Last week, a special event BlackBerry World Conference took place in Orlando Florida, where RIM announced two new smartphones: BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930. Both devices are identical in specifications and design, with different networks. Model 9900 is using GSM network, while Bold 9930 is for CDMA. Let’s see if these new handsets have in store for us.
Taking a closer look at the design, we can see that Bold 9930 or 9900 come with the same form factor as Bold series in general with some new improvements and changes. These two are the thinnest models (with only 10.5mm) from all BlackBerry smartphones, “featuring the renowned BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard together with a brilliant 2.8-inch touchscreen, an optical trackpad and the new BlackBerry 7 OS” as it was mention in the official press release.
Part of the same BlackBerry phones line, the Bold 9900 and 9930 have a stunning and sleek design with an easy-to-use keyboard completed by a clear, brilliant and high resolution capacitive display. In terms of dimensions, they are the thinnest phones from RIM with 10.5mm depth and weigh 130g each one.
As for the camera section, the devices incorporate a decent 5 megapixel camera on the back with autofocus and LED flash, with no secondary front facing camera. Other features include: geo-tagging, face detection and image stabilization, supporting 720p HD video recording. Multimedia applications also can play HD video, featuring the same image quality.
Performance capabilities work with a new 1.2 GHz processor with 768MB of RAM. As for the storage part, both Bold models include a roomy 8GB built-in memory, featuring also a microSD card that supports a capacity up to 32GB.
Regarding the software part, both phones are powered by the new BlackBerry 7 operating system which provides an easier and more convenient experience with improved browsing, voice-activated searches, the ability to manage personal content separately from corporate content, as well as additional personal and productivity apps out of the box. It includes a new features called The Liquid Graphics touch screen that delivers fast performance.
The singular element that distinguishes these two handsets is the network which is incompatible one with another, because you can’t take a CDMA phone and use it on GSM or vice versa. Additionally, they are equipped with NFC chips (near field communication) system to anticipate future transactions. Other features you might find useful are: a built-in compass (magnetometer) to support location-based services and augmented reality or Wikitude, the leader in mobile augmented reality.
The new Bold 9900 and 9930 are expected to hit the market this summer.