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BlackBerry Apollo - The newest member of the Curve family shows us what it's made of

by Michelle Haag on 13 Jan 2011 11:20 AM
61
 
BlackBerry Curve Apollo

It appears that RIM's most popular line of BlackBerry smartphones is about to get a new addition! This device, codenamed "Apollo", will be an awesome addition to the Curve family, especially if the specs reported this morning are true. Packing in a 480 x 360 screen, 5-megapixel camera, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, a tri-band HSPA 7.2Mbps radio, and NFC capability, this device is sure to please those of you out there that love the Curve form-factor but feel the latest offerings leave something (a lot) to be desired.

The Curve line currently includes the 83xx, 85xx, 89xx, and 93xx series. No word yet what number the Apollo may be assigned. Also no indication on pricing yet, though being part of the Curve line it's sure to be competitive. This device, much like the Dakota mentioned earlier today, have both been rumored as far back as 2009. Which one will you be picking up on release day?

Full specs for the BlackBerry Apollo:

  • Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
  • Tri-band UMTS/HSPA 7.2Mbps
  • Bluetooth 2.1
  • Wi-Fi b/g/n
  • GPS
  • NFC
  • 512MB of eMMC, 512MB of RAM
  • 5-megapixel camera with flash
  • HVGA 480 x 360 display
  • 1050 mAh battery
  • Tavor MG-1 800MHz CPU
  • BlackBerry OS 6.1
  • 11mm thin

Discuss more in our new BlackBerry apollo forum

Source: BGR

Filed Under: News & Rumors, Devices; Tags: Apollo, BlackBerry 6.1, BlackBerry Curve
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61 Comments

Posted by breakmedown Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

I might stick with the Curve line if this is where it's going. Though why such a small battery?

Are we gonna see these phones officially announced at the Blackberry World Conference or whatever they're calling it?

 
 
Posted by Xader Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

I agree that they're finally moving in the right direction with the Curve line.

This is the FIRST curve that has been an upgrade from the 8900. Every Curve in the last two years has been a downgrade.

Sure, they had trackpads, but they had crappy screens, slower processors, lower-res cameras without a flash, and no GPS half the time.

The only specs on this that don't seem to beat the 8900 are the screen res, which is the same, and the pathetic battery size. The 8900 packed a 1400 mAh. I sure hope this thing has some serious power management resources...

 
 
Posted by infinus Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

I have hust brought 9780 two weeks ago....
And now so much new devices....

Wow...

Keep going RIM

But all them sucks...

We need QNX

 
 
Posted by devGOD Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

pretty much looks standard nothing to WOW about. the rendered design does look a bit better but not enough change for me to purchase.

 
 
Posted by AgentScribe Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

It's less about the looks and more about the internals.

 
 
Posted by belfastdispatcher Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Looks quite elegant.

 
 
Posted by cjb44 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Other than the upgrade in the camera not much to crow about.. It might look cooler, but if you keep it in a case what's the difference?

 
 
Posted by Machzy Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Doesn't the Curve line also include the 9300? Wow, no love for the 9300 eh phishgirl3?

 
 
Posted by Michelle Haag Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Heh I thought I forgot something. Thanks. :)

 
 
Posted by LuUkizZ Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

The Apollo was the 9300/9330. This new rumored device is something completely different.

 
 
Posted by AgentScribe Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Shit. #RIM is going all crazy ape shit dropping all these HOT devices! MY Torch is officially "old." waaaa waaaa waaaa. :)

 
 
Posted by 123berryaddicted Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Hey! Looks pretty good! I like the look of this... If their entry level phone looks this good, what's the top end models going to look like this year? Can't wait to see what RIM has for us this year.

 
 
Posted by infinus Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Very like old bold series...
.
plastic with leather looks
.
Wobly trackpad
.
Color Peeling keypads
.
And same old push mail
.

 
 
Posted by CL8Baller Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Old bold series? Are you serious? I'm a die hard 9000 fan and this looks far from it.

If anything it looks like a hybrid of the Tour with the plastic chrome sides with the curved top that started with the 8900.

Then you have a chicklit (no idea how to spell) keyboard like the curves, but it seems that there's more gloss.
Then there's the call, menu, trackpad, return and end call buttons that look like the Storm 2 and Style.

As for the old push email, well, its Blackberry, can't argue with you there haha

 
 
Posted by Xader Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Yeah. That darned push. Always holding them back.

Why can't they just drain the battery polling like all the "cool" kids?

 
 
Posted by EarthRyno Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

For a mid-market device, it's not bad at all. I have so many friends that own a Curve simply because they wanted a nice phone that could handle email and scheduling. Getting an iPhone or an Android can be quite a financial investment for some. If the specs hold true and they don't price it to compete with top line smartphones, I think there will be a great market for it! You have to love a company that looks out for most financial ranges

 
 
Posted by believeinpeter Wednesday, May 18, 2011 281 days ago

Nice point EarthRyno. This strong line-up (if priced accessibly) might really improve the user-base and developer incentive. NFC for the Curve line at the same time as the flagship Bold is a bit of a surprise... What sets the new Bold apart in specs/features?

 
 
Posted by highos Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Am I the only one that noticed this important gem?

Tavor MG-1 800MHz CPU

Interesting!

