BlackBerry

Storm Watch: Early morning lines form for BlackBerry Storm

Mike Dolan — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:21:00 -0500

Customers lined up outside Verizon stores all over Washington, D.C., and all over the country today to snap up Research In Motion's BlackBerry Storm, which Verizon Wireless is launching today.

One FierceWireless team member was able to snap a few shots of the lines earlier this morning. Verizon's Storm Center website was also reporting lines elsewhere in the Washington metro area.

The phone retails at $199 with a two-year contract. This will mark the first touchscreen device from RIM and another contender for "iPhone Killer" crown.

Some Storm fans said they had waited in line at retail stores for the phone, but weren't able to get a device because others ahead of them had purchased multiple devices. Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney said that because certain customers, especially business customers could have multiple lines on their account or multiple contracts that were up, they could have purchased more than one Storm.

For more:
- see these photos of the lines for the BlackBerry Storm
- check out the Verizon Storm Center for more updates
- see our Unboxing slideshow
- check out our review with photos

BlackBerry Bold delays - Wireless Turkeys 2008

Phil Goldstein — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:08:49 -0500

Why is it a turkey?

Research In Motion and later AT&T Mobility might have been reading Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" when they devised the launch of the BlackBerry Bold.

It was first announced in May that AT&T customers would get their hands on the device in July for $300. Then, at the end of June, it was announced that the July launch would be scrapped and pushed back to August as RIM looked to stabilize the device for AT&T's HSPA network. August came and went, as did September. On Oct. 1, the blog Boy Genius Report said that because of problems with the OS that were being fixed by RIM, the launch would be delayed even further. Later that week, RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis said that the phone was delayed because the company wanted to make sure it works properly on AT&T's HSPA network.

On Oct. 22, AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega let it slip that the phone would be available on Nov. 4 for $299.99 with a two-year service contract and after a mail-in rebate. And indeed, the phone launched on that day, months after users thought they would get their hands on it.

Holiday Handset Guide Slideshow - Giving the gift of wireless Part II

Phil Goldstein — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:08:12 -0500

FierceWireless compiled this guide to holiday handsets that U.S. operators will be featuring during the upcoming buying season. In the second of this two-part series, we look the high-end handsets.

FierceWireless contacted the major operators and compiled this list of holiday handsets with details about their features, their respective carriers and prices. We divided the list into "low-end" and "high-end" phones, based on price, features and market presence. After conferring with analysts, we decided that, in general, any phone retailing for more than $150 would be considered a high-end phone particularly if it comes with a separate data plan. In part II of this two-part series we look at the high-end phones.

Click here to see our Holiday Handset Guide to Phones over $150...

Also check out yesterday's phones for under $150...

Data services help mobile providers weather bad economy

Jim Barthold — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:32:06 -0400

Maybe people are using their cell phones to learn how much money their 401(k) has lost. Maybe they're checking email or the weather. Whatever the reason, data services are big business for wireless carriers-so big, in fact, that they're helping Verizon and AT&T weather an economic climate that's swamping many others.

Shiny new devices, led by Apple's iPhone, are keeping carriers in the black while the rest of the country goes red. Verizon Wireless expects to join the party soon with the BlackBerry Storm which is already creating a stir.

Lest anyone get too giddy about the ability of mobile providers to weather an economic maelstrom with new devices alone, it's quite possible, likely even, that the biggest gains are coming at the expense of the numbers three and four providers, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile, who are bleeding subscribers who are finding new homes, and devices, with Verizon Wireless and AT&T.

For more:
- see this article

Related stories:
Americans use their smartphones for Web browsing
SNL Kagan expects wireless data revenue to increase

Publisher's Note: Save time with our mobile application

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:31:24 -0400

I have a dirty secret: I read our content more on my Blackberry than anywhere. Here is what I like about it: I can rapidly catch up on our real-time news and job feeds, and my personalized feeds from other sources, during my down time--on the bus, waiting in line, just before a meeting, or whenever. It saves me time, keeps me in the loop, and optimizes otherwise wasted minutes. By the time I get to the office, I can compliment our editors on their excellent coverage. I love it.

