Optus says it will be the first port of call for would-be BlackBerry Torch 9860 and BlackBerry Bold 9900 owners in Australia. The new phones go on sale here on September 1.

RIM has finally launched an app store for Australian and New Zealand BlackBerry users, opening up a world of capability extending business, reference and utility apps alongside fun time-wasters like horoscopes and games, but while paid apps are available to US users, ANZ'ers are only getting free ones, for now.

The BlackBerry Bold 2 is now available from select carriers. Forget the marketing spiel; hard core BlackBerry users want to know how it compares in practice to its predecessor, how it feels to use it and even if it breaks when you drop it. A veteran BlackBerry owner puts it to the test.

BlackBerry’s very recently announced Bold 9700 is finally available at retail from Telstra stores today, and other telcos from early December, and given that it’s the best BlackBerry yet, despite strong competition, it should be a Berry Merry Christmas for RIM and telco partners!

RIM has debuted its new Blackberry Bold 9700 smartphone in Australia and New Zealand, with a raft of new features and a fresh design. But is it truly revolutionary?

For business users, mobile e-mail has become a must-have. Turn otherwise unproductive time to good use by keeping up with what’s happening. Yet in the battle of smartphones is the old trusty BlackBerry getting long in the tooth? Does the sexy iPhone challenger have what it takes to unseat RIM?