BlackBerry Bold

Last updated

The BlackBerry Bold is a line of smartphones developed by BlackBerry Limited. The family was launched in 2008 with the 9000 Model. In 2009 the form factor was shrunk with the 9700 and the Tour 9630. In 2010 BlackBerry released the 9650 and 9780 refreshed with OS 6. In 2011 came the 9790 and 9788 along with the 9900/9930 series. The 9900/9930 and 9790 are touchscreen smartphones, released in August and November 2011.

Contents

The Bold family is known for its distinctive form factor; QWERTY keyboard, typical BlackBerry messaging capabilities with a different keyboard than the Curve series. The Bold series is usually more expensive and has more expensive materials (e.g. leather, soft touch, carbon fiber, metal) than the Curve (plastic, glossy), and has higher specifications. There are two basic form factors with the Bold line: the original larger size on the 9000 and 9900 Series and the "baby bold" form factor the other models have.

Early series

BlackBerry Bold 9700

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 (codenamed "Onyx") is a high-end mobile phone data device (smartphone) developed by BlackBerry and released on December 18, 2009. While many things including the form factor are similar between this model and the larger models, the difference in the 9700's specifications are as follows: [1]

All the familiar pre-loaded BlackBerry applications are available on the Bold 9700, including but not limited to: WordToGo, PowerPointToGo, BrickBreaker and WordMole. The Bold 9700 also offers BlackBerry Messenger 4.7 but is upgradable to 7.1 in the BlackBerry App World. By upgrading the OS to version 6.0, a user also automatically upgrades to higher versions of applications.

BlackBerry Bold 9650

BlackBerry Bold 9650
Blackberry-Bold-9650-Verizon.jpg
Slogan Love to be Bold. [2]
Availability by regionSprint Nextel: May 23, 2010 [3]
Verizon Wireless: June 3, 2010 (Online) June 10, 2010 (Retail Stores) [4]
Blackberry Bold Blackberry Bold.jpg
Blackberry Bold

The BlackBerry Bold 9650 is part of the 9600 device series which takes design cues from both its predecessor, the BlackBerry Tour 9630, as well as its GSM variant, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 & the BlackBerry Bold 9780. Changes from the Tour include built-in Wi-Fi, 512 MB of onboard storage, and an optical trackpad instead of the trackball. It utilizes a 528 MHz processor, and has a 3.4 MP camera available as an option. The major difference between the 9700/9780 vs the 9650 is that the 9650 is the World Phone Edition that can use CDMA & GSM networks globally; the 9700/9780 only runs on GSM networks. Sprint Nextel announced that they would be the launch carrier for the Bold 9650 shortly after the device was introduced, releasing the phone on May 23, 2010. Verizon Wireless followed closely, releasing the phone exclusively online on June 3, 2010, followed by its retail stores on June 10, 2010. It was released in Canada the week of April 27, 2010. [5]

BlackBerry Bold 9780 Series

The BlackBerry Bold 9780 is a high-end mobile phone data device (smartphone) developed by BlackBerry, released globally in November 2010. [6] On September 7, 2011 China Mobile and BlackBerry announced a variant known as the Bold 9788. The 9788 variant is identical to the 9700 except that the 9788 uses a Chinese 3G standard known as TD-SCDMA.

The Bold 9780 shares the same form factor as the 9700, and the only notable differences are an improved camera (5.0 MP vs. 3.2 MP) and double the onboard memory of the 9700 (512 MB vs. 256 MB). Both devices are OS 6.0 capable, with the 9780 having OS 6 already installed plus the chrome around the old bold has disappeared.

BlackBerry 7 series

On August 3, 2011 [7] BlackBerry announced their seventh major release of BlackBerry OS. It included several major changes such as universal voice search, support for HTML5, Liquid Graphics and Near field communication. It also has many optimizations which improve web and gaming experiences as well as social network integration as well as some layout changes with some new icons. BlackBerry OS 7 comes bundled with the premium version of Documents To Go. On January 9, 2012 [8] BlackBerry announced BlackBerry OS 7.1 which allows Wi-Fi Tethering, BlackBerry Tag and UMA calling.

BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930

BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930
Availability by region Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg August 10, 2011 (Rogers)

Flag of the United Kingdom.svg August 12, 2011 (Vodafone)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg August 12, 2011 (Bell, Telus)
Flag of the United States.svg August 15, 2011 (Verizon)
Flag of the United States.svg August 21, 2011 (Sprint)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg August 21, 2011 (O2)
Flag of the United States.svg August 31, 2011 (T-Mobile)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg September 1, 2011 (Optus)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg November 3, 2011 (Vodafone)
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Sept 7, 2011 (SmarTone, 3, China Mobile, Vodafone, CSL)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Oct 19, 2011 (WINDMobile)

Flag of the United States.svg Nov 6, 2011 (AT&T)
Successor BlackBerry Q10

The BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 (codenamed internally as "Dakota/Montana", also known as Bold Touch) is part of the 9000 device series. Introduced in August 2011, it is the first of the Bold line to provide a touchscreen. It marks a return to the form factor of the original 9000 and its popular wide-set physical keyboard. [9] It takes design cues from both its predecessor, the BlackBerry Tour 9630, as well as its GSM variant, the BlackBerry Bold 9700. [10]

The Bold 9900 was launched in Thailand at the DTAC 3G Expo on September 3–4th 2011. Soon after, many users were complaining that the phone was not 100% reliable for daily use as it often "froze" during the use of BBM (BlackBerry Messenger). The browser was also one of the main problems, as the touch was not as smooth as BlackBerry advertised. Both issues were promptly resolved through the over-the-air software releases of BBM 6.0 and BlackBerry OS 7.1, respectively. The Bold 9930 operates on both GSM and CDMA networks whereas the Bold 9900 can only function on the GSM network. However, the Bold 9900 can function in GSM bands that the 9930 cannot use. A 4G LTE version was available with select carriers eventually. [11]

BlackBerry Bold 9790

Introduced on November 15, 2011, [12] the BlackBerry Bold 9790 follows the ergonomics of its predecessor, the Bold 9780, with an upgraded 1 GHz processor. The camera does auto focus (as compared to fixed focus of its predecessors), but can only produce VGA resolution videos. Java is not supported on this device.

Model comparison

Early series

BlackBerry Bold 9000 Blackberry bold 9000.jpg
BlackBerry Bold 9000
ModelBlackBerry Bold 9000BlackBerry Bold 9700BlackBerry Bold 9650BlackBerry Bold 9780BlackBerry Bold 9788
Image Blackberry bold 9000.jpg Blackberry 9700.jpg Blackberry-Bold-9650-Verizon.jpg BlackBerry Bold 9780 Leather Pocket, Black.jpg
Announce DateMay 12, 2008 [13] October 21, 2009 [14] April 26, 2010 [15] October 27, 2010 [16] September 6, 2011 [17]
Display 480x320 px 2.6 inch [13] (built on 110 μm pixel) at 221 ppi 480x360 px 2.44 inch [14] [15] [16] (built on 100 μm pixel) at 244 ppi
Processor 624 MHz Marvell Tavor PXA930 [18] Qualcomm MSM7600 @ 528 MHz624 MHz
MemoryInternal storage 1 GB microSD slot only; 2 GB card included
RAM 122MB256MB512MB
Inputs Trackball, keyboard Optical trackpad, keyboard
WiFi / Bluetooth 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 + A2DP 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.1 + A2DP
Compatible Networks2G GSM and 3G HSPA2G GSM, 3G CDMA and 3G HSPA2G GSM and 3G HSPA2G GSM and 3G TD-SCDMA
Operating system BlackBerry OS 4 / 5 BlackBerry OS 5 / 6 BlackBerry OS 6
Battery 1500 mAH1400 mAH1500 mAH
Weight136 g (4.8 oz)122 g (4.3 oz)136 g (4.8 oz)122 g (4.3 oz)
Dimensions114 mm × 66 mm × 15 mm (4.49 in × 2.60 in × 0.59 in)109 mm × 60 mm × 14 mm (4.29 in × 2.36 in × 0.55 in)112 mm × 62 mm × 14 mm (4.41 in × 2.44 in × 0.55 in)109 mm × 60 mm × 14 mm (4.29 in × 2.36 in × 0.55 in)
Camera2.0 MP 3.2 MP 5 MP

