[akhoury]

BlackBerry Bold / BlackBerry Thunder release information : Boy Genius Report

[Crucial_Xtreme]

This info seems to be correct. Thats all I'm saying.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Boy Genius Report:

First things first… how did you like our BlackBerry Bold review? If that just made you crave the device more, you might not be too pleased with the latest info we got. We’ve been told that the Bold might have been pushed back yet again. What’s the whispered launch month now? September for a lot of carriers. That’s not to say it couldn’t launch sooner on a couple carriers, but that’s what we were told. It looks like there are still some problems with the radio code that have to do with network roaming, searching, etc. The Bold software has not even gone GM3 yet, and with weekly builds still coming out, there’s nothing to be shipped at this point in time. The hardware side is done, but as usual, these units are waiting for the final flash to start FedExing. Now, what about the BlackBerry Thunder? We’ve held on to this information for a bit, but now that we’ve confirmed it with 2 independent sources, we’re ready to run with it. Here are the most confirmed Thunder dates: a huge marketing push in the U.S. starting in September, and device release in mid-October on Verizon. We said November because we were betting on a couple week delay which, knowing RIM, certainly wouldn’t be out of the question. But, we’re told RIM is fully active in doing everything they can to get the Thunder launch-ready, even putting it above the Bold in terms of prioritizing.


This is the article.

[ericiu]

what sad news... this moto razr v3 (sold my TyTN II a month ago) is really wearing on me.... maybe the iphone 3G is looking more attractive...

[sherbert]

Vodafone in UK still have release date for the bold as 3rd August!

[Kevin Michaluk]

Yeah..I'm sad. I received a few frantic emails from people earlier this week to the effect of "I've heard the bold is delayed!"... I didn't want to believe it!!

This really sucks for RIM. They needed to push something out the door in the GSM world right now.

[bmcclure937]

Sad news Once everyone gets their hope up even higher, they are dashed!

RIM, make up your minds... stop teasing the public and announce a mother f*cking release date already!! If Apple can keep the iPhone 3G on target and announce an actual release date so the customers are not dying from anxiety attacks, then you can do the same!!

Not to make iPhone/Bold comparisons, because this is not the place or time... I am making a general release date statement!

[willyboy6]

Since I am a VZW customer, I am excited to hear that Thunder is going to be released soon rather than later!!

[Hankster]

what sad news... this moto razr v3 (sold my TyTN II a month ago) is really wearing on me.... maybe the iphone 3G is looking more attractive...

So, you can't wait a couple months for a better product? I will never get these people who are soooo impatient, everything's "now now now"! Have fun with the way over priced iPhone since it's only new technology you're after.

[klax3]

Absolutely ridiculous. I am not a Verizon customer and could care less about the Thunder, if I wanted a touch screen phone I would buy an iPhone. What really bothers me is that RIM is focusing so much on the Thunder (like it said in the article) that they are starting to forget about those people who like Blackberry's for being everything an iPhone is not. They are pushing me away by trying to push a product (and focus attention away from the Bold) that frankly I don't want, like I said above if I wanted a touch screen phone, I would get an iPhone. They're losing touch with their GSM market. As much as I don't want an iPhone, with announcements like these its making the 3G more attractive everyday while my 8800 is on its last legs.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[POTUS]

Why the heck do they have to keep doing this? At this rate I might as well just get a Curve, Jesus Christ.

[Hankster]

Sad news Once everyone gets their hope up even higher, they are dashed!

RIM, make up your minds... stop teasing the public and announce a mother f*cking release date already!! If Apple can keep the iPhone 3G on target and announce an actual release date so the customers are not dying from anxiety attacks, then you can do the same!!

Not to make iPhone/Bold comparisons, because this is not the place or time... I am making a general release date statement!

I have to disagree. RIM has yet to post any date, the ONLY REASON PEOPLE'S HYPE ARE UP is because from other people who post rumors and lies. Get it correct. Perhaps RIM has not posted a launch date because they don't have one and they don't want to post false or misleading information?

It's worse to post a launch date and not make it with a quality product. Who's to say Apple didn't wait until they were 100% ready? Just because someone leaked info from BB doesn't mean they should be ready to go.

People need to stop lying and trying to force the issue. Until RIM makes an announcement no one has the right to get upset.

[cbs2669]

Why the heck do they have to keep doing this? At this rate I might as well just get a Curve, Jesus Christ.

