If you’re a BlackBerry user on Sprint you’re probably itching to get a brand new BlackBerry device, you know, seeing as yours is probably outdated already. Well, if you’re looking for a new BlackBerry 9650 or BlackBerry 8230, you might not have to wait too long as they’ve just showed up in Sprint’s order forms. In addition to those two devices making appearances, a Motorola device, the ES400 also shows up too, in addition to the previously seen Palm C40. We’re betting the Motorola device is an Android handset, not a Windows Mobile handset as previously thought. Couple more shots after the break!

While the launch of the BlackBerry Storm2 on Verizon is widely expected to take place on October 28th and the Bold 9700 is so close we can almost taste it, owners of current generation BlackBerry smartphones  — the Pearl Flip 8220/8230, Curve 8330/8350i/8900, Bold 9000, Storm 9500/9530 and Tour 9630 — should be pleased to note that RIM is all set for the launch OS 5.0. Specific dates aren’t easily pinned down as it more or less depends on the device one has and the carrier one is with, but thanks to our connects we know, for example, that Verizon will be dropping for the OS 5.0 for the Storm 9530 tomorrow evening with a fall back date set for Monday. Those that don’t have Desktop Manager set up on either their PC or Mac might want to get everything ready ahead of time as it looks for the most part that OTA software updates will not be made available. Oh well. OS 5.0 is oh so worth the hassle.

Right on time, the Pearl Flip has made its official debut on Verizon Wireless’ website and is now ripe for the picking. Surprisingly, sort of, the Pearl Flip has already been discounted — selling for $79 after a $70 mail-in rebate and two year contract instead of the announced $129.99. Apparently, Verizon included the Pearl Flip in that $50 price drop when it ended the BlackBerry BOGO promotion. For those who prefer a more personal shopping experience, the Pearl Flip is also available in stores today. Now with the 8230ccccccc out of the way, Big Red can focus on bigger and better ‘Berrys (Tour, anyone?).

Thanks, Adam!

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Reaching out to all the U.S. Cellular customers out there who might feel a little left out with new phones being announced for other carriers, we’re trying our best to stay on top of the handful of handsets due out this month. While the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 and Samsung Code might not be the most exciting of the bunch, one of our sneakier readers managed to snoop dedicated pages for each handset live on U.S. Cellular’s site. Don’t try this at home kids — they’re not easily found from the main site. Hit the read links for each handset to see the full specs and sit tight as both the fliptastic 8230 and, umm, Windowstastic Code are set to drop later this month.

Thanks, TW!

Read (BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230)
Read (Samsung Code)

*sniff* We thought this day would never come but Verizon has officially announced the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230. Available starting June 19th, Verizon asks that you fork over $129.99 after a $70 mail-in rebate on a 2-year contract. As for the specs, you know the deal: OS 4.6.0, 324MHz processor, external display, vertical QVGA internal display, SureType keypad, 2 megapixel camera with flash, GPS, so on, so forth. Anyone excited? The Pearl Flip is just as cool as the Tour, right?

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Another month and another rebate sheet from Verizon Wireless. This latest version spans only the month of June but it does contain a few yet-to-be announced phones. We have the Casio Exilim and the Motorola Rival, both of which are slated for launch on June 10th. We also have the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 whose launch is right around the corner. Sorry folks, no tuh, tuh, Tour or Storm 2 yet. The next rebate sheet will land at the end of June so keep your fingers crossed. Hit the jump for the full rebate sheet.

Thanks, anonymous and Ezmo!

A few of our Verizon Wireless ninjas came through this morning and hit us with some information about some of the Verizon’s BlackBerry rumors that have been floating around. Here is what we’ve got:

• The BlackBerry Storm has not been forgotten by Verizon. A new version of the 4.7 OS (.148) is indeed undergoing testing right now. It looks as if this version will pass testing and Storm owners will be getting their much needed update soon. If you know where to look of course, you can already snag it.
• The Pearl Flip 8230 has made its appearance in Verizon’s inventory system. The handset is reportedly running OS 4.6.1.160 and both silver and purple versions are being toted around by some lucky Verizon Wireless employees. No exact launch date but the launch is reportedly imminent.
• Last but not least, we got confirmation that the Storm 2 is indeed on the fast track will be launched in the very near future. Our source places the launch in early July, though we highly doubt that will be the case.

