Improving speed over previous GPRS-only models, Research In Motion (RIM) today announced the introduction of the EDGE-enabled BlackBerry 8700c on the network of carrier Cingular Wireless in the near future. Operating at twice the data transfer speeds of previous models or in some cases more, the device also marks a return to the QWERTY thumbboard of BlackBerry models of the past.
Now based around an Intel PXA901 XScale cellular processor, the 8700c offers quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 connectivity for road warriors, also claiming increased processing power and battery life as a result of the core architecture switch. The device is also equipped with 64 MB of non-volatile memory and 16 MB of SRAM, offering applications ranging from HTML browsing through Office viewers, PIM management and, of course, a variety of push e-mail options.
These include the BlackBerry Enterprise Server which integrates with Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise, as well as the BlackBerry Internet Service which allows users to support up to 10 e-mail accounts from a single device. These include Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and POP3/IMAP4 based accounts.
Users will navigate the BlackBerry 8700c courtesy of its landscape QVGA display with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and 65K colour depth, complete with ambient light sensor for automatic brightness adjustment. Also present is a QWERTY thumbboard with backlight, as well as Bluetooth support for headset and handsfree accessories.
The BlackBerry 8700c will be exclusively available through Cingular beginning November 21 in the US, starting at $300 USD with a two year service agreement.
|