I challenge you to see for yourself. You can download it by directing your phone browser to http://fw.mwap.at. It works with Blackberry, Nokia, Palm, and Windows Mobile devices. For more details, visit http://www.fiercewireless.com/mobile.

- Jeff
Publisher, FierceWireless

Survey: Verizon has least dropped calls, customers still switching to AT&T

Jim Barthold — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:42:08 -0400

If only Verizon Wireless had an iPhone. That was the uptake of a survey conducted by ChangeWave that showed Verizon Wireless' customers had the lowest percentage of dropped calls among all major U.S. service providers. On average, just 2.7 percent of all Verizon calls over the past 90 days disappeared as compared to 3.6 percent of AT&T calls.

Good service, though, doesn't seem to be enough. Thirty-one percent of respondents likely to switch providers over the next six months said they'll go to AT&T while 19 percent say they'll choose Verizon. The iPhone, the surveyors surmise, is the big attraction because since it's come on the market AT&T has claimed a lead over Verizon in terms of "future share."

There is hope on the horizon for Verizon. The BlackBerry Storm, already being hyped at Verizon stores, could be the device that effectively takes on the iPhone. In the meantime, Verizon will have to be content that 43 percent of the 2,883 survey respondents said they're "very satisfied" with Verizon's service.

For more:
- see this article

Related stories:
Latest customer satisfaction survey ranks Sprint at all-time low
iPhone downside: short battery life, dropped calls

Nokia says 'no' to RIM client for E71

Phil Goldstein — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:53:54 -0400

Nokia said that it is not considering a Research In Motion BlackBerry email client for its top-of-the-line E71 smartphone, according to a report in Unstrung. Nokia shot down the idea, despite the fact that it runs a RIM client on many of its other phones.

"We don't have any current plans to have a Blackberry client on the E71," said a Nokia spokesman. "We can't say it's never going to happen, but there aren't any plans now."

For its part, RIM said it would continue to work with smartphone manufacturers, including Nokia, to bring the BlackBerry Connect client to smartphones.

For more:
- see this article

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Cincinnati Bell Wireless pushes family plans for smartphones

Jim Barthold — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:30:39 -0400

The smartphone, once the must-have gadget for the well-equipped business person, is now so passé that Cincinnati Bell Wireless is offering a "family plan" for families with two or more BlackBerry-like devices.

Probably the first wireless carrier that's gone out of its way to link family members through smartphones, the carrier's offering combines a standard voice plan, unlimited data and text messaging options into one plan starting at $30 a month for the first data user and $15 for every user after that.

And who said teens only want iPhones? Now they can have Crackberries just like the big boys and girls.

For more:
- see this article

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Americans use their smartphones for Web browsing

Video: BlackBerry Storm Promo

Mike Dolan — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:31:23 -0400

Check out this BlackBerry Storm Promo Video:

Click here to see new pictures of the BlackBerry Storm.

RIM's Storm will be exclusive on Verizon, Vodafone

Sue Marek — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:31:06 -0400

One of the worst kept secrets just became official. Verizon Wireless and Vodafone will both "exclusively" offer Research in Motion's BlackBerry Storm touchscreen device to Verizon customers in the U.S. and Vodafone customers in Europe, India, Australia and New Zealand. But two critical pieces of information are still unknown: the launch date and the price. These key details are supposed to be available in the coming weeks.

However, that hasn't stopped the device from creating more buzz in the marketplace. The Storm, which has a touchscreen with a keyboard layout, will come equipped with EV-DO Rev. A, UMTS/HSPA and quad-band Edge/GPRS/GSM making it a true world phone. The device also offers full HTML browsing, and has a 3.2 megapixel camera and built-in GPS.

For more:
- see this press release
- see these new pictures of the Storm
- see this video of the Storm

Related articles:
AT&T Mobility planning to beat back the Storm
Storm clouds gathering around Verizon
Verizon's launch of Blackberry Storm delayed until November

Despite economy, smartphone market remains resilient

Phil Goldstein — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:18:37 -0400

The economy may be mired in a credit crisis, but if there is one bright spot it is the smartphone market, according to a recent survey by ChangeWave Research.

