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Research In Motion is planning to use its WebKit-based BlackBerry browser as a surprise weapon against Android phones and the iPhone, Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu said today in an investor note. He cites “sources” who say the browser has been delayed but that it will take advantage of the push nature of BlackBerry Internet Service to load sites much more quickly. It could load pages as much as 30 to 60 percent faster than other WebKit devices simply by not having to use as much bandwidth.

Wu also believes the browser will soon integrate Flash. RIM joined the Open Screen Project in October but didn’t say at the time it would add the plugin to its browser. The completed software doesn’t have a definite unveiling point but may get a demo anywhere between Mobile World Congress in the middle of this month and RIM’s self-run Wireless Enterprise Symposium at the end of April.

Hardware is similarly being worked upon as two new touchscreen BlackBerries are still thought to be in progress. A conventional BlackBerry shape with a touchscreen, nicknamed elsewhere as the Dakota, is still in development. A full-touchscreen slider resembling the Storm2 is also due but hasn’t received new details. Both phones are unofficially slated to ship in 2010.

Alltel has started selling the BlackBerry Curve 8530. The carrier sells the phone for $49.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with activation of a 1-year service contract and qualifying Smart Choice Pack. Smart Choice Packs start as low as $69.99 per month and include unlimited data, email and Web access.

As a reminder, the BlackBerry Curve 8530 features a large full QWERTY keyboard, a trackpad for easy navigation and dedicated media keys that are smoothly integrated along the top of the handset, giving customers an easy, convenient way to control their music and videos. Additional features include a built-in GPS with BlackBerry Maps and a geo-tagging functionality, Stereo Bluetooth support, HTML web browsing, a 256MB of internal flash memory, a 2MP camera with digital zoom and video recording and expandable storage memory via microSD/SDHC slot supporting up to 32GB.

Here’s a leaked photo of RIM’s upcoming smartphone ‘BlackBerry Curve 8910′ that was recently appeared over at BerryReview.

Although it’s not officially announced, the phone is said to feature a 3.2-megapixel camera, an optical trackpad, a QWERTY keypad, GPS, WiFi and run on BlackBerry OS 5.0.4. Pricing and release date are still unknown at the moment.

Here is good news for BlackBerry owners. The Viper SmartStart application is now available for BlackBerry. This app allows BlackBerry owners to lock and unlock their cars, start the ignition and do a few more trick with their BlackBerry phones. You can also upgrade an existing Viper remote system with the VSM100 Viper SmartStart module that will cost you about $299 each. The BlackBerry Viper SmartStart application will be available for free from the BlackBerry App World.

Research In Motion (RIM) has unveiled the BlackBerry Presenter, which is a conveniently small and light device that easily plugs into a projector or monitor, allowing you to display a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation wirelessly from their BlackBerry smartphone. Measuring 3.4-inch x 2.4-inch x 0.9-inch and weighing 140grams, the BlackBerry Presenter connects to the BlackBerry smartphone via Bluetooth version 2.0 + EDR (Class 1.5), so you can walk around freely while presenting (supports roaming up to 30 feet between the devices). Other features include S-Video, a micro USB, and a Synthetic Leather carrying case. Priced at $199, the BlackBerry Presenter is being demonstrated by RIM at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week.

I always leave my BlackBerry on, so I have to charge the device almost everyday. It’s never come in my mind that I should shut it down when it’s not required such as when going to bed. To shut it down and turn it on everyday might be a little hard-to-remember task for some people.

But if your idea to shutdown the device when it’s not in use can help you save the battery life, then you can make use of the PowerControl software to schedule the power off and on on your BlackBerry device with ease.

Thinking of customizing the color of your new BlackBerry Bold 9700? Well, now you could over at ColorWare. They’re offering you two different options, you can either send yours in for $159 or buy one from them for $849. Interested?

Starting December 3rd, 2009, NTT DoCoMo will launch the white version of the popular BlackBerry Bold handset in Japan. The smartphone adopts a 65,536-color TFT LCD display with 480 x 320 pixels, a QWERTY keyboard and a 2MP camera.

AT&T has recently announced the availability of the new BlackBerry Bold 9700 on its network. The handset is sold for $199.99 with a 2-year contract agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate. Specs-wise, the 9700 is packed with a 2.4-inch 480 x 360 display, a 3.2MP camera with autofocus and LED flash, a 624MHz processor, a 256MB flash memory, a microSD card slot (up to 32GB), a full QWERTY keyboard, a touch-sensitive optical trackpad, A-GPS, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 1500 mAh battery and runs on BlackBerry OS 5.0.

The spanking new BlackBerry Curve 8530 is now available via Verizon Wireless. It is actually the first full-QWERTY BlackBerry from Verizon to feature RIM’s new optical trackpad and OS 5.0. The smartphone has a 2.5-inch LCD display with a 2-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS and a 256MB of flash memory. Other features include a 3.5mm headphone jack, Stereo Bluetooth, support for microSD cards and dedicated multimedia keys. Available in Black and Smoky Violet, the Verizon BlackBerry Curve 8530 retails for $99.99 after a $100 mail in rebate.

Here is another clone phone done by Shanzai, a clone of the HTC Snap and also looks close to the BlackBerry. It’s been given a hardly memorable name called COOLe8900-2 or just call it COOLe in short. The COOLe is based on the Mediatek’s turnkey platform, which also powers many thousands other China-made phones.This clone phone has a slightly smaller display that measures 2.2 inch and has a 240 × 320 resolution, while the HTC Snap’s display offers same resolution but is slightly larger at 2.4 inches. For the dimensions, the Coole is slightly shorter than the Snap, comes in the dimensions of 109mm × 58mm × 13.5mm. And it’s 5 gram heavier than the Snap.

The phone is capable of doing most video and music formats since it’s powered by the Mediatek’s turnkey platform. It also has built-in FM receiver and offers the common feature found in lots of Chinese cloned phones i.e. dual sim capability. It is ready for GSM and Bluetooth connectivity.

Rogers Wireless has announced the availability of the new BlackBerry Bold 9700 on its network. The handset is sold for $599.99 with no plan or $299.99 with a 3-year contract agreement. As a reminder, the 9700 offers a 624MHz CPU, a 2.4-inch display, a 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, a 256MB flash memory, a microSD card slot, an optical trackpad, A-GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and runs on BlackBerry OS 5.0.

BlackBerry phones that are capable of being updated to OS. The operating system is actually ready now for download. Alternatively the other option is to use the BlackBerry Desktop Manager Software to see if the update is ready and waiting for you.

The new operating system 5.0 for BlackBerry devices is numbered 5.0.0.328 and brings a number of changes to usability including new flick gestures along with greater stability from previous versions.

The BlackBerry Bold 9700, which was rumored as the BlackBerry Onyx has now got a clue from RIM about its launch date. The device has got a few differences from what were said by the rumors.
The Bold 9700 has got a 3.2 megapixel camera, the screen resolution is 480×360 instead of 480×320, and it’s to run the latest BlackBerry OS version 5.0. The 9700 has also taken out the usual trackball found on most previous models of BlackBerrys and replaced it with an optical trackpad that was first started by Curve 8520.
The BlackBerry Bold will support tri-band 900 / 1700 / 2100 and quad-band 800 / 850 / 1900 / 2100MHz 3G, which is a perfect fit for AT&T, T-mobile and a multitude networks in Canada and Europe.
No specific carrier has been announced by RIM for the 9700, but leaving us with teaser claiming that it’ll come to all carriers worldwide in November.