RIM Announces BlackBerry Bold
RIM today announced the BlackBerry Bold, the latest in their line of email focused smart phones. The BlackBerry Bold is RIM's first device to support AT&T's 3G network as well as international 3G networks, making it a global high speed device. The Bold's other major upgrades include a 480 x 320 pixel display, an upgraded web browser and improved multimedia functionality. The device also features a two megapixel camera, 1GB of built-in storage with support for Micro SDHC cards, a full QWERTY keyboard and GPS. AT&T has announced that they will be the exclusive U.S. carrier for the BlackBerry Bold when it is launched later this year.
RIM is one of the last major manufacturers of smart phones to move into the GSM 3G market in the United States. One of the major concerns about 3G is its impact on battery life (
article). The Bold is rated at 5 hours of talk time, which is the same as the rated talk time on the BlackBerry 8820 (
review). In addition to AT&T's 3G network and international support the Bold also supports the 1700 Mhz band of 3G, which will be used on T-Mobile's U.S. network. Pricing for the Bold is yet unannounced but is expected to be between $300 and $500.
