Anyone heard anything abut a 3G Curve?

I'm tempted to buy the Bold 9700, which is the same size as my nice 8900 Curve (screen is a tiny bit bigger), but I prefer the keyboard on my Curve.

Also, Vodafone Ireland seems to think that 300 euros ($450) is a fair price to pay for the 9700 WITH a high-end, phone-and-date, 12-mnth or 18-month contract, and I have a problem with forking out that sort of money basically just for 3G.

So...I figure if RIM's engineers, who we already know to be quite brilliant, can get the kitchen sink -- wi-fi, 3G etc -- into a model exacty the same size as a Curve 8900, how far behind can my favourite Curve keyboard be?

But I've head nothing...

Still trawling for news, and I can find zip since Boy Genius's report back in February and March 2009, calling it the 9300.

Does no one else find this strange? We now know for a fact (because of the superb Bold 9700) that RIM CAN get 3G, wi-fi, GPS and all the rest into a phone exactly the same size as my Curve 8900. We know there would be a market for a 3G Curve, and that most Curve users prefer the Curve keyboard...

They could even release it as a Bold with an alternative keyboard (which is what it would be, essentially), say the 9750, and people would buy it in their droves.

My theory for today is that RIM have a 3G Curve ready to roll (it IS just a keyboard change, after all, how hard can that be?), but want to give themselves and their partner networks a good run at selling the clunky-keyboard 9700, especially to the business market, before releasing a new Curve with the same specs. This would also explain why there appears to be total radar silence on a 3G Curve. (There is a lot of money at stake -- if potential purchasers of the 9700 knew there were a new Curve coming out in a couple of months, then many would wait for that, giving RIM fewer sales when they need more.)

As a minor comment - just because you consider the 9700 "keyboard clunky" doesn't mean that others do.

I am sure RIM will take your suggetions to heart -

i doubt they would make a brand new moel just for a keyboar change... that just seems dumb

Fair point -- maybe it's my fingers that are clunky!

RIM builds what the carriers want. After all, if they had listened to me, they never would have released the Storm

Time for a finger transplant?

The 9300 that was mentioned by BGR was incorrect. They were referring to the 8500 series and got their numbers/facts mixed up.

Well, they are packing all that (3G, GPS, WiFi) into the next Pearl (the 9100, supposedly due out early next year), so I don't see why they can't put it in a phone that's physically bigger.

Excellent idea. WAIT - they did pack 3G, GPS and WiFi into a physically bigger BlackBerry - the 9700!

Wow.

LOL....You're absolutely right.

I completely agree. A little while ago, it came down to either the bold 9700 or the curve 8520. Since i dont use a data plan, it was just up to aesthetics and comfort factors at that point, and I loved the curve keyboard way more, as it is so similar to my curve 8320. But yes, if i did use a data plan, i would want the 3G and GPS in my curve as well

I've been looking at the 9700 for awhile.. haven't pulled the trigger tho. You guys love it?

Given that the Bold 9700 is more what we would think of as being curve-sized, maybe the next one to be labelled as a curve would be a 3g update to the 8520.

Doubt it. At this point I think the Curve name itself is done. If they release any more "Curves" it will get too confusing.. Hopefully they at least wait until the 83xx/89xx are completely gone.

I agree with that SteveO. I have too many customers who get confused between the 8310/8320/8520/8900 models. I explain the differentiating features and they seem to get more confused unless they see a photo.

The Curves need a break right now.

I'm sure the break down will be soon, they 83xx aren't really sold any more (granted boost mobile just released). I think I heard a rumor the 89xx is going as well. Unless their is another 89xx device I am forgetting about. So that does leave it to the 85xx series. (which in my opinion is a good choice) The 85xx seems to be a great consumer choice.

(Of course for someone like me who lives off the BlackBerry(ies) I need something with a bit more horse power (Tour, Tour2 w/e that gets released)

Look at the sales stats, the Curve family is still RIM's top seller even now, there's simply no way they are going to abandon the name entirely, they'll keep selling the 8520 and at some point it will get an upgrade too with 3G so that they then have an entry-level 3G product seeming most likely.

Hopefully, we won't see an update for the 8900 since that would be something that would has the potential to confuse customers.

I think the 8900 is going too. We're selling it at a low price, and they stated it would be until the stock is gone. They didn't specify if they would get more and the price would go up, just that.

Interesting. Signs of an 8910 are floating around twitter, but not too much else.