BlackBerry Kickstart: The Exceptionally Large BlackBerry FlipPhone

portorikan
#1. May 1st, 2008, at 9:15 AM.

wow, is that thing UGLY!

I can’t believe it’s real. Wow.

Kells
#2. May 1st, 2008, at 9:21 AM.

That thing is big. They should put the hinge on the side so that it opens up sideways. I bet they could put a full keyboard on it if they did.

johnnyheff
#3. May 1st, 2008, at 9:24 AM.

…i had a razor before my bb. if that thing looked more like that, maybe i would consider it. hmmm….

argonnj
#4. May 1st, 2008, at 11:04 AM.

Instead of looking for an Apple developer, RIM should be looking for an Apple designer. This thing is ugly as hell.

Andrew
#6. May 1st, 2008, at 11:25 AM.

And the award for ugliest BB ever, goes to….

bluehorseshoe
#7. May 1st, 2008, at 12:42 PM.

I’m tossed on this one. I love the clam shell style phone, so this would appeal to me. However, it’s big, so it seems (I’d have to handle it personally to get a feel for it). But the screen seems larger too, which could be a bonus. Another key for me would be using it as a phone…is the size too large, etc.

With that said, I’d say their going in the right direction as far as form factor, just need to shorten it on the length if possible. Very interesting though…I’m liking the direction of this one. It almost looks like the Pearl with a larger screen that flips open.

bluehorseshoe
#8. May 1st, 2008, at 12:56 PM.

I just looked at the pictures on BGR and it seems the device is the same size as the Pearl closed. Also looks as if they stole some of the design ideas from LG and their 8700 model and the Motorola Razr v9. Now, if BB developed a slider phone in addition…

SLiK
#10. May 1st, 2008, at 4:53 PM.

The concept, amazing. To take an already amazingly useful phone and turn it into a style popular by common demand.

The design, however, rivals that of the Sony Ericsson Z600, designed with flaws even my grandmother picked out. Thats saying a lot. With phones out there designed so well (like the Samsung u740 Double-Flip) its beyond me why they would choose a design that A) Looks like something I threw through my ex-girlfriends window and B) Is designed in a way that I would probably want to go back to my Blackberry 8700!

In a nutshell, as much of a flip-phone fan I am, and always have been, there is nothing about this one that speaks to me. I wouldn’t buy it and I’m sure phone enthusiasts such as myself would refrain from purchasing it as well.

But then again thats what I said about the Razr.

bluehorseshoe
#11. May 1st, 2008, at 11:42 PM.

I think a slider format would allow for a large display while keeping the phone to a reasonable size. Something like the Pearl meets the MotoRizr Z6, just with a larger screen and the trackball. I’d consider it. Based on the phone above and it’s size, it would almost qualify as a boomerang when opened.

As for it possibly being the next Nextel phone, I highly doubt it. I don’t see the push to talk button on the side based on the BGR pictures, and I can’t recall a Nextel phone not having an external antenna.

JoAnn
#12. May 2nd, 2008, at 12:01 PM.

Yeah, this one’s ugly but at least it’s a step in the right direction.

Blackberry and a lot of other smartphone manufacturers don’t seem to get that a clamshell or slider or other well-protected cover phone means that they’ll be able to appeal to the women’s market much, much better.

The design point for too many of today’s smartphones seems to be the men’s shirt pocket or belt loop holster. Women who are dressed for work generally have neither of these or at least their clothes tend not to be designed to carry the weight.

Clamshell and slider phones are nice because you can throw them into a purse without worrying about buttons being pressed accidentally. Yes, you can get third party sleeper magnet covers but just try finding one that fits over an extended life battery and comes in a color other than black.

Nice to see at least they are considering it even if the first attempt is pretty ugly.

JimD
#13. May 2nd, 2008, at 1:53 PM.

Definitely is not the most aesthically pleasing phone out there, but it really doesn’t look all that big when you look at all of the pictures on BGR site. It actually does fit in the palm and although it looks bigger then other flip phones, still looks smaller then the Curve and about the same dimensions of a Pearl when it is closed. Doesn’t matter because I still await patiently for the Verizon Curve.

misterV
#16. July 24th, 2008, at 11:42 PM.

aren’t those pictures months old? im sure those are just proto type pics. blackberry has never released an ugly phone(except for 8700 and below) still I am having trouble finding definite specs regarding kickstart. either way, this will be my next blackberry( or maybe the bold or thunder first)