I was excited when I played with all the new features on this phone. It has the IM style messaging, touchscreen, optical mouse, updated windows software. I'm definitely getting it soon. I think that people are stupid to so easily write it off just because it doesn't look exactly like the blackjack. I dislike blackjacks I am glad they decided to do the name change. It's much more distinguished anyways.

@nyr27ak:

And about referring to the BJ series as non-touch screen, Palm released the Treo 750 which runs Windows, that doesn’t make it any less a Treo.

That's a very good point, but I think some Palm lovers might disagree. :D Also, they called the first Windows Mobile the Treo 700w ("w" for Windows), and I think any WM Treos have a "w" in the model number (at least up until the Treo Pro).

Since they upgraded the OS to WM6.1 pro, they needed to change the phone to touch screen.

They could have upgraded to WM 6.1 Standard, though.

If AT&T had wanted to keep the BlackJack name for branding reasons (which they apparently didn't), I would have suggested BlackJack Touch instead of BlackJack III. That would have let people know it wasn't the same old BlackJack.

Steve

I believe that this is the Blackjack III. I work for AT&T and up until the phone was released, we heard it referred to as the Blackjack III. There have been rumors of a Blackjack III though. Who knows, the Epix is a great phone and I can't wait to use one full time. And about referring to the BJ series as non-touch screen, Palm released the Treo 750 which runs Windows, that doesn't make it any less a Treo. Since they upgraded the OS to WM6.1 pro, they needed to change the phone to touch screen.

Oh well, so much for what everyone believed to be the “BlackJack III“. Can’t we just stick with a naming scheme?

I didn't believe it. The BlackJack series are non-touch devices. Calling this the BlackJack III would be misleading.

Steve

so, no omnia for at&t. erm, i mean no touch screen competition to the iphone... :-)