget.com has a couple articles about the supposed "RAZRberry." thesy're usually pretty close on the money. but it says for release "mid-2005" and we're already mid-2005. who knows?

as for the "Electron," blackberrycool.com has been known to follow rumors fairly true-to-form, and they have a good bit of info on this one.

hope they don't turn out to just be rumors.

T-Mobile may have just launched the device this year but Cingular/ATTWS had it last year.

Lunchboxfett,
I realize that, but I was refering to the third post where ironn mentioned it for T-Mo. I should have been more specific. ;-)

The 7290 actually came out late last year. I don't think it'll be retired yet, but basically the 7290 now becomes the replacement for 7230/7280 ... and the Electron becomes the replacement for 7290.

My Rogers contacts indicate there is a '7200' coming that is just like the 7100 except red, with qwerty keyboard..

So if it has a querty keyboard, then what part of it is just like the 7100?

Does that not maake it a 7290? I keep hearing talk of an 8000 series of devices...

Let me make a guess: BlackBerry 8200 Series.

Boy it looks really cool. I can't wait to get my hands on one. I love my 7290, got it right after it came out, but this one, if it handles as good as the 7290...it'll be a very merry Christmas (unless it does come out in the 3d quarter).

I hope they can make the BlackBerry faster, I just feel all my BlackBerries are too slow for me. Does anybody have any dimensions of this device and how does it compare to the 7100t?

My problem is using the bottom keys... The way I hold my Berry is I set the bottom end on my two ring fingers, lay the back on my next two fingers then stabilize the top with my two index fingers. This leaves my thumbs to type. My paws are chubby (I'm about 5'8" and 300lbs) and it is hard for me to hit any keys outside the E, D, X and I, K, M rows. Hitting the space or caps button sometimes flips the BB out of my hands.

Just my observations, if they put the earpiece at the bottom of the phone that will allow the screen and buttons to be moved upward a bit thereby making it easier to type on the bottom and outside rows. This would also move the ESC button away from my big thumb (it would be on the finger side while talking) so I can stop hanging up on people. Also, because I am black, I have to put grease in my hair. Currently this leaves a greasy film on the screen. Moving the earpiece to the other end would solve that also.

Well I'm not high enough in the company to tell you why we would show this listed in our Q3/Q4 handset lineup, but I've got a few guesses.
1.) UMTS
2.) HSDPA
We have neither, and will not have the spectrum for either until at least late 2006, early 2007. Asuming we have the spectrum then, a network rollout for something like that will take the company a year/2 years to do. I'm not basing this on other companies 3G rollout, but simply the difficulty T-Mobile's having with rolling out EDGE. It's been on the menu for a while, and compared to a UMTS conversion, it's relatively easy. Given a lackluster purchases at Auction 58, I don't see the spectrum there this year, given the sustained growth rates.

I think EDGE is going to be something that we hang our hats on for a while anyways. For the most part, EDGE will provide data throughput rates to satisfy most anyways. Remember bandwidth consumption is only part of your network speed, latency also figures into it as well. The EDGE network is capable of sending relatively large packets, but because it's based on a timed syncronicity between the handset and the tower, latency can't be fixed. You need a code syncroncized (preferabely a wideband code division multiple access... they hired me cuz I knew what all the acronyms meant ;) )

Anyhoo, got off on a rant there, EDGE is big for T-Mobile, and its customer base, because frankly 80% of the people will be fine with EDGE speeds, and that's good cuz they're probably going to be stuck with it for a long time. An EDGE Blackberry that comes out on a brand new EDGE network will help drive EDGE adoption as well as increased data revenue and at least curb the churn to other carriers for higher speed options. T-Mobile missed the boat on EDGE, and has got to get devices out NOW to remain competitive.

Both the RazrBerry and Electron are both very real. The Electron will have a 300Mhz processor and 64Megs of RAM, possibly 128. The RazrBerry has been in the hands of the uppers at RIM who have told their employees to make sure the Electron gets to market before the RazrBerry.

Right now there are 6 Electrons in existence and the UI is being created as we speak. Even better is this... The current ARM processors in the Blackberry's run anywhere from 40 to 50Mhz - this draws 5 milliwatts of power. This new 300 Mhz processor, which is made by IBM, on draws 1.5 milliwatts of power. As well, the screen on the Electron will put the 7100 screen and the Treo650 screen to shame...

cd.