[serrano_yejo]

BlackBerry Bold R020 internal overview, replaces BlackBerry Bold 9700 � Boy Genius Report

[defcon3]

RIM is no synonym of innovation. They are solid, robust, lean business machines.

If you are after innovation, you are looking at the wrong device platform.

Shame though - thought RIM got it by now...

[i7guy]

Some would argue this is what the public is asking for. RIM is not like apple, thank the lord, and does not do a yearly release. They make incremental changes along the way with many releases. This is to cater to a wide base of customers.

Current phone is an S2, if I get tired of the touch screen, but still want Blackberry functionality, no issue, just find an appropriate phone. I like having those choices. Not to mention the people who have the 9700 swear on the battery life.

The people I know who own iphones swear at the battery life.

[barban7]

I don't see how this phone is a fail considering its target market.

[iMiiTH]

"MicroSD -32gb support - high capacity also usable for applications" .... :0 !

[Stonedicator]

I don't think RIM is making any effort to make a big step forward for a 3G phone. The future is 4G so you aren't going to see 1ghz processor/1gig ram type phones until mid next year. The Storm 4 and Bold "xxxx" will be 4g beasts. Granted the Iphone 5 and Droid supercalifragilist... will be out and have 2 ghz/2gig ram and make RIM seem a year behind the times as usual.

With that said, I am not much for specs and just need a phone with a solid physical keyboard device for text/email. Will be happy with my Tour (with a somewhat faulty trackball) until the 4g bold comes out!

[ClintRo]

"MicroSD -32gb support - high capacity also usable for applications" .... :0 !

I was wondering if anyone else noticed that.....lol

[Totalimmortal363]

Nope, Didn't notice it. Was too dumbfounded by the 3-year old specs.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

As a device the 9700(refresh) will not be a fail... neither is it going to be a homerun.

But RIM's overall slow incremental upgrade plans for devices may untimely be a "fail" for the company. I don't think the average consumer know much about the difference in the "specs" on devices. But I do think they look at the information cards and the online comparison data - do they have any idea what the numbers mean? Some do, but for many it is all a numbers game that RIM is not able to compete in.

Do we really need a 1.5Ghz processor in the HTC Scorpion and the new Windows7 Phones coming 4Q of this year? I don't know, the possiblities for full applications on a smartphone become much more possible. But I do know that RIM's "flagship" device with 624 Mhz is going to be a "FAIL" in that comparison numbers game with such devices... For RIM's "target market" this will not mean that much, but for the real future of the smartphone market the consumers it may.

(what is RIM's flagship device?? some call it the S2, some say the TORCH now is, for others it is the BOLD)

[grover5]

Clearly BGR didn't notice it. I didn't realize wifi n and 5 mp cameras were out 3 years ago. I never grow tired of pointing out that the 97xx form factor does not require a 1 ghz processor. Mine flies on the 624 that some say clocks up to 800 mhz or even 1 ghz. The battery looks bigger too I think. Isn't the current one 1400 not 1500? With the advances RIM has made over the last year with battery management we might be looking at 4 days battery life with moderate to heavy use. Anyway, if you don't like it then don't buy it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mechanic_joe]

Not to mention the people who have the 9700 swear on the battery life.

The people I know who own iphones swear at the battery life.

Hahaha!!! so true, so true

And I agree, 4G will be the next big step in smartphones, and RIM might be holding off big hardware upgrades at the moment for that jump.
(its not great for us, but it makes good business sense)

[i7guy]

Nope, Didn't notice it. Was too dumbfounded by the 3-year old specs.

That's the danger of being a spec hoar (misspelled purposefully). It's impossible to see what the phone can actually do because you are mad it has 10 less pixels than the iphone. Even when RIM does up the competition, it's still not good enough.

[ClintRo]

Clearly BGR didn't notice it. I didn't realize wifi n and 5 mp cameras were out 3 years ago. I never grow tired of pointing out that the 97xx form factor does not require a 1 ghz processor. Mine flies on the 624 that some say clocks up to 800 mhz or even 1 ghz. The battery looks bigger too I think. Isn't the current one 1400 not 1500? With the advances RIM has made over the last year with battery management we might be looking at 4 days battery life with moderate to heavy use. Anyway, if you don't like it then don't buy it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

I wish I got 2 days use out of my current 9700.....lol

[qbnkelt]

Ooooo....looking at the no camera device and the target late 2010 launch makes me think we may be getting this baby when our fleet contract is up for renewal.

Happy, happy Lil!!!! A personal Torch and a work whateverdoheekythingy.....

[avt123]

Some would argue this is what the public is asking for. RIM is not like apple, thank the lord, and does not do a yearly release.

Huh? They don't have one yearly release, they have multiple refreshes. The 9700 has almost been out a year, and look what's coming to replace it. Same thing with the Tour to Bold, Storm 1 to Storm 2.

How is this not a yearly release?

[pseudo7]

That's the danger of being a spec hoar (misspelled purposefully). It's impossible to see what the phone can actually do because you are mad it has 10 less pixels than the iphone. Even when RIM does up the competition, it's still not good enough.

