An official release of OS 4.6.1.204 has arrived via Sprint-Nextel. This new OS is said to fix several key issues including echo issues with the mic, MMS issues, other audio issues, and resetting issues. For full details see the image above. Keep in mind TELUS users may also install this OS by simply removing the vendor.xml file.

Download OS 4.6.1.204 for the Curve 8350i >

_{[via BerryReview]}

TELUS’ iDEN brand Mike has been in need of a serious BlackBerry update! People with dying 7520 and 7100i’s were feeling hopeless until today. TELUS introduced the hot new BlackBerry Curve 8350i featuring Wi-Fi, full QWERTY keyboard, 2.0 megapixel camera, OS 4.6 and of course Push To Talk (PTT). You can pick up the new Mike BlackBerry for only $249.99 with three year contract or $599 without starting today.

TELUS today also introduced new Mike smartphone data plans, which start at only $30/month and give you unlimited email, IM and web browsing or $45/month with unlimited email, IM, web browsing, text messaging, caller ID and voicemail.

For complete details head on over to telusmobility.com >

The BlackBerry Curve 8350i is just fresh on the market and the OtterBox team has already got a case on the go. OtterBox has just introduced the OtterBox Defender Case for BlackBerry Curve Push To Talk Edition. This case will ONLY work with the new Curve 8350i as it features a PTT key on the side. This is a great option for those looking to maxamize the protection on a job sight or just carry around your Curve on every day use. The new Curve PTT Defender case is available directly from OtterBox for $49.95 USD. For all other BlackBerry models visit store.blackberrysync.com.

The folks over at BGR got their hands on a live BlackBerry Curve 8350i. This is the latest in the iDEN BlackBerry lineup, which will launch on Sprint-Nextel sometime in December and on TELUS’ Mike early next year for Canada. Here’s a few bullets from what The Boy Genius had to say about it:

• The 8350i has a 2.5mm headset jack, not a 3.5mm one, and it comes with a 2.5mm headset in the box.
• Ships with the much beloved plastic holster, not the leather holster we’re accustomed to.
• There’s a small size difference. It’s around 2mm taller and 1mm thicker than the other Curves (8300, 8310, 8320, 8330).
• The PTT button can not be reassigned as a convenience key.
• Instead of using the same battery as the Curve, the 8350i uses the BlackBerry 8800-series batteries.
• The side keys are now black instead of being chromed
• We were told the device isn’t a real beast in terms of the signal department. “It can’t get a stable signal to save its life once it boots up”

(see the whole gallery at BGR)

[BGR]

Our TELUS ninja has reported that TELUS’ Mike iDEN network will finally see a new BlackBerry soon. The BlackBerry Curve 8350i is the new addition to the iDEN BlackBerry lineup (joining the 7100i and 7520i). It will feature Wi-Fi, OS 4.6, Direct Connect (PTT) and a little more ruggid but similar design to the current Curve 8300 series. Unfortunantly for now this ninja doesn’t have an exact release but they are expecting it to come soon with tons of accessories to make it a more consumer friendly market.

So what do you think? Will TELUS introduce two BlackBerry smartphones (Storm and iDen Curve) in the month of December or will they wait until early next year??

Thanks, Frogger

NII Holdings has announced they will bring RIM’s new PTT enabled BlackBerry Curve 8350i to Latin America in 2009. In case you forget the Curve 8350i is the new iDEN smartphone that will be seen soon on the Sprint-Nextel network. It features a durable body with 2.0 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi and OS 4.6. Skip over for the press release.

Read the full story

Well CTIA Fall 2008 was huge for RIM this fall. We saw tons of press releases, two new BlackBerry models and new services. Unfortunately no sign of the long awaited BlackBerry Javelin or Storm/Thunder but they should come before the years finished.

Here is a run down of what happend at CTIA Fall 2008 starting off with:

- A Look at RIM’s CTIA Fall 2008 booth

- Introducing the iDEN BlackBerry Curve 8350i for Sprint-Nextel

- Introducing the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220

- Meet the Red colored Pearl Flip 8220

- RIM and TiVo partner up to bring TiVo control on BlackBerry

- RIM and Windows Live Search come to BlackBerry

- MySpace and Ticketmaster also join BlackBerry apps

- Slacker Personal Radio coming to BlackBerry

So overall it was a great success and I’m sure there is more to come before 2008 is done.

This week at CTIA Fall 2008 has been interesting so far for RIM. Early this morning start with the launch of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 and now RIM is proud to announce the much needed iDEN BlackBerry Curve 8350i. Finally his brings a upgrade to iDEN users on Sprint-Nextel’s aging iDEN network. This new Curve will sport both Wi-Fi and GPS along with a 2.0 megapixel camera, MicroSD memory card slot and stereo Bluetooth. This new Curve will also be the first Curve to operate on RIM’s new OS 4.6 as seen in the Pearl Flip and Bold.

