Research In Motion on Wednesday unveiled two new and powerful
versions of its touchscreen BlackBerry Torch, including an all-touch
model, as it seeks to regain ground lost to Apple and Google.
The company announced plans to launch 5 new BlackBerry smartphones
based on the BlackBerry 7 Operating System (OS). RIM, in conjunction
with carriers and distribution partners around the world, is rolling
out two new BlackBerry Bold models and three new BlackBerry Torch
models, all running the new BlackBerry 7 OS.
The launch of this family of handsets will be RIM?s largest global
launch ever and more than 225 carriers and distribution partners
have already commenced or completed over 500 certification programs
for these 5 new handsets.
The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 are RIM?s thinnest
smartphones ever, each offering a large keyboard and touch display.
The new BlackBerry Torch 9810 smartphone builds on the popularity of
the BlackBerry Torch 9800 and combines a touch display with a
slide-out keyboard. The BlackBerry Torch 9850 and 9860 introduce an
all-new, all-touch design featuring the largest display on a
BlackBerry smartphone to date.
BlackBerry 7 introduces a next generation BlackBerry browser with a
faster, more fluid web browsing experience. Combining the improved
performance of the advanced WebKit browser engine together with the
hardware enhancements found in the BlackBerry 7 based smartphones
delivers browsing results that are up to 40% faster than BlackBerry
6 based smartphones and up to 100% faster than BlackBerry 5 based
smartphones. Additional enhancements to this next generation
BlackBerry browser have also optimized zooming and panning for
smoother web navigation and optimized HTML5 performance.
RIM?s new BlackBerry 7 based smartphones also feature Liquid
Graphics technology, with each smartphone combining a dedicated
high-performance graphics processor with a fast CPU and high
resolution display.
In addition, BlackBerry 7 based smartphones continue the tradition
of delivering an integrated suite of phone, email, messaging and
social apps. Recent enhancements include the newest release of BBM
(BlackBerry Messenger) which now extends the real time BBM
experience to a range of other apps. The updated Social Feeds (2.0)
app has been extended to capture updates from media, podcasts, and
favorites all in one consolidated view. The new Facebook for
BlackBerry smartphones (2.0) app introduces features like Facebook
chat and BBM integration that makes it easier for users to connect
with their Facebook friends in real time.
BlackBerry 7 OS also includes a number of other pre-loaded
applications. The Premium version of Documents To Go is now included
free of charge, offering users document editing features as well as
a native PDF document viewer. BlackBerry Protect is also pre-loaded,
offering customers the peace of mind that personal data can be
backed up and secured in the cloud. BlackBerry Balance is now
integrated in BlackBerry 7, allowing users to enjoy the full
BlackBerry smartphone experience for both work and personal purposes
without compromising the IT department?s need for advanced security
and IT controls. And further, the popular universal search
capability has been enhanced with support for voice-activated
search, so users can now simply speak to begin searching their
device and the web for information.
In addition to supporting the new BlackBerry 7 OS, each smartphone
also features a range of hardware enhancements including a 1.2 GHz
Qualcomm processor, HD video recording, 24-bit high resolution
graphics, and advanced sensors enabling new augmented reality
applications such as Wikitude that can be integrated with BBM 6.
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 series is the thinnest BlackBerry
smartphone yet (at only 10.5mm) and the first to offer a keyboard
and touch display integrated within the iconic BlackBerry Bold
design. The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 are also the first
BlackBerry smartphones to include built-in support for NFC (Near
Field Communications), a new technology that is enabling many new
capabilities, including the ability to pair accessories or read
SmartPoster tags with a simple tap of the smartphone. The BlackBerry
Bold 9900 series is crafted with premium materials including a
brushed stainless steel frame.
Building on the design of the BlackBerry Torch 9800, the new
BlackBerry Torch 9810 is faster and more fluid with high performance
hardware features and the new BlackBerry 7 OS. It features a 3.2",
high resolution touch display and a distinctive BlackBerry keyboard
that easily slides out to allow faster typing.
The BlackBerry Torch 9850 and 9860 smartphones offer the BlackBerry
7 experience in a new all-touch design. With a new 3.7" display,
the largest ever on a BlackBerry smartphone, the new all-touch
BlackBerry Torch 9850 and 9860 smartphones are optimized for
displaying web pages, photos, videos, and powerful gaming
experiences and still deliver real-time communication and
collaboration experience.
The new BlackBerry smartphones will begin to be available from
carriers around the world starting later this month, RIM said. The
slider Torch will be exclusive to AT&T in the United States, the
carrier said.