That’s all for now, folks.

Thanks, anonymous and Fan_of_fanboys!

So check it. We just got a tip from a new ninja but this information looks really credible so we’re running it… Here’s the random bits of info we received:

• All Verizon BlackBerry handsets launched after the BlackBerry Tour will have Wi-Fi
• The Storm 2′s screen does not press in like SurePress, rather it operates more like traditional capacitive touch screen panels. We’re not sure if the rumored TruePress is just localized haptic feedback or what, but we can’t imagine RIM abandoning their entire fucking selling point on the Storm.
• We have no idea what to think of this part, but, our tipster said the BlackBerry Tour would be accompanied by a BlackBerry Atlas with the Atlas having Wi-Fi, not the Tour. Again, don’t flip out, but it’s just what was told to us by this particular tipster.
• BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 release is “imminent”. We’d say May release, June latest.
• 8230 specs… EV-DO Rev. 0, 2.0 MP Camera, 3.5 ounces, Flash 128 MB, RAM 64 MB, SD Card – Expandable to 16GB, Usage/Standby – 220 min. / 216 hrs.

There you have it, guys!

BlackBerry Tour? Oh yeah. Now that that’s been confirmed, we’re on to bigger and better things — release dates! The latest information we’ve heard is that the BlackBerry Tour is shaping up to be released on Verizon in the month of July. Factor in RIM’s ability to delay space and time and we’d say a mid-to-late July release date is sounding right. Again, it’s not 100% but that’s just the latest information we’ve been told from a trusty source. There have been various rumors floating around about a much later release date, but at this point in time, we’re very confident that July sounds right. Remember we predicted a May release over a year ago, so this really does fit in with that timing. We expect pricing to be $199 with a 2-year agreement, too. What’s a Storm?

Alltel has just announced the latest addition to its handset arsenal and it’s a familiar face indeed: RIM’s CDMA varient of the Pearl Flip. In terms of specs it’s not the most ground-shaking Berry of the bunch but for $79.99 after a $70 mail-in rebate, it is most definitely a solid option for bargain-seeking BlackBerry addicts. There are two caveats to the $80 price point however — first, the obvious two-year contract. Secondly, users must select from among Alltel’s Smart Choice Packs starting at $69.99 per month. All Smart Choice Packs include unlimited data, Internet and email however, so it’s hardly a deal breaker. If $80 for a shiny new Pearl Flip 8230 isn’t low enough for you but you’re in dire need of a Berry, the Curve 8330 is now $50 after a $100 mail-in rebate and the Pearl 8130 is free after a $100 mail-in rebate. Yeah, we’d definitely go for the Pearl Flip. Alltel’s 8230 is available in early May in all 91 markets. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Alltel Wireless launches the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 smartphone
New flip phone joins Alltel’s impressive spring line-up of handsets perfect for moms, dads and grads

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – With wireless customers craving both style and functionality, Alltel Wireless announced today that the BlackBerry® Pearl™ Flip 8230 smartphone from Research In Motion (RIM) will be available in retail stores and online at alltel.com beginning in early May.  This stylish and compact smartphone puts customers in control of how, when and where they communicate and joins Alltel’s impressive spring line-up of phones that make perfect gifts for moms, dads and recent grads.

The clamshell design of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 smartphone allows users to discreetly screen calls and preview messages on the high-resolution external display or utilize the large internal display to respond to calls or messages, view maps and web pages, and play games.  With a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, the internal LCD displays videos and pictures in crisp detail and contrast.

“Alltel is committed to offering customers stylish and innovative phones, and the BlackBerry Pearl Flip gives customers the best of both worlds – a small, stylish smartphone rich in multimedia coupled with the industry’s leading mobile email and messaging capabilities,” said Angela Rittgers, director of product management for Alltel Wireless.  “As Alltel expands its handset lineup and showcases hot phones for spring, we know that the BlackBerry Pearl Flip will be a favorite with customers across the 22 states that we continue to service.”

