BlackBerry Bold maker RIM doesn't mind stealing Google Android's thunder.
US launch details for the long-delayed BlackBerry Bold, RIM's new weapon in the 3G battle, have just been revealed - right smack in the middle of Google's G1 release day glory.
Research In Motion (RIM) says its BlackBerry Bold phone will become available on AT&T from November 4. Bold's price tag isn't too timid, either: the phone will sell for a cool $300, two-year contract included. Compare that to the $200 iPhone 3G and $180 T-Mobile G1, and you'll see where Bold earns its name.
Breaking Down Bold
So will Bold be worth the big stack of bills? Maybe. The device - first flaunted back in May, before the iPhone 3G had even entered our vocabulary - has seen delay after delay as RIM worked to perfect its network performance. RIM and AT&T are certainly hoping all the waiting will pay off. Here's what you can expect in the Bold:
- An iPhone-esque look with a customisable leatherette backplate (add-on coloured shells let you switch the hue)
- A tweaked-up qwerty keyboard with specially sculpted keys meant to avoid slipping and new thin metal dividers between each key
- Support for 3G, HSDPA and EDGE
- Simultaneous voice and data capability
- 802.11a/b/g WiFi
- Stereo Bluetooth
- Standard 3.5mm headphone jack (sorry, G1)
- Full GPS capabilities
- A 2Mp camera with 5x digital zoom
- A 624 MHz mobile processor with 1GB onboard memory and 16GB additional memory capacity
Now, to be clear, Bold isn't BlackBerry's answer to the iPhone; that's the Storm, expected to hit stores by Christmas. Bold lacks the iPhone's touch technology, screen size, and accelerometer. Its AT&T Mobile Music Service is also no match for Apple's ubiquitous iTunes offering. But for business users seeking a full office suite and a non-virtual keyboard in a powerfully updated package, Bold might just be the right next step - if, of course, the cost isn't too much of a burden.
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