RIM’s BlackBerry 8300 Lineup

There has been a little bit of confusion with the 8300 series and I just got some new info from one of my sources to try and clear things up. Please note before we begin that device specs and hardware do change before final production, but this is most likely very accurate. I reported here that the unit I have had GPS. It has a GPS option in the options menu, yet doesn’t work because this unit apparently doesn’t have GPS hardware. There has been talk about T-Mobile 8300 test devices with GPS and WiFi built in. Why the drama? Well, here we go! There are 3, yes 3 versions of the 8300. The 8300, 8320, and 83xx. Code names are Baby Bear, Mama Bear, and finally Papa Bear respectively. My unit is code named "Baby Bear" hence no GPS and WiFi (please no comments from the peanut gallery). Why RIM would go to such outlandish lengths to ever confuse the consumer with 3 more variations of the same model is beyond me — one 8300 device guys. Also don’t confuse the 8320 with the 8820 which will be the regular 8800-style device except with WiFi. I completely agree with RIM’s strategy to differentiate the business oriented lines, and consumer lines as much as possible. I really do. Releasing the 8800 first after the Pearl was a great idea — show that you didn’t leave the corporate and business market behind. Enter the 8300. Great! But why RIM. Why Jim? Why Mike? Can’t you release just one 8300! Quick rundown below.

• 8800 (No Camera, GPS)
• 8820 (No Camera but WiFi and GPS)
• 8300 (Camera, no WiFi, no GPS)
• 8320 (Camera, WiFi)
• 83xx (Camera, WiFi, GPS)
• 9xxx (Don’t get me started)

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Jonathan S. Geller