Research in Motion (RIM) Announces BlackBerry 7100t

Today RIM has announced a new breed of BlackBerry device that looks and feels much more like a phone than prior efforts. The 7100t is a full featured phone, with email and instant messaging support. The most interesting feature though is SureType, a 20 button keypad and predictive input software.

The 7100t is expected to be available in the first part of October. Initially it will only be available on the T-Mobile network at $199.

More info from the T-Mobile site:

BlackBerry 7100t keeps you connected whether you're in the office or not, and it fits perfectly into your lifestyle. And your pocket.

Full-featured phone—This is one sweet phone, with dedicated send and end keys, speakerphone, integrated Bluetooth, downloadable ringtones, contacts, conference calling, call waiting and more. And it’s a quad-band world phone, which means you can stay connected when you travel abroad.

E-mail—BlackBerry’s always-on “push” technology sends e-mails from up to ten of your existing Internet or corporate accounts directly to your phone.

Instant Messaging—Stay in touch with everyone in your circle using popular Instant Messaging applications: AOL®, Yahoo!®, and ICQ®.

Easy typing—The 7100t’s innovative keypad is built for speed. Concentrate on what you’re saying, not how to type it. The more you type, the faster it gets as the 7100t learns the words you use most.

Big, bold screen—Read messages and browse the web on the big, bold ultra-high-resolution bright color screen.

Real Internet—The web is at your fingertips. Navigate from sport scores to online shopping to driving directions, quickly and easily.