@Ackee_ is on fire with his tips! He just sent me an image showing that BlackBerry Storm 9530 owners on the Verizon network will officially be getting OS 5.0.0.328 this Sunday, October 25th.

The latest leaked OS for the Storm 9530 is 5.0.0.323, and since this upcoming official release is only a few builds higher I hope this means a release for other devices isn’t far off. Keep in mind that while this is official internally, the actual release date could change before it is released publicly.

Any Storm 9530 owners excited about possibly getting some official OS 5.0 action this weekend?

When it rains, it Storms . The guys over at Engadget were sent the image above showing the Verizon BlackBerry Storm2 9550 with some pricing info and further confirmation for the October 28th launch date.

• 2 Year $279.99 (Price before $100 Mail-in Rebate)
• 1 Year $349.99 (Price before $100 Mail-in Rebate)
• Full Retail $539.99

So how does a brand new Storm2 for $179.99 (after the rebate) on a 2 year contract sound? Any current Storm1 owners planning on getting it?

Don’t forget to check out the Storm 9550 Interactive User Guide ,  the Storm2’s features and specifications and Verizon’s internal PDF about the launch for more info.

UPDATE Added alternate links. *

• Download via RapidShare:
  • OS 5.0.0.314 for the Curve 8900
  • OS 5.0.0.314 for the Bold 9000
• Download via MegaUpload:
  • OS 5.0.0.314 for the Curve 8900 (thanks ps360wiitv)
  • OS 5.0.0.314 for the Bold 9000
• How To:
  • Backup And Restore Your BlackBerry
  • Upgrade your BlackBerry Operating System (OS)

Please report any feedback/findings in the comments.

DISCLAIMER: Install at your own risk. This is Leaked/Beta software that is not guaranteed to be stable, and therefore will not be supported by RIM or your wireless carrier should you run into some problems. As a precaution, if you decide to upgrade, it is highly recommended that you make a backup before using this software. If you are not comfortable using Leaked/Beta software you should probably wait for the next official release. *

Thanks to @Ackee_, yesterday I first told you that the  Verizon BlackBerry Storm2 9550 might be launching on October 28th. @Ackee_ sent me another picture of an internal Verizon document showing the “All Channel” launch of the Storm2 is indeed scheduled for October 28th!

If the picture isn’t enough for you, check out the internal PDF document for yourself :

• Download via MegaUpload: Verizon Wireless Storm2 9550 Info Pamphlet (PDF)

The 29-page PDF comes complete with everything you’d want to know about the Verizon Storm2 like the announcement seen above, product codes, features, specifications, what comes in the box, various accessories, overview, helpful hints and more. If everything works out internally we should be seeing an official public announcement from Verizon within a week!

My buddy @Ackee_, the same tipper who sent me pics of the Verizon BlackBerry Storm2 dummy unit and promo flyers, sent over another picture that he was able to get of a Verizon “merchandising call agenda”.

The picture of the merchandising call agenda shows the Tour 9630 and the Storm2 with a 10/28 date at the top.  Although a rumor until Verizon announces it themselves, @Ackee_ has informed me that October 28th is so far the scheduled launch date for the Verizon BlackBerry Storm2!

A 360 demo of the Storm2 was already found on Verizon’s website and an interactive guide for the Storm2 9550 was also found on the BlackBerry website, so there is definitely some prep happening behind closed curtains.

I was given no guarantees, but I might be getting some better material tomorrow about Verizon’s launch of the Storm2 so keep an eye on BBRocks!

AT&T’s Facebook account posted some news about the BlackBerry Bold 9700 along with a link to a ShareATT YouTube video where Seth Bloom, an AT&T spokesman, does an unboxing and walkthrough of the Bold 9700.

A first look at the brand new Blackberry Bold 9700, which features a 624 MHz processor, 256 MB of Flash memory, a 3.2 megapixel camera and A-GPS to provide a faster location fix in support of AT&T Navigator with real-time traffic data. The new BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone also features an re-designed, innovative touch-sensitive trackpad, Wi-Fi, tethering capability, increased battery life, and BlackBerry OS v5.0, which supports BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0.

It’s very exciting to see an official video of the Bold 9700. Here’s a recap of AT&T’s pricing for this device from their press release:

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone will be available in the coming weeks for $199.99 (pay $299.99 and receive $100 mail-in-rebate.) AT&T smartphones require the purchase of a monthly data plan. Other monthly charges apply.

Don’t forget to watch the video and let me know what you think in the comments!

Just like they were the first to offer pre-ordering of the BlackBerry Storm2, Vodafone UK now has the Bold 9700 available for pre-order.

Those who pre-order the Bold 9700 can expect to receive it on October 28th (two days after the Storm2) for free on monthly pay plans from £35. For more info and to pre-order check out the Bold 9700 Vodafone UK page.

@ConorfromOrange, an Orange UK employee who works in the comms team, sent out the following tweet basically confirming that the Bold 9700 will also be available to Orange UK customers soon.

If you’re with Orange UK and know more details about the Bold 9700 let me know in the comments!

Yesterday RIM officially announced the BlackBerry Bold 9700 along with a bunch of carriers issuing their own press releases, some containing info on pricing and availability. Keep in mind that these press releases are similar with their announcement except for carrier-specific differences.

Check out the roundup after the jump. If you found an announcement from a carrier I haven’t mentioned yet let me know in the comments!

CONTINUE READING »

Yesterday I posted about the BlackBerry Bold 9700 becoming official with press releases from RIM, AT&T, Bell, Rogers and T-Mobile. The official worldwide launch will begin in November so you’ll want to know as much as you can about the 9700 if you don’t already.

Associated with the Bold 9700 press release was a features and specifications PDF which I’ve included as text after the jump, followed by a link to the PDF file in case you’d like to save it. Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments!

CONTINUE READING »

Google Maps for BlackBerry has been updated to version 3.2 with some new features including “layers” integration, an awesome feature  that allows you to get the most out of mapping and navigating the area you’re in.

Layers make it easy to view various types of information on your map and are especially helpful in situations when you’re traveling somewhere new. For example, you can turn on the Wikipedia layer to read entries about nearby places, then use the transit lines layer to help map out a route. Or you can use the My Maps feature of Google Maps to create a collection of places you’re planning to visit on your trip and then use Google Maps for mobile to access it from the road. You can also turn on the Google Latitude layer to see your friends’ locations.

To download the new version OTA visit m.google.com/maps from your BlackBerry Browser, or visit the same link from your desktop browser for more info.

via Google Mobile Blog