The survey found that nearly 12 percent of those polled planned on buying a smartphone within the next 90 days--the highest such percentage in three years of polling. Despite dire economic conditions, the smartphone market has remained resilient since the spring.

Not surprising, Apple's iPhone 3G topped the handset wish list, with 34 percent saying they would buy the device. A full 30 percent said they wanted to get their hands on a Blackberry from Research In Motion, with Palm, Nokia and Motorola coming up in the low single digits in terms of desirability.

For more:
- see this article

Related Articles:
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Mark Lowenstein: How Will Wireless Be Affected by the Economic Downturn?

RIM shares drop on growing expenses, outlook

Phil Goldstein — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:03:53 -0400

Research In Motion saw its shares fall off in early trading on Friday on the news that despite reporting a 72 percent growth in second quarter earnings, its earnings forecast was weaker than expected, and expenses mounted.

The Canadian-based BlackBerry maker fell below expectations in its earnings forecast. As the company looks to unveil a new line of smart phones in the coming quarter, including the long-awaited Storm, which will be paired with Verizon Wireless, there were concerns that the company's expenses were growing at too high a rate. Total expenses for research and development and marketing were 21.8 percent of revenue in the second quarter, up from 20.3 percent in the previous quarter.

As RIM looks to develop its position in the smartphone market, it is finding itself in an increasingly crowded market, with Apple and AT&T Mobility's iPhone 3G and T-Mobile's G1 already looking to be the holiday handset behemoths.

For more:
- see this article

Related Articles:
RIM's long-term outlook may be risky
RIM details BlackBerry's global expansion

T-Mobile gets exclusive with BlackBerry flip phone

Phil Goldstein — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:17:53 -0400

T-Mobile USA will be the exclusive carrier for Research in Motion's first BlackBerry flip phone, the Pearl Flip 8220. The quad-band Edge phone has a chrome-finished frame, weighs only 3.6 ounces and features an external LCD to make it easy to preview incoming emails, text messages and phone calls without opening the handset.

T-Mobile did not release pricing information, nor did it say exactly when the new device will launch. Although T-Mobile will offer it exclusively at first, RIM said the phone will be available on other carriers worldwide later this fall.

For more:
- click here to see a picture of the Blackberry Pearl Flip
- see this press release
- see this article

Related articles:
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RIM patent points to Blackberry's future?

Verizon's launch of Blackberry Storm delayed until November

Phil Goldstein — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:23:10 -0400

Research in Motion's latest BlackBerry device, the 9530 Storm, will not debut until November due to bugs that still need to be worked out and time needed for a formal technical acceptance process by Verizon Wireless.

The Storm was already delayed 3-4 weeks, and now will be pushed back an additional 3-4 weeks as the technical acceptance winds down. Verizon and RIM are hoping that the Storm--the company's first foray into the touchscreen arena--will become a major competitor to Apple's iPhone 3G as the holiday season dawns.

For more:
-see this pic of The BlackBerry Storm
- see this article

Related article:
Report: BlackBerry will be threatened by iPhone

RIM begins rolling out new devices

Sue Marek — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:18:13 -0400

Research in Motion is beginning to rollout its highly anticipated new device lineup for the fall and analysts are already starting to question whether the company can deliver on its robust plans.

The BlackBerry Bold is expected to launch on Canadian operator Rogers Wireless today and will debut with AT&T in mid-September. The Bold is expected to sell in Canada for $399 with a three-year contract. Meanwhile, analysts believe that AT&T will subsidize the phone more than Rogers and offer it for $250 with a two-year contract.

RIM's other two devices--the touchscreen Thunder and the flip phone Kickstart are expected to hit the market in late September, according to analysts. RIM has never acknowledged the existence of the Thunder or the Kickstart but analysts say both products are ready to be introduced. Avian Securities analyst Matt Thornton says that all the new devices from RIM should bring an "onslaught of new customers." However, he also says that RIM needs to make sure they have enough quantities of the phones and they can deliver them on time.

