[ubizmo]

I find it very strange that people complain that the portrait-oriented keyboard will be too small to type on, when all current BB physical keyboards are portrait-oriented, and people type on them just fine. It's as if having the screen slide up to reveal the keyboard somehow shrinks it.

Ubizmo

[skeevecr]

Originally Posted by ArgonNJ

BGR is now saying this device is heading to Sprint first. They also said during testing it failed 4 out of 5 times. Sounds like another Storm 1 debacle waiting to happen. I would steer clear of this device in its first outing.

Firstly, BGR is a rumor site that seems to make up at least as much as they get actual leaks and secondly what fails 4 out of 5 times because without more info than that, even if it isn't made up, it is idiotic to draw any conclusions from that phrase.

You can vaguely trust them to show you blurry pics of new hardware, but beyond that treat the site as little more than a work of fiction as trying to use them to prove your own bias just makes you seem to eager to put the boot in.

[ArgonNJ]

Originally Posted by skeevecr

Firstly, BGR is a rumor site that seems to make up at least as much as they get actual leaks and secondly what fails 4 out of 5 times because without more info than that, even if it isn't made up, it is idiotic to draw any conclusions from that phrase.

You can vaguely trust them to show you blurry pics of new hardware, but beyond that treat the site as little more than a work of fiction as trying to use them to prove your own bias just makes you seem to eager to put the boot in.

So says you!

[fletch]

Good stuff. Can't wait to hear more...

[TXLady]

Latest on Crackberry: BlackBerry Slider Rumormill Continues: Final Device Model Numbers to Be 9900/9930? 9930 a Sprint Exclusive? | CrackBerry.com

Not sure there is anything really new there. Pretty much just a summary. Model number 9900/9930 with the 9930 a Sprint exclusive.

[Dubdub]

Slider Update:

Hang with us for a sec as we conjure up a speculative device from a sordid collection of rumors. By now we've all seen the leaked BlackBerry slider right? How about the "Mr. T" phone, heard of that? Maybe you've heard of it by its other codename of Talladega? The connection here is that all of these devices are thought to be one and the same although that's definitely not confirmed by any stretch.

Things got a bit more interesting today after a loose-lipped CEO of a RIM parts supplier (Woojeon & Handan) mentioned a brand new BlackBerry "T" phone launching next month during an interview posted on joins.com (a popular Korean news site). According to our translation or the Korean jibba jabba:

"The Canadian company RIM famous for BlackBerry smartphones is releasing a new model next month. Known as the "T," The new model is an ambitious product aimed at competing against iPhone's storm of success. Rim will present it ("T") as its flagship model to compete in global markets such as the U.S. and Europe."

Funny, we thought that the original Storm was RIM's answer to the iPhone. Anywho, Reuters picked up on the Woojeon & Handan interview today but shied away from mentioning the name or the "next month" timing, saying only that W&H would supply parts for a new RIM product to be released later this year. With any luck, we'll get a full reveal of the mythical BB slider next week with the kickoff of the big CTIA show.

[Raptor464]

Sorry guys... I was wrong about the 9700a model number. That's a different device.

[Shaolin]

I hope they announce some news for the slider at CTIA or WES.. It would be nice if it came with the webkit browser!

Now that the Nexus One is available for Canada and rumors flying for IPhone 4, for once I don't know if my next phone will be a Blackberry!

[madasafish]

Originally Posted by Shaolin

I hope they announce some news for the slider at CTIA or WES.. It would be nice if it came with the webkit browser!

Now that the Nexus One is available for Canada and rumors flying for IPhone 4, for once I don't know if my next phone will be a Blackberry!

The web kit browser would be nice on its own!!!

[TallPaul86]

I like the idea of a BlackBerry Slider although there are a few doubts about it: -

Touchscreen isn't SurePress (which will inevitably spark iPhone/Pre fanboy comparisons) along with the potential of the BlackBerry keyboard being hindered in the same way that the Pre's keyboard was - in other words a half decent keyboard hampered by it being to recessed and awkward to type on...

