Verizon Wireless and Research In Motion (RIM) today introduced the BlackBerry 7130e, marking the first BlackBerry smartphone to take advantage of the mobile network operator's EV-DO network. Courtesy of Verizon's BroadbandAccess Connect, the device can also be used as a tethered modem for laptop users, with Verizon claiming average transfer speeds of between 400 and 700 Kbps.
As with previous BlackBerry smartphones, the 7130e combines phone functionality with a web browser, text messaging, PIM suite and a range of push-based wireless e-mail options. These include the usual suspects, among them Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and Novel GroupWise for the enterprise, as well as the BlackBerry Internet Service which allows for access to up to ten individual e-mail accounts including - again, Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and POP3/IMAP4 accounts.
Unlike the recently unveiled, EDGE-enabled
BlackBerry 8700c for Cingular, the 7130e also includes RIM's proprietary SureType thumbboard, over which the manufacturer has been involved in legal tussles. A hybrid between a keypad and fully-fledged QWERTY thumbboard, SureType relies on predictive text functionality to enable input.
Other highlights of the BlackBerry 7130e include a high-resolution 65K colour screen, 64 MB of persistent memory and support for a limited set of Bluetooth profiles.
The RIM BlackBerry 7130e is immediately available from Verizon Wireless, selling from $300 USD with a two year service agreement.
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