RIM picks super-slim BlackBerry

Research in Motion (RIM) has unveiled the latest in its range of slimmer BlackBerry devices which mirror the form factor of mobile phones.

The company said it will continue to build its traditional 'slab' style devices, but will experiment with other designs.

The 7100x has Bluetooth built in as standard, and comes with a hands-free headset and integrated speakerphone for conference calls.

It also features a large colour screen, Qwerty keypad and tri-band connectivity, and will be sold in the UK through mobile operator O2.

"By combining phone, email, messaging and browsing capabilities with an effective keyboard and a large vibrant colour screen, this device is ideal for customers that prefer the look and feel of a phone but want to extend the use of their handset to include email, web browsing and messaging services," said Hugh Griffiths, head of mobile data products and services at O2.

The device will be available from this month and supports English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese and Swedish.