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RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones

By | May 2, 2011, 6:45am PDT

Summary: Research in Motion has unveiled a pair of new smartphones at BlackBerry World in Orlando on Monday. Both the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 are based on the new BlackBerry OS 7 platform.

Research in Motion has unveiled a pair of new smartphones ahead of BlackBerry World in Orlando on Monday. Both the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 are based on the new BlackBerry OS 7 platform.

There is only one real difference between these two 4G-enabled models: the 9900 supports HSPA+ connectivity, while the 9930 is an international device supporting CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and HSPA+ global roaming on GSM/UMTS networks.

Also dubbed as the Bold Touch, the BlackBerry 9900/9930 sports a high-gloss glass-weave backplate, a sophisticated brushed stainless steel frame with a 10.5mm width, making this model the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone yet. Don’t worry, BlackBerry fans - the traditional QWERTY keyboard and optical trackpad are still there. RIM is also getting onboard with mobile shopping quicker with the integration of NFC technology support.

Here’s a look at the rest of the features packed into the BlackBerry 9900/9930:

  • 2.8-inch Liquid Graphics capacitive touch screen (640 x 480 resolution)
  • 1.2GHz processor with 768 MB RAM
  • 8 GB of memory
  • microSD card slot (supports up to 32GB)
  • Built-in GPS / aGPS
  • Dual-Band Wi-Fi - 802.11 b/g/n at 2.4 GHz and 802.11 a/n at 5 GHz
  • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
  • 5.0-megapixel rear camera with 720p HD video recording
  • Accelerometer
  • Digital compass
  • Proximity sensor
  • Full version of Docs To Go with all premium features enabled
  • 1,230mAh removable, rechargeable battery
  • Weight: 4.6 ounces

Exact pricing and availability haven’t revealed. The most specific answer being given now is that these BlackBerry Bold models will be available with “carriers around the world” starting this summer.

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Topics

Research In Motion Ltd., Smart Phone, RIM BlackBerry, BlackBerry Bold, Smart Phones, Handhelds, Mobile Operating Systems, Cellular Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Hardware, Rachel King

Rachel King is a staff writer for ZDNet based in San Francisco.

Disclosure

Rachel King

Rachel King has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted in this blog.

Biography

Rachel King

Rachel King is a staff writer for CBS Interactive in San Francisco. Before serving as a contributing editor at ZDNet in New York City for two years, she previously worked for The Business Insider, FastCompany.com, CNN's San Francisco bureau and the U.S. Department of State. Rachel has also written for MainStreet.com, Irish America Magazine and the New York Daily News, among others. Rachel has a B.A. in Mass Communications and History from the University of California, Berkeley and a M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University, where she served as art director for the student magazine, Plated.

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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
pkw911 7th May 2011
@caspianhiro I agree with you bro, i have LOTS of friend said that they hate BB because it's so last last year.. I would love to see BB with huge screen and slide qwerty keyboard (If only Torch's qwerty is good, it might suffice my needs...)
View in thread
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
browser. 2nd May 2011
Yuck! The stocks are gonna crash to the bottom seeing the latest crapberry
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Bye-bye Berry
litigationtech 2nd May 2011
Wow! Looks like the latest version of the same old Berry. After over 10 faithful years, I'm going to go with a larger screen. The keypad was the most important reason I stuck with it for so long. Now, the tiny screen, lack of front camera, etc., just seem so 2005.
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
capeleopard 2nd May 2011
Now, if only they supported ActiveSync.
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Screen size is ok
JOpe28 Updated - 2nd May 2011
I think people are missing the point on the size of the display. I think my BB is great & does the job. A BlackBerry is supposed to be a communications device, so the size of the screen is comparable to the size of iPhones or most Androids if you consider the real estate that the virtual keyboard takes up. I imagine that a typical BB user is like me and needs that text input about 99% of the time that i'm using my phone. I think it's a question of different strokes for different folks. I like having the physical keyboard always ready to go. But then again I know that most people out there use their smartphones differently than i do and like to use other "apps" and things.
Well i rambled a bit, but this Bold Touch is really perfect for me. Touch only for quick icon tapping, zooming, swiping through pics or notification access (& other quick simple things used that 1% of the time when I'm not on the keyboard lol)
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
rubenb@... 2nd May 2011
@JOpe28 I'm right with you happy
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
southlander 2nd May 2011
@rubenb@... Ditto.
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
njglen 2nd May 2011
@JOpe28 Perfect response. I have both the Bold 9700 and the iPhone 4 (for work purposes) And I must say the BB is the best phone for work by a mile! One very important aspect for me is security and I had the head of security from Cisco come and speak to my team and he confirmed the only device secure enough to do business on is the BB, the iPhone doesn't even come close! Lets hope that is enough to keep BB in the corporate picture.
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
wadeperry 2nd May 2011
@JOpe28

