BlackBerry Bold Set for Election Day Launch
AT&T is preparing for a Election Day sales surge on Nov. 4, when Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Bold will launch at AT&T’s stores nationwide for $299. RIM’s new 3G smartphone, which features a QWERTY-style keypad and trackball navigator, represents another AT&T exclusive for its U.S.-based customers, said AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega.
“The BlackBerry Bold is the complete package, providing customers with an absolutely outstanding mobile experience whether doing e-mail, browsing the Web, viewing streaming video, or simply making a phone call,” he said. “And it is being introduced in the U.S. only from AT&T.”
Iconic Display Graphics
Housed within a satin chrome-finished frame, RIM’s sleek and stylish smartphone is an all-band cellular handset that supports the full spectrum of UMTS/HSPA and GPRS/EDGE. The good news is that users will be able to simultaneously hold phone conversations even as they check for e-mail, browse the Web, or use another data application.
Measuring 4.88 x 2.6 x 0.59 inches and weighing 4.8 oz, the BlackBerry Bold sports a vibrant 65K color TFT display with support for both full-screen and widescreen formats. Featuring a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels, the display area also sports an iconic set of desktop-style graphics, which makes the Web-browsing experience a breeze. But unlike two other AT&T exclusives — the Apple 3G iPhone and the new Samsung Epix — RIM’s BlackBerry Bold does not incorporate any touchscreen capabilities.
The new smartphone features a 624-MHz processor; built-in Bluetooth 2.0, GPS and Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g) radios; 1GB of built-in memory; a speakerphone; a 2.0-megapixel camera/camcorder with flash and digital zoom; and a microSD/SDHC expansion slot that can accept memory cards with storage densities of up to 16GB. Moreover, the handset’s removable 1500mAh battery supplies up to 4.5 hours of talk time and up to 13.5 days of operation in standby mode.
Locked and Loaded
Blackberry Bold users will be able to download and edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files using the preloaded DataViz Documents to Go software suite. The smartphone features password protection and a keyboard lock and supports RIM’s lineup of BlackBerry professional software for small business applications.
Enterprise-class e-mail gets a major assist from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, which gives IT administrators the ability to secure messages in the IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange, and Novel GroupWise e-mail environments through the use of AES or Triple DES encryption. Additionally, push-based access to as many as 10 supported work or personal e-mail accounts is provided through the BlackBerry Internet Service.
In addition to its onboard media player, the BlackBerry Bold also comes with Roxio Media Manager, which enables users to organize music tracks and other audio content in multiple file formats. The program also optimizes video files for smooth full-screen playback, although the DivX 5/6 and XviD formats are only partially supported.
The new handset’s navigational capabilities are powered by TeleNav, which provides international navigation capabilities. With TeleNav, users can receive spoken or text-based turn-by-turn directions, and automatic rerouting should the user miss a turn. Users also will be able to find nearby businesses, restaurants and other venues by entering addresses and viewing their locations on maps.