A few days ago we gave you a hands on look at the BlackBerry essex, aka Tour2, aka 9650 (maybe). At that time, the details pretty much assumed it was heading to Verizon as soon as feasibly possible, even though the hardware reviewed was not the VZW hardware, but the Sprint version (chrome band around the device vs. the darker VZW color). While none of that has really changed as the essex will still make its way to Verizon, Sprint is making no bones about letting people know they will have it in their line up though.
During a Sprint website customer interview, Sprint executive David Owens offered up some facts about what to expect from Sprint in the next little while. One of those facts follows the path taken by Verizon, dig the quote from the online chat:
"Sprint will "add Wi-Fi to [the BlackBerry] Tour" and have other Wi-Fi BlackBerries going forward."
The other fact quite obviously is that what we know now as the essex, will show up on Sprint sometime next year and this may help with some of the frustration new Tour owners were looking at in thinking Verizon was going to release an updated version as soon as possible. So how are you Sprint Tour owners feeling now?
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31 comments
Looks like this keyboard will fit the Blackberry 9700..?!?! Anyone else think so? The reason I say this is because the number buttons are RED :)
The buttons are the same on the 9630. I dont see any change unless the 9700 is smaller but its the same layout as the 9630.
Im so glad I didnt get the Tour when it first came out like I originally wanted... I wonder what other surprises Sprint is going to throw at us. Im excited!
Screw the wi-fi I just want the trackpad instead of this stupid trackball that's on my Tour. Hope Sprint gets this in like January
tour 2 is no biggie just has wifi. so where does this leave the 5.0 update for tour owners i read this article also and is very impressive. but us tour owners want the 5.0 official update. we were told possibly this wk some updates were coming for all bb devices but the only thing that came out was those updates the other day. that were no biggie. we need some tour love. the storm has passed now its our time we need 5.0. show us some bb love.
I want a better Blackberry on Sprint! The current lineup is less than stellar.
Wait, so does that mean VZW is also going to release it next year or for the holidays this year, as originally predicted? Us VZW users have to know if we should be up in arms about this new Tou, already! haha
Kevin told us it might be here for Verizon before xmas...
** aiming for the holidays **
but likely in the new year - things always seem to get delayed. but they're already ramping up the production builds on this
Well, that's a relief. So that way I won't feel bad after I got my Tour last Friday and was about to piss off that the new Tour 2 is coming out for this Holiday. But after reading this post, it said it would come out next year, perhaps July.. I am not too worry about it.
sprint needs the bold 2, storm 2, tour 2 and many new bb devices i hate seeing other carriers with new toys :(
Since my contract is up with Sprint and i paid retail for my original Tour i will probably upgrade for this one. Maybe just maybe..
Sprint/Nextels coverage, service and customer care are so pathetic. No matter what device they put out it's turned into a worthless piece of junk. Just take a gander at the 8350i section!!
wow this has to be one of the most worthless fanboy posts i have ever read.. 8350i is IDen idiot.. not CDMA..
I don't care about the tour2. I only want OS 5.0 so I can have the newest stuff. Don't need wifi.
an official OS 5 released for it. Where is it?
every carrier has issues (I know because I have had pretty much every major carrier). I have Sprint for 7 years. Yes they are by no means perfect and they have their issues but so does EVERY other carrier. You can find a bash session forum on any of them. Just remember that.
Well, I am a Sprint Tour owner and I am still feeling pretty crappy. This is directed entriely at RIM. So I spend my money on a worthless phone that I have to get replaced half a dozen times before I get a working one. I have spend hours in lines at Sprint stores living through the Tour nightmare.
So now RIM is so soon releasing the Tour 2 and expects me to hand over more of my money? I don't think so. RIM needs to recall all Tours and replace them with Tour 2's. But they won't so... I will going WinMo for my next phone. I have lost all confidence in RIM.
Probably should've learned from your mistake after the second time around. I knew of the problems the tour was having so after I ordered mine and as soon as i experienced those problems i returned my tour and had my upgrade status reset. I would rather wait for a properly functioning device out of the box rather than use a mediocre one at best.
