While some interesting things may or may not be happening under the hood, the freshly announced BlackBerry Tour for Verizon and Sprint (pictured in Verizon garb on the left) is hardly a departure on the surface. It mostly appears to be a minor modification to the Curve (right), though it does seem inexplicably thicker. The Bold seems positively overwrought in comparison. We didn't get much time to play with the OS, but the screen and the keyboard are pure new-generation BlackBerry charm.

Nothing irks us more than big dudes in blush standing well within our personal space while we're trying to show off our Bold to a small army of paparazzi.

Chris: "It's a Taser, too! Watch!"
Darren: "IT'S MURDERED OUT!"
Ross: "To be honest, I don't think Verizon's 'My Network' should ever have a casual dress day."
Don: "It does everything except erase this image from your memory!"
Paul: "This is so exciting, I'm going to write about it... in my diary!"
Josh: "Welcome to Hell."
Joe: "After Jack White, being seen in public with a clown was really no big deal."
Thomas: "We're just two happy party clowns, sitting down to a plate of beef. White- powdery- beef."
Jacob: "I got it FREE on contract!!!"
Nilay: "You complete me."

Not digging that $299.99 on contract pricing for RIM's BlackBerry Bold? If you're kosher with placing previously loved gadgets in your presence, you can score one today for the low, low price of absolutely free. Apparently the deal is only valid on AT&T's website and only for today, so you might want to pull the trigger now and think about it later.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

While RIM and Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo still don't know why their BlackBerry Bold is feeling a little toasty around the keyboard, the duo has ruled out a likely culprit, the battery, as its unwelcome heat source. Word on the street is an estimated 30 people have issued complaints about the mobile device heating up while recharging, with around 4,000 units being sold before DoCoMo halted sales. One analyst speculates the issue -- which so far has affected only Japan -- may be based on region-specific software of other customizations. We're sure the pair are working around the clock to get to the bottom of this malfunction, but in the meantime, we recommend dusting off the ol' 8707h to get that retro BlackBerry feel -- y'know, just for kicks.

We've had sightings of BlackBerry's Curve 8900 running on AT&T before, and now comes word from a Boy Genius Report tipster that the pairing will be made official this month and the handset's SKU is already popping up in the carrier's systems. Additionally, the Pearl Flip 8210 is rumored to be making its debut on the network sometime in March. BGR expects the prices to be somewhere around $200 and $100, respectively. We can't say we'll be surprised if the Curve finds its way to AT&T, but we're excited at the thought of finally having a carrier-independent matchup between it and the Bold.

We decided to take the most recent 'Berrys -- the Curve 8900, Bold, and Storm -- and toss them into a big pile. What would happen? Do they get along? What kind of bruised egos would we see? Read on for our innermost thoughts.

Make no mistake, the hottest thing going in the mobile realm just now is the Palm Pre, but that's not to say RIM hasn't gained a lot of attention with its most recent outpouring of smartphones. Max has chimed in with this week's Ask Engadget question (which was sent in via ask at engadget dawt com), and it's all about the latest and greatest BlackBerrys.

"I'm considering purchasing the BlackBerry Bold, but the news about the Storm and even the Curve has me intrigued. Which would your readers recommend for a new BlackBerry owner, and why? Pros and cons for each would be excellent."

We don't need to reiterate just how high the pedestal is on which the Curve 8900 sits (yes, even today) in the minds of the BB faithful, so we've no doubt that it should be included in this conversation. Go on fanboys, defend your dialer below.

It's 2009, folks, so we figured we'd start it off with a bang (and about a gazillion comments in this post). George, a proud member of the USMC, is pondering what to do about a new smartphone, and given that your New Year's resolution was undoubtedly to ditch your dumbphone in favor of a more sophisticated model, you'll probably be interested as well.

"I am currently in the market for a new carrier and phone. I have Verizon now, but I am not all that happy with its service in my area. With the release of all the high end phones nowadays, one could get easily lost in the details. I currently have the LG Voyager; I like the phone, but I feel trapped and can't do much with it unless I pay for every little thing. I would like a mobile with WiFi, camera (with flash if possible), touchscreen, etc. I would like to stay under $200 with a 2-year contract. Any advice would be wonderful."

It's tough, ain't it George? There's the G1, iPhone 3G, Bold, Storm -- the list rolls on. So, let's spark up a sane, intelligent conversation on the pros and cons of each, all while remembering that our ideal handset sadly didn't arrive in time for Christmas. Interested in getting your own inquiry up in here? Send one over to ask at engadget dawt com.

This year, all I really wanted for the holidays was the perfect smartphone. Not too much to ask for, right? You'd think, but all I ended up with was constant swapping between 3 (or more) devices, hoping to find some balance of features that worked for me. Instead of one "go to" phone, I juggled the iPhone 3G, T-Mobile G1, and BlackBerry Bold for the last few months, desperately wishing I could merge them into one perfect device. I shall now break down my hopes for the upcoming year, with a prayer in my little old heart that manufacturers are listening.

Back for more, eh? Well you've come to the right place -- the Engadget Podcast! Join Josh, Paul, and Nilay as they take you on a magical journey through the trials and tribulations of the BlackBerry Storm, investigate the legal situation of the Apple-cloning operation known as Psystar, dish on the latest Zune and Xbox happenings, and lament the forthcoming death of FireWire as it cedes its high-speed throne to USB 3.0. And just think, access to this treasure-trove of information is yours free of charge!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Paranoid

00:02:25 - BlackBerry Storm review
00:32:35 - Psystar's antitrust claims against Apple dismissed
00:53:59 - Microsoft revamps Zune Pass: keep ten tracks per month forever and ever
01:02:43 - Microsoft ratchets down pricing on flash-based Zunes
01:02:39 - NXE hitting 360s with red ring, freezing and sorta-sexy-avatar issues?
01:06:45 - Goodbye, FireWire 400

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You knew we'd be back, right? It's that time again, ladies and gents: Engadget Podcast time. This week, thrill to the delectable sounds of your hosts -- Josh, Paul, and Nilay -- as they cover all things smartphone. Excite your senses with discussion of BlackBerry wishes and G1 dreams. Hear insight and outrage on the Fuze, X1a, iPhone 3G, and more. And the best part? It's entirely cholesterol and MSG free!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Welcome to the Jungle

02:02 - RED's Digital Still and Motion Camera System now official
04:24 - Verizon schedules Storm for November 21 release, $199.99 on contract
13:05 - AT&T BlackBerry Bold hands-on
26:40 - HTC Fuze now for sale on AT&T's web site
32:53 - Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 review
37:00 - HTC MAX 4G officially announced, world's first GSM / WiMAX phone
39:53 - Windows Mobile 6.5 confirmed by Steve Ballmer, might solve half your problems
49:10 - Apple's new iPod chief ordered to stop working
52:17 - Epic Android bug interprets your typing as system commands
57:15 - iPhone 3G overtakes the RAZR as best-selling domestic handset

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[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
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[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace

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LISTEN (MP3)
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Contact the podcast

1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.

The Storm's garnering the lion's share of the RIM spotlight at the moment, but let's not forget the mighty Bold -- the fastest, sexiest QWERTY BlackBerry to date. You saw the unboxing of AT&T's version; now, read the hands-on!