After many months of waiting impatiently for the BlackBerry Bold to even just be announced officially, we finally have reached launch day in Canada for it. Rogers wireless was the first to get it out the door here in Canada. Launch went fairly well with the exception of in store availablity. Most stores are still getting their shipments in but customer service will gladly process an order for you with 2-5 days for shipping. I ordered mine the day of release and had it delivered the very next day. Good on Rogers for that, but I'd have much preferred to go to a local dealer and have it the day it showed up on the Rogers website.

We've had a look at the BlackBerry Bold 9700 a few times now and not much has changed from the pre release devices pending on how far back you want to go. We have seen the device go from showing up pre-release with a trackball to now sporting a very responsive trackpad. Follow along and let's have a look at the officially released Rogers version of the new BlackBerry Bold 9700

While Kevin, Chris and Adam are concentrating on the hardware and consumer aspects of the Bold 9700, I'll be reviewing the device through the eyes of a corporate BlackBerry user. If you are someone who already has a BlackBerry and is wondering if they should upgrade to the Bold 9700 when it is released.

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 takes all of the great BlackBerry features from recent devices, as well as some new flair, and packs a punch that some will argue is the best BlackBerry yet. With an excellent combination of size, a great keyboard, trackpad navigation and BlackBerry OS 5.0, the 9700 is a force to be reckoned with. The device is perfect for both business users and consumers. Those who are new to BlackBerry will have no problem adjusting to the new device as the OS 5.0 improvements keep getting better and better. Here we'll take a look at the best features of the device, and check out the BlackBerry OS including standard features as well as the latest OS 5.0 upgrades.

Hands-On Review of Research in Motion's BlackBerry Bold 9700 Smartphone...

Whenever I write a review for a new BlackBerry Smartphone, it tends to turn into a 6,000+ word novel. Not this time. For one, Chris, Adam and Craig are all writing their impressions of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 too, each coming at it from a slightly different user perspective. Between us there will be no shortage of Bold 9700 coverage on the blogs. Also, I did a pretty thorough job of covering the BlackBerry "onyx" back in May when we showed everybody what the new BlackBerry Bold 9700 would look like. But most importantly and to the point, this is just an easy BlackBerry to write about. It's a straight forward story about an all-around stellar device.

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is simply the best of everything that Research in Motion currently offers in a smartphone, wrapped into a tight package. I'm sure there will be some Bold 9000 owners out there who may prefer the styling and bigger keyboard/screen size of the original Bold over the smaller and arguably more conservative 9700, but the 9700 meets or exceeds the 9000 on the features and specs sheet in areas that count: more memory, bettery camera and gone is the trackball in favor of the ohhh sooo slickkk optical trackpad. The BlackBerry Bold 9700 really is the pinnacle of the "traditional" BlackBerry Smartphone experience. 

Read on For Photos, Video and First Impressions of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 >>

When the clock struck 12:01am on Thursday, October 15th, a small herd of BlackBerry Storm2 Reviews took to the internet (well, one actually popped up a tad bit earlier). Unlike some BlackBerry device launches where you could spend the following two days reading through every word of every review and watching every second of video, the BlackBerry Storm2's official splash was a bit sparse (though I am liking the revamped look of BlackBerry.com's product pages).

For all the Storm2 chasers out there, you'll want to click through on the links below and take a read. It'll help kill at least a little time as you wait for the day when you can go to the store and buy one for yourself. There's still plenty of CrackBerry Storm2 coverage to come too, so keep it locked here. If we missed any review links, feel free to leave them in the comments and we'll update this post to include them (sifting through google news it's a bit tricky to tell announcements from actual hands-on opinion in some cases). And the odds are good another batch of in-depth Storm2 reviews will hit the web before it's available for sale, so we'll follow up with a Review Roundup Part Deux in a bit.

BlackBerry Storm2 Reviews

• Storm 9550 Reviews: CrackBerry | WSJ | cnet | IntoMobile | PCWorld | PCMag
• Storm 9520 Reviews: Telegraph | The Inquirer | Tech Radar

Featuring WiFi, more memory and an improved SurePress technology, Research in Motion's second-generation BlackBerry Storm is ready for primetime and wants to be touched!

It's that time again! Grab a cup of coffee or your favorite energy drink, kick back and enjoy yet another CrackBerry.com pre-release BlackBerry Smartphone review. This time around we're looking at an officially-received BlackBerry Storm2. Has RIM taken the Storm to the next level with the Storm 2, or are we looking at a minor update? Should owners of the original BlackBerry Storm upgrade? Read on to find out!

Read CrackBerry.com's BlackBerry Storm 2 Review >>

Saying the BlackBerry Bold 9700 is a highly-anticipated device is a bit of an understatement. Like the Bold 9000, the 9700 represents the pinnacle of what the traditional BlackBerry experience is all about, though compared to its predecessor packs more punch into a much smaller package.

