The BlackBerry 9000 is a smartphone that incorporates a touch screen similar to the iPhone. The phone, which was released in 2008, was issued with "real speed with simultaneous voice and data." In general, the phone won plaudits for its GPS, camera, recorder, and calendar, but the reviews were less kind for its documents, auto answer, and, especially, media synchronization. http://www.amazon.com/BlackBerry-Bold-9000-Slot-International-Black/dp/B001F7VN6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1270146065&sr=8-1 Other reviewers were favorable toward the phone's display, its keyboard, and its sound qualities, but complained that the track ball was too small. http://crackberry.com/blackberry-9000-smartphone-review-part-ii

The BlackBerry 9000 suffered from some limited technical problems, such as a tendency to overheat in certain parts of Japan, though oddly nowhere else. http://www.crn.com/mobile/215400052;jsessionid=0WDV2ZV451AWTQE1GHOSKH4ATMY32JVN There was also a limited recall due to software issues in the United Kingdom shortly after the phone's release. http://cell-phones.suite101.com/article.cfm/blackberry_bold_on_hold_in_the_uk

The BlackBerry 9000's success was a big part of the improved fortunes of BlackBerry's parent company, Research in Motion. The company has moved to increase its presence in China in recent years, which led to the best quarter in the company's history in the third quarter of 2009. http://www.thestar.com/business/article/740440--rim-revenue-profits-surge

The BlackBerry 9000 was replaced as Research in Motion's most updated phone by the BlackBerry 9700 in late 2009. http://na.blackberry.com/eng/devices/blackberrybold9700/ The BlackBerry 9700 was then released country by country over the course of 2010.http://uk.blackberry.com/newsroom/news/press/ The new model was very similar to the 9000, but has some improvements in the Bluetooth capabilities and in battery life, among other facets.