BlackBerry app for eBay now out of beta and in BlackBerry App World

In beta for some time, the eBay for BlackBerry app 2.0 has finally made it to BlackBerry App World. Those with an Apple iPhone or Android phone have been able to use the eBay app from the App Store and Android Market respectively, and now 'Berry users have the same functions available from their own online applications store. The app allows BlackBerry users to bid on an item, watch and monitor a specific auction and post a new listing all from their phone.

Newly advanced search filters allow you to search for a specific item and you can arrange to have a reminder go off in your calendar when a listing is about to end. You can also receive real-time notifications when a new bid comes in on a certain item, and when you've won or lost an auction. If you are selling an item, you can use a photo taken with the camera on your BlackBerry to help illustrate what you have up for bids. And if you want to share a listing with a fellow BlackBerry user, the app allows you to do this via BBM in real time.

The eBay for BlackBerry app is a free download from BlackBerry App World and is available for those rocking a 'Berry running 4.5.0 OS or higher. If you've seen the Android or Apple iPhone eBay app, you will be able to tell that the UI is not quite as polished on the BlackBerry version, but it does get the job done in a workmanlike fashion which, after all, is what the current line of BlackBerry is all about.

BlackBerry Torch 9810 Lands On T-Mobile 9th November

T-Mobile has announced that the new BlackBerry Torch 9810 will be available from T-Mobile in the US from the 9th of November, and the device will be available for $249.99 after a mail in rebate when you sign up to a new two year contract with T-Mobile. The BlackBerry Torch 9810 comes with a 3.2 inch touchscreen display, plus a slide out QWERTY keyboard, processing is provided by a single core 1.2GHz processor and there is also a 5 megapixel camera which can record HD video in 720p.

You can find out more information about the BlackBerry Torch 9810 over at T-Mobile, and the device is now up for pre-order and will go on sale in T-Mobile stores and online on the 9th of November.

More information's:
http://www.bgr.com/2011/11/02/t-mobile-blackberry-torch-9810-lands-november-9th-for-250/

BlackBerry Torch 9810 Hands-On:

More BlackBerry Bold 9790 Photos Leaked

We saw some photos of the new BlackBerry Bold 9790 last month, and now we have some more photos of the device which is expected to come with BlackBerry 7 OS, a single core 1.2GHz processor 8GB of storage and support for NFC. As you can see from the photos it features a QWERTY keyboard and will also come with a touchscreen display, unfortunately that is all we know so far.


More information's:
http://crackberry.com/blackberry-bold-9790-gets-caught
http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/11/01/more-blackberry-bold-9790-photos-surface-phone-primed-for-launch/

BlackBerry Bold 9790 Bellagio:

RIM BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981

Porsche Design P'9981 is a smartphone from BlackBerry. The phone with the futuristic QWERTY keyboard was formerly known as the BlackBerry Knight. The handset will be available from Porsche Design stores and there is speculation that the price tag will be a very Porsche-like $2,000. So what are you getting for that stack of 20 C notes? The device offers solid construction, for one thing with a forged stainless steel frame, leather back, and a sculpted QWERTY keyboard. The model is equipped with a exclusive Porsche Design UI and a Wikitude World Browser augmented reality app. Each unit of the P'9981 gets a premium PIN that allows the user of the device to find another P'9981 user in a crowd. Other specs include a single-core 1.2GHz processor, HD video capture and 8GB of native storage that can be pumped up to 40GB using a microSD card. The phone is NFC enabled and has BlackBerry 7 OS on board. That means the phone has the second-generation WebKit browser and includes the fast and smooth liquid graphics..

Bluegrass Cellular adds the BlackBerry Torch 9850 and Bold Touch 9930 to its lineup

Continuing to branch out its offerings, Kentucky based regional carrier Bluegrass Cellular is adding the latest devices from RIM’s camp to its lineup. Specifically, both the BlackBerry Torch 9850 and Bold Touch 9930 can be purchased today with or without contracts.

With these two beauties, they don’t boast anything particularly new from what we’ve seen already. Nevertheless, the addition of the two handsets will clearly supplement their existing collection of handsets, which mainly featured last generation Berry devices like the Style and Curve. Naturally, both new smarthpones have their own specialties, like the Bold Touch 9930’s iconic keyboard or the all touchscreen form factor of the Torch 9850, but whichever one you decide on picking up, we’re sure that you’ll be content playing around with them.

For those interested in picking up the Torch 9850, you can pick one up for $149.99 with a 2-year contract, $429.99 with a 1-year agreement, or $460 outright. Meanwhile, you can nab yourself the Bold Touch 9930 for the 2-year contract price of $199.99, $479.99 with a 1-year agreement, or a whopping $535 for its flat out no-contract price.

BlackBerry Porsche Design P9981 Smartphone Announced

RIM has announced its latest smartphone, the BlackBerry Porsche Design P9981, and it features a steel and leather exterior, plus BlackBerry 7 OS and it comes with a 1GHz processor.