Featuring a large SureType® QWERTY keyboard, an intuitive user interface with trackball navigation, built-in GPS with BlackBerry® Maps preloaded and support for locations based applications and services, and a 2 MP camera able to record video*, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 smartphone is packed with powerful features, yet sleek enough to slip easily into a purse or pocket.  It also features full HTML browsing, a rich media player with the ability to sync music from iTunes® or Windows Media Player**, an expandable memory card slot (microSD/SDHC up to 16GB) and stereo Bluetooth® support.  Customers can activate the smartphone on BlackBerry® Internet Service as well as BlackBerry® Enterprise Server.

In addition to the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 smartphone, Alltel customers can choose from a wide-range of additional phones that make perfect gifts for any occasion, including Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and upcoming graduations.  Alltel is also offering the recently announced Motorola Evoke, great for social networking; the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8330, one of the most popular smartphones available today; the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130 smartphone, an impressive handset that combines multimedia and communications features in a compact design; the Motorola Hint QA30, a stylish, compact device with a slide-out keyboard; and the LG Rhythm™, allowing customers to bring their music with them, right on their handset.

Alltel Wireless is offering the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 smartphone for $79.99, after a $70 mail-in rebate, at Alltel retail stores and online at shopalltel.com. This discounted price is available to new and existing eligible customers who sign-up for a two-year service agreement on a qualifying Smart Choice Pack.  Smart Choice Packs start as low as $69.99 per month and include unlimited data, email and Web access.  Alltel has also announced that the BlackBerry Curve 8330 smartphone is now available for $49.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate, and the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 smartphone is free after $100 mail-in rebate.

Alltel Wireless continues to serve 2.2 million customers and operate in the 91 Cellular Market Areas (CMAs) that Verizon is required to divest. Alltel Wireless continues to be an industry-leader, providing choice and flexibility with its exclusive “My Circle” feature, providing unlimited calling to and from any 5, 15, or 25 numbers on any network. Alltel Wireless was also the first to offer Anytime Plan Changes, giving customers the flexibility to change their calling plans at any time without extending their contract.

For more information on the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 smartphone, visit alltel.com or blackberry.com/blackberrypearl.

* Video recording requires a microSD card, which may be sold separately.
** Using BlackBerry® Media Sync. Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies.

While this might come as a bit of a shock to some, there is a little known country just north of the good ‘ole US of A that just so happens to be home to the World’s second largest smartphone manufacturer. That country is of course Canada and the manufacturer is RIM. It used to be the case that BlackBerry fans in the US got the latest BlackBerry devices before Canada, but in recent times it seems that Canada has launched RIM’s latest devices long before its neighbors to the South — the exception to this being the Storm. Canadian carriers stuck it to the Americans once again however, when Bell was the first carrier to release the CDMA Pearl Flip 8230. Sure, a few hiccups six days after launch due to buggy software killed off a lot of the excitement, but thankfully for RIM, TELUS launched the Pearl Flip 11 days after Bell, a launch that went off without a hitch.

Now back in October we reviewed the GSM version of the Pearl Flip (the 8220) and found it to be a pretty decent device considering its affordability. However, we couldn’t help but feel let down by the build quality which made the device feel extremely cheap, and the ridiculously pixelated display. So does the CDMA Pearl Flip offer any notable improvements over its GSM cousin? Hit the jump to find out.

The Pearl Flip comes in the standard, old school BlackBerry box that has been around forever. Inside the box is a 900 mAh battery (the same C-M2 battery that all others Pearls come with), a microUSB cable, stereo headset, travel charger, the standard new phone papers and installation CD and of course the device itself. An 8GB microSDHC card came loaded inside the device, though there is no mention of this on the box or on the TELUS website.

Our Pearl Flip was running OS 4.6.1.182, the latest official OS. We’re not going to get too heavy into OS related details in this review because we’ve already covered OS 4.6.x to death and there are no surprises here. In case you need a picture of what things look like in your head, just think of what’s running on the Bold and Curve 8900 and that’s exactly what you’ve got on a smaller scale. In terms of memory, the Pearl Flip has 128MB ROM / 128MB RAM. In terms of free memory, we averaged around 62MB after a battery pull.

