Touchscreens. They're everywhere . And so easy to use! That's the gist of this 900-word New York Times article . I merely want to point out that just because it's a touch interface, doesn't mean it's a good , or easy, interface. [ NYT ] More??

The latest version of BlackBerry App World also features a credit card payment option, new tabbed sections for easier app discovery, support for QR barcode scanning , and BlackBerry ID (a device-independent user ID). [ BlackBerry ] More??

Sales are so disappointing for the BlackBerry Torch 9800 that Research In Motion has decided to halve its price from $199 to $99 only one week after its launch. You can find the deal in many online retailers. More??

RIM has updated its Curve range of BlackBerrys today, with the Curve 9300 3G rammed with OS 6.0 goodness and 3G connectivity. It was hardly a secret , and in light of last week's Torch it doesn't look quite so appealing. More??

Production of the BlackPad has been handed over to Quanta Computer (makers of Apple, Dell, Sony and Panasonic hardware) in Taiwan according to a Chinese report, with the purported price said to be $499 when orders ship in September. It could all be hogwash, but the Apple Daily report ...

Unlike Saudi Arabia and the UAE , Kuwait does not yet have a ban or looming ban in place for BlackBerry smartphones and associated services. But it could, as Kuwaiti officials have today expressed "moral and security" concerns about the devices. More??

Ignoring RIM CEO Mike Lazardis' threat that this would lead to bigger things , the Saudi Arabian government went ahead and turned off the BlackBerry data services as of about 4am EST today. This has not made citizens happy. More??

Bahrainian Crown Prince Sheikh Salman Al-Khalifa chimes in on the BlackBerry bans set to happen tomorrow in Saudi Arabia and the UAE over worries of encryption. Via his Foreign Minister's twitter account , he's quoted as calling the bans " Ignorant, short sighted and unenforceable ." More??

Following the lead of neighbors Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates , Lebanon's government is reconsidering its own stance on BlackBerry devices amid regional privacy concerns. The Lebanese Telecoms Regulatory Authority is planning talks with RIM regarding its worries. More??

The Blackberry Torch 9800 , a sleek slider with both a touch screen and a full keyboard, is the first device to come loaded with RIM's revamped BlackBerry 6 OS. But one interesting bit from the press release suggests that BlackBerry's older touch screen devices won't get the update: ...