The release of BB 10 is expected sometime in September 2012 and originally this OS was supposed to be called BBX, since it combined QNX with BlackBerry OS, but RIM lost the trademark to that name. CrackBerry is the one with the scoop here, since they got hold of the list of features and photo of the BlackBerry 10 device. This handset is pretty different from the original leak of the London, with a more iPhone-like design, a very clean and clear interface and an incredibly thin waistline.

The angled edges and silver accents reminds me of the BlackBerry Porsche Design P9981 and overall the handset looks like a hybrid between the PlayBook and Droid X. Crackberry says that it heard rumors about a TI OMAP5 and Qualcomm chipset being tested right now (1.5GHz dual core processors), with one of them being ready to be selected for the final device. The Qualcomm could be chosen for the CDMA carriers, while the TI OMAP will be selected for the GSM ones.

Among the new upcoming models we find BlackBerry Curve 9320, with HSDPA, a 2.44 inch display, a 3.2MP camera, a physical keyboard, optical trackpad, GPS, 512 MB RAM, a microSD card slot and WiFi connectivity. Another new model is the BlackBerry Curve 9220, with a 12.7mm waistline, quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity, a 2.44 inch 320 x 240 display and 2 megapixel camera.

This model should be affodable considering its specs. They also include a physical keyboard, optical trackpad, 512MB RAM, a microSD card slot, Bluetooth and FM radio. The 3G+ BlackBerry PlayBook will feature PlayBook OS 2.0, a new 1.5GHz dual core CPU, NFC, 42 Mbps connectivity and more.

This device sports an asymmetrical design and seems to runs a relative of the QNX OS, considering that multitasking area in the middle of the screen. I’m expecting a dual core 1.5GHz processor here, at least a 5MP camera, 16GB of storage, NFC, LTE and a good battery. This 2012 BlackBerry concept is the work of a person that’s a BlackBerry fan and has an MBA in the design field. This BlackBerry’s display includes the soft keys on the underside, that are used for gaming purpose, or for navigation.

As you can see, Gmail, BBM and Chrome are all installed and there’s a notifications area at the top, maybe one that slides down, like the one in Android, Symbian Belle and iOS 5. There’s also a hard button on board, used to take pictures or lock the screen, if you want. The creator of this RIM concept phone says that he included an artificial intelligence feature, that predicts the user’s next move and intention. What’s really cool is at the front and back camera are hidden under the display, that will also double as the flash for them.

Lazaridis and Balsillie have been CEOs of RIM for decades, with the former founding RIM back in 1984 and bringing the latter later on. Balsillie left his chairman position in 2007, but kept the co-CEO status with Lazaridis. Now the founder will become a vice chairman of the board, while Balsillie will remain a board member, says Bloomberg. Back in December RIM released their Q3 earning, that were disappointing and both the board and stock holders wanted to oust the co-CEOs, while searching for a new alternative.

I have to remind you of the problems that RIM had over the past months: losing trademark for the QNX OS, people getting trampled during a BlackBerry launch in Asia, RIM officials arrested while drunk on a plane, PlayBook shipments declining, lack of a decent smartphone on the market, rumors about a Microsoft buyout and much more… Last year, in July Research in Motion fired 2,000 employees and then the PlayBook got price cuts, but still the company’s stock plummeted.

I guess we’ll have to wait and if Thorsten Heins has any ideas on how to turn around this huge mess and deliver a decent strategy….

This angular smartphone was launched back in December and it comes with a forged stainless steel frame and a hand wrapped leather back cover. There’s also a sculpted QWERTY keyboard to give the phone a more refined air and something that RIM called a “crystal clear touch display”. The device comes with BlackBerry OS 7 and with an exclusive Porsche Design UI with a bespoke Wikitude World Browser augmented reality app.

As far as specs go, we got a 1.2GHz processor, HD video recording capabilities, 8GB of internal memory and Liquid graphics technology. NFC is included among the specs and it appears this unit will be available in a limited number of units when it launches.

