BlackBerry Pearl Flip Launching Today

The first BlackBerry flip phone is now available in the United States, exclusively from T-Mobile.

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 is a consumer-oriented smartphone that includes the push messaging features people expect from a RIM device, plus the multimedia capabilities that have now become standard in this company's products. 

It's a Clamshell

When closed, users are able to preview calendar reminders, email, text messages, and phone calls on a small external screen.

Opening the Pearl Flip up exposes the 320-by-240-pixel (QVGA) internal screen and a SureType keyboard.

A 900 mAh battery and the microSDHC memory card slot sit behind the keyboard.

3G No, Wi-Fi Yes

This quad-band GSM smartphone does not support T-Mobile USA's nascent 3G network, but it does have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0.

This phone supports T-Mobile's HotSpot Calling service, which offers unlimited, nationwide voice calls over Wi-Fi. These VoIP calls can be made from T-Mobile HotSpot locations around the U.S. or from the users home or office.

In addition, the BlackBerry 8220 offers assisted-GPS.

Other Details

This smartphone includes 2.0 MPx camera with digital zoom, built-in flash, and support for video recording.

It also has a web browser, and users can synchronize their data with Microsoft Outlook.

Overall, this device is 3.9 inches tall, 2.0 inches wide, and 0.7 inches thick. It weighs 3.6 oz.

Pricing and Availability

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip is now available in T-Mobile retail stores, online at t-mobile.com or by calling 1-800-T-MOBILE.

It has a $350 base price, but that drops to $150 with a qualifying service plan and a mail-in rebate.

There's no information available now on when or if this model will be released by other carriers, but it seems likely.

Related Articles:

• BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 Preview