Pricing has been announced yet, but you can expect to find out more within the next few months…

Press Release:

Sprint to Deliver Industry-Leading Push-to-Talk Services on New BlackBerry Smartphone

Operating on the fastest national push-to-talk network, the BlackBerry Curve 8350i will be the first from Sprint to offer built-in Wi-Fi capabilities and Group Connect, allowing instant group conversations with up to 21 people nationwide

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and Waterloo, ON – Sprint customers seeking the benefits of industry-leading push-to-talk services and the power of BlackBerry® smartphones will have a new version of the coveted combo available later this year. Sprint (NYSE: S) and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced plans to deliver the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8350i – the newest Nextel Direct Connect-capable BlackBerry smartphone – by the end of 2008.

The BlackBerry Curve 8350i will be the latest BlackBerry smartphone to utilize iDEN technology and feature Nextel Direct Connect, the only national push-to-talk service in the industry to offer sub-second call setup and connection to the world’s largest push-to-talk community with millions of users and integrated business solutions, including one of the largest selections of GPS-enabled solutions. With Nationwide and International Direct Connect, Sprint customers will be able to instantly connect within the US and to users in other eligible countries including Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru. The BlackBerry Curve 8350i will also be the first BlackBerry smartphone from Sprint to offer Group Connect, allowing customers to instantly set up group conversations with up to 20 other participants.

“Smart phones in general, and BlackBerry products in particular, have become more important to both business people and consumers lately,” said David Chamberlain, Principal Analyst with analyst firm In-Stat. “The BlackBerry Curve 8350i with PTT capability rounds out Sprint’s options to fill communications needs of many industries particularly those in the blue-collar segment of construction, field services, transportation and manufacturing.”

“Sprint is the undisputed leader in push-to-talk services, and with the launch of the new BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone, we are keeping our promise of expanding the Nextel Direct Connect capabilities and options for our customers,” said Danny Bowman, president of Nextel Direct Connect. “The BlackBerry Curve 8350i will be very attractive for business customers who need instant, convenient push-to-talk services to communicate now with employees, customers and suppliers but also want the capabilities of a high-end smartphone.”

In addition to delivering the unmatched push email and messaging capabilities of the BlackBerry solution, the BlackBerry Curve 8350i will provide rich multimedia, organizer and Internet browsing capabilities, as well as access to thousands of other mobile applications. The smartphone will also include built-in Wi-Fi® capabilities, allowing customers to browse the Internet and download email attachments quickly and easily. When connected to a Wi-Fi network, customers will also be able to send and receive emails or surf the Internet while talking on the phone.

Other key features include:

• Integrated GPS – Built-in capabilities for assisted autonomous GPS capabilities
• 2 Megapixel Digital Camera – with 5x digital zoom, flash and video recording*
• DataViz® Documents to Go® – preloaded software makes it easy to edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents directly on the smartphone
• Internal Antenna – improves design appeal and durability
• Speakerphone – optimized for exceptional sound quality with Direct Connect
• Advanced Media Player – great for listening to music, watching videos and showing pictures
• Removable/Rechargeable 1400 mAH Battery – provides exceptional battery life
• Expandable Memory – microSD memory card slot allows plenty of storage for pictures, videos, music and documents
• Bluetooth® – version 2.0 with support for (A2DP) stereo Bluetooth and more
• Additional Messaging Capabilities – support for instant messaging and multimedia messaging including audio, pictures and text to email addresses and capable phones

“The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone will offer customers an exceptional communications and multimedia experience together with the power and convenience of the popular Nextel Direct Connect service,” said Mark Guibert, vice president of corporate marketing at RIM. “We are pleased to build on our successful relationship with Sprint to bring this powerful new smartphone to Sprint’s customers.”

Customers can find more information on the BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone and sign up to be notified of commercial availability from Sprint at www.sprint.com/instantconnectbb. Pricing, service plan details and an exact availability date will be announced at a later date.

Nationally, the Nextel National Network continues to operate at best-ever performance levels based on internal metrics. Internal performance metrics show double-digit percent improvement year-over-year (i.e., March 2007 to March 2008) for drops (i.e., where a customer’s voice connection fails or drops during a call) and blocks (i.e., where a customer is unable to make a voice connection) for the Nextel National Network. Customer issues related to dropped and blocked calls, and voice quality combined, have decreased more than 60 percent year-over-year (i.e., March 2007 to March 2008). This level of improvement translates to a more reliable calling experience for our customers. Customer calls on the Nextel National Network are successfully connected and maintained better than 99 out of 100 times.

For more information about Nextel Direct connect, please visit www.sprint.com/nextel.

BBNews is confirming that a new iDEN BlackBerry Curve is getting ready to launch before Christmas! Apparently this BlackBerry Curve 8350i will feature WI-Fi, an optional 2.0 megapixel camera and OS 4.6 (same as the Bold). Apparently this hot new Curve will launch on Sprint-Nextel for December 1st, but I’m thinking we will have to wait and see…