The BlackBerry Porsche Design P9981 smartphone also features a 5 megapixel camera which can record HD video in 720p, and it also comes with NFC, and the BlackBerry 7 OS features a custom Porsche Design font and icons. The BlackBerry Porsche Design P9981 smartphone will go on sale before the end of the year for about $2,000.

More information's:
http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/27/blackberry-porsche-p9981-unveiled-in-dubai/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29

Official BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 Product Video:

RIM To Face Class Action Lawsuit After BlackBerry Outage

More bad news for RIM this morning, as BlackBerry users are filing a class action lawsuit against the company after the recent BlackBerry outage, which left BlackBerry users around the world unable to access BBM and other BlackBerry services for almost four days.

The lawsuit has officially been filed in the Quebec Superior Court by the Consumer Law Group, on behalf of BlackBerry users who pay for a monthly data plan that were unable to access their email during the outage. RIM’s CEO recently apologised for the outage and RIM also offered free apps to all BlackBerry users, obviously BlackBery owners feel that RIM hasn’t done enough after the outage and have decided to take the company to court.

More information's:
http://www.bgr.com/2011/10/26/class-action-suit-filed-against-rim-after-blackberry-outage/

BlackBerry Colt To Be RIM’s First BBX Smartphone?

RIM recently announced its new BBX platform, and now we have some details on the first smartphone that will use the BBX platform, according to the guys over at n4bb, the BlackBerry Colt will be the first BBX device.

The BlackBerry Colt will come with a 4 inch display and is also rumored to feature a dual core processor, plus front and rear cameras, and the device is expected to be launched early next year.

More information's:
http://www.gsmarena.com/details_on_the_first_bbxbased_superphone__the_blackberry_colt-news-3315.php
http://www.unwiredview.com/2011/10/26/blackberry-colt-to-be-the-first-bbx-superphone-specs-leaked-alongside-an-image/

NEW RIM BlackBerry COLT 2012, First QNX Smart Phone, Features, Specs Review, Release Date:

BlackBerry Owners Flock to IPhone 4S in Record Numbers

BlackBerry owners are trading in their devices in record numbers, highlighting RIM's struggles and Apple's expected success with the iPhone 4S.

Apple iPhone 4S.

Gazelle, an online tech product buyer, said the number of BlackBerry trades is up from its record highs earlier this month, citing an 80 percent increase last week. Android trade-ins, along with old models of the iPhone, also spiked.

Users' sudden increased fleeing of BlackBerry phones follows the recent outages of Research in Motion's service. BlackBerry users all over the world were left without Internet and instant messaging capabilities for days as RIM struggled to fix the problem. The outages may have been the final straw for many BlackBerry users contemplating moving on to another smartphone.

Apple's release of the iPhone 4S in the midst of BlackBerry service outages, poor sales, and RIM's management dissention, may have combined to trigger the increased user trade-ins.

Gazelle also began running a national television ad campaign shortly before the release of the 4S to alert users of the site's existence. The Gazelle commercials inform viewers of the company's buy-back program for old electronics in a fast and efficient way and tell potential traders they "may get more than they think."

But the 4S may not be the only device causing smartphone users to trade-up and buy. New smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S2 and Motorola Droid Bionic may be target landing spots for those trading in old devices, and trade-ins of old handsets will likely continue as top-flight smartphones such as the Motorola Droid Razr and Samsung Galaxy Nexus hit the market next month.

RIM currently offers no phones that are in nearly as high demand as its competitors. The company's new BlackBerry 7 devices have performed poorly, which means most customers trading in old devices aren't doing so to pick up the new Torch. RIM is banking on phones running the BBX operating system to save the company, but those aren't coming until next year.

Customers trading in their iPhones and Android devices are likely ending up with an updated model of those phones, but those sending Gazelle their BlackBerries are more likely to be saying goodbye to the brand for good.

BlackBerry trade-ins up 80% at trade-in site Gazelle

You know that trade-in site Gazelle, you know, the company that wants to buy the iPhone in your pocket so you can buy the new iPhone? Well ever since RIM experienced server outages around the globe they have seen an 80% increase in BlackBerry trade-ins.

Gazelle doesn’t really ask why users are trading their BlackBerrys in, but the timing of the spike of trade-ins with the server outages cannot be ignored. It is also possible that users just wanted to get their hands on some of the new devices coming out and wanted some cash to help with the cost.

Some of the trade-in values for BlackBerrys aren’t too bad at all. However, most of the devices that have the highest trade-in values are probably new enough that the owner is still locked in to a contract. Older devices such as the BlackBerry Bold 9000 will only net you $43 if it is in perfect condition while a new handset like the BlackBerry Torch 9810 will add $222 to your bank account if it is pristine.

With more and more users dumping BlackBerry devices every day, it is easy to see why the once dominant company is struggling. Some specs and a mock-up of the BBX-powered BlackBerry Colt surfaced yesterday, so we will have to see if it is good enough to entice anybody to give them another shot. Tell us what you think.

