RIM launches Blackberry Torch to challenge iPhone

[gmb45]

The phone will be available in the US in August and globally in September

Research in Motion (RIM) has launched a touchscreen mobile in an effort to maintain its lead over Apple's iPhone and handsets running Google software.
The new addition to its popular Blackberry phones is called the Torch.
RIM has also given the operating system an upgrade, in a nod to the richer functionality of other smartphones.
The release comes as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia threaten to ban some of the functionality of the Blackberry handsets.
The Torch 9800 features a touchscreen and sliding keyboard - the first in the Blackberry portfolio - and comes with 4GB of memory and a five megapixel camera.
Drawing on the popularity of social networks, Facebook, Twitter and MySpace come pre-installed on the new device.
RIM attempted to deflect comparisons with the iPhone.
"This isn't about competition, this is about making the Blackberry experience better," said RIM product vice president Rob Orr.
"No doubt some people will draw comparisons but we think it is unique," he added.
Analysts were not convinced.
"This is RIM trying to close the gap on its rivals. The company has tremendous momentum in North America and the UK but there is no question RIM users are now ready for more," said Ben Wood, an analyst with research firm CCS Insight.
RIM currently accounts for nearly 20% of smartphone sales, ahead of both Apple (10%) and phones running Google's Android software (15%). Phones running Symbian, commonly used on Nokia phones, still dominate the market.
There are 100 million Blackberries worldwide.
Mr Wood said that an update to the browser was one of the most important aspects of the new phone and software.
"The browser has been the Achilles heel of the Blackberry. The new one supports multi-touch, tabbed browsing and HTML 5. It is all pretty standard stuff but RIM has taken some criticism from competitors and this addresses that," he said.
RIM said that the new OS would work on the 9105 and 9700 models but said it would continue to support the existing operating system that ran on millions of other handsets.
The firm has been in the headlines this week as two Gulf states announce bans of some of the Blackberry functions, claiming they pose a security risk.
The United Arab Emirates is to block sending e-mails, accessing the net and delivering instant messages to other Blackberry handsets.
Saudi Arabia is to prevent the use of the Blackberry-to-Blackberry instant messaging service.
Both nations are unhappy that they cannot monitor such communications because the data is encrypted.
RIM confirmed that it had sent letters to all its Gulf state customers, reiterating that "it will not compromise the integrity of the Blackberry enterprise solution".
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BBC News - RIM launches Blackberry Torch to challenge iPhone

[geektome]

Wow thats pretty crazy, I hadn't even though of how governments would get pissed off at not being able to read all that private corporate data on BB networks. I did see a news spot that talked about how drug dealers use BBMessenger since it cant be read. Awesome thing to put on the news, its either false so the drug dealers use it anyways, or they keep using it and no one can use it to catch them.

[mit2007]

Wow thats pretty crazy, I hadn't even though of how governments would get pissed off at not being able to read all that private corporate data on BB networks. I did see a news spot that talked about how drug dealers use BBMessenger since it cant be read. Awesome thing to put on the news, its either false so the drug dealers use it anyways, or they keep using it and no one can use it to catch them.

yes mate i was reading about this on the London Evening Standard paper way back from London central on the tube the government thinks that terrorist will use BB messenger to plan criminal activity which may cause security issues. Because there are an estimated 500,000 Blackberry users in the UAE, and 400,000 in Saudi Arabia.

This is currently blackberry services and data is not monitored. This why the BB services are down and they are going to figure a way out to meet government laws and keep customers happy.

blackberry Torch looks good hope it's better than the iphone 4.

Regards
mit2007.

[mit2007]

The phone will be available in the US in August and globally in September

Research in Motion (RIM) has launched a touchscreen mobile in an effort to maintain its lead over Apple's iPhone and handsets running Google software.
The new addition to its popular Blackberry phones is called the Torch.
RIM has also given the operating system an upgrade, in a nod to the richer functionality of other smartphones.
The release comes as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia threaten to ban some of the functionality of the Blackberry handsets.
The Torch 9800 features a touchscreen and sliding keyboard - the first in the Blackberry portfolio - and comes with 4GB of memory and a five megapixel camera.
Drawing on the popularity of social networks, Facebook, Twitter and MySpace come pre-installed on the new device.
RIM attempted to deflect comparisons with the iPhone.
"This isn't about competition, this is about making the Blackberry experience better," said RIM product vice president Rob Orr.
"No doubt some people will draw comparisons but we think it is unique," he added.
Analysts were not convinced.
"This is RIM trying to close the gap on its rivals. The company has tremendous momentum in North America and the UK but there is no question RIM users are now ready for more," said Ben Wood, an analyst with research firm CCS Insight.
RIM currently accounts for nearly 20% of smartphone sales, ahead of both Apple (10%) and phones running Google's Android software (15%). Phones running Symbian, commonly used on Nokia phones, still dominate the market.
There are 100 million Blackberries worldwide.
Mr Wood said that an update to the browser was one of the most important aspects of the new phone and software.
"The browser has been the Achilles heel of the Blackberry. The new one supports multi-touch, tabbed browsing and HTML 5. It is all pretty standard stuff but RIM has taken some criticism from competitors and this addresses that," he said.
RIM said that the new OS would work on the 9105 and 9700 models but said it would continue to support the existing operating system that ran on millions of other handsets.
The firm has been in the headlines this week as two Gulf states announce bans of some of the Blackberry functions, claiming they pose a security risk.
The United Arab Emirates is to block sending e-mails, accessing the net and delivering instant messages to other Blackberry handsets.
Saudi Arabia is to prevent the use of the Blackberry-to-Blackberry instant messaging service.
Both nations are unhappy that they cannot monitor such communications because the data is encrypted.
RIM confirmed that it had sent letters to all its Gulf state customers, reiterating that "it will not compromise the integrity of the Blackberry enterprise solution".
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BBC News - RIM launches Blackberry Torch to challenge iPhone

Hello mate
Do you know if this phone will have Flash abode player because current blackberry phones don't. HTC Wildfire, iphone 3gs and 4 and others do?

[Canker_Canison]

Hello mate
Do you know if this phone will have Flash abode player because current blackberry phones don't. HTC Wildfire, iphone 3gs and 4 and others do?

No Iphone has abode flash. The Third Reich, I mean Apple, refused to allow adobe software on their products. They even changed their terms & conditions on app development. It's sole reason was to stop people using adobe software to make apps.