The BlackBerry Curve 9370 is a budget-friendly smartphone and both newcomers have hit the shelves today. The LG Spectrum is priced at $199 with a 2 year contract and you must know that it’s a dual core affair with a 720p 4.5 inch display and LTE connectivity. Meanwhile, the QWERTY smartphone from RIM gets NFC, a 5MP camera and a $99 price tag on contract. This product also packs in quad band support with GSM, GPRS and EDGE available, a 2.44 inch display included in the mix, as well as Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi b/g/n.

Owners of the LG Spectrum will get a True HD screen, an ESPN ScoreCenter application with exclusive HD video and a dual core 1.5GHz processor. You’ll find both handsets online and in Verizon stores for the prices mentioned above. Add to all of the specs mentioned above for the LG smartphone an 8 megapixel camera with autofocus, 1080p video capture, mobile hotspot ability and a front 1.3MP camera.

Previously I’ve heard that head officials of RIM are meeting with other companies’ representatives to discuss offers for their future buyout. Experts say that Nokia and Microsoft could partner and try to buy RIM, that would basically become the business area of Nokia, if you ask me. MS already has Windows Phone Tango planned, that will bring support for BlackBerry-like devices, with front QWERTY keyboards and lower resolutions. It would be a pity to waste this potential on Nokia E Series wannabes…

BGR reports that this RIM co-chief Jim Balsillie met with companies that either want to buy the BlackBerry maker or license its software. The second option sounds harmless and BlackBerry 10 OS actually has some interesting aspects and features to borrow from.

Many have voiced concerns that at this rate RIM is heading towards an inevitable takeover, possibly from Microsoft. Back to the BlackBerry Milan, this was supposed to be among the first BlackBerry 10 OS devices and it packed an interesting portrait QWERTY sliding keyboard. The hardware issues of this phone are not known yet, but my two cents are on the CPU side and maybe the sliding mechanism. RIM has yet to launch as successful dual core smartphone and while people are waiting for their fresh dual core Qualcomm devices, they went out and postponed them for the second half of 2012…

BlackBerry OS has a rumor saying that these BB 10 devices haven’t even entered production phase yet, so maybe the company is in standby and looking for Prince Charming (a buyer). We’re also waiting for models such as the beautiful BlackBerry London and maybe that Torch follow-up we’ve been hearing so much about…

The listing comes via an advanced search dropdown menu, but keep in mind that there are no search results when the 10000 is selected as a filter. It’s not yet clear what design this model will adopt and if it will be a full touchscreen phone or QWERTY slider. We’re expecting a flagship here, a device that looks like BlackBerry London, the famous QNX phone that was detailed by The Verge and sported an original design.

That model was supposed to pack a 1.5GHz dual core CPU, 8MP camera and a very thin chassis, so I have similar expectations from the Torch 10000, to be honest. There should be at least a 5MP camera, dual core CPU and decent resolution on this model. A cool thing to note is that the Asurion advanced search filter has an entry for the iPhone 5 as well, so the guys might be on to something here…

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a purchase of RIM coming from Microsoft and Nokia is likely in 2012, although HTC and Samsung have both shown interest in the company’s BlackBerry 10 OS. Throughout the year RIM has been getting closer and closer to its end, with problems such as diminished profit, low sales of PlayBook tablets and that BlackBerry Internet services outage in October, that left many users unhappy. While Samsung and HTC only want to license the former BBX (now BB OS 10), Microsoft wants the whole package and Nokia could jump in as it collides with MS too.

I’d advise the BlackBerry maker to be cautious in its approach, else what happened to Palm could happen to them: being dissolved in a behemoth such as HP or Microsoft. Nothing’s left of good old Palm and we wouldn’t want RIM to be relegated to be the branch of Nokia that makes E Series devices, right? I wonder what price MS will offer for the Canadian phone maker and also how long it takes will we see a BlackBerry with Windows Phone on board?