I knew it...even Jesus prefers BB

[klax3]

Hank, you are right to a point. They never gave a specific release date, but many RIM folk have been quoted (and even ATT's webpage) as saying "this summer", and to me, September is no longer summer.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[wcjjjc]

You guys need to calm down, goodness!!! Its just a freakin phone, it will be out when its out, and I'm impatiently waiting on the bold too but I could care less about this news, if anything I hope they take their time and get it right. You guys are starting to sound like whiny children.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[cbs2669]

We all know that no specific date was ever given by RIM. But thats just it...WHY can't RIM get it together enough and give a release date? As much as I hate to say it, Apple looks like the company to beat, and RIM looks like a bunch of morons.

[RConcheiro]

Sad news Once everyone gets their hope up even higher, they are dashed!

RIM, make up your minds... stop teasing the public and announce a mother f*cking release date already!! If Apple can keep the iPhone 3G on target and announce an actual release date so the customers are not dying from anxiety attacks, then you can do the same!!

Not to make iPhone/Bold comparisons, because this is not the place or time... I am making a general release date statement!

I agree 100%, they keep telling us its coming out soon, and then they post pone it more and more.... f*cking sucks!

Absolutely ridiculous. I am not a Verizon customer and could care less about the Thunder, if I wanted a touch screen phone I would buy an iPhone. What really bothers me is that RIM is focusing so much on the Thunder (like it said in the article) that they are starting to forget about those people who like Blackberry's for being everything an iPhone is not. They are pushing me away by trying to push a product (and focus attention away from the Bold) that frankly I don't want, like I said above if I wanted a touch screen phone, I would get an iPhone. They're losing touch with their GSM market. As much as I don't want an iPhone, with announcements like these its making the 3G more attractive everyday while my 8800 is on its last legs.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Exactly, it seems like they are trying to hurry up and push the Thunder instead of the Bold, and if thats the case, I was better off sticking with the iPhone that I stopped using for the Curve.

[roninksb]

I certainly would like the Bold to be released sooner rather than later as I need a new phone. But, to be honest I won't be sure that I am getting a Bold until I have read some reviews on a release model and held the thing in my own 2 hands. So I have mixed feelings about this rumor. I would rather that got it right rather then just pushed something out the door.

I note that Sept. 21 is the last day of summer, so from a purely technical perspective, any date on or before would on time based on the official statements from RIM.

Something to consider is can RIM afford to wait that long to release a new device? Will its stock suffer? Will it lose market share? And does it make sense to release some many devices (Bold, Thunder/Storm, Javelin, Kickstart) in the last quarter of the year? Unless the devices are released on distinct carriers in each market, this would be an issue and may still be one as none of the devices will have there own time alone in the buying public's mind to shine and would limit market penetration. I would think that RIM is a savvy and intelligent company to avoid such market pitfalls and would (1) do its best to space out the release of new product and (2) maintain momentum by releasing devices as frequently as possible without allowing too many financial quarters to passby.

[unmasked]

I don't think this is going to have much of an impact on the corporate market. I'd hazard a guess that the vast majority of BB users who got their phones from their company are not even aware of the new phones coming out of the pipeline and there is really no reason for companies to be in such a rush to push new devices on their employees.

On the other hand, those who buy the blackberry on their own are the ones RIM is losing a grip on since we are the ones with the choice. If RIM is telling its shareholders that they will concentrate on the consumer "lifestyle" market as stated here http://forums.crackberry.com/f83/statement-rim-52271/ then delaying the Bold to focus on the Thunder is the wrong way to go since the Bold is their most promising consumer device. There are probably many people who aren't even aware of the Bold buying the iPhone for the 3G that, who knows, might have waited to get a Bold instead. Is this their core market? No, but its apparently the market they are trying to get into.

They need to get a 3G/QWERTY phone out and pronto. I will be out of contract in a month or so. If the Bold is not out by the time I am out of contract I will get something else and it almost certainly won't be a blackberry (too bad the Omnia doesn't support 1700). I like push email, a lot, but I don't need it and I've been holding off on an upgrade from my 8700c for a long, long time. I can only wait so long.

Now to be fair, BGR mentioned that the delay is not on all carriers. It could still come out on Rogers, T-Mo Germany, Vodaphone and/or AT&T as expected.

[mishock]

AT LEAST YOU DID NOT WAIT 39024820348 years for sprint to release the CURVE. You guys will have your bold's in no time...meanwhile I am excited about a curve and will be for at least another year haha

[avt123]

Have fun with the way over priced iPhone since it's only new technology you're after.

I wouldn't go as far as saying it is overpriced. I would not mind at all or have any regrets paying $300 for what that phone has to offer. It's the best thing out right now until RIM releases the Bold and Thunder, and even then it's all just a matter of preference.