RIM Launches HSDPA Equipped BlackBerry Bold 9000 Smartphone

Research in Motion has taken a step ahead today with the introduction of the new HSDPA-capable BlackBerry Bold 9000 smartphone. Combining 3G and WiFi, the Bold supports quad-band GSM/EDGE and tri-band HSDPA connectivity and 802.11a/b/g for global use. The Bold also runs a new version of the BlackBerry OS, v4.6.

The new QWERTY smartphone offers access to email, web browsing, instant messaging, PIM functionality, and a range of other mobile apps. The device's other features include built-in GPS, 1GB of on-board memory, a microSD expansion slot, trackball navigation, Bluetooth A2DP stereo, and a half-VGA (480x320 pixel) resolution display. The Bold serves up 5 hours of talk time or 13 days of standby from its rechargeable 1500 mAh battery. 

HTML email messages are shown in their full glory on this new handset, and the new browser can render full desktop websites. That extra 1GB of internal storage can be secured with AES256 encryption, which should make some IT managers happy, and the external microSD card slot can support cards of up to 16GB in size. All of this new functionality, including the modern looking 3D and transparency effects of the user interface, are made possible by a speedy new 624MHz processor.

The new HSDPA-enabled BlackBerry Bold 9000 from RIM is scheduled to be available from wireless carriers this summer. RIM has said that a version supporting T-Mobile's AWS 3G network is in the works, while the current configuration will is designed for AT&T. An AT&T representative confirmed that the carrier would be offering the Bold 9000 later this year.
Specifications for the Research in Motion BlackBerry Bold 9000
Operating System BlackBerry OS v4.6
Band GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz, UMTS 850/1900/2100MHz
Data GPRS/EDGE/WCDMA/HSDPA/WiFi
Size 114mm x 66mm x 13mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 0.5")
Weight 133g (4.7oz)
Battery Life Up to 13 days standby
Up to 5 hours talk time
Main Display 65k color LCD, half-VGA (480x320 pixel) resolution
Camera 2 megapixel
Video Playback/capture
Messaging MMS/SMS/IM
Email POP/IMAP/SMTP
Bluetooth v2.0 w/ A2DP stereo
Memory RAM 128MB, ROM 1GB, microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
Availability Summer 2008
Other QWERTY keyboard, trackball navigation, GPS, RSS feed support, media player, speakerphone