Now here’s a device that came out of no where, the BlackBerry Bold 9790. So far we know the Bold “Touch” 9900 is the next in line for the Bold series but this device will definitely throw that off. The Bold 9790 looks like an upgrade to the Bold 9780 series with slight form factor changes, hardware and software upgrades. Now that this device leaked I’m going to say (if it wasn’t scrapped) the Bold 9900 might be for old-school Bold 9000 fans and the Bold 9790 will be for those who like the Bold 9700 series’ size.

Here are the specs for the Bold 9790 so far:

• 8 GB internal memory
• OS 7
• QWERTY / QWERTZ Keyboard
• Touch Screen
• NFC

What do you guys think of this randomly leaked BlackBerry smartphone? More images below!

MORE IMAGES!

It looks like Sprint may have pushed up the releases of some upcoming BlackBerry smartphones. According to this leaked 2011 CDMA roadmap, the BlackBerry Bold Touch hybrid known as the Montana and the next generation Storm known as the Monaco are set to launch in Q3. Simon over at IntoMobile recently found out from a few sources that Sprint may be launching these devices by the end of Q2:

Stash this one under rumours barring any hard evidence, but I’ve heard from three separate sources that Sprint is launching the BlackBerry Bold Touch code-named “Montana” and the Storm code-named “Monaco” before the end of the second quarter (i.e. end of August). Though the sources didn’t name the devices specifically, they referenced a flagship touchscreen/QWERTY hybrid and a high-res touchscreen device coming from RIM. I’m pretty sure we all know what they were talking about there.

Whether or not these rumors will hold true, it’s still an exciting development. I know I definitely can’t wait to get my hands on that Bold Touch hybrid. Anyone hopeful for a Q2 launch?

Source

The BlackBerry Dakota has surfaced again thanks to the guys over at BGR. They were able to get their hands on what is apparently the “first ever photo” of the non-sliding, touchscreen/QWERTY combo device. The Dakota looks like it has a Bold 9000 body with a TrackPad, the Bold 9700 keyboard and a touchscreen along with specs like HD video recording, NFC, 3G Mobile hotspot, magnetometer and more!

The BlackBerry Dakota will also come with the just announced BlackBerry 6.1. Back in January 2010 someone had leaked photos of what they said was the Dakota/Magnum and I have to say, they look pretty similar to this new one save for the lack of a TrackPad. I guess BG’s can still be considered the first image since it’s closer to the final product. Personally, I would prefer a BlackBerry with QNX on it but since that may take a while, I’ll definitely be grabbing one of these.

Check out the rest of the specs below and let me know what you think in the comments!

BLACKBERRY DAKOTA SPECS!

Here’s a fresh rumor courtesy of Kevin over at CrackBerry. Apparently RIM is greatly considering changing the name of the BlackBerry Bold 9800 slider device to the Torch 9800. Keep in mind though that since the Bold 9800 has yet to be launched, its name could be changed an indefinite amount of times. As Kevin puts it:

Apparently RIM has been debating whether or not they should launch the slider as part of the BlackBerry Bold family or instead launch a new product family for the slider. The new name? BlackBerry Torch. We’ve received multiple tips on the ‘ole CrackBerry hotline relaying word that the new slider from RIM, which will launch with BlackBerry 6, may ultimately carry the BlackBerry Torch name rather than Bold. A little digging confirmed the Torch name is being seriously considered (though it doesn’t seem like the decision is quite final just yet). I wonder if RIM’s affair with the Torch name came about when they acquired Torch Mobile (the company/team responsible for the new WebKit browser) or if it was the 2010 Olympics that inspired it? While the change of branding decision may still be a bit up in the air, we have heard that some slider devices are already being manufactured down in RIM’s plant in Guadalajara, Mexico carrying the Torch branding and a quick WhoIs search on the BlackBerryTorch.com domain name does reveal that Research in Motion registered it back in April. In other words, this isn’t random speculation.

I’d have to say starting a new product line for the first ever touchscreen/keypad combination BlackBerry would seem appropriate, but I’m not to sure about the actual “Torch” name. It sounds cool and all but besides for the Torch Mobile connection and being the first BlackBerry with a WebKit browser, where did the name come from? The average consumer would most likely not make the Torch Mobile connection and if they’re familiar with BlackBerry brands like the Pearl, Curve and Bold, Torch may throw them off a bit. At the same time a new BlackBerry brand could get a lot of attention since a new name implies new product/features.

What do you think, does a name change from Bold 9800 to Torch 9800 sit well with you? Let me know in the comments!

We’ve seen videos, photos and details about the BlackBerry Bold 9800 slider and some details of the BlackBerry Tablet, but all have pretty much been leaks. Now The Wall Street Journal has posted their own article where they cite sources and share details about these devices:

RIM is testing a touch-screen smartphone with a slide-out keyboard, according to people familiar with the device. The phone runs on a new version of the BlackBerry operating system and works much like an iPhone, letting users swipe through screens and expand images with their fingers, these people say. It also has a universal search bar that lets users scour all the phone’s data and some data online as well, these people say.

