Research In Motion (RIM) held an event in NYC at 11 AM EDT today to announce a new device previously referred to as the BlackBerry 9800, but now known as the Blackberry Torch. The real excitement however is the BlackBerry 6 OS. RIM hopes that their revamped focus on multimedia and the web will reinvigorate interest in BlackBerry.
BlackBerry Torch 9800
- Features BB OS 6 - 624 MHz Processor - 512MB of RAM - Rear-facing Camera and Flash - 3.2" HVGA+ touchscreen (480x360) and QWERTY slider keyboard - 512MB built-in memory + 4GB eMMC card (expandable up to 32GB) - AccelerometerAT&T Details - Arrives August 12 - AT&T Exclusive In the Beginning - $199 with 2-year contract - Data plan required. $15/200MB or $25/2GB [ Torch Website ]
BlackBerry 6 OS
- Tabbed WebKit browser.
- Social media feed.
- Media can be sorted into folders and potos will be tagged with geolocation data.
- Users can carry a record of their entire media library and tage items on the go for WiFi syncing in the future.
- Universal Search. Parse all data on phone, app-specific items, and web search, all in one place.
- AppWorld store supports various pricing models.
- Apps can be built with HTML5 or CSS. Browser based apps will integrate with OS on par with Java apps.
- Billing is handled through your AT&T monthly bill.
- Supported File Formats: Windows Media DRM 10 for music & video Video format support: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV3 Audio format support: MP3, AMR-NB, AAC-LC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, WMV, Flac, Ogg Vorbis
RIM's Hail Mary
There is no doubt that RIM has upped the ante with their new OS. The lessons they've learned from the success of the iPhone and Android have paid off. There is no word on Flash support yet, and the likelyhood that previous BlackBerry models will be able to upgrade looks slim.
Media management and the flexibility of the AppWorld store seem to be the biggest features of the redesign. RIM has opened the floodgates for new app developers by allowing HTML and CSS apps. With official support and full OS integration for browser-based apps, users will have access to a potential downpour of choices from every corner of the app world.
Check out the video below for an in-depth look into the new OS. Stay tuned for further coverage of the Torch and the BlackBerry 6 OS.
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UPDATE: Hands on from Engadget
[youtube]vCpFHFULOZc[/youtube]
