Second-Generation BlackBerry Bold Coming to AT&T, T-Mobile USA

Both AT&T and T-Mobile USA have announced plans to offer the BlackBerry Bold 9700, a smartphone that was just unveiled today.

This second model in the Bold series will have the same general design as its predecessor, including a QWERTY keyboard, but with a new look. It will be smaller than the original, and also have a slightly smaller screen, but at the same HVGA resolution. In place of a trackball will be an optical trackpad.

The appearance isn't all that's going to change. The 9700 will have a faster 624 MHz processor, and a higher-resolution 3.2 MPx camera.

It will include a microSD card slot, and be bundled with a 2 GB memory card for storing music, video, and other files.

"The BlackBerry Bold 9700 builds on the success of the original BlackBerry Bold with new, state-of-the-art features and a smaller, lighter and highly optimized design that looks, feels and performs great," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO, Research In Motion.

A First for T-Mobile
This smartphone will be able to access 3G networks, plus it will offer Wi-Fi b/g and Bluetooth 2.1.

AT&T offered the original Bold, but the Bold 2 will be T-Mobile's first BlackBerry with 3G, and it will support this carrier's Wi-Fi calling service.

This model will be based on BlackBerry OS 5.0, and will have RIM's standard suite of productivity and entertainment software, including support its Push e-mail service. Users will also be able to get additional software from BlackBerry App World, the on-device store.

Additional Details
Overall, the Bold 9700 is going to be 4.3 inches tall, 2.4 inches wide, and 0.6 inches thick (109 mm x 60 mm x 14.1 mm). It will weigh 4.3 oz (122 grams).

It will have a 2.44-inch, 480-by-360-pixel display.

Other features will include a GPS receiver and a 3.5 mm headset jack.

The Bold 2 will be a quad-band GSM phone, with tri-band UMTS/HSDPA. Naturally, the T-Mobile version will support this carrier's unique 3G frequency. It will also have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

For more information, visit the Research In Motion website.

Pricing & Availability
RIM and these two carriers are announcing the BlackBerry Bold 9700, but not yet releasing it. That's not going to happen until some time next month.

AT&T will ask $200 with a two-year voice and data plan and a $100 mail-in-rebate. T-Mobile has not yet reveled its price for this model.

Source: RIM