As mentioned before, we were really let down with the GSM Pearl Flip and its poor build quality which made the device feel more like a working prototype than a retail model. Unfortunately, the CDMA Pearl Flip does not offer any improvement in this department. The build quality is not so bad that it will shatter into a thousand pieces if dropped a short distance, but compared to the rest of RIMs offerings — old and new alike — it’s probably the most cheap feeling device ever to bear the BlackBerry name. One part of the phone in particular we feel we have to single out is the battery cover. It honestly has to be the cheapest battery cover we’ve ever seen on a phone. It comes in at under 1mm thick and is not big enough to remain snugly in place — so much so that you can feel it move when typing.

Since we mentioned typing, we have to say that the keyboard has definitely grown on us. The keys are set up in a wave pattern and each key has a minute ridge on it to break up the monotony of typing on a flat key. Guitar-like frets separate each row of keys like they do on the Bold. They’re nearly flush with the keys, but they’re raised ever so slightly so as to make typing without looking a breeze. Of course being a SureType phone, strange typos are often made which make typing without looking a rather foolish move unless one doesn’t care about making typos.

The 2.4″ QVGA internal display on the GSM Pearl Flip sorely disappointed us but we’re pleased to report that the display on our 8230 was much more vibrant, crisp and colorful. It’s not better than anything else out there with the same resolution, but it does its job and it does it admirably well. As for the 1.6″ external display, we must confess that we don’t like it all that much. It does make things pretty simple by displaying messages without making one flip open the phone but the screen is so tiny and so dim that unless you’re in a pretty dark environment, it has a tendency to get very washed out. If you do find yourself in a dark environment by the way, the Pearl Flip does feature a 2.0 megapixel camera with flash. The pictures it takes are nothing to write home about but it will serve most people fine for the occasional candid.

As was long expected, the CDMA Pearl Flips does not have the WiFi but it does have GPS. If this were a more high-end device we’d do the typical bitching and groaning that so irks some readers… But alas, it’s a lower-end device meaning that yes, while it really, really, really does suck that users will be forced to pay data roaming fees while out of the country, at least the GPS is unlocked and doesn’t require a $10 per month subscription to TELUS Navigator, right?

It might shock some people to know that he Pearl Flip is running the same processor as the Pearl 8100 did back in 2006, but hums along rather well with the only major loading delays occurring where you would expect them, such as when opening a picture or starting a movie. There are times such as the aforementioned web browsing issues where it becomes pretty clear that OS 4.6.1 is pushing the 312MHz processor to its limits.

One of the first things that we noticed when handling the Pearl Flip was that it was having a difficult time maintaining full signal strength, typically staying somewhere between three and four bars while occasionally dropping to zero for a few seconds. We were able to isolate the problem to the device itself and rule out a network issue as we happened to have a 8830 on hand which was able to consistently achieve five bars. Because we didn’t have a newer OS build to upgrade to on hand, we’re unable to say whether or not this is a hardware issue or a software issue. Even with signal issues however, the Pearl Flip ran pretty fast with its EV-DO Rev. 0 connectivity but browsing anything beyond a WAP site on the thing is about as fun as looking at a photo of the New York City skyline on a postage stamp. That is, non-WAP websites load up pretty much like they do on a computer except that to fit on the screen the whole thing is zoomed out. By the time you zoom in to where text is legible it takes up so much of the screen that it requires constant scrolling which in turn makes the phone lag.

Conclusion:

If we were to rate the Pearl Flip against the best phones on the market like the Bold, Fuze and iPhone 3G, it would absolutely be crushed and no one can deny that. But doing that would be foolish as this device is not at all intended to compete with such devices. So, taking into consideration where it stands in the market place, what it offers and how much it costs, we’d have to say that the Pearl Flip is definitely capable of holding its own. So what would we rate the TELUS BlackBerry 8230 Pearl Flip? 3.5 BG’s out of 5.

Head on over to our gallery for more shots of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 from TELUS.

