If you’re one of the early adopters of the BlackBerry Bold 9700, chances are you already have 5.0.0.321 or 5.0.0.330. However, heading into the weekend there’s been a new OS leak for the Bold 9700, bringing the OS to 5.0.0.344. Keep in mind this is an unofficial release, so be sure to backup your device and take all necessary precautions before you install. If you’re hesitant, hold off… I have a feeling we’ll see this build hit us in a more official capacity in the near future anyways.

Download OS 5.0.0.344 for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 >

[Via: CB]

So, not only do we have the new Storm2, the Bold 9700 and the Tour 9630 to gobble up on the market these days… It’s looking like AT&T (NYSE: T) may be slapping a new coat of paint on the Curve 8900 to push it out the door. Earlier this morning via BGR, I noticed said White BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) Curve 8900. Of course, no pricing or launch details were made available, but what do you think? The 8900 is a solid device, would you pick one up in the new white livery when it becomes available? Or are the new offerings from RIM simply to good to go back to that ‘old’ 8900?

Well, it didn’t take long for telus (NYSE: TU)‘ acquisition of Black’s Photography to prove useful for blogworthy information. The BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) Storm2, which has yet to make an official appearance anywhere in Canada, can be seen plain as day in the Black’s online catalog. This is one example of how telus will continue supporting the ol’ faithful EV-DO network, and isn’t just throwing everything behind their recently-launched HSPA service.  If you haven’t tried out the BlackBerry 9550, take a look at our review; the long and short of it is that the Storm2 cleans up the SurePress clicking touchscreen so it sucks considerably less than the first Storm, throws in Wi-Fi, and OS 5.0 (which entails a lot of user interface improvements). We’re looking forward to seeing this one in Canada soon, even though telus still has a few other exciting handsets to announce in the next couple of weeks.

[via Cell Phones Etc.]

Just a quickie here for the TweetGenius users out there. I noticed a little earlier via Twitter that TweetGenius has been updated yet again, this time to version 1.1.2. A bunch of bug fixes and tweaks have been addressed… Of course, no detailed changelog was made available, but we’ll have to assume 1.1.2 is a marked improvement.

If you’re running TweetGenius on your BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM), the upgrade is free, as all upgrades are a free-for-all until version 2.0. If you haven’t bought it yet, you can pick up your copy for $7.99.

Happy Twittering!

Note: While you’re at it, follow @IntoMobile, would ya?

Yeesh, Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s been busy: the Motorola droid, the HTC Eris, and now a new BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM). A simple CDMA version of the touchpad-toting Curve currently available on T-Mobile won’t exactly steal the thunder from Verizon’s other announcements, but based on our review of the 8520, the new Curve is a stable, if pared-down, BlackBerry with a few new stylistics twists. Sprint (NYSE: S)’s picking up the 8530 as well, and yes, both have Wi-Fi, a 2 megapixel camera without flash, optical trackpad, and 320 x 240 display like the original, but has the added bonus of 3G over EV-DO. Sometimes I wish BlackBerrys kept their cool codenames, like Aries in this particular case, especially now when there are three distinct families of Curves. In any case, you can sign up for notifications of Sprint’s version, or hold out for Verizon’s which will run $99.99 on contract after rebates, and be available November 20.

[via RIM, BusinessWire]

The T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) (NYSE: DT) BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) (NSDQ: RIMM) Bold 9700 isn’t quite launched just yet, but we’ve already gotten friendly with RIM’s newest hardware. The Bold 9700 looks and feels a lot like the original BlackBerry Bold 9000, with some significant under-the-hood upgrades. Cosmetically, the biggest difference is the missing trackball; in it’s place is a new optical trackpad. It’s a subtle design update that makes a lot of sense – the Bold 9000 was a big hit for RIM, of course they’re going to stick with a recipe that everyone loves.

Read the full article »

Bell busted out their fresh HSPA devices yesterday, and today we  have a similar official announcement from telus (NYSE: TU). Earlier this week, we had a chance to sit down and take a look at the new toys; most of the players you’ll already be familiar with, but here’s a rundown of telus‘ take on each one.

First up we have the Hero, HTC’s Android avenger, jam-packed with their custom Sense user interface. I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t packaged in Sprint (NYSE: S)’s slick, smooth, curve casing, but telus apparently wanted to capture the European flavour by offering something unique to North America, although it’s arguably reminiscent of Rogers (NYSE: RCI)’ HTC Dream in terms of aesthetic. Prodding a little bit about other Android hardware in the future, telussaid that they’re really not interested in vanilla builds – they really want to see some unique experiences with each manufacturer, and I couldn’t agree more. If you’re hoping to see the Hero on another carrier up north, good luck; telus said they’ve nabbed the Canadian exclusive on the Hero, and it sounded indefinite. The price point is also killer: $99.99 on contract, $499.99 off contract.

Read the full article »

Google Maps for BlackBerry has been updated, and as per usual, the folks on the Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Campus have personally let me down by not providing a changelog Let’s face it, I’d like to know what’s new before I actually pop open the app, am I the only one that feels this way? Me thinks not.

In the 3.2 update we noticed ‘layers’ functionality added to the app. A feature which allowed us to view all kinds of information on the map at one time. Turn layers on and off depending on the info you want to display on your map… View Wikipedia entries, transit lines, Google Latitude, and much more. It’s fun to explore this feature.

At any rate, the latest version brings us up to 3.2.1, and there’s no doubt the usual smattering of bug fixes and tweaks inside.

To grab your copy or to upgrade, hit up m.google.com/maps from your device. Enjoy!

[Via: BerryReview]

Well whataya know… The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is just getting acquainted with us, and what do we notice? There’s already a leaked OS out for the device. Let the OS leaks for the 9700 begin! The OS is mighty unofficial, and brings things up to 5.0.0.321. As always, be sure to backup your device and take all necessary precautions before you proceed. Or, if you haven’t even picked up your Bold 9700 yet, heck, just download this and update the OS later. Apparently this is the OS shipping on the Rogers (NYSE: RCI) Bold 9700, so if you’ve got your hands on said device, probably best to pass this up.

Get OS 5.0.0.321 for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 while it’s hot >

[Via: CB]

Bell has today gone ahead and flipped the switch on their brand new HSPA network. Coupled with telus (NYSE: TU) launching their own tomorrow, Rogers (NYSE: RCI) will no longer have a lockdown on hot GSM handsets like the iPhone, and Canadians will get some much-needed choice in service providers. The only devices Bell was forthcoming about before today’s announcement were an HSPA+ internet stick, and MiFi mobile hotspot, but they have really opened up both barrels with their full HSPA family. Earlier today, you might have heard about the Bell BlackBerry Bold 9700, but there’s also the original Bold 9000 for $249.95 on contract, the LG Xenon (simple, full-QWERTY slider; $89.95 on contract), the Nokia 2730 (standard candybar; $29.95 on contract), the Samsung omnia II (touchscreen slate running Windows Mobile with TouchWiz 2.0; $199.95 on contract), Samsung Impact (A.K.A Highlight, touchscreen slate with voice and motion-controlled UI; $79.95 on contract), and of course, the beloved iPhone 3GS.

On top of devices, Bell is also announcing a new HSPA video calling service available on the omnia II and Xenon that not only works with other capable phones, but also through a Facebook app. Overall, this is a huge step for Bell and Canadian wireless overall, and it’s not over yet – we’ll be hearing more about telus‘ HSPA  grand opening tomorrow. For a closer look at Bell’s full lineup, check their online store, or their HSPA landing page for more info on the new network.

[via Bell]