We brought you our initial BlackBerry Bold 9700 Review back in May, when the pre-production "onyx" aka 9020 units were still sporting a trackball and plastic battery cover. Since then we've seen the device get christened as the 9700, we've seen it get a faux-leather door along with the touch-sensitive trackpad introduced on the Curve 8520. We've also seen it pop up in T-Mobile clothing as well, which apparently under the hood has some slight differences than its AT&T (& other GSM carriers counterpart) in we **think** the form of a different battery and processor. 

In the weeks ahead we'll undoubtedly start "officially" seeing and learning more about the next-generation Bold, but in the meantime the Boy Genius has added to the ton of pre-release coverage that's been hitting the web recently and given his thoughts on an early Bold 9700 unit, which in reviewing the hardware proclaims it as the finest BlackBerry ever crafted, which I know is music to the ears of all who are jonesing for this device. If you haven't checked it out yet, be sure to jump over and read his review. It's solid. 

• Read Boy Genius Report's 9700 Review >>
• Read CrackBerry's BlackBerry Bold 9700 Review >>
• Visit the BlackBerry Bold 9700 Forum >>

I've had a little over a week to play with my new BlackBerry Curve 8520 and I have some mixed emotions at this point. There are some great features, and I think overall it is a great "intro to BlackBerry" device. I'm not going to get into a full blown review this time around, but rather just try and cover some quick points that may help make it easier to decide if the Curve 8520 is the right device for you.

The new BlackBerry Tour smartphone launched on the Sprint Network last month, and it was a highly anticipated device for many Sprint users. Up until the launch of the Tour, the only options for BlackBerry smartphones for Sprint users were the Curve 8330, 8830 World Phone, and the Pearl 8130. While these are all great devices, none of them could compare to the BlackBerry Bold that was launched on GSM carriers almost a year ago.

Sprint had some initial launch issues with device shortages, and even a little mix up with a Sperizon device being sent out. Seems things to have simmered down a bit, and now it's time to get down to the nitty gritty with a device review. So sit back and relax, and let the good times begin.

I received my Curve 8520 today (which is now available on T-Mobiles site) and was extatic to get it out of the box and start playing around. Kevin has given us his pre-release review of the entry-level device, but I was happy to have one to play with for myself as well. Mind you, I'm always happy to get a new device to review, but this one will be my first GSM device so I'm in for a totally different experience. Coming from a CDMA carrier I may sound a bit jaded at times, so throwing in a SIM card and firing up Wifi was really something to look forward to. Having my Tour for a few weeks now I'm fully ready to give another device my time (for a few hours anyway). The Curve 8520 is available on T-Mobile today for $129.99 on contract, or at WalMart for $48.88 on contract (yes same phone, same service). This is just a quick look at the Curve 8520, with a more detailed review to follow.

With the BlackBerry Tour set to launch on Verizon and Sprint this Sunday and Canadian carriers next week, we're starting to see reviews of the BlackBerry Tour (especially the Verizon model) roll in across the web. In case you missed CrackBerry.com's pre-release BlackBerry Tour reviews, be sure to check out our BlackBerry Tour Review Part I and BlackBerry Tour Review Part II. Over the next couple of weeks we'll be following up with more Tour reviews as the official units hit and we get some running time with each of them on their native networks (Verizon, Sprint, Telus & Bell to start). But if you're an existing BlackBerry 8830 or Curve 8330 user thinking about upgrading, the Tour is an absolute no-brainer - it really is better in every single aspect. If you want a smartphone with a full physical keyboard that isn't touchscreen, you can't go wrong with the Tour (if it only had WiFi!!). 

Win a Free BlackBerry Tour: If you haven't entered our Win a BlackBerry Tour contest yet, Click Here and leave a comment for your chance to win!!

Verizon BlackBerry Tour Reviews: If you're looking for some more hands-on impressions of the Tour from the perspective of tech blogger or journalist, you can follow the links below to learn more. We'll do another review roundup as more reviews (from all carriers) surface. And be sure to jump into our BlackBerry Tour forum for even more user perspectives.

Verizon BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230

With the release of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 (for GSM carriers), RIM marked a milestone with its first-ever flip phone.  Fast forward a few months and the device began showing up on CDMA carriers in North America and has finally come to Verizon. Positioned as an "entry-level" smartphone, the Pearl Flip is geared towards new BlackBerry users and Pearl 81xx converts. It appeals to those who value a mobile phone that's small to carry around and steers clear of the power users that prefer a full QWERTY device such as the Bold or Curve to get the job done (or in the case of Verizon, the soon-to-be released Tour 9630).  The device is solid and easy to learn, which makes it a great starter for those jumping into the BlackBerry world for the first time.  SurePress greatly resembles that of predictive text (or T9) found on standard phones, so users can more easily adjust to the typing style.  

