Verizon Wireless Launches the First CDMA-Enabled BlackBerry Pearl

11-01-07, 02:24 PM

The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 Smartphone Offers Voice, Data, Multimedia, Navigation and EV-DO Speed with Style

Verizon Wireless and Research In Motion announced today the Nov. 3 online availability of the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 at www.verizonwireless.com. The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 will be in Verizon Wireless Communications stores on Nov. 8. For the customer who wants to balance work and play, the world's first CDMA-enabled BlackBerry Pearl gives Verizon Wireless customers wireless broadband connectivity to the office while enabling them to stay connected with family, friends and colleagues.

The new smartphone builds upon the highly acclaimed and iconic BlackBerry Pearl design with new features and functionality to provide customers with powerful communications, rich multimedia and support for high-speed EV-DO networks in a style that goes from day to evening in one slim and small package.

Available to Verizon Wireless customers in an exclusive silver color and backed by the power of the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 offers powerful communications with premium phone features, e-mail and messaging and more. With its built-in navigation capability, the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 can take customers wherever they want to go with mapping, audible turn-by-turn navigation and access to information on more than 14 million points of interest.

In addition, the BlackBerry Pearl offers the following capabilities and features:

Wireless broadband (EV-DO) connectivity for high-speed data transfers, perfect for fast Web-browsing and downloading large attachments
A sleek, compact design in an exclusive silver color finish; measures 4.2" x 2.0" x .55" and weighs only 3.4 oz
Open and view e-mail attachments with support for the most popular formats
Premium phone features including Voice Activated Dialing, speakerphone and noise and echo cancellation technology for clearer calls
2.0 megapixel camera, with flash and 5x zoom, able to record video
Video and picture messaging capable
Built-in navigation to support the location-based application, VZ Navigator, developed by Networks in Motion, with map data provided by Navteq
Advanced media player and enhanced desktop media manager software allowing a customer to easily manage music and pictures between their PC and the BlackBerry Pearl 8130
3.5 mm stereo headphone included in the box
Externally accessible microSDT/SDHC memory card slot for additional storage (up to 8 GB)
An enhanced user interface with new font-rendering technology that makes text easier to read and Web pages visually richer
Enhanced Web browser delivering a fast, rich browser experience and support for streaming video from sites like m.youtube.com (3GPP RTSP streaming protocol over EV-DO)
SureType® keyboard technology that makes typing and dialing fast and easy and includes a new word completion capability, easier editing of misspelled words and built-in spell checker
Bluetooth 2.0 in support of hands-free headsets, stereo headsets (Bluetooth stereo audio profile A2DP/AVRCP), car kits and other Bluetooth accessories
A removable and rechargeable battery, rated for up to 220 minutes of talk time and up to 216 hours of standby time

The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 will be available online and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City for $249.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. With the launch of the BlackBerry Pearl, Verizon Wireless is also introducing new Nationwide E-mail and Web for BlackBerry customers providing them with unlimited data for an additional $29.99 per month on top of a voice plan. Customers who choose a data only plan pay $34.99 per month. Both plans provide access up to 10 POP3 and IMAP e-mail accounts via BlackBerry® Internet Service.

For more information on BlackBerry smartphones and to pre-order the BlackBerry Pearl 8130, visit www.verizonwireless.com. Business customers should contact a Verizon Wireless Business Sales Representative directly at 1-800-VZW-4-BIZ.

Source: Blackberry press release

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**hyedipin** · 11-01-07, 11:53 PM

I don't get it, RIM should have included 3G in Pearl and Curve, and 8800 series. I have no clue why they didn't do that, we are stuck with slow EDGE connection, when we could have glorious 3G on our Blackberries.. Look at Verizon, yes they overcharge, cripple their phones and don't care about customers, but they've got the speed...