BlackBerry Knight to be Porsche exclusive, set to be introduced October 27th

You might remember the pictures we showed you last month of a strange looking BlackBerry with a very futuristic looking design sporting the innards of a BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930. Although many had felt that the phone was a fake, at the time, we told you that this was a special edition 'Berry code named the Knight for Porsche, and it turns out that information was right on.

The BlackBerry Knight will be unveiled on October 27th as part of special event showing off the phone which is described as the result of an "exclusive collaboration between Porsche Design and BlackBerry". The phone will be available exclusively from Porsche dealers. With the specs of the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930, you can expect a 2.8 inch touchscreen with resolution of 640 x 480. A single-core 1.2GHz processor will be under the hood (pun unintended) with 768MB of RAM aboard. A 5MP camera on back captures video at 720p and there is 8GB of native storage that can be bumped up to 40GB using a microSD card. NFC enabled, the device will run on BlackBerry 7 OS.

Anyone ready to pick up a BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 with a QWERTY keyboard from the future?

BlackBerry users to get free apps to make up for outage

BlackBerry users who recently have been stung by a series of outages that reached around the globe, are being offered $100 in free apps by RIM as a way of making up for the days that BlackBerry users could not use their handset. The free apps include SIMS 3, Bejeweled, Texas Hold'em Poker 2, Bubble Bash and Shazam Encore. RIM says more titles will be handed out later. Enterprise users will also get one free month of technical support and current contract holders will get a one month extension of their contract; those without a technical support contract will get a one month trial of the service.

Now that RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis has apologized for the outage that took place last week, the company is trying to put the whole affair behind it. But is an offer of $100 worth of free apps enough to soothe the anger of BlackBerry users? If you are a BlackBerry user who was affected by the service problems last week, let us know if you are satisfied with RIM's offer by leaving us a comment in the box below!

For those BlackBerry owners who need a good laugh after the frustrating period of time without service for their phone, or for others who just could use something to chuckle about, we bring back a video that appeared on a BBC comedy show a while ago. Despite the age of the video, the topic is as current as can be! (For those unaware, Orange is the name of a carrier in the UK)

BlackBerry's new BBX name might have started legal problems for RIM

Sometimes it seems that lawyers are the only ones making money in this economy-outside of Apple, that is. Earlier this week at DevCon, BlackBerry announced the new BBX name it is giving its one-size-fits-all QNX flavored OS for smartphones and tablets. Unfortunately, it would seem that someone at RIM didn't check to make sure that their would be no problems using that name. A small company called BASIS International has a cross-platform developers language called BBx which allows app developers to write a program once and have it run on iOS, Android and BlackBerry.

BASIS International in a release vowed to defend its trademark which was first used in 1985 as Business BASIS eXtended (BBx). For its part, RIM doesn't appear to be worried. In a release, the Canadian company said that they have not received the legal complaint that BASIS talked about in its press release. RIM says that since both companies are in different lines of business, it doesn't see where there could be any confusion. BASIS sees it differently. BASIS chairman and CEO Nico Spence said, "We have thousands of product licenses installed worldwide with the ‘BBX’ prefix that run on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and other proprietary UNIX OSs from IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and SUN, with mobile clients running Apple iOS, Google Android, and Windows Mobile. We are fielding numerous customer inquiries voicing their confusion about the RIM announcement.” Spence adds that ironically, BASIS' BBx could help RIM grab a bigger share of the online application market since the program allows apps written for iOS and Android to also work on BlackBerry devices.

BlackBerry service disruption hits America and Canada

The United States and Canada have become the latest countries to suffer from disruption to BlackBerry services in the third day of server problems, Research in Motion (RIM) confirmed 12 October.

According to RIM, the problems currently being experienced by US and Canadian customers are similar to those that have plagued customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa for the last two days.

The disruption seems to have hit the consumer BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service) rather than the BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server), as corporate customers appear to have been unaffected. Consumer customers have been unable to access emails, internet services and BBM (BlackBerry Messenger).

Users left without data services for the third day have turned to social networking sites such as Twitter to vent their outrage.

A RIM spokesperson told Mobile: ‘I can confirm that some of our American and Canadian BlackBerry users suffered from intermittent service delays today. We are working to resolve the delay as soon possible. We just want to apologise at this time for the inconvenience that this has caused our customers.’

It is not yet known whether the root of the problem is the same as the cause of the faults in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, which is said to have been caused by a core switch failure at a server in a Slough-based data centre near London.

The US and Canadian disruptions are currently under investigation.

RIM Says All BlackBerry Services Have Been Restored

We saw a video apology from RIM’s CEO, Mike Lazardis, after the outage of BlackBerry services, which included BlackBerry Messenger in the US, Europe, Canada, India and the Middle East.

Now according to RIM all of the BlackBerry services have been restored around the world, the news comes after many users have had no access to BlackBerry services for up to 4 days. RIM has also said that they are putting things in place to make sure this doesn’t happen again, although only time will tell whether these measures have been effective.

More information's:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=blackberry+messenger&f=hp

RIM BlackBerry Torch 9850 (Sprint) smartphone video tour: