"Here's a little something that might put the brakes on some buyer's 3G iPhone dreams this week -- a real, live shot of the forthcoming BlackBerry touchscreen phone, the Thunder. There's not much info to glean from this image, save for the fact that it will be practically loaded with buttons (including send, end, back, menu, dual convenience keys, volume, lock, and play / pause) and will be headed to Verizon. If the UI is a spin-off of the one we've seen on the Bold, RIM could be striking gold here.

Are you ready? The BlackBerry Thunder, as it is codenamed now, (all you "reporting" on it as the Storm are incorrect) will launch in Q3 of this year. It is a full touchscreen BlackBerry — no slide out keyboard — with only 4 physical keys. Those are the send / end phone keys, the BlackBerry menu key, and the back key. Here is the most interesting part, though: it will launch as a worldwide lifetime exclusive on Verizon and Vodafone! We’ve heard the unit will be a hybrid device with CDMA EV-DO Rev. C (for clarification, Rev C., known as UMB is practically dead. If the device will indeed launch with a 4G solution, our bet is on LTE), and GSM HSPA for traveling internationally. Verizon and Vodafone will have the same unit. Currently, the model number is the BlackBerry 9500, though it’s very early and that’s likely to change. This is HUGE for the Verizon lovers. For once they’ll get an exclusive device, but Verizon will have a sales quota for the device and if they don’t meet those numbers, we’ve heard the exclusivity will then dissolve and it’s over. This will be extremely interesting to see play out."

 

another....

 

I don't get it...why release the upcoming Bold only to have this right behind it?

 

buttons = biz/enterprise
touch = consumer/early adopter

 

The second picture is a fake.

I hope they don't fk around with the multisensor touch. I needs to be as good or better than the Iphone with a way more intuitive OS than the current BBs. The world is the limit and it seems like the only company who understands this and employs world class designers is Apple.

I think it's just a matter of time before the user experience is the only thing that matters on a phone.

 

I could not agree more. I got the curve for daily use, and the ipod touch to bring with me on vacation. Plus, I am on the the phone too much to use it as an mp3 player.

 

I like it. I currently have the 8800 and love it and this has some appeal but I don't know if I won't like the feeling of a real push...

 

i have a 8700 and i love everything about it, don't miss the fact i have no cam, and very used to the screw wheel, but this is going to give the iphone a run if it performs like a blackberry, and a iphone as well.

 

meh, not impressed

 

Buy a Curve. After swearing I would never get rid of my 8700 I smashed the screen and was forced to upgrade. The size and features of the Curve are unbeatable, except for a 1st generation iPhone, maybe.