For more:
- see this article

Related articles:
AT&T to launch 3G BlackBerry Bold
BlackBerry Bold launch delayed 'til August

Major banking group considers replacing BlackBerry with iPhone

Lynnette Luna — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:46:31 -0400

Global banking conglomerate HSBC is taking a hard look at using the iPhone 3G over its current fleet of corporate BlackBerry devices. Such a move could involve the purchase of 200,000 iPhones globally and give Apple's goal of penetrating the enterprise a big boost. "We are actually reviewing iPhones from a HSBC Group perspective...and when I say that, I mean globally," HSBC's Australia and New Zealand chief information officer Brenton Hush told ZDNet. HSBC has about 330,000 employees globally.

Hush added: "A decision on a piece of hardware like that would potentially be deployed, conservatively, to 200,000 people," said Hush. "You know, it's a big decision, especially when you have an existing fleet out there." Apple has made it a priority with this latest iPhone launch to penetrate large corporations. The company worked with Cisco to include corporate VPNs in the new iPhone as well as support for Microsoft Exchange. A beta program had support from just over a third of the Fortune 500 companies.

It may not be that easy for Apple to displace the BlackBerry in the corporate market, however. Analysts note the plethora of specialized hardware that enterprises have purchased in conjunction with their use of the BlackBerry.

For more:
- check out Cellular-News

Related story:
iPhone takes on the enterprise. iPhone story

BlackBerry Bold launch delayed 'til August

Sue Marek — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:15:06 -0400

It looks like AT&T may delay its planned July launch of the BlackBerry Bold until mid-August. RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky says that the operator is stablizing the device on its HSPA network and may delay the launch by two to three weeks.

The delay is having a negative impact on Research in Motion's earnings and so Abramsky is lowering his second quarter guidance for RIM to an estimated range of $2.5 billion to $2.6 billion down from $2.6 billion to $2.7 billion.

AT&T customers are expected to get the device first for $300. Other operators will sell the device but will not launch it until September.

For more:
- see this article

Related story:
AT&T customers will get BlackBerry Bold first

RIM's long-term outlook may be risky

Sue Marek — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:30:38 -0400

Research in Motion, maker of the BlackBerry device, has profited from stellar growth, but analysts are starting to worry about the company's long-term outlook as it attempts to move into the fickle consumer market. In the company's fiscal fourth quarter, which ended March 1, RIM's consumer subscribers grew an estimated 150 percent from the previous year. However, there are concerns that this growth will not continue as competition from other smartphones escalates. Article (sub. req)

Study says businesses aren't convinced of iPhone yet

Lynnette Luna — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:22:48 -0400

According to a new study released this week, Apple faces an uphill battle trying to usurp the BlackBerry in the business world. Investment house Sanford Bernstein, as part of a broader study on IT spending, analyzed responses from some 105 chief information officers. Just two planned to roll out Apple's iPhone 3G handset in the businesses over the next year.

"Our CIO survey suggests that corporate iPhone use will be driven by employees purchasing their own iPhones, rather than company-wide deployments," wrote Toni Sacconaghi, an analyst at Bernstein Research. "If this persists, it may ultimately limit iPhone penetration into the corporate space."

The question is: Is the penetration of iPhone in the business market critical for Apple to reach its goal of 10 million units sold this year?

For more:
- check out the Financial Times

Related stories:
Analyst: 3G iPhone not ready for enterprise. iPhone story
iPhone takes on the enterprise. iPhone report

Analysts: RIM should post strong Q1

Lynnette Luna — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:37:24 -0400

Analysts are predicting that Research in Motion will post some strong first-quarter earnings on June 25 as sales of the Curve at Verizon Wireless surge.

Goldman Sachs analyst Simona Jankowski said in a research note to investors that the Curve is the most popular device among consumers and small and medium businesses. That trend will offset a weaker enterprise environment. Jankowski said, however, that she expected RIM's guidance for the next quarter to fall below the consensus of Wall Street.

UBS analyst Maynard Um also said he expects to see results at the high end of RIM's prior guidance of $2.23 billion to $2.3 billion. He also sees numerous factors contributing to the upswing in subsequent quarters, namely the launch of the Bold handset in July and additional launches of devices later this year, such as the clamshell Pearl, a 3G world phone and an iDEN version of BlackBerry.

For more:
- check out RCR Wireless News

Related stories:
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AT&T to launch 3G BlackBerry Bold. BlackBerry story