Tour2 sounds like a sweet phone but the Tour sounds sweet also..... It's hard to choose when you're a Blackberry fan altogether..... Sprint here I come, and the Tour looks like my next and 3rd Blackberry.......
We shall see...
I wonder what the time frame for this will be?
just a question does anyone,(KEVIN,Solomandrin or the other
"Ninja's" ) what is the expected price point for this thing?And how long should I wait for perfected model? I still have the 8330 and was going to get the Tour but decided to wait because of the track ball bugs and such. I am willing to wait for the Tour2 just for the track pad, but Jan/Feb release means a June/July release for the non buggy devices. Get it together Sprint/Verizon!!! Don't rush the product just to release the same friggin' device with improvements that should have came with it from the beginning.
I have had an accourt with Verizon Wirless for ten years. I am now getted incredible bills on a three phone family plan with 1500 minutes. I am paying about $300. /mo. The flat rate is a supposed about $180 / mo. I have a Curve. I went through 5 Curve phones in one year to finally get one that is somewhat reliable. Verizon stores have been quick to hand me new phones which is good, just a pain the the ass.
Sprint, has offered me a great plan based on 1500 minutes that with a company discount, would be $115 /mo. No Blacberry data fees and really no extra fees at all. This is obviously very tempting. Does anyone care to share experience with Sprint before I make the switch? If I do, should I get a tour or stay with Curve?
I have to pay pro-rate cancellation fees with Verizon, but it still pays in the long run big time. With Sprint so competitive regarding pricing, Why are there not more folks raving??
go with sprint cheaper pricing and you get everything in that 1500 at no extra you gett bb internet and you get unlimited calls to any cellphone now unlike verizon i have been with sprint since 95 customer service has gotton better now and i would stay with the curve till something better comes out. you will find alot of people bitching and moaning about all carriers but sprint is the better deal now. and with sprint you alos get your nites sarting at 7 pm instead of 9 and you can get it to 6 if you want to pay the extra. and the early etf your going to get stuck with you will make that up with the savings from being with sprint. hope this helped. i have the bb tour and have no probs with mine works awsome. wish ya luck and come over from the darkside come into the lite i think as a new customer you can get the curve for 49.00 not sure on that double check on it.
HEY for all u sprint owners i work for verizon but i have a sprint phone,all day i do speed test on both sprint and verizon and sprint always wins,my tour even beats the storm 2,was going to get verizon but why !
same here. no contest
I wouldnt be surprised if we were trouble-shooting This blackberry the day after christmas...
Sprint just needs to step it up on their Blackberry lineup.. I have a great deal going with Sprint on my contract.. I've considered paying extra for other providers. Hope Tour2 comes out sometime during Winter.. Or we at least get a release date by then..
I just upgrades so alas no upgrade for a while. My trackball has an attiude problem, not good with BrickBreaker and with no trackball on the new one AND wifi... I feel even worse. I hope they will do something
I've been with Sprint with my Blackberrry for over five years. I love Sprint for the Price. Our family currently has 6 (yes six) Blackberry phones on our account. We pay $195/month for all six phones (my husband's company gets a 24% discount to employees). The first two levels of customer support and techinical support are awful. Until you get to customer retention or a Manager in support it becomes frustrating. Just keep demanding retention or a manager and you will be satified with the support. You also get navigation, sprint TV, sprint radio and all calls to ANY mobile carrier are included for free with Sprint.
I'm very happy with the coverage and speed. I just cringe every two years when I have to renegotiate my contract and have to get in a fight with customer service. Remember demand a Manager or retention department (that's how I was able to add the sixth line on my account).
So I got a samsung instinct last christmas, and I am a sprint primier customer, so can upgrade every year as opposed to two. I have been stuck between the palm pre and the tour, but then they came out with the hero and I couldnt decide between all three. I finally decide on the tour and couldn't wait to get it december 1st. But there is no way I'm buying a tour when they are just releasing this beautiful thing in the end of january/february. Does everyone think I should wait, or should I just get the Tour on december 1st?