BlackBerry 7 series

ModelBlackBerry Bold 9900BlackBerry Bold 9930BlackBerry Bold 9790
Image BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900.jpg BlackBerry Bold 9790.jpg
Announce DateAugust 3, 2011 [7] November 15, 2011 [12]
Display 640 x 480 px 2.8 inch TFT LCD (built on 88 μm pixel) at 287 ppi 480 x 360 px 2.45 inch TFT LCD (built on 100 μm pixel) at 246 ppi
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 2 MSM8255T processor 1.2 GHz [19] Marvell Tavor MG1 PXA940 1 GHz
GPU Adreno 205 PowerVR SGX 543 GPU
RAM 768 MB
Storage 8 GB Internal Storage
microSD slot
Inputs Multi-touch touchscreen, volume controls, proximity and ambient light sensors, 3-axis accelerometer, Digital Compass, GPS/aGPS
Connectivity 802.11a/b/g/n Dual band
Bluetooth 2.1 + A2DP + EDR
Near field communication
Compatible Networks GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
UMTS/HSPA 2100/1900/850/800 MHz (RDE7*UW/RDY7*UW) or 2100/1700/900 MHz (RDV7*UW)2100/900 MHz2100/1900/850/800 MHz (REC71UW) or 2100/1700/900 MHz (RED71UW)
CDMA/EVDO —800/1900 MHz—
HSDPA14.4 Mbit/s7.2 Mbit/s
HSUPA5.76 Mbit/s
Operating system BlackBerry OS 7
Battery 1230 mAH Replaceable Lithium-ion polymer battery
12.8 days standby (GSM/UMTS)
6.3 hours talk (GSM)
5.9 hours talk (UMTS)
50 hours music playback		1230 mAH Replaceable Lithium-ion polymer battery
12.8 days standby (CDMA/GSM/UMTS)
6.6 hours talk (CDMA)
6.3 hours talk(GSM)
5.9 hours talk (UMTS)
50 hours music playback		1230 mAH Replaceable Lithium-ion polymer battery
18 days standby (GSM)
17 days standby (UMTS)
5.2 hours talk(GSM)
5.3 hours talk (UMTS)
33 hours music playback
6.3 hours video playback
Weight130 g (4.6 oz)107 g (3.8 oz)
Dimensions115 mm × 66 mm × 10.5 mm (4.53 in × 2.60 in × 0.41 in)110 mm × 60 mm × 11.4 mm (4.33 in × 2.36 in × 0.45 in)
Camera5 megapixel
4x digital zoom
Flash
HD video (720p) at 30 fps 		5 megapixel Continuous auto focus
2x digital zoom
Flash
VGA at 30 fps

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry</span> Line of wireless handheld devices and services

BlackBerry was a brand of smartphones and other related mobile services and devices. The line was originally developed and maintained by the Canadian company BlackBerry Limited from 1999 to 2016, after which it was licensed to various companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smartphone</span> Handheld mobile device

A smartphone is a mobile device that combines the functionality of a traditional mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allowing users to access a wide range of applications and services, such as web browsing, email, and social media, as well as multimedia playback and streaming. Smartphones have built-in cameras, GPS navigation, and support for various communication methods, including voice calls, text messaging, and internet-based messaging apps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry Limited</span> Canadian technology company

BlackBerry Limited is a Canadian software company specializing in cybersecurity. Founded in 1984, it developed the BlackBerry brand of interactive pagers, smartphones and tablets. The company transitioned to providing software and services and holds critical software application patents.