Late this afternoon, Canada’s TELUS Mobility formally announced that it too has launched the BlackBerry 8230 Pearl Flip. Starting at $49.99 on a three-year contract and going all the way up to $449.99 contract-free, TELUS is hoping the youth market in Canada will receive the clam shell smartphone with open arms — especially younger females considering TELUS’ nation-wide media campaign featuring the all pink Pearl Flip. While other carriers have pink variants of the Pearl Flip, TELUS is the only carrier whose device has pink on the external housing rather than surrounding the SureType keypad. Whether or not its efforts are going to be rewarded in full, TELUS can at least be pleased people are already excited by the low price tag and rumors of an ultra-cheap voice and data plan thought to be in the mid-$30 range.

We don’t yet know what OS the TELUS version is running, but we assume it’s one build better than what Bell released its Pearl Flip with.

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We don’t have all the details here, but we’ve confirmed that Bell has issued a recall on the freshly launched BlackBerry 8230. Both colors are affected, and while we’re not positive if every single handset is being recalled, we’ve been told it has something to do with how the handsets were flashed. We’ll update this when we get more information. Any Bell Pearl Flip users having any issues?

Thanks, to one of our ninjas!

UPDATE: We’re now hearing that customers won’t have to bother with returning any handsets. If you bought a handset with OS 4.6.1.162 you’ll get an SMS telling you to update your OS to the new build, 4.6.1.182. If you already have 4.6.1.182, you’re good to go. Stores are being sent updated units right away so sales shouldn’t be interrupted.

Surprise, surprise Canadian readers. Bell just became the first carrier to make the CDMA variant of RIM’s BlackBerry Pearl Flip a reality, and at a killer price no less. Bell’s Pearl Flip 8230 is available right now on the company’s site for a mere $29.95 with a 3-year contract. Don’t feel like signing three years of your life away? The 8230 will run you a ridiculous $349.95 with a 2-year contract, a whopping $449.95 with a 1-year deal or an unfathomable $499.95 with no contract. Seriously guys? As you well know, the 8230 packs 1xEV-DO, GPS, TV, radio and a SureType keypad into a slightly oversized clam shell form factor. It’s not the most solid piece of kit RIM has ever churned out but it’s definitely a great phone at a great price… As long as you choose the 3-year deal, that is. Good show Bell — now let’s hope Telus and Verizon aren’t too far behind.

Thanks, Bell Boy!

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One of our trusty ninjas just hit us up with a couple details on some of Verizon’s upcoming products and product offerings. First off.. Netbooks. We’ve been told that Verizon Wireless will 100% start selling Netbooks in stores around May of this year. The first one looks to be a 10-inch HP Mini which should go for $99 on a 2-year agreement (with BroadbandAccess plan). On a related note, we’ve been told that AT&T is in the process of setting this up as well (selling Netbooks in stores).

The hate-it-or-love-it Verizon Hub home phone will be getting an upgrade to enable streaming radio on or around February 22nd.

There’s a new feature for Verizon Wireless subscribers rolling out called Media Manager. What we’re told this does is enable you to backup all your ringtones, games, and phone content to one location for free as long as you use the My Account feature online. Basically think of it as a free backup assistant, rumored to be rolling out momentarily.

The BlackBerry Apex (BlackBerry 8230) we’re told was removed from Verizon’s data devices road map. Our contact doesn’t know why or what it possibly means, but he said it either means it is coming very soon (likely) or not being released at all (unlikely).

Finally, the BlackBerry Niagara. We showed you the first photo of it, and it turns out it is pretty much spot on. We do have some more information, however. You can definitely think of it as a cross between the Bold and the Curve 8900. It’s bigger than the Curve, but smaller than the Bold. It has the same 480×320 screen resolution as the bold, and thankfully we’re told rocks the same processor as well (624MHz CPU). Lastly, it runs the 4.6 OS but you didn’t really need us to tell you that. In terms of release date, you’re going to be a little disappointed — we don’t have one. We were originally told by our original tipster that the Niagara would launch in May of ’09 on Verizon, and darn it, that looks pretty accurate. When we have something confirmed, we’ll obviously share that news. Below is a recap of the information we reported on the Niagara when we broke the news:

• “Large screen family”
• QWERTY keyboard
• 480×360 LCD
• EV-DO Rev. A
• aGPS
• 3.2 megapixel camera
• 4.7 OS platform
• BES 5.0 support (HTML email, etc)
• Qualcomm MSM7600 processor

Pretty good, eh?

Thanks, NotHTCKid!