A CrackBerryAddict that goes by the name of Dawg over on BlackBerry Forums says that T-Mobile will be coming out with a BlackBerry with a camera, or CameraBerry as I like to call it, in September.
This lucky Dawg, pun intended, actually got to hold the CameraBerry in his own two hands. He claims that the device is a bit bigger than an iPod Nano but smaller than the 71XX BlackBerry models, has a joystick instead of a thumb wheel, has a full QWERTY keyboard, and a memoryslot.
Dawg also said that a video of Jack Jack from The Incredibles was playing on the device and the clarity of the screen was “Amazing”. The CameraBerry supposedly takes better pictures than Dawg’s Samsung digital and has a 5X zoom.
This post definately goes in the BlackBerry Rumor Mill, however, as Russell Shaw from BBHub points out, Dawg, who has over 4700 posts on BlackBerry Forums, is pretty credible.
The description of the phone almost seems too good to be true.
And if it is indeed only a bit larger than an iPod Nano and smaller than the 71xx series, how in the world does it fit a full QWERTY keyboard in that size factor, along with a joystick, no less?
Add in the amazing camera with 5X zoom, and if RIM has achieved this, they have pulled off a technical feat far greater than Apple, Moto, etc. Then there’s the consideration of the screen…on the one hand it’s so great, on the other hand it must be so small if we take into account the size factor and make room for a full QWERTY keyboard and joystick.
It’s almost as if someone just let their imagination run wild and created their dream device in this description.
It would be fantastic if this is true, but it strains the imagination to believe this.
I was thinking the same thing, however, if the size is closer to that of a 71XX than a nano, a full QWERTY keyboard is quite doable. The new Treo 700 devices are just a bit thinner than the 71xx and have full keyboards.
Let’s analyze this a little further…supposedly, this has a 5X zoom and takes better pictures than a Samsung digital camera, all in the form factor of something a little bigger than a nano.
If just that is true, then RIM has exceeded what Canon, Nikon, Sony, et al. have been able to accomplish with their digital camera lines.
Go to a store and look at the thinnest, smallest offerings from these companies. They generally have a 3X zoom, and Canon does have one model with a 4X zoom. But even these do not even come close to the size of an iPod nano. And of course, they don’t cram in a full keyboard, joystick, cellular radio, etc.
So again, this just seems to be too good to true.
It is not too good to be true. That post is correct and TMO will be launching a BB with a camera. As for the specs and the photo quality I cannot speak to that.
Let be tell you all one thing, as amember of Blackberry forums, the Dawg is a well respected member. If he says something i put a heck of a lot of credit in it. He is not the type of person to spread rumors just for the sake of it.
Man, I hope that this is not just hot air. I guess I can wait until sept to upgrade my current 7100t. Way to go t-mobile!!!
Not hot air … I just played with one while at lunch. It’s a pretty slick looking device but the keyboard is a little small
When can we see a blurry pic of the unit? 😉
I can certainly accept the fact that a BB w/camera is coming to T-mo sometime around September.
I’d say at this point that this rumor could very well be true in its most basic respects, but that perhaps Dawg gets a little too hyperbolic in his praise.
It’s probably more like somewhat smaller than the 71xx series, and less close to the size of an iPod nano. Look at a nano and tell me that any phone with a full keyboard can come close to that. It may very well be noticeably thinner than current BB models, and so perhaps that is where the nano comparison comes in. However, there is no way the phone is as thin as the nano.
As to the camera…first, Dawg doesn’t say which Samsung model he’s comparing it to…but again, while it may be a great camera for a cell phone, and esp. enhanced by the quality screen, it surely will not be better than a good digital camera. Plus, I don’t know if it’s realistic to place a 5X zoom…it presumably would be a digital zoom, which of course degrades image quality…
This all being said, if this device is real in the most general terms, it could be a real step forward in terms of design and showmanship for RIM…
So as Abraham alludes to, the next step is leaks of blurry pics…
Based on his credibility, I have no doubt of the existence of such a unit. I’d love to see the form-factor to judge, but I guess we’ll have to wait .. soon enough we’ll have our answers.
I recently tried the Q and then gave it back, it’s simply not built for heavy email users. Obviously RIM is moving in the right direction – now let’s see this so-called cameraberry!
RIMarkable reader Paul asks if the rumored T-Mobile CameraBerry and the BlackBerry Stealth, leaked by BlackBerry Forums moderator BoyGenious are one in the same.
I don’t think that they are. BoyGenious said that the BlackBerry Stealth would not have a built-in digital camera and would have a SureType keyboard. The CameraBerry that Dawg got to play around with definitely has a camera and also has a full QWERTY keyboard.
It’s interesting to view the thread, where Dawg answers questions from Paul.
With regards to the question of the Stealth, Dawg writes:
“The phone I played with looked alot like this one (stealth).”
Then Paul responds:
“One thing I didnt catch before posting the image was that you stated the new BB that you played with was full QWERTY. The image looks as if it is suretype. It looks as if we’re looking at 2 possible new models coming this fall.”
Dawg answers:
“no it had qwerty that was one of the first things I checked maybe they changed the one that is posted”
So at this point the information seems to point to this:
The phone referenced by Dawg is not the Stealth model, but at least looks alot like it. Of course, that means the phone is closer to a 71xx series in size than an iPod nano.
For some reason, this smaller model still features a full QWERTY keyboard…yet BoyGenius confirmed that the stealth model will be suretype. One thing we do know: BoyGenius is a totally credible source.
So if both Dawg and BoyGenius are correct, then T-mo will get a model with camera and full keyboard, while Cingular will get a model that looks very similar but without camera and with the suretype keyboard.
That seems odd. It would seem that Cingular would get preferential treatment to T-mo with new BB models, esp. the more exciting ones, owing to the greater market reach. It would also seem odd that BB would make 2 models of the same size and form factor, but have one with full keyboard, the other suretype.
Oh, well…the fun of rumors! We’ll just have to wait and see…until the next leak…
All I know is I’m extremely confused by the whole thing. I find it odd that RIM would create two handhelds one for each provider exclusively. I’m curious to see if there have been any other provider leaks yet. Doesn’t Rogers usually get the new handhelds first?
Regardless both Dawg and BoyGenious are extremely credible sources as they are two of the very few people I trust with new info on the BBF.
Lets just let the rumors continue. Lords knows I’ve allready started saving for the new handheld, whichever one it may be…
Now that we know this thing is coming out, how many megapixels do you think that it would be? I am hoping for at least 2.0. Dawg said the picture quality was very clear. Do you think that it could be more?