Wi-Fi calling refers to mobile phone voice calls and data that are made over IP networks using Wi-Fi, instead of the cell towers provided by cellular networks. Using this feature, compatible handsets are able to route regular cellular calls through a wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) network with broadband Internet, while seamlessly change connections between the two where necessary. This feature makes use of the Generic Access Network (GAN) protocol, also known as Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA).

BlackBerry OS is a discontinued proprietary mobile operating system developed by Canadian company BlackBerry Limited for its BlackBerry line of smartphone handheld devices. The operating system provides multitasking and supports specialized input devices adopted by BlackBerry for use in its handhelds, particularly the trackwheel, trackball, and most recently, the trackpad and touchscreen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry Storm</span> Defunct touchscreen smartphone

The BlackBerry Storm is a touchscreen smartphone developed by Research In Motion. A part of the BlackBerry 9500 series of phones, it was RIM's first touchscreen device, and its first without a physical keyboard. It featured a touchscreen that responded like a button via SurePress, Research In Motion's haptic feedback technology. Its competitors included Apple's iPhone, the Palm Pre, the T-Mobile G1 by HTC and the HTC Touch family.

The BlackBerry Curve was a brand of professional smartphones that were manufactured by BlackBerry Limited from 2007 until 2013.

BlackBerry World was an application distribution service by BlackBerry Limited. The service provided BlackBerry users with an environment to browse, download, and update mobile apps, including third-party applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry Tour</span> Wireless device developed by BlackBerry Limited, introduced in 2009

The BlackBerry Tour is a consumer smartphone developed by BlackBerry Limited and is part of the 9600 device series. This high-end messaging phone combines the multimedia features of the Curve with the global roaming of the 8830, plus a higher-resolution display, 3.2 megapixel auto-focus camera, overseas 3G data and faster EVDO Rev. A data in the United States and Canada. Other key features include voice calling, video capture, a 3.5mm audio jack, a microSD slot, push email, a QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth, and GPS navigation. The BlackBerry Tour was released on July 12, 2009. In 2010, the 'Tour 2' refresh was re-branded as the Blackberry Bold 9650 when RIM decided to merge the GSM and CDMA2000 variants under the same brand.

The BlackBerry Storm 2 is the second full touchscreen smartphone developed by Research In Motion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry PlayBook</span> 2011 tablet computer by Quanta Computer

The BlackBerry PlayBook is a mini tablet computer that was developed by BlackBerry. It was manufactured by Quanta Computer, an original design manufacturer (ODM). It was first released for sale on April 19, 2011, in Canada and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry Torch 9800</span> 2010 BlackBerry Smartphone

The BlackBerry Torch 9800 is a 2010 model in the BlackBerry line of smartphones. It combines a physical QWERTY keyboard with a sliding multi-touch screen display and runs on BlackBerry OS 6. Introduced on August 3, 2010, the phone became available exclusively on AT&T on August 12, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry Torch</span> Series of smartphones

BlackBerry Torch is a series of smartphones manufactured by BlackBerry Ltd. The lineup consists of the following:

The BlackBerry Electron (8703/8700/8707) is a discontinued BlackBerry smartphone developed by Research In Motion Ltd and released in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry Bold 9700</span> Smartphone

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is a smartphone developed by telecommunication company BlackBerry, formerly known as Research in Motion (RIM). The second device in the Bold series, it succeeds the model 9000 and precedes the Bold 9650. The device, which runs on the BlackBerry OS, features several improvements over the 9000, including introduction of an optical trackpad, and a reduced size overall. Other visual changes were carried out in order to appeal both men and women.

The BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 was a smartphone by Research In Motion and Porsche Design. Released in December 2011, it was a variant of the latest model of the Bold 9900, sharing all of its internal hardware components. They both shared the same Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8655 CPU clocked at 1.2 GHz, 768 MB of RAM, a 2.8-inch (71 mm) TFT multi-touch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, and the same 5.0-megapixel EDOF rear camera capable of 720p video recording, and an LED flash. The major difference was the exterior case, which included a unibody stainless steel frame and leather rear door. Porsche Design changed the aesthetics of the device by adding a metal QWERTY keyboard laid across four straight rows that were set into the steel frame, each row of keys divided by a space, along with custom menu buttons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry Q10</span> BlackBerry smartphone

The BlackBerry Q10 is a touchscreen-based QWERTY smartphone developed by BlackBerry, previously known as RIM. The BlackBerry Q10 is the second of two BlackBerry smartphones unveiled at the BlackBerry 10 event on January 30, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry Classic</span> BlackBerry phone

The BlackBerry Classic, originally known as the BlackBerry Q20, is a touchscreen-based smartphone with a physical QWERTY, AZERTY or QWERTZ keyboard developed by BlackBerry, previously known as RIM. The BlackBerry Classic was unveiled on December 17, 2014, and it runs the BlackBerry 10 operating system. Its design is similar to the BlackBerry Q10 in form and feel and especially to the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and related lines in that they feature an optical trackpad which can complement or be used as primary means of navigation instead of or with the device's touch-screen.

BlackBerry Mobile was a trading name that was used by TCL Communication between December 2016 and August 2020 to manufacture and sell BlackBerry branded devices in all world markets, excluding the regions where BB Merah Putih (Indonesia) and Optiemus Infracom operated.

References

  1. ↑ "BlackBerry Bold 9700 Specifications". Archived from the original on 2009-10-24. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
  2. ↑ "BlackBerry – Bold Smartphones – The Bold BlackBerry Smartphones 9650, 9700, 9000". Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  3. ↑ "Advanced Features and Refined Style of BlackBerry Bold 9650 Smartphone Coming to Sprint". 26 April 2010. Archived from the original on 22 June 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  4. ↑ "BlackBerry Bold 9650 also coming to Verizon". CNET.com. 2 June 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  5. ↑ "BlackBerry Bold 9650 Release Date". Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  6. ↑ "BlackBerry Bold 9780 Release Date" . Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  7. 1 2 "Research In Motion Introduces New BlackBerry 7 Smartphones". Research in Motion. Archived from the original on 2012-03-23.
  8. ↑ "RIM Showcases New BlackBerry 7.1 OS at CES 2012". Research in Motion. Archived from the original on 2012-05-20.
  9. ↑ "Are the Next-Gen BlackBerry Torch 9810/9860 & Bold 9900/9930 Looking for an Audience?". Archived from the original on 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  10. ↑ Myriam Joire (2 May 2011). "BlackBerry Bold 9900 hands-on (update: video)". Engadget. AOL.
  11. ↑ "BlackBerry Bold 9900 4G". Consumersearch. 4 November 2020.
  12. 1 2 "Research In Motion Expands BlackBerry 7 Portfolio with the New BlackBerry Bold 9790 and BlackBerry Curve 9380 Smartphones". Research in Motion. Archived from the original on 2012-02-25.
  13. 1 2 "RIM Introduces the BlackBerry Bold Smartphone". Research in Motion. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17.
  14. 1 2 "RIM Introduces the New BlackBerry Bold 9700 Smartphone". Research in Motion. Archived from the original on 2012-04-28.
  15. 1 2 "RIM Introduces the New BlackBerry Bold 9650 Smartphone". Research in Motion. Archived from the original on 2012-01-05.
  16. 1 2 "RIM Introduces the New BlackBerry Bold 9780 Smartphone". Research in Motion. Archived from the original on 2012-01-07.
  17. ↑ "RIM and China Mobile Introduce BlackBerry Bold 9788" . Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  18. ↑ Wilson Rothman (12 May 2008). "BlackBerry Bold (aka 9000) Officially Official". Gizmodo. Gawker Media.
  19. ↑ "RIM BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 (RIM Pluto) Specs - Technical Datasheet - PDAdb.net". pdadb.net.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.