BlackBerry Bold 9650 Gets Official
We've already caught a glimpse of it earlier on this morning, but RIM have officially launched the BlackBerry Bold 9650. Toting the latest optical trackpad and QWERTY keyboard, the Bold 9650 appears to be a dual-mode GSM/CDMA device with dualband EVDO Rev.A along with 2100MHz UMTS and quadband GSM for international roaming.
There's also a 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera with a flash and image stabilization, WiFi b/g, and GPS with BlackBerry Maps preloaded. Connectivity includes a microUSB port and a microSD card slot (a 2GB card is included in the box) and we're guessing there's Bluetooth in there too since the screenshots show the icon.
The whole thing measures in at 112 x 62 x 14.2 mm and RIM reckon you'll see up to 5hrs talktime or up to 13 days standby from a full charge. Although the spec sheet proudly declares you can use simultaneous voice and data, it's worth noting that the data connection has to be via WiFi, not 3G. No word on pricing, but according to the earlier leak the BlackBerry Bold 9650 should arrive on Sprint in the US come May 2010.
Press Release:
RIM Introduces the New BlackBerry Bold 9650 Smartphone
CDMA customers get a bold new choice with powerhouse 3G smartphone that offers premium features and performance together with popular keyboard and trackpad, as well as support for Wi-Fi and high-speed 3G networks around the world
Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today introduced the BlackBerry® Bold™ 9650 smartphone – the latest addition to the BlackBerry Bold portfolio of premium smartphones. Sophisticated, powerful and feature-rich, the BlackBerry Bold 9650 is a global smartphone for CDMA customers who want to stay connected, productive and entertained.
"The new BlackBerry Bold 9650 is an extraordinary smartphone that we think customers will love," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. "Whether at work or at play, the new BlackBerry Bold 9650 offers a truly impressive communications, multimedia and connectivity experience."
The BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone supports 3G (EVDO) networks in North America and (HSPA/UMTS) abroad and has a full-QWERTY keyboard, optical trackpad and built-in Wi-Fi® (802.11 b/g), which makes it possible to talk on the phone while browsing the web or sending and receiving email. The BlackBerry Bold 9650 also includes 512 MB Flash memory and an expandable memory card slot that supports up to 32 GB microSDHC cards, with a 2 GB card included.
The BlackBerry Bold 9650 fuses form and function in a striking design and, in addition to providing premium phone and multimedia features, it of course delivers the industry's leading mobile solution for email, messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) and social networking.
Other key features of the BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone include:
Stylish design (4.4" x 2.4" x .56" and 4.8 oz.) with glossy black finish and chrome highlights
Large (2.44") high-resolution display (480 x 360 resolution at 245 ppi), able to display pictures, videos and web pages with impressive contrast and detail
3.2 MP camera with flash, variable zoom, image stabilization, autofocus and video recording
Advanced media player for videos, pictures and music, a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack and support for the Bluetooth® Stereo Audio Profile (A2DP/AVCRP)
BlackBerry® Media Sync for easily syncing photos as well as iTunes® and Windows Media® Player music with the smartphone*
Easy mobile access to Facebook®, MySpace and Flickr®, as well as popular instant messaging services including BlackBerry® Messenger
Support for BlackBerry App World™, featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones
Full HTML web browser, streaming audio and video via RTSP
Built-in GPS with support for geotagging, BlackBerry® Maps and other mapping applications
Premium phone features including voice activated dialing, speakerphone, and Bluetooth (2.1).
Support for high-speed EV-DO Rev. A networks in North America, as well as UMTS/HSPA (2100Mhz) and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks abroad
Removable and rechargeable 1400 mAhr battery for 5 hours of CDMA talk time
The BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone is expected to be available from carriers in the United States beginning in May. For more information visit www.blackberry.com/bold.
Editors: Additional content, including video, spec sheet and images, is available in RIM's online newsroom: www.rim.com/newsroom/media/gallery.
* Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies. Photo syncing is currently only available for Windows-based PCs.