Research in Motion (RIM) is to release its
BlackBerry
9700 mobile on European and US markets in the next two weeks, and is hoping
the handset will bridge the divide between a business and consumer phone.
The 9700 is smaller than the company's previous keyboard handsets, but comes
with a trackpad in place of RIM's traditional ball mouse. The company said the
move was in part to counter clogging claims for its trackball and to also mimic
the user experience of a laptop.
The phone will be released via AT&T and T-Mobile in the US and via
T-Mobile in the UK.
By adding full support for RIM’s enterprise server software, the company is
positioning the phone directly in the business space, but is also hoping the
multimedia functions will appeal to the business buyer with an eye for consumer
features.
The phone has a 3.2 megapixel digital camera capable of video and as 3G and
Wi-Fi support.
“It is a crossover between a business handset to one that owners would feel
comfortable using as a consumer phone,” said Blair Young, director of carrier
products at RIM.
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