Though yet to be launched in North America, BlackBerry's new smartphones were already for sale online on February 1, stirring bidding frenzies. Sellers claimed they obtained the sleek new handsets at launch events in New York, Toronto, Dubai, London and Johannesburg. Journalists and analysts who attended the events were given a BlackBerry Z10, which retails for $599.
On online auction website eBay bids soared to $3,000 for two "very rare" white Z10 devices, according to the British seller. Another from New York was listed at $1,775. Most of them however went for about $1,100.