Right on the money Joe. I guess those of us that want a secure, functional phone are in the minority these days.
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I disagree.
caspianhiro 3rd May 2011
@JOpe28 I had an iPhone 2, and then went to a BlackBerry via corporate mandate. I curse my BlackBerry every single day. As someone else here posted, it's way too 2004 to be useful. Web surfing is a nightmare on the tiny, unreadable screen. Everytime I hand it to someone else to see a picture, or a map, they intuitively pinch and zoom futilely. As a phone, it is mediocre, at best. As a "smart" phone it is two generations behind Android and iPhone. This announcement doesn't catch them up, it simply highlights how far behind they are.

On the iPhone and Android, the keyboard is there taking up space only when you need a keyboard. On CrackBerry, it's there, in the way, all of the time.

The only thing it does well is provide some security for corporate networks. I know my company is looking at way to support Android and iPhone. Once they do, I have to think RIM is toast.
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
pkw911 7th May 2011
@caspianhiro I agree with you bro, i have LOTS of friend said that they hate BB because it's so last last year.. I would love to see BB with huge screen and slide qwerty keyboard (If only Torch's qwerty is good, it might suffice my needs...)
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
ITOdeed 2nd May 2011
For the last time, BB's are great business phones, and the rest are media phones. Stop confusing them.
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I agree... ITS A PHONE.. hello?
michelle.alex@... 2nd May 2011
If I wanted a tablet, I'd buy a tablet, if I wanted a media player I'd buy one of those. I appreciate the blackberry for what it is and for what it isn't! happy
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
jijonc@... 2nd May 2011
Everyone here is forgetting the BB 9800 "Torch" which combines the larger (iPhone-size) touch screen and virtual keyboard (if you want it) with a physical keyboard, just by sliding the screen up. What I don't understand is why after the 9800, RIM means to come out with a 9900 back with the small screen.
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
southlander 2nd May 2011
@jijonc@... Because lots prefer it, and it enables the phone to go a couple of days on a single battery charge. Also, if you have a PlayBook with its gorgeous screen, you'd not want the phone to be any larger/heavier and worse on the battery than is absolutely needed.
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
jijonc@... 2nd May 2011
@southlander ... I have the 9800 Torch and it's so much better than my older BBs. Actually, battery lasts LONGER, and it's equal size and LIGHTER than the 8900 I had before.
Except for the apps, it actually combines just about everything from a BB and and iPhone (and people seem to like iPhones...)
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
bladesedge 2nd May 2011
@jijonc@... The Torch is horrible to use.
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
jijonc@... 2nd May 2011
@bladesedge ... I have the 9800 Torch and it's so much better than my older BBs. Actually, battery lasts LONGER, and it's equal size and LIGHTER than the 8900 I had before.
Except for the apps, it actually combines just about everything from a BB and and iPhone (and people seem to like iPhones...)
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Personally what I miss most is the Keypad Lock
bladesedge 2nd May 2011
Not sure why they took it away - Standby is not the same as you can knock it in your pocket and call someone. Accidentally.
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
ajrozsa2 2nd May 2011
@bladesedge
Press on hidden button on the top left...
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BB or etal
matenai 2nd May 2011
I have had many smart phones over the years. I find when traveling and for most business use my old 9000 Bold is still more than adequate and I have never had a single malware or virus issue. I keep getting tempted to go to iPhone but only because of the extensive apps and the fact that the best apps are not coming to BB...probably a security related issue. My main reason for waiting was for 4g as my only complaint is slow internet use. But I fear that will be a long wait as it seems ATT has problems enough with current data rates!

I think the niche is still wide open for this new phone...some do not have time to play or just collect the latest. There was once a time when the goal of the cell phone manufacturer was to make a great phone...the 9000 series all seem to me great cell phones and they are very decent smartphones. The cell phone quality of most of the competitors are terrible.

Think the someone above put it best...by a pad device and get a bigger screen if you want to really use graphics.
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bb screen sizes
Richard1111 2nd May 2011
bold 9900/9930 = 2.8in
torch 9860? = 3.2in
touch 9xxx? = 3.7in

and the playbook = 7in

I think rim is covering most of the bases in the near future.

Just missing 4.0-4.3in screen size and 9-11in one
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RE: RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones
MrElectrifyer 5th May 2011
The first B in BB should really stand for Business. Majority of BB smart phones are always Business ready; really secure compared to other smartphones, faster and free communication through BB messenger plus they have a seperate data network (google it up). In summary, they should be called BusinessBerry smartphones happy

iPhone 3GS user here wink

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