Low-priced BlackBerry Curve 3G To Debut Next Week

T-Mobile USA has just announced that it will begin offering the BlackBerry Curve 3G next week. This inexpensive consumer-oriented smartphone will use the typical Blackberry design and sport 3G wireless networking, Wi-Fi, and GPS.

The Curve 3G will eventually replace the BlackBerry Curve 8520 in the carrier's lineup. The 8520 was one of the last models released by T-Mobile without support for its 3G network. It appears the main reason for releasing the Curve 3G is to bring in a device with high-speed cellular-wireless networking, as otherwise these two will be very similar.

Still, the upcoming version will have one more advantage over its predecessor: RIM committed this morning to releasing a BlackBerry OS 6 upgrade to replace the version of OS 5 this device will debut with. This will bring in a greatly improved web browser, better email apps, and other enhancements.

Even before the upgrade, this smartphone will come with an extensive collection of software, letting users update their Facebook and MySpace pages on the go, as well as access to music, games, and other mobile apps.

Hardware Details of the BlackBerry Curve 3G
Like all Curve models, this one will have a tablet shape with a 320 by 240 pixels (QVGA) display and a QWERTY keyboard. It is going to have a touch-sensitive optical trackpad below its screen and a set of dedicated media keys on its top.

As discussed, the Curve 3G will be able to access T-Mobile HSDPA network, plus it will include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a GPS receiver.

It is also going to have a 2 megapixel camera, a microSD/SDHC memory card slot (supports up to 32 GB cards), and 3.5 mm headset jack.

Pricing & Availability
T-Mobile USA is going to launch the BlackBerry Curve 3G (9300) on Wednesday, September 8.

This smartphone is going to cost $80 with a two-year contract.

Source