What they should've done was elongated the Bold keyboard for landscape type slider - dear god that would be AMAZING...

I just hope i'm proved wrong like my current Storm 2 proved me wrong when i had doubts about using it as my main daily device...

[DZD]

I wonder if it will offer a landscape keyboard on the screen?

[neile457]

Man, I might come back for this. I switched from a Curve to my Pre, and have been thinking of coming back, but I like the Pre's feel, and layout. But this looks pretty cool, other than it is a little big....

[raynicolini]

Originally Posted by BallHawk3

I hate touchscreens. Their more of the novelty factor to me.

However, surepress is a GREAT idea. I love that about the storm. I've stated before, if all physical keyboards got destroyed in the universe, I would have no issues at all if they stuck me on the storm and surepress.

I'm very happy with my 9700. Would I need a slider BB? Never been into slider devices, I need quick and easy access to the keyboard, after all, that's why the blackberry has been that way, life on the go.

The slider touch lacking surepress is kind of disappointing, although I do feel it would satisfy a certain market. The portrait keyboard also makes sense, because blackberry has always focused on on ergonomics and ease of typing (really, are there any good landscape keyboards out there? They feel so unnatural. That screen real estate on the slider does look pretty nice though.

As for what is this phone going to be? Storm? Bold? Well, I think it should be it's own new line. The blackberry slide or something. To throw it in with the Bold?!? Maybe if they had a bold touch, which would be the bold with a touch screen (think treo-esque) I can agree with that, but to dilute the blackberry blood lines.

Each line has always meant and served a different purpose. They really need to stop throwing it all under one name.

I still think that it should be called Blackberry Thunder 9820 Slider 3G, but who am I kidding, if the device exists then the name already exists

[SergBB]

How come nobody has wondered why there is a trackpad there when the phone is touchscreen? Dont you find it odd and rather idiotic to place a trackpad when you use the screen to move around? It is the same critics the Nexus One from Google is getting, why place a trackball there when it is completely useless for the phone and it is more likely to get damaged or stuck (as our old trackballs on the bbs). For example the Storm 2 has no trackball/trackpad at all, and it is a touchscreen...I find it pointless on this one.

I am still not convinced with the design. Albeit I'd like the bigger screen and a nice physical keyboard (as I at least cant stand a non-feedback keyboard), the screen bezel looks huge, like a big waste of space. Not to mention it would be a gigantic phone when typing. Dont get me wrong, I appreciate the extra real-estate but geez, it looks humongous! Closed it is as big as the 8900...opened should be 40%-50% larger!!

Im over criticizing this phone...but considering how the Evo 4G, the Nexus One and the HD2 look so nice physically, I find this one to be a rather odd mixture...still I want to test it and see how it goes...

[Noodle22]

I like the option of using the trackpad instead of the screen. Reason why, is I may want a bigger screen, but I don't really like to use the touchscreen. Some people want that option.

[Wuzzer]

Originally Posted by Noodle22

I like the option of using the trackpad instead of the screen. Reason why, is I may want a bigger screen, but I don't really like to use the touchscreen. Some people want that option.

Agreed. When I use a touchscreen, it is noticeably less accurate than when I am using a trackpad to navigate a screen or when editing text within a field.

[KissesFromKimmy]

i hope this makes its way to verizon.. it looks amazing but from what i hear it's only gsm! Boo!!!!

[jsconyers]

Originally Posted by KissesFromKimmy

i hope this makes its way to verizon.. it looks amazing but from what i hear it's only gsm! Boo!!!!

I believe you heard wrong. From what I am hearing is that there's going to be a CDMA version as well as a GSM version. Just like with the Storm.

Sprint is trying to make this an exclusive, kind of like how Verizon made the Storm an exclusive device.

[brownkc]

The T references make me wonder if they might try a keyboard or screen that pivots 90 degrees. This would keep a more compact keyboard like they have perfected over the years but give the user a landscape screen to look out. The best of both worlds.

I picture it with a pivoting screen that would turn 90 degrees and slide upward.