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You are here: Home / BlackBerry / Is RIM Working On Any New CDMA BlackBerrys With Physical Keyboards?

Is RIM Working On Any New CDMA BlackBerrys With Physical Keyboards?

August 26, 2008 by Robb Dunewood 15 Comments

If you follow the world of BlackBerry devices you’ve probably heard that RIM is working on a Touchscreen BlackBerry that will be exclusive to Verizon and Vodafone called the BlackBerry Thunder. Not only is a BlackBerry with a touchscreen a first fro Research in Motion, releasing a CDMA device before it is first available in a GSM variant is something that doesn’t happen all that often at RIM either.

What I am wondering, however, is if the CDMA BlackBerry Thunder coming out first on Verizon is a one time thing, or, if CDMA development of BlackBerry devices will be first, or, at least on the same time as their GSM counterparts going forward on a regular basis.

Now, I have to say that I am a big Verizon fan and thus, a bit biased towards CDMA BlackBerrys, however, if I look at this as clearly and objectively as I possibly can, I can see no clear reason why RIM should simultaneously develop GSM and CDMA devices. I would even go as far to say that doing so would have prevented the BlackBerry Bold from seeing the types of delays that it has.

So, all that being said, is RIM working on any new CDMA BlackBerrys that have physical keyboards on them? We know that the BlackBerry Bold will be released within a few weeks and that the BlackBerry KickStart and BlackBerry Javelin are not too far off in the distant future.

Is RIM working CDMA variants of these devices or will CDMA subscribers be forced to wait a year or more for these BlackBerrys with actual keyboards to appear on Verizon, Sprint, and Alltel?

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Comments

  1. BBSync says

    August 26, 2008 at 4:32 pm

    Robb, It wouldn’t surprise me if RIM is working on a CDMA variant of the Bold… but of course nothing confirmed as of yet.

    Reply
  2. Roger says

    August 26, 2008 at 4:49 pm

    I really hope so…I’m getting fed up of watching GSM carriers get the good stuff, while we CDMA subscribers have to be content with last year’s leftovers…

    Reply
  3. Thought says

    August 26, 2008 at 8:33 pm

    I still think that almost all BB’s will find their way first on GSM and then CDMA/Verizon will have to wait.

    The Thunder is an exception, a one time device designed to compete against the iPhone. So maybe future versions of the Thunder will come out first on CDMA, but with the normal lineup GSM will always be favored.

    If RIM hasn’t learned by now they never will.

    Reply
  4. Sprint User says

    August 26, 2008 at 9:53 pm

    We can only hope. CDMA has the only real nationwide 3G right now, a dual release of a device like Javelin would be great.

    The important part is this- a device with a real keyboard, 3G, GPS, and WiFi. In the end, the consumer hype isn’t RIM’s base, but it sure would help gain some revenue against the keyboardless iPhone ‘3G’, with the 3G aspect only in major metropolitan areas.

    Sprint in particular, with the Simply Everything plan, could be making great headway, considering what is included starting at $70/month.

    Reply
  5. bluehorseshoe says

    August 27, 2008 at 1:01 am

    I could’ve sworn that sometime back the roadmap showed the Bold hitting GSM first with CDMA to follow within months. Wasn’t going to be as long a wait as previous models, and most likely a bit later due to the Thunder release. Heck, it’s not like BB’s are flying off the shelves at the Sprint stores anyway. 🙂

    Reply
  6. gameboy213 says

    August 27, 2008 at 1:59 am

    I also remember seeing the CDMA bold passed FCC and was on a road map. Wasn’t it like a 90 day hold or something? Since AT&T has the 90 day exclusive? I thought I had heard that.

    Maybe I was dreaming….

    Reply
  7. KeNNethX says

    August 27, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    Well Alltel won’t have to wait a year..Alltel will be Verizon in
    January of 09!

    Reply
  8. Gabriel says

    August 27, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    Apparently RIM will release a Blackberry Tropic Thunder, which will come in white with a black faceplate!

    Reply
  9. joshsisk says

    August 27, 2008 at 7:19 pm

    Verizon was originally getting the Bold in September, 3 months after ATT… If ATT was pushed back, I assume VZN is as well? I read this on Engadget originally.

    Reply
  10. JonInVA says

    August 28, 2008 at 2:27 pm

    Yeah, I’ve been assuming that the CDMA version of the Bold will hit Verizon sometime in 2009. Besides that one Engadget article that came out covering the original Bold announcement, there has been absolutely no mention anywhere of the Bold coming to the Verizon. Not a peep, not a rumor, nothing.

    I’m very curious about the Storm on Verizon, but I know at least five people with the iPhone – and they all hate the touch screen typing. I need a CDMA Bold, stat!

    Reply
  11. John says

    August 29, 2008 at 11:06 am

    I would love to see the javelin w/ EVDO. It appears to be the perfect hybrid of curve form factor and pearl size.

    Reply
  12. matrix2004 says

    August 31, 2008 at 7:52 pm

    No mention of the Bold coming to Verizon??????????????? There have been many sites that said its coming May 2009. Not to mention the Blackberry Niagara.

    Reply
  13. Kevin says

    September 1, 2008 at 10:33 pm

    Sounds like the bb thunder is going to be verizons fifth IPhone knock off. And seriously, thunder, javelin, kick start. Why can’t rim think of better names?

    Reply
  14. Richard Shelton says

    October 8, 2008 at 2:24 pm

    when will att get the blackberry storm?

    Reply

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    August 29, 2008 at 3:19 am

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