Ideally, a beautiful phone will work beautifully as well, but since we don't live in a perfect world, are you a substance kind of geek who prefer function over form or a design geek where form triumphs over function? This question seems to be answered differently by Apple, RIM, and Nokia in response to Apple's iPhone 4's reception woes. Steve Jobs addressed the iPhone 4's reception problems in yesterday's press conference, mocking the term "Antennagate" in his remarks. Jobs says that Apple isn't perfect and phones aren't perfect, but the company is committed to pleasing its customers. It ...

While Sprint had already gone ahead and launched the BlackBerry Bold 9650 world phone, Verizon Wireless still hasn't gone on record to announce that the CDMA upgrade to the BlackBerry Tour 9630 will even appear on their network. A leaked screen shot of what appears to be an internal email from within Verizon Wireless should assuage fears from customers who want the CDMA flagship RIM smartphone to appear on Big Red's network. According to that email, the Bold 9650 should be available via web and telephone orders beginning June 3 and will be in stores on June 10 for those who need some play ...

The latest information about the BlackBerry 9800 has it that the touchscreen slider from Research in Motion will forego the SurePress screen technology found on the BlackBerry Storm and Storm2. The device was spotted with an AT&T splash screen upon booting. Other tidbits include a software keyboard in addition to the hardware sliding keyboard as well as an optical trackpad in addition to the touchscreen. It looks like BlackBerry OS 6 was also spotted on the device. (via: IntoMobile)

According to the latest rumors, AT&T may have scored an exclusive to the BlackBerry Bold Slider 9800 as a hybrid touchscreen device that will employ the traditional BlackBerry keyboard beneath a sliding capacitive touchscreen. The Bold Slider 9800 will mark RIM's third attempt at the touchscreen market and the device will compete against the BlackBerry Storm and Storm2, both touchscreen exclusives to Verizon Wireless in the USA. Rumors have it that the device is pegged for a mid- or late-June release date, though some have been skeptical of such a launch frame as Apple and AT&T have ...

For those looking for the flagship BlackBerry Bold 9700 in white edition, the Research in Motion handset is now available for shipping from Clove UK. This particular quad-band GSM and tri-band HSPA model will be compatible with AT&T's 3G but only with T-Mobile USA's EDGE network. The white model can be had for £386.58, including VAT, for those interested in making the acquisition.

The CDMA world phone BlackBerry Bold 9650 just got its approval by the FCC, which means that the device is one step closer to launch. The device was already announced at WES by Research in Motion and so far, Sprint has signed on for the device with an official launch coming on May 23 for $200 on contract and after rebates. The Bold 9650 will replace the BlackBerry Tour in Sprint's lineup and will feature support for both GSM/HSPA and CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A radios. RIM had also announced BlackBerry 6, RIM's next generation BlackBerry operating system, of which the BlackBerry Bold 9650 is rumored ...

It was unclear at first whether Research in Motion wanted to keep the Tour branding with the CDMA BlackBerry 9650 or whether the device will shift to the Bold brand, but now recent pictures of the device's backside confirms that RIM will be going with the Bold brand. The Tour was an interesting departure for RIM, which split the high-end front-facing QWERTY smartphone between Bold, for GSM networks, and Tour, for CDMA networks with the BlackBerry 9630 with trackball. The 9650, which moves to an optical trackpad, like the BlackBerry Bold 9700, and has similar styling to its Bold 9700 ...

After some long delays and rumors that the BlackBerry 9650 with an optical trackpad rather than trcakball would follow the Bold monicker rather than adopt the Tour namesake, the BlackBerry 9650 may be a bit closer to launch for BlackBerry Tour 9630 faithfuls. The updated 9650 has shown up in Sprint's online database with camera and camera-less models. We'll have to wait for Research in Motion to decide on final branding--will this be the Tour2 or the Bold 9650--the Bold branding will bring the device closer to its GSM cousin. (via: The Boy Genius Report)