 
 
Posted by luqman24 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Not a huge upgrade from the 624MHz although i'm diggin the glossy front face housing. The specs looks like a minor upgrade from the 9300 series so i'll pass.

BTW what's the Difference between OS 6.0 and 6.1 and i'm sure my Torch will be upgradable to that since this has 512MB of ram as well.

 
 
Posted by kennyiceberry Sunday, Jan 16, 2011 402 days ago

I was going to mention it. Interesting indeed. It lifts the CPU in terms of power above that of many extant so-called higher-end devices. I've not heard of that brand of CPU. But then, I am but a mere dilettante as far as geeks go.

I'm cautiously approving of the direction the recent model leaks indicate RIM is going in.

 
 
Posted by infinus Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

With these handhelds RIM will make no difference to BB world,
Same old wine in new bottel.

 
 
Posted by frankdlr1972 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Getting pretty slim at 11mm.

 
 
Posted by mckillio Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

No kidding, 19% thinner than the 8900, which I believe is the thinnest BB out there. One of the reasons I've been reluctant to upgrade from my 8900.

 
 
Posted by joandrade Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Looks nice, the specs are also good. I might get this one to upgrade from my 8520.

 
 
Posted by robson21 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

im not a fan of the trac pad.. i like the atomic track ball.. but this phone looks sleek.. wish BB would give u a choise between trackpad and trackball...

 
 
Posted by WillieLee Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

The trackpad results in fewer warranty claims. And you have to be one of the very few to want a trackball over a trackpad.

 
 
Posted by Bigpoint Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

I have an 8530 that I like a lot. The size, the features they suit me. So, if I can get an upgraded set of features in a size and form I like, that's where I'll put my $. 5-megapixel camera with flash is especially attractive.

 
 
Posted by CHMNH Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Think I will stick with my Bold 9650. LOVE this phone.

 
 
Posted by valorian Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

" This device, much like the Dakota mentioned earlier today, have both been rumored as far back as 2009. Which one will you be picking up on release day?"

I'm going to have to say neither since these are both GSM and RIM appears to not have any interest in CDMA.

 
 
Posted by WillieLee Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

The 9330 is CDMA as is the Style. The entry level Curve always works with both types.

 
 
Posted by leftypepper716 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

I'm still gonna hold out for a Sprint Torch with 6.1 OS 800MHZ 516MB RAM 4-8GB Media card 5.0 cam due hopefully round March 2011

 
 
Posted by greatness10 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

keep waiting cause that aint happenin

 
 
Posted by sukarno Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Reminds me of Motorolas of the early 2000's. Yucks.

 
 
Posted by Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Better reported processor then dakota? These posts all look fake today...

 
 
Posted by WillieLee Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

BGR didn't report a processor for the Dakota.

 
 
Posted by rlhammon Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Rumored in 2009 means built on 2008 technology to be released in 2011. Sounds on par with what I'm seeing out of RIM.

QNX...QNX... get with it RIM.

 
 
Posted by leafs2k9 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

I think its a nice addition

 
 
Posted by belfastdispatcher Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

These are tomorrow's budget blackberrys. These are not meant to compete with Android and Iphones.

 
 
Posted by q649 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

+1

Exactly.

 
 
Posted by thymaster Friday, Jan 14, 2011 405 days ago

A budget phone that looks this sexy with nice specs, I'm sold.

 
 
Posted by josh05 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

I am currently running 6.0 on my 9700 but I really miss the ease of typing on the curve keyboard. I will upgrade to this one if I get the chance because I skipped the 9300 because It had the lower end resolution and camera of the 8300 series. It also has an all black look that makes it very appealing and not to mention the it has a more superior processor than the torch and the 9780.

 
 
Posted by raskal1130 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Reminds me of the 8800 Series with a trackpad and more curve like keyboard.

 
 
Posted by danisnotstan Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Looks like a nice phone... the keyboard however looks almost like rubber keys like the Palm Pre or Pixi... I hope not haha... might just be the lighting or angle.

 
 
Posted by 3Dee Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

WTF - no 3G in this day and age - am I ready this correctly? Thank goodness for the Dakota, let's just hope it's 9000 size as the look suggests.

 
 
Posted by belfastdispatcher Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Tri-band UMTS/HSPA 7.2Mbps that's 3G

 
 
Posted by 3Dee Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Thanks for the correction

 
 
Posted by belfastdispatcher Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

No problemo

 
 
Posted by crush29830 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Freakin Aye!!! there is some life left in RIM yet

 
 
Posted by shupor Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Great, just when i ordered the 9780 for the 3rd time since its release9returned the previous 2 within the 20 day 'Buyers Remorse' period. Not particularly one for getting caught up with having all the newest devices but i'm due for an upgrade and absolutely love the keyboard on the curve series. Wanna make sure it's one that counts

 
 
Posted by Wildo6882 Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 405 days ago

Still wish RIM would roll with some CDMA phones. I know VZW has kind of put them on the backburner with all the Droid pushing, but if they would release something like this/Torch2/Dakota on CDMA and not just for A-friggin' T&T, maybe they could keep an extra Verizon customer or two. Because of the lackluster options with VZW I went with a Droid X for my last upgrade. Great phone, but still want to get back to Black if they would release something better for VZW. C'mon RIM, I know you have it in you...

 
 
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