Conversely, I think it's also important to consider what the phone can't do as a result of those specs.

[i7guy]

Conversely, I think it's also important to consider what the phone can't do as a result of those specs.

Yes that's why I have an S2.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[ClintRo]

The iPhone can't make calls and androids battery suck.

So what pick the phone that meets your needs.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[dcsr23]

RIM is fail in my eyes... You do know having a faster proc would do a lot when say using that webkit browser, we've all seen how slow it is still, compared to the Droids and iPhone.

It never amazes me to see how you guys find one excuse after another to justify RIMs lame hardware roadmap. It's always enterprise, battery life, productivity, etc... You guys are seriously running out of excuses for these guys. If RIM wants to contend in the consumer space, they need to get with the program, make phones that compete.

It doesn't matter 4g or not. RIM obviously believes their software runs fine on their hardware. I assume they are going by the just enough is fine philosophy. It will keep people buying the next device 6 months from now. While fragmenting the users who bought the phone 6 months prior. That's not acceptable when the consumer is locked in to a phone plan for 2-3 years and cannot get an upgrade.

The Droids and the iPhone have no problem pumping out beefier devices when 4g is around the corner. If RIM thinks the price of components are going to go down significantly due to 4g chipsets I think they are mistaken. If anything 3g chipsets should be at a discount and we've already seen the cost of the Torch.

As an Android user I hated the battery life, but I adapted. I have a USB charger at work (from my BB) a charger at home, one in the car. I can get a day and a half with moderate usage, and I know people with the X are getting 2-3 days by using the battery saving functions within their devices.

[alby4ever]

That's the danger of being a spec hoar (misspelled purposefully). It's impossible to see what the phone can actually do because you are mad it has 10 less pixels than the iphone. Even when RIM does up the competition, it's still not good enough.

YEEEEAAAAAHHHHH in what world? Talk about delusional fanboys. This is hilariously sad - resorting to making things up.

[alby4ever]

The iPhone can't make calls and androids battery suck.

So what pick the phone that meets your needs.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

I can do 10x more things 10x better on my Nexus One than any BB - and for some reason I rarely have moments where I run out of batter. Hmmm I wonder why? Oh there's this thing called the car charger or desk charger.

That's a pretty good trade-off compared to a BB that does much less and lasts longer - because PLUGGING something into a charger is the HARDEST THING IN THE WORLD right?

[Radius]

That's a pretty good trade-off compared to a BB that does much less and lasts longer - because PLUGGING something into a charger is the HARDEST THING IN THE WORLD right?

You aren't on the road much traveling in other countries are you?



"MicroSD -32gb support - high capacity also usable for applications" .... :0 !

I don't see why people are bashing this statement either, it's true except perhaps they should have said BY applications. Any app can use it assuming it's developed that way.

[pseudo7]

The iPhone can't make calls and androids battery suck.

So what pick the phone that meets your needs.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Which is, of course, patently untrue. On both counts.

[RicanMedic78]

Nope, Didn't notice it. Was too dumbfounded by the 3-year old specs.

LMAO! My sentiments exactly!

[Radius]

RIM is fail in my eyes... You do know having a faster proc would do a lot when say using that webkit browser, we've all seen how slow it is still, compared to the Droids and iPhone.

It never amazes me to see how you guys find one excuse after another to justify RIMs lame hardware roadmap. It's always enterprise, battery life, productivity, etc... You guys are seriously running out of excuses for these guys. If RIM wants to contend in the consumer space, they need to get with the program, make phones that compete.

It doesn't matter 4g or not. RIM obviously believes their software runs fine on their hardware. I assume they are going by the just enough is fine philosophy. It will keep people buying the next device 6 months from now. While fragmenting the users who bought the phone 6 months prior. That's not acceptable when the consumer is locked in to a phone plan for 2-3 years and cannot get an upgrade.

The Droids and the iPhone have no problem pumping out beefier devices when 4g is around the corner. If RIM thinks the price of components are going to go down significantly due to 4g chipsets I think they are mistaken. If anything 3g chipsets should be at a discount and we've already seen the cost of the Torch.

As an Android user I hated the battery life, but I adapted. I have a USB charger at work (from my BB) a charger at home, one in the car. I can get a day and a half with moderate usage, and I know people with the X are getting 2-3 days by using the battery saving functions within their devices.

A number of your points are just opinion, that's it. For me I can't always have a charger around so I need a few days of battery life regardless. I can't have a device that needs to be charged every single day.

And the whole standpoint of 4G is here now, we need it, for what exactly? How will it impact you? Are you really that heavy of a media user that it is an absolute must? Is it required for widespread distribution in the marketplace?

The number of power users versus regular users of smartphones I've seen is quite a contrast. Most people would never know the difference between EDGE and 3G, much less 3G and 4G. There are still a huge number of people using devices that are 3+ years old as well so the argument that the new specs are better is purely subjective.

And from what I have seen the software runs just fine but I have no use for apps for the most part. I really don't want my phone to become an entertainment center, that's why I have PC's and high powered notebooks around me at all times.