blackberry

Just when we were all convinced it would be a quiet CES for RIM, the BlackBerry-maker springs this, an invitation to an event showcasing the PlayBook and smartphone operating systems.

Positioned more as an educational session rather than a product launch event, RIM's CES presence is clearly all about the BlackBerry App World catalog.

RIM's activity this year stands in sharp contrast to last year's show, which featured a gigantic booth overflowing with conference-goers eager for a glimpse of the yet-unreleased BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, and its celebrity spokesperson, actress Olivia Wilde.

I'm glad that RIM is … Read more

RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook lives! It is back at retailers sporting the same deep $300 discount as before.

After selling out at Best Buy last month, the retailer now has stock of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models.

As of Monday night, Best Buy was selling the 16GB model for $199.99, the 32GB for $249.99, and 64GB for $399.99.

The heftiest discount--$350--is on the 32GB model. The other two models remain at $300 off the regular price.

Take note that the PlayBook does not come with native e-mail, calendar, or contacts applications from RIM--yet (Web-based apps of … Read more

commentary RIM's Blackberry PlayBook tablet is now on sale for $199 at Best Buy. A price it should have had all along.

Like Hewlett-Packard's ill-fated TouchPad, which stalled at $499 but became an instant hit at $99, the PlayBook is now seeing newfound popularity at $199 (16GB), discounted from $499.

In fact, the $199 BlackBerry tablet is now listed as "unavailable" at most Best Buy stores in the U.S. For example, a Best Buy in suburban Los Angeles said it had sold out of the $199 PlayBook "a couple of days ago," according … Read more

Research In Motion rolled out two more BlackBerrys today.

The BlackBerry Bold 9790 looks like a compact version of RIM's flagship Bold 9900 phone, while the all-touch-screen Curve 9380 looks like a slightly smaller version of the all-touch-screen Torch, and shares similarities with the original--and glitch-plagued--Storm.

CNET Asia was on the scene at the launch event in Jakarta, and got their hands on the new devices.… Read more

Now you won't have to check into places before you can see their awesome discounts and specials.

Foursquare is a fun mobile game to play, with special deals used as incentives to visit businesses. Unfortunately, you might be missing out on some excellent deals at local places due to the lack of a directory of such deals--until now! Here's how to get a list of deals in your area:

Step 1: Head to http://poorsquare.us/

Step 2: Select your city and state from the drop-down menu.Selecting your ZIP code isn't required, but if you … Read more

The newly released AT&T Call International for Android, BlackBerry, and iPhone might be an awesome VoIP app for making calls overseas. Note the word "might."

According to AT&T, the Call International app lets you use a Wi-Fi connection to place international phone calls from their supported AT&T phones, to anywhere and from anywhere in the world--for a fee, of course. Just sign up for a Call International account, download the app from the provided link, and make your calls. Your credit card will be billed on a monthly basis, and you'll … Read more

It may be a few months late to the BlackBerry Torch party, but T-Mobile announced today that it's finally getting its own BlackBerry Torch 9810.

We first saw this updated vertical slider model this past summer for AT&T. The BlackBerry smartphone runs BlackBerry OS 7, and hooks into T-Mobile's "4G" HSPA+ network.… Read more

After making the rounds to other carriers, the BlackBerry Bold 9900, BlackBerry Torch 9860, and BlackBerry Curve 9360 will finally make their way to AT&T in the coming days.

AT&T announced today that the Bold 9900 and Torch 9860 will be available starting November 6, and the good news is that the smartphones are priced more reasonably than their counterparts on competing providers. The Bold is priced at $199.99 with a two-year contract, and the Torch 9860 is set to go at $99.99 on contract. Meanwhile, the Curve 9360 goes on sale November 20 … Read more

While the RIM BlackBerry Curve 9360 is a decidedly lower-end phone than RIM's Bolds and Torches, we think it's a great option for those still loyal to the BlackBerry brand.

It comes with the company's latest mobile operating system, BlackBerry 7 OS; it has a decent physical keyboard; and it's definitely an improvement over the previous Curves with its faster processor and better feature set. It even has support for NFC and for T-Mobile's UMA-based Wi-Fi calling service. For only $79.99 after a new two-year service agreement, the Curve 9360 is good entry-level smartphone for those wanting to give BlackBerry 7 OS a shot.… Read more