Seriously, I need to travel more often. It wasn't so long ago that the 'javelin' (Curve 8900) was still unavailable that I spotted three in the same airport while flying to NYC. This time around while traveling home from vacation I was able to spot and get a few precious moments of hands-on time with the device above (single capture taken on my Verizon Tour) ... of a T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9700.
Wow, what a device. I've already reviewed the BlackBerry "onyx" (9020 device model at the time, now the BlackBerry Bold 9700) and basically concluded it was the ultimate "traditional" BlackBerry. Compared to the unit in that initial review, this one has a trackpad (vs. trackball), more of a silver chrome vs. charcoal (could be that AT&T will get the charcoal version) and the leather back on the battery door that we've previously featured on the blogs. It also felt different in the hand compared to my early model - this unit felt very sturdy (production ready?!). Couple that feeling with the T-Mobile branding and let's hope this baby is due sooner than later.
So for all the T-Mobile customers out there who didn't rush out to buy the Curve 8520, how do you feel about the BlackBerry Bold 9700?? Finally visual proof of a 3G BlackBerry on T-Mobile!! Big thanks to the BlackBerry Gods for being so good!
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126 comments
Looks nice
holy sh*t
that is some phone right there lol
it's about time T-Mo stepped up to the plate with 3G...you're only 3 years late! LMAO!
If AT&T gets the charcoal housing, that'd be sweet. I personally don't like the silver/chrome housing on the Bold or the T-Mo Onyx.
Other than that...that trackpad is looking tasty!
I just used my upgrade on the My Touch. Dang I want this Bad!
That looks nice!
it looks sexy :)
I'm so happy if this is true I haven't bought new blackberry yet cause I'm waiting on a 3G one. I hope they let the keyboard be like the Curve 8320 I have now. I love the way it feels.
That looks fantastic.
How did you spot this phone in a crowded airport?? And who had the phone?? Was it a tester or something??
My (gu)estimation, Kevin knows the folks who get to test these units or he himself is one of the fortunate that gets to test them and he is given embargo reporting rights. If nothing else, RIMM respects Kevin and Crackberry why not give him a test unit then let him build a story around it such as "look what seen at the airport!"
Think about it, Kevin is usually on the money about features and release dates. So is BGR, because they know people at RIMM or if nothing else, they do have a good relationship with the company.
I'm jealous can't you tell?
I am totally drooling over this thing and cursing myself for being so quick to re-sign my AT&T contract!
Is this the first Blackberry with BOTH 3G and wi-fi? At least in terms of AT&T and Verizon, I think so...
Between both of those options and the new trackpad... As I said in the subject: drooooool
bold 9000 on att has both 3g and wifi... itll be the first blackberry on tmo to have 3g and wifi
what phone did u upgrade too? the 8900??
that shit is hot!!!
There's lots more room for a bigger screen on this thing (LOTS of un-used black), makes me think that its gonna be the same "shell" as a different phone.
this will trump all with 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS and UMA.
No UMA, they haven't figured out how to do the hand off between 3G and WiFi for UMA...sucks I know.
really? I've really been waiting for a 3G/UMA device.
yes really. i've been told by a t-mobile engineer that no one has perfected the 3G to UMA hand-off, so it is a no go.
I need this in my life!!!!! My 8900 is serving me quite well, but a 3G berry for tmo=digital heaven.
I was going to buy a T-Mobile 8900, but if this is for T-Mobile USA (not T-Mobile UK or DE or another T-Mobile) then I will be waiting... fer sure. zomg.
all i can say is wow!
t mobile? what a shame
just got my wife an 8520 and love her trackpad, I think this would be the device to make me put my 8900 down!
Damn! time to toss the 8900 on ebay!!!
Where are the red number keys!!
Red Keys are a verizon thing.
Tmobile Uk uses red number keys too. FYI
Undoubtedly this is a hot looking phone, but RIM's piecemeal approach to innovation is really starting to get me angry. The trackpad rocks by the way, but Wi-Fi and 3G shouldn't have been such a no-no for previous devices anyways. Let's see some risks baby, push out that touch-screen BlackBerry with a full QWERTY we know you're working on.
Why is the green phone key upside down. Every picture of this phone has an upside down green phone key.
All the new blackberrys (8520, storm 2, onyx) appear to have the upside down send key, must be a new thing for blackberrys...
wow. i cant believe tmo did something right. lets hope its tmo usa cuz i dont think i could stand the heartbreak if it doesnt come to the states
Now that we just got 3G in Jacksonville, this is a no-brainer. I can upgrade next week, so as soon as it's available, I'm in.
Yes Yes and Yes!!!!
I am so on this phone the 1st day it comes out. It is soooo overdue by t-mobile.
Can we get a date??
Month???
PLEASE tell me this was a U.S. T-Mobile handset!!!!!! I have been waiting since they launched their 3G service in the NY market (their first 3G market) and now FINALLY there is evidence that a 3G blackberry is more than just a dream.
And while I would LOVE to have a combo touchscreen and full qwerty keyboard, I'll be happy to jump on the 9700 the day it's available! I've been living with my very solid (but extremely slow) 8800 BB since it first came out and I'm way overdue for a new device.
i would love to know what your express was kevin. i know if i saw an unreleased blackberry i'd flip like a little school girl running into zac efron
Hey, when I approach people, that I don't know, at airports, train stations, restaurants, movies, etc, they always give me weird looks and run away from me when I ask to play with their Blackberry... How do you approach someone that you don't know and ask them if you can touch their berry?! Do you whip out a business card and they know who you are?
i think its about time to put the 8900 up for auction
OMG SO GETTING THIS. EFF YA!
Wow! I'm glad I'm on T-Mobile, now I have a device to fawn over for a year come my upgrade time. I seriously considered bounching back to VZW for the Tour, because of the lack of 3G, but now, there is hope!! To quote Kevin:
"...thanks to the BlackBerry Gods for being so good!"
Amen to that!
P.S.: The leather door is shmexay! Go BB and Mighty Magenta!
This is a T-Mobile USA phone, you can tell by the dots on the "T" T-Mobile USA begins with one dot, T-Mobile in other countries begins with 3 dots.
sweet. i was sweating there for a second
Thats an interesting bit of trivia. Im sitting next to a Tmobile Uk Bold and your right.
Any chance this will end up at Sprint????
Oh well, my trusty Bold is going to have to carry me through the next couple of months.
It's like the faithful wife who has stuck with you through everything and while still attractive, you cannot help but look at or want the sexy new neighbor :)
Though I don't know why they are doing this titanium/chrome on different carriers thing. Why not keep the design the same.
The only problem is no UMA, they haven't figured out how to reliably do the hand off from 3G to WiFi/UMA
i've been using my Nokia 6610 for the last two months, saving my upgrade for this bad boy!!!!!!!!!
I will definitely be thinking about selling my 8900 for this, as long as it still has wifi and all other features of the 8900...
MON O MON PLEASE LET THIS BE FOR REAL....
TMO needs this very bad. We've been hurttin for something like this....
I'm ecstatic...T-Mobile is pretty good at keeping their phones under wraps so I guess we just wait for clearance from the FCC. Keeping my fingers crossed for a September release??
Great! Can we have a release date, please?
This phone will be released first in Germany for T-Mobile Germany. This will happen in Q4 of 2009.