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iDen BlackBerry 8350i to launch before Christmas!

By Kevin Michaluk on 9 Sep 2008 01:15 am
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BBNews.com just received word from a Sprint/Nextel Rep that the new iDen BlackBerry, the 8350i, is currently scheduled to launch on December 1, 2008. Sounds good. What sounds even better is the date dropped in the first comment following their blog post which suggests a November 2nd launch date. Either way, even with a buffer tacked on for the now-expected launch delays and this all means Sprint/Nextel users should have a shiny new iDen toy to play with by Xmas fo' sho!

Also in Sprint BlackBerry news, word has it that support for MMS will be coming to Sprint BlackBerry devices with Sprint's official release of OS4.5.

Topics: News & Rumors

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Kevin Michaluk Kevin Michaluk 3682 (articles) 3022 (forum posts)
22 comments

David Clifford

Great. It means I can expect someone would give me as my christmas gift :)

lamonicaj

I don't use the Push-to-Talk feature, but I am definitely excited about the possibility of MMS.

http://www.petitiononline.com/snmms/petition.html

mfeliciano

Yo Kev,

Any thoughts as to why all other carriers,(ATT,Verizon,Sprint etc)have the Curve priced at $99, but T-Mobil still has theirs for $199???? It's basically the same phone and they actually raised their price from $149. Been wanting to upgrade from the original Pearl 8100, but the wait for anything newer has been quite depressing... What gives!

TX Chuck

Word is from ATT that the Bold is to be released within the next 2 weeks. So they have dropped Curve pricing. Verizon is hoping to get the Storm out in late Oct or early Nov but they don't have any clue as to when yet. So they have dropped curve pricing. TMO SUCKS they get new devices crazy late. They may get the bold Jan of 2009 so they have no reason to drop the price on the curve as of yet. they have no plan for a new bb device.

SOUJAH345

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE KICKSTART TO BE? TO ME ITS A NEW DEVICE AND TMOBILE RELEASED THE BOLD IN GERMANY WHICH IS WHERE THEY ARE BASED OUT OF. GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT

pmjohnson99

What about finally having a curve with Wifi on Sprint!? I might considering purchasing just for that...I don't need PTT.

I wonder what "Optional" means on the camera feature? Do the phone will come with and without cameras. Or it can be disabled via software? I understand why they would do this...but just wonder if they would go through the trouble of making two devices for such a detail.

I also hope they alow EVDO Rev.A, or Rev.0 at least...I have a suspicion the Wifi might be making up the lack of High Speed Intranets.

Anonymous

Take it from a Sprint employee....optional means they are going to release one of these without a camera for the people who aren't allowed to have camera's in the workplace (yes there really is a big demand for that, that's why there was an i930 and an i920 same phone just one with a cam and one without). It's going to be a strictly iDEN phone so no EVDO anything....sorry guys.

june

could any sprint or nextel tell me if this blackberry 8350i will work in puerto rico? thanks

Anonymous

no the 8350i will not work in puerto rico.

popo341

The iDen BlackBerry 8350i will mean nothing unless it is CDMA/IDen PTT. It has to be a Hybrid to be a hit. Sprint Cellular and IDen PTT is the key to success for this Curve.

danaliza31

See the problem being that if you use nextel international PTT you are screwed. Nextel/Sprint sent me out the Renegade and it is hybrid and I could not talk to international Nextel....so no lets keep it all NEXTEL!

Steveve

I agree the Sprint / Nextel Hybrid phones suck. If your used to IDen PTT none of the others come close, however EVDO Rev A is far superior in respect to internet access, coverage and speed.

It would be cool if Sprint stopped screwing aorund and made a real hybrid that combined the best of both IDen and EVDO. Keep the international capibilites, high speed net, true PTT, etc, etc.

Sprint in my opinion was bad for Nextel, they failed to capitalize on the reasons Nextel has the highest (business) customer retention rate. If only Verizon had purchased Nextel...who knows for sure.

Smooth69Style

Finally some news I look forward to hearing. I have been waiting on this release date, this will be my birthday and Christmas present, all rolled into one. I will be happy with either release date, November or December. It's not that I don't love my 7100i blackberry, but it's just time for something new. After two years of loyal service with this one, it should definitely be retired in style. Thank you Sprint/Nextel, I look forward to my new BB toy.

mommiedearest

Does anyone have any idea what the price will be?

kermitgrn

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/1348982/Sprint-to-Deliver-Industry-Leading-P...

Vazcom

I am an indirect dealer for Nextel/Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon. I'm taking pre orders for the new Blackberries being released in the next few week. The Blackberry Bold(AT&T), Storm (Verizon)and Curve(Nextel). You can reach me at trampolla@vazcom.net to place your pre order. We service individuals and businesses. Additonal discounts will be available when purchasing through our company

Troy

Anonymous

NEW RELEASE DATE! Sprint has moved back the release date to DECEMBER 15TH!

IDEN MAVEN

EVERYONE EXHALE:

According to RIM, the issue of the recessed trackball has not been rectified satisfactorily for mass production. The estimated time for redevelopment and availability for the 8350i is the week of January 25, 2009.

I am jumping ship to Verizon push and STORM! Only a fraction slower and way more goodies with the ptt service

Anonymous

you are an idiot. the 8350i will be released through direct ship only on the 15th and available in stores on the 11th of january, where do u hear this end of january crap?
i work for sprint, and have already ordered 50 of them so please dont try and argue it with me

Anonymous

Just thought I'd let people know my new blackberry will be here on the 16th. I ordered it Friday. Christmas came early.

John L. Shinn III

A week ago, I went to Sprint and got the Blackberry 8330. Sprint’s 3G network is blazingly fast. Then I saw a colleague with a Blackberry 8350i, so I went back to Sprint and exchanged the 8330 for the 8350i—since my job requires me to also have a walkie-talkie.
The Sprint salesperson did point out that the 8350i runs on the Nextel radio network, but failed to make it clear that Nextel’s network is slow and nowhere near Sprint’s 3G network. The store only had two 8350i’s and I was lucky enough to get one before they were put out a display models.
Now I’m stuck with the 8350i (since Sprint would only allow one return/exchange with 30 days of purchase) which takes 2, 3 or 4 times longer than the 8330 to open a website. Watching Youtube.com is a joke as Nextel’s network is rather slow.
If you love to surf the ‘net, don’t get the 8350i and stick with Sprint’s 8330 or other 8000 models running on the 3G network. But if you use the walkie-talkie more than you surf the ‘net, then get the 8350i.
I know I cannot have everything in one phone such as the 8350i. But considering that I have to now carry only one phone instead of three—more than outweighs the shortcomings of the 8350i running on Nextel’s network.
Overall, I’m still happy with the 8350i. I only wished that Nextel runs on the 3G network.

Anonymous

I have an iden question: Can I get ANY unlocked quadband blackberry and use it with an iden network? I do have a sim card in my current phone. I don't use the PTT feature ever and don't care whether I have it or not. Seems like the frequencies would work...please help!!