RIM is also experimenting with a tablet device to serve as a larger-screen companion to its BlackBerry phone, say people familiar with RIM’s plans. That device, which is in an early stage of development, will connect to cellular networks via a BlackBerry phone, these people say. It could come out as soon as the end of the year, these people say.

A RIM spokeswoman said the company doesn’t comment on rumors and speculation. RIM executives have said they will ship a phone running a new operating system and a new Web browser in the quarter ending Sept. 30, but haven’t provided details of the device. They haven’t discussed plans for a tablet.

RIM’s upcoming smartphone and operating system—dubbed BlackBerry OS 6.0—is aimed at addressing many of the complaints critics have leveled at the company’s devices. RIM executives unveiled the software at an investor conference in April.

We already know about most of the details in this post but since it’s now coming from a reputable site like the WSJ, I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s a refreshing affirmation. Be sure to read the full post over at the WSJ and let me know what you think in the comments!

The guys over at The Cellular Guru have gotten their hands on more, clearer pictures of the rumored BlackBerry Bold 9800 slider device!

Taking a look at the photos you will notice that the Bold 9800 is running the new WebKit browser, scoring a perfect 100/100 on the Acid3 web standards test. If you’re wondering what a perfect score means, consider that my PC’s FireFox browser scored a 94/100 . Also seen in the photos is the Bold 9800′s operating system version, OS 6.0.0.23, but this will most likely be higher once it is officially launched. This device will be a combination of the Bold 9700′s keyboard and the Storm’s touchscreen…sounds interesting!

We’ve already heard rumors that this device will be available through AT&T and Sprint this year along with it being the first BlackBerry to run the new OS 6.0 known as BlackBerry 6. I would have preferred a side-sliding keypad to take advantage of the larger screen while in horizontal orientation, but the more I see of this device, the more I like it.

Check out the rest of the photos after the jump!

READ MORE!

Yesterday I let you guys know that foursquare was getting ready to push out a new version of their BlackBerry application. The foursquare team just let me know that version 1.8.2 is now available for download and brings many new features!

What’s foursquare?

Foursquare on your phone gives you & your friends new ways of exploring your city. Earn points & unlock badges for discovering new things.

New in version 1.8.2:

• Friends Page - Quickly see your own friends and discover new ones from your user profile page.
• Search - More prominent search. Now search is built into the top of the Places screen.
• “Me” Settings - Simplified user info & settings via the “Me” screen. You can now quickly manage friends, settings, and view your profile.
• My Check-in History - You can now view your check-in history from your “Me” screen.
• Connection - Improved connection support for a variety of carriers and corporate network configurations.
• UI - Updated UI including a unified look and feel.
• Small Tweaks & Fixes - foursquare is always listening to user feedback and making small fixes & tweaks along the way.

Foursquare is available for all BlackBerry devices with a trackball, trackpad or touchscreen. For more info go to foursquare.com/blackberry or for a direct OTA download go to foursquare.com/blackberry/beta from your BlackBerry Browser. I’ve included a more screenshots of the new version after the jump.

READ MORE!

My buddy @Stiefler07 let me know that the guys over at BBLeaks got their hands on what appears to be leaked images of a QWERTY slider BlackBerry smartphone. Last week we heard that this rumored device supposedly evolved from the Magnum/Dakota and might be running OS 6.0 upon launch. Last September we heard that this device would possibly be codenamed “Mr. T“.

Here’s a recap of this device’s rumored features:

• It’s a portrait-oriented slider. While most people assume a device with slideout keyboard would end up being something like HTC’s devices, we’ve been told this particular handset is more like the Palm Pre in terms of layout.
• The phone will run BlackBerry OS 6.0
• The rumored device will 100% support Wi-Fi 802.11n
• The resolution unfortunately has not improved, it is still 360×480.
• No word on if this will have a touch screen, but we’d assume so, and our source alluded to this possibly being what the rumored BlackBerry Magnum/Dakota evolved into. Not saying there won’t be a Bold-like device with touchscreen, optical trackpad, and physical keyboard, but this might be released first.
• If it does have a touch screen, this could in fact be the mythical BlackBerry Storm slider — picture a Storm 9520 with a slide up Bold-esque keyboard.
• The phone will not be a Verizon exclusive — it’s supposed to be a GSM/HSPA device.

So what do you all think? Is this device the real deal or should we call fake? If it’s fake they did a pretty good job but in my opinion, I see why this device would be scrapped. It sounded interesting conceptually but in actuality, it doesn’t look all to great. Oh yeah, why is there a Trackpad if it’s a touchscreen? This is one confused BlackBerry…