USC launches the BB Torch 9850 for $199 after 100 MIR. 2yr required for new customers

**mort81** · 08-24-2011, 10:38 AM

On sale Friday according to US Cell Facebook page. Who's buying it? I personally am holding out hope for the 9930.

**howard** · 08-24-2011, 11:10 AM

USC is launching the Torch 9850 this Friday. It's $199.99 after $100 MIR. 2yr contract required for new customers. Belief plan customers don't need one.

U.S. CELLULAR LAUNCHES BLACKBERRY TORCH 9850 SMARTPHONE
Delivers a fast, fluid BlackBerry 7 experience in a stylish new all-touch design
CHICAGO (August 24, 2011) – U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM) is adding yet another powerful device to its cutting-edge portfolio. The all-touch BlackBerry® Torch™ 9850 smartphone arrives in stores Aug. 26 for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate along with purchase of a data plan.
“At U.S. Cellular, we continue to offer our customers devices that can keep them entertained, organized and help simplify their day,” said Edward Perez, vice president of sales and marketing operations for U.S. Cellular. “Our smartphone line-up includes something for everyone and is one of the reasons we have the happiest customers in wireless.”
BlackBerry smartphone lovers who switch to U.S. Cellular get unique benefits, like new phones faster without continuously signing contracts, Battery Swap and a rewards program where they get points for paying monthly wireless bills on time, adding a line or referring new customers. Through Sept. 8, wireless shoppers who switch to U.S. Cellular and activate any new smartphone get a $100 switcher credit per line.
The BlackBerry Torch 9850 offers an all-touch design featuring a 3.7 inch display, the largest BlackBerry screen to date. It features Liquid Graphics™ technology, combining a dedicated high-performance graphics processor with a blazingly fast CPU and stunning high-resolution display to deliver a highly responsive touch interface with incredibly fast and smooth graphics. The BlackBerry Torch 9850 also features the next generation BlackBerry browser with a significantly faster, more fluid web browsing experience that is among the best in the industry and delivers browsing results that are up to 40 percent faster than BlackBerry 6 based smartphones and up to 100 percent faster than BlackBerry 5 based smartphones*. Additional enhancements to this next generation BlackBerry browser have also optimized zooming and panning for smoother web navigation and optimized HTML5 performance for incredible gaming and video experiences.
Customers can customize their BlackBerry Torch 9850 to stay connected and to fit their lifestyle through the enhanced BBM™ 6 (BlackBerry Messenger) and various apps for gaming, social networking, online shopping, and increasing productivity through BlackBerry App World™. Additionally, customers can capture special moments with its 5-megapixel camera and brilliant HD video camera.
Several of U.S. Cellular’s value-packed national plans are a perfect fit for BlackBerry smartphone customers. The $79.99 Primary Plus Plan is the best value in wireless and offers 5GB of data with unlimited text, picture and video messaging. The plan also comes with 450 voice minutes, free incoming calls, free nights and weekends and free mobile-to-mobile calls. A family of four who switches to U.S. Cellular can save more than $1,000 a year with the company’s National Premium Plus family plan. All plans and devices are backed by U.S. Cellular’s high-speed nationwide network, which has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier.
For more information about all of U.S. Cellular’s deals, plans and phones, and other restrictions on these offers, visit any U.S. Cellular store, go to uscellular.com or check out U.S. Cellular on Facebook.
The BlackBerry Torch 9850 is available for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate. Purchase of a data plan is required, and a new two-year agreement and activation fee may apply for new customers.

**tearsonurcheek** · 08-24-2011, 11:42 AM

Mod note: merged duplicate threads

**nachoman69** · 08-24-2011, 02:38 PM

Looks like a nice touch blackberry, hope it will be better than the storm. I always wondered about the family of four can save $1000 by switching to US Cellular claim. Does anyone know how they came up with that number?

**msird** · 08-24-2011, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by nachoman69

Looks like a nice touch blackberry, hope it will be better than the storm. I always wondered about the family of four can save $1000 by switching to US Cellular claim. Does anyone know how they came up with that number?

According to Verizon's web site unlimited text talk and 5gb/line of data for a family plan of 4 costs $420/month, the same only cost $280/month with uscc.

**n1philli** · 08-24-2011, 07:12 PM

I just got my first hands-on experience with this Blackberry at our local store. This phone definitely is one of the smoothest and quickest operating phones on the market. For those of you who complain about "boot-up" time. I performed a battery pull and in less than I'd say a minute, this phone was booted back up and ready to roll. The screen/graphics are awesome. I played a music video and the video playback and sound were both superb. The 5 megapixel is very snappy and has a zoom that I definitely can not complain about. Typing is very good on this phone as well. I'm sure I missed some other "valuable information", but this phone is awesome to say the lease. This BB is mine come Friday!

**ddooley** · 08-24-2011, 07:27 PM

I cannot wait for my Demo 9850, its supposedly on the way.

**n1philli** · 08-24-2011, 08:13 PM

I snapped some photos too. It looks like all the others...haha

**cdodge04** · 08-25-2011, 01:14 AM

Im not sure if i could go back to a Blackberry at this point...I really like the Android system. Some of the apps I enjoy on my phone aren't available on the Blackberry..least last time I checked. I do miss BBM but that's about it.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

**tearsonurcheek** · 08-25-2011, 03:55 AM

Originally Posted by cdodge04

Im not sure if i could go back to a Blackberry at this point...I really like the Android system. Some of the apps I enjoy on my phone aren't available on the Blackberry..least last time I checked. I do miss BBM but that's about it.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

According to phonescoop, When RIM launches QNX next year, they'll be porting at least some Android apps over. Of course, BB OS 7 (what the Torch has) is not QNX.

**cdodge04** · 08-25-2011, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by tearsonurcheek

According to phonescoop, When RIM launches QNX next year, they'll be porting at least some Android apps over. Of course, BB OS 7 (what the Torch has) is not QNX.

I had read that...from what I was reading though it appears only some apps and that they won't run as smoothly. I also read that BB will NOT have access to the Android Market but rather a section in the App World that is dedicated to Android apps, it will be up to developers to repackage and submit their apps to BB.

If BB could get it so that QNX ran all apps or at leat the good majority of them and they ran well plus having all the positives of the BB system (BBM, email, etc) I could see them doing very well...Or if developers just ported their apps over to the BB.

**ddooley** · 08-25-2011, 08:03 PM

QNX does not run the apps, it however runs a kind of virtual machine that runs android apps. I am sure that even without access to the android store you will have the ability to side-load pretty much anything pretty easily.

**n1philli** · 08-25-2011, 08:25 PM

I agree with you ddooley.

**Bigredhunk** · 08-28-2011, 02:04 AM

Looks nice. I'm still a BB fan, but I'm not sure I could ever get used to a full touchscreen BB.

& as someone who doesn't make a lot of $$, I can't get on board with paying $300 (eventually $200) for something that may be free in 3 months.