Those of you anxiously awaiting the release of the BlackBerry 8820 on AT&T may not be getting everything that you expected. BlackBerry Cool is reporting that although the BlackBerry 8820 will have GPS, AT&T has been successful in locking it down so that it only works with TeleNav… at an additional cost of course.
This news comes just after a BGR tipster rumored that the Wi-Fi would be locked down unless you buy a data plan.
Why is AT&T trying to lock down the 8820 tighter that Verizon locks up everything? “The carrier didn’t’ want to launch a device that would seem superior (or be competitive) to the iPhone.”
Research in Motion is not happy at all with the decision but backed down when AT&T threatened not to purchase the 8820 or any future BlackBerry devices if their demands weren’t met.
[Source]
The word on the street is that the AT&T BlackBerry 8820 is set to be released next month on September 15th.
The BlackBerry 8820 is the Wi-Fi enabled cousin of the BlackBerry 8800 and there is also a rumor out stating that the Wi-Fi is locked unless the subscriber hooks up a data plan.
How Verizon-like of AT&T…
by Robb Dunewood on August 9, 2007 · 1 comment
The BlackBerry 8820, expected to appear here in the States in the coming weeks on AT&T, has made its initial debut in Spain on Orange.
The BlackBerry 8820 is the first dual-mode BlackBerry handset that combines EDGE/GPRS/GSM cellular and Wi-Fi® connectivity for data access and voice support through UMA (unlicensed mobile access), which reinforces Orange’s convergence strategy and is compatible with its “Unico Empresas” service. The handset supports the 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi standards to provide access over Wi-Fi connections in the enterprise, through public hotspots and wireless home networks.
The BlackBerry 8820, like it’s 8800 predecessor, has GPS and many are calling it the “almost perfect” BlackBerry, lacking only a digital camera that would push it over the edge.
I don’t know if adding a camera to the BlackBerry 8820 would make it the perfect BlackBerry, however, it would be worthy of the conversation. Personally, I would like to see a much better web browser with flash support and the ability to watch streaming video from YouTube and it’s clones.
[Press Release]
Will AT&T release theBlackBerry 8820 with Wi-Fi on August 13th or 14th? That is what a BGR tipster is confirming.
We will keep this tip in the rumor mill as it is not the first time that we’ve heard the BlackBerry 8820 was about to come out.
BlackBerry 8820
Our pal Thought, in his weekly piece over on BlackBerry Cool, asked the question do we really need Wi-Fi on a BlackBerry. I would like to ask a follow-up question to that.
What would you use Wi-Fi On a BlackBerry For?
Personally, I would love to see Sling Media, makers of the SlingBox, put out a SlingPlayer Mobile client for the BlackBerry.
So, it would appear that the BlackBerry 8820, officially announced last week, will make it’s debut in the UK on Orange.
We still don’t have an official announcement of the release of the BlackBerry 8820 on AT&T here in United States, however, there are rumors floating around that it could be released as early as this week.
Orange, BlackBerry 8820
Rumor has that the BlackBerry 8820 is coming out on AT&T. We kind of knew that. Rumor also has it that the BlackBerry 8820 is coming out next week. We didn’t know that.
A Boy Genius Report insider says that there is a “high possibility” that the BlackBerry 8820 will launch on AT&T in the next week or so.
Handset pricing should be $299 with a 2 year agreement, and the current BlackBerry 8800 will be phased out immediately with upcoming promotions.
Another BGR tipster is saying that the BlackBerry 8820 won’t come out until August, however, the new Wi-Fi-Berry will be exclusive to to AT&T which doesn’t bode to well for T-Mobile.
It seems like there was a lot of speculation before the BlackBerry 8820 was officially announced that it would debut in the United States on T-Mobile. There were rumors floating around yesterday before the announcement about T-Mobile pulling the BlackBerry 8800 from their upgrade program readying themselves for the 8820. Now, however, that the BlackBerry 8820 has been officially announced, it’s not clear which carrier will get the first BlackBerry with Wi-Fi First.
AT&T may have the inside track on the BlackBerry 8820
Even though RIM hasn’t announced a carrier for the 8820, Squawk Box reported that AT&T would carry the device later this summer. That isn’t to say that T-Mobile won’t carry the device, but, we rarely see the same BlackBerry device launched on more than one carrier at a time here in the U.S.
I personally am not a big AT&T fan, but, you’ve got to give them their due. AT&T usually gets the newest BlackBerrys first.
A day that BlackBerry users have been waiting for what seems like years has finally arrived… Research in Motion has officially announced the BlackBerry 8820, the first Wi-Fi enabled BlackBerry Device.
“The BlackBerry 8820 is an extraordinary business phone for people who really care about mobile communications and productivity. It features all the renowned power and usability of the BlackBerry platform with executive class styling and unprecedented connectivity features, including cellular, Wi-Fi and built-in GPS,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at RIM. “The BlackBerry 8820 complements our carrier partners’ cellular networks with the added ability to stay connected via Wi-Fi at home, through hotspots and corporate campuses.”
Read the full press release here…
