You are looking at a picture of a BlackBerry 8300, code name “Daytona”. This could quite possibly be the most perfectly designed BlackBerry to date. We will get to the features in second, but first, take a look at the design of this puppy. It has the BlackBerry 8800 form factor, however, the keyboard is absolutely beautiful. One of my biggest gripes about the BlackBerry 8800 is that the keys are too close together but the 8300 has a country mile in between each key in comparison.
We’ve got more BlackBerry 8300 pictures and it’s features after the jump.
The BlackBerry 8300 has all the bells and whistles of the BlackBerry 8800 and includes Wi-Fi and a 2.0 megapixel digital camera with an LED flash. Please let this come out on Verizon. Please let this come out on Verizon. Please let this come out on Verizon…
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8800 is going back 03.05.07 at 11:34 am
Now that I have seen this, I am soooo taking my BlackBerry 8800 back. I am still within my 15 day return period and I was already thinking about taking it back because i have yet to get BlackBerry Maps working with the GPS and haven’t used the MP3 player since the second day that I had it. I still have my 8700c and will just get it turned back on.
Michael 03.05.07 at 11:46 am
I’m with you on that. A VZW launch would be a dream come true for me (and no doubt countless others). However, the fact that these pics were leaked from a Web site in Spain leads me to believe this is GSM all the way. My heart says VZW, but my brain (and my gut) says T-Mobile. Blech.
stu 03.05.07 at 11:48 am
I knew it was smart to hold onto my 8700g. Do we have any idea when this will be released and if it’s coming out on T-Mobile?
This is the one i’ve been waiting a year for.
Dave 03.05.07 at 2:12 pm
I think you should add the “Daytona” to your banner at the top.
Robb Dunewood 03.05.07 at 2:17 pm
I keep saying that one of these days I am going to try to find a designer to help give RIMarkable an overhaul.
AF 03.05.07 at 2:39 pm
Robb, Leave RIMarkable alone. It is easy to navigate and easy on the eyes. USA Today was just redesigned over the weekend and its horrible!
That being said. This phone looks hot. I am a Pearl guy but this has a lot of nice features the 8800 should have come with. And a good keyboard.
Sam 03.05.07 at 4:51 pm
3G? Or only GSM and EDGE?
Chris 03.05.07 at 5:00 pm
I couldn’t believe it when I saw this phone today. This is finally that steop up from the 8700 that people have been waiting for. I tried the 8800 in the cingular store and there’s no way I’d want to type on that thing. This however, looks like a device that was made to compete with the iphone. My only grip about it would be that it looks an awful lot like a bb version of the treo 680 or 750. I began to wonder besides the insides the main difference is the pearl ball in the middle, so why couldn’t palm come up with that? For a company that’s struggling this pretty much a design rip off and one they should have come up with! Either way I’m very impressed by the 8300 and see it as a huge consumer hit! Way to go RIM!
Jacky C. 03.05.07 at 8:21 pm
That is fricking beautiful! With a 2 MP camera too?!? Wow. Wow. Wow…I want to throw away my Pearl now.
joshie 03.05.07 at 9:35 pm
So I suppose we just have to wait to find out all the typical questions. I.e. Carrier, pricing, availability, etc… Sigh, time after time again.
Robb Dunewood 03.05.07 at 11:10 pm
Well joshie,
The 8300 is not official as far a RIM is concerned.
Joshie 03.06.07 at 12:46 am
OOO, Now I understand Mr. Dunewood! Wow, I seriously hope that this phone is one for Cingular or Tmo (sorry Verizon fans.) Which leads me to my next question, if the phone does say, come out for Verizon, is there anyway to unlock the berry and rebrand it for a GSM carrier? I seriously hope so. I do not know why Rim did not release this phone instead of what we call the “8800.” This my friends, is what the 8800 should have and will be. Hopefully Rim will have a couple loose lips soon, otherwise the tight lipped madness is going to drive me crazy!
Chace B. 03.06.07 at 1:51 am
I was just complaining a week ago on a different post of yours, “is it that hard to put a camera into a phone?!”
Thank you for listening RIM.
P.S. I thought you would find it interesting that in the pearl forum I am on I created a thread asking opinions on if users would trade in their 8100 for an “8300″ and the overwhelming response was “no”. some because of money, one because of the iPhone coming out, but majority who just didn’t feel it was worth it.
potential bust?
Chace B. 03.06.07 at 1:51 am
oh.. and I know you don’t work for RIM, Robb.. I just assume they read your blog. ;0)
Stern 03.06.07 at 7:34 am
some RIM UK employees are using these and they’re due for a Q2 release on Vodafone UK . And RIM are serious about it not existing they are operating a strict NDA on the device.
joshie 03.06.07 at 9:18 am
Hmmm interesting. So than this 8300 might be a release for vodafone ay? Will it be possible to unlock it for a us carrier?
sTen 03.06.07 at 6:41 pm
I think .. this device will never arrive in Italy .. =(.. sob..
john 03.06.07 at 9:28 pm
i wonder when this will release and how much. anybody have any ideas? and oh, i PRAY this comes to T-Mobile
jwheels 03.07.07 at 7:45 am
I know everyone wants to assume that the phone will be GSM, but can’t you see the Sprint Nascar tie in with the name Daytona. Just think of how mant rednecks will but blackberries if Sprint includes a side bottle opener and a monile version of Asteroids.
quemador 03.08.07 at 4:17 am
jajajaja jwheels that was funny, anyway i am a 100% sure that the 8300 will be realese on tmobile. I think it will be release in summer to compete with the iphone
h3nrch 03.09.07 at 2:53 pm
I can’t believe VZW will release a WiFi phone instead of an EVDO device. If this device has WiFi, it will be released on GSM carriers only - probably starting with T-Mobile since they have the broadest WiFi presence of the 4 majors.
Eddie Ed 04.18.07 at 10:07 am
Possible this is being tested in Spain or some other Latin American country? Notice “Explorador” on the bottom indicator and “Sab” (for sabado/saturday) on the date….
BB King 04.19.07 at 3:28 pm
It definitely could be tested in some latin country. I hear it should be coming out in the summer on the Cingular trail. Not sure when it will make it over to T-Mobile though. My info is from this link I found, which also has all its specs.
http://www.wirefly.com/catalog/Cingular_Wireless/BlackBerry/8300/
I still wonder how much it will be going for though.