RSSRIM Introduces BlackBerry 'Pearl'
By Nate Mook | Published September 7, 2006, 3:31 PM
Research In Motion on Thursday introduced its latest BlackBerry phone called "Pearl," which takes a more stylish approach to handset design in attempt to appeal to both business users and consumers alike. Not much bigger than Motorola's iconic RAZR, the Pearl is BlackBerry's smallest phone to date.
In order to cut down on size, the handset's keyboard has been shrunk in half by assigning two letters to each button. The Pearl is also much slimmer than its predecessors, taking a key from Motorola's playbook and resulting in a phone that is only 0.57 inches thick and weighs just 3.1 ounces.
Despite the changes, the Pearl features BlackBerry's standard complement of business-oriented services. It links up with 10 personal and corporate e-mail accounts, as well as AIM, ICQ, Yahoo and MSN instant messaging networks. The Pearl also features voice dialing and a built-in mapping application.
On the hardware side of things, the new phone includes a 1.3-megapixel camera, quad-band GSM support including GRPS and EDGE, 64MB built-in memory with MicroSD slow, along with a bright 240x260 color display.
BlackBerry's Enterprise Server software additionally integrates with Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino, and Novell GroupWise.
United States carrier T-Mobile will have exclusive rights to the BlackBerry Pearl starting September 12, offering the handset at a price of $250 with 1-year contract and $200 with 2-year contract. Verizon currently has an exclusive on the Motorola Q, which competes with the new BlackBerry in both form and function.
"The BlackBerry Pearl is an engineering marvel wrapped in a smooth and stylish exterior. Whether you are talking, typing, reading, listening, or taking pictures, it feels and performs great. More and more mobile phone users are warming to the prospect of wireless email for both their personal and professional lives, and we believe this amazing little BlackBerry phone is just what many consumers have been waiting for," remarked Research In Motion CEO Mike Lazaridis.
I have the 7105T and it's GREAT!
QWERTY keyboard is no issue for my fingers and the 'Suretype' is absoulutly wonderful!
Great business partner!
The Pearl's ability to 'learn' as you type is a good enhancement.
Finally, a camera and music!.....About time!
I'm looking for the Pearl for myself soon!
Score: 0
|I'm SICK TO DEATH of multi-function keypads where each key shares characters. I prefer the basic BB 6200/7200 QWERTY design any day. My PSP has that multiple character key assignment crap. IT SUCKS. I don't care how fast someone is, or how many jugs of Starbucks they gulp down, a basic QWERTY keypad will roll over these stupid pads anyday.
Score: 0
|This would be an awesome device - only thing that keeps it from being so is the lack of a qwerty keyboard. We need a unit like this with qwerty keyboard and made for Verizon.
Score: 0
|I have a blackberry 7520 with Telus in Canada. My only problem is that text messages (SMS) come in without an identifying label (no phone#) and outgoing has to be done through a web interface on the phone.
As for email, I can't live without the freakin thing. I can take 2 days of a week having the blackberry. It's freakin awesome.
As far as video and stuff like that, in North America the infrastructure is just to slow to support that kind of thing.
I was interested up until the point that they had removed have the keys.
zzzzz pass.
Score: 0
|This looks like every other BB that has been made except a little smaller. At least they are going in the right direction by adding more consumer driven features.
Score: 0
|I have a 7105T w/o the qwerty keys, and its not a problem for me to type!!
Score: 0
|