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BlackBerry Milan, RIM’s first BB10 slider spotted

Categories: BlackBerry
By: , IntoMobile
Wednesday, December 7th, 2011 at 9:43 AM
blackberry-milan

Those of you who saw the first of RIM’s next-generation BlackBerry lineup may have been turned off by the lack of a physical keyboard, but this spiritual successor to the Torch is looking pretty sharp. This slider, code-named Milan, is one of many upcoming BlackBerry 10 devices, bearing code-names like Lisbon, Nevada, and London. Details on specs are slim, but the display apparently has better pixel density than the iPhone 4, which is certainly saying something. Of course it will be running a new operating system akin to that on the PlayBook tablet, and though it’s hard to tell scale from this picture, judging from standard keyboard sizes, it looks like that display might be in the 4-inch range. Design-wise, there aren’t any hardware buttons on the front face anymore, like menu, call, hang up, or even a trackpad, but this looks fairly early – layout changes may happen before this thing goes public.

If nothing else, the angular look is fresh and sharp, though to be honest, I’m digging the smooth curves the latest handsets are sporting. The real test of the new batch of BlackBerry devices will be how well the software runs. The BlackBerry Milan should be able to run Android apps by the time it hits the market, though RIM will still be locking access down to App World.

What do you guys think – could RIM make a comeback with a phone like this?

[via CB]

About The Author

Simon Sage

Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out.

  • John A.

    RIM will turn the ship around.  Just as Apple did.

    • Stephen

      Agree, RIM is going through some very painful and public learning exerciser. This is a result of learning that they need to develop new skills and look at the world differently, like a second or third adolescence. They have some brilliant staff and a strong long term plan. The only thing they have to do is grow from one stage to another and become a new company. They just need perseverance, a bit more time and maybe a bit of luck for a change.

  • ed oliver villa

    asdasdsad

  • ed oliver villa

    asdasdsad

  • Brookesl

    Good bye blackberry