What The Heck Is This Weird-Looking BlackBerry?

A series of images has been floating around today of what's purported to be the BlackBerry 9980, a cousin to the recently-released Bold 9900 and 9930. While there plenty of similarities, some radical design decisions leave us with a smartphone unlike any other BlackBerry we've come across before. Is it a prototype, a counterfeit device, an elaborate case mod, or something else altogether?

Much of the phone's external hardware lines up with that of the 9900, suggesting they're based on the same components. The handset is apparently running BlackBerry OS 7, just like a 9900 should. Similarities aside, the metallic keyboard is utterly un-RIM and looks positively alien. Then there's the replacement of the optical trackpad with this odd crosshair pattern, and the puzzling PROCEEDING stamped up top... it's all just too weird.

If you've got any theories that might explain just what it is we're looking at here, we'd love to hear them.

Samsung Galaxy S II Lands In The US For $100 On-Contract

Don't get that excited; it's not what you think. While we wait for the Galaxy S II to arrive on the big national carriers in the States, a smaller regional network has beaten them all to the punch, and is already offering the smartphone for a hair under $100 on-contract.

Alaska's GCI now has the Galaxy S II available on its 4G HSPA+ network. It had been looking like Sprint would be the first to offer the smartphone in the US, with a planned September 16 launch of the Epic 4G Touch, but not only has GCI won that race, its GS2 is $100 less than what Sprint's will run.

This really has us thinking about all the noise AT&T has been making trying to justify its intended T-Mobile acquisition: how becoming bigger and better would mean more options and better service for its subscribers. GCI just demonstrated how that's a load of bunk, bringing an eagerly-awaited smartphone to its own subscribers faster and cheaper than anyone else. Faced! 

Windows 8 to Support Windows Phone 7 Apps?

Here's a nice rumor started by Nvidia CEO Chief Executive Jen-Hsun Huang as reported by CNET. He says that Windows 8, Microsoft's next desktop and tablet operating system, will support running Windows Phone 7 applications. I'm not sure if I would believe that it will run un-modified Windows Phone 7 apps since many desktop computers don't have some of the sensors required by certain phone apps. Accelerometers for example won't always be found in Windows 8 PCs. Personally I'm thinking the more likely scenario would be the ability for developers to re-use 95% of the codedesigned for a Windows Phone 7 app in a Windows 8 app using exactly the same development tools. This would likely be a huge advantage to developers wanting to design appsthat work on Windows Phone, Windows Tablets, Windows PCs, and maybe even Xbox.

What do you think? Will Windows 8 support straight up Windows Phone 7 apps or will they require some subtle modifications? 

Motorola Droid Bionic Now Available From Verizon

After a long period of waiting -- since it was first introduced this January at CES and then went through a facelift procedure -- the Motorola Droid Bionic was finally introduced yesterday by the OEM together with the carrier.

As promised, the phone is available as of now and it goes for $299.99 with a two-year contract. If you decide to buy only the phone it will cost you $589.99 but you'll get a dual-core 1GHz CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 4.3-inch qHD display, eight-megapixel autofocus camera with flash and 1080p HD video capture, front-facing camera for video chat, HDMI-out, and 32 GB memory out of which 16 GB on board and 16 GB microSD card pre-installed (with support for 32GB cards).

There's also a deal for you over at Amazon if you're into grabbing the Droid Bionic. They have it for $199.99 if you sign a two-year contract but the phone is only backordered so you'll probably have to wait a couple of days until you get it. Still, worth the $100 you save!

iPhone 5: First Screenshot?

This is a screenshot taken from the About screen of an iPhone 5, according to someone who claims to have access to a testing unit of the unannounced handset. The most notable aspect of this image is the alleged storage capacity: it would seem to confirm that the next iPhone will have at least 64GB of flash NAND. However, an even more interesting claim is being made of which there is no proof: the iPhone 5 is said to eschew the iconic hardware home button for a virtual one which appears onscreen.

This configuration apparently allows for a larger screen, although no specific dimensions were given. The unit in question is, naturally, described as being black, and it's not clear if there would be other colors available. The screenshot shows the latest build of iOS 5 (beta 7), although obviously this sort of image is trivial to fake.

Following yesterday's spotting of a likely iPhone 5 eight-megapixel image capture, it seems like details of the highly-anticipated device are slowly starting to come together prior to an expected release next month. There are, however, still more questions than answers at this point.