Hands-On First Look Review of the RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630 Smartphone including Video, Images and Photo Gallery...

Update - June 16, 2009: Today, Research in Motion announced the BlackBerry Tour 9630, their latest next-generation non-touchscreen, full physical qwerty smartphone for CDMA carriers. A replacement to the popular BlackBerry 8830 World Edition, the BlackBerry Tour will with time roll out to CDMA carriers including Verizon, Sprint, Alltel, Bell, Telus and likely everywhere the 8830 was sold. We first reviewed the BlackBerry Tour three months ago in March, and while our device was pre-release our in-depth BlackBerry Tour review will give you a great hands-on look of what you can expect when it becomes available. You can find part one of our BlackBerry Tour review below, and Tour Review Part II here. 

Read on For Photos, Video and First Impressions of the BlackBerry 9630 >>

A CrackBerry.com Pre-Release, Hands-On Look at the BlackBerry Bold 9700, formerly codenamed Onyx

The First 'No Compromise' BlackBerry Smartphone... the BlackBerry Bold 9700

* Update 2: October 21st, 2009 - Research in Motion officially announced the BlackBerry Bold 9700:

• View BlackBerry Bold 9700 Announcement
• View BlackBerry Bold 9700 Features and Specifications
• View BlackBerry Bold 9700 Video

* Update 1: August 12th, 2009 - Since this review first when live in late May, a few things have changed in regards to this review. First, the "onyx" became branded with a 9020 device model, which recently changed again to become the BlackBerry 9700 and now for sure will be labeled as the BlackBerry Bold 9700. Hardware-wise, compared to unit featured in this review, a few other things have changed, namely the device will feature a touch sensitive trackpad (as seen on the Curve 8520) instead of the trackball, and the BlackBerry Bold 9700 will also feature a leather back on it. And above the battery door, engraved into the rubber will be the word "Bold". Keep in mind the BlackBerry Bold 9700 will come in two versions - one for AT&T/Rogers/Europe and another version specificially built for T-Mobile in the USA, which features T-Mobiles 1700Mhz HSPA bands. Below is a picture of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 with the optical trackpad:

The changes made since this initial review to the Bold 9700 really make this is the ultimate "traditional" BlackBerry. It beats the original BlackBerry Bold 9000 in every respect, and does it in a smaller package.

Original BlackBerry Onyx (BlackBerry Bold 9700) Review

Pre-release review time! Rumors of the BlackBerry device model with the codename "Onyx" have been floating around for a while now and were proven legit when the first photos of it surfaced here at CrackBerry back on May 10th. After going hands-on with the Onyx, I think it's safe to say THIS IS the traditional (no touchscreen) BlackBerry smartphone so many of us have been waiting for. It always seems that every new BlackBerry smartphone makes a compromise somewhere on its specifications and feature sheet - be it the Bold's camera, or the Curve 8900's lack of 3G, or the Tour 9630's lack of WiFi, or the Storm's lack of memory and snappy OS.

RIM has finally packed it ALL into one device with the Onyx -- 3G, WiFi, GPS, 3.2 megapixel camera - and they've done it in a tight form factor. If you put the Onyx side by side with the BlackBerry Bold and compare the specs, you realize the triumph in engineering RIM has accomplished here. The Onyx is basically better in every way but has a much smaller footprint (though arguably the Bold's extra width makes for a better keyboard and physically wider display that some users may prefer). So if you're relaxing this Memorial Day weekend, grab a bevvie, sit back and read on to see tons of photos, a video and some first impressions of the BlackBerry Onyx.

* Disclaimer: Like all of our pre-release reviews, please note that this is non-commercially available device which means things will change by the time it comes to market. *

Read on For Photos, Video and First Impressions of the BlackBerry Onyx >>

A CrackBerry.com Hands-On First Look at the BlackBerry Curve 8520...

A New "Low End" BlackBerry That Rocks?!

Rumors of a new BlackBerry with the codename "Gemini" have been running around the interwebs since early 2009, evolving slightly with every new blog post made about it. After some back and forth on device model number (previously labeled as the  8325 after some initial confusion), the prevailing thought on what has been now named the BlackBerry 8520 is that would it would be a new "low end" EDGE-only addition to the popular Curve line. In other words, the Curve 8520 was not something to get too excited about.

However, this changed after seeing the first live shots of the BlackBerry Curve 8520 surface this past week, which showed off a slick looking device with the traditional trackball replaced in favor of an optical one... the "Gemini" was officially now a device we couldn't wait to learn more about. And good news - it didn't take us long to get our CrackBerry-addicted hands on one. So grab a bevvy, sit back, and read on to see plenty of photos, a video and our initial impressions on the newest Curve.

* Disclaimer: Like all of our pre-release reviews, please note that this is non-commercially available device which means things could change by the time it comes to market. *

Read on For Photos, Video and First Impressions of the BlackBerry Curve 8520 >>