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May 12, 2008

Today, Research In Motion (RIM) has announced a new higher-end handset, the BlackBerry Bold.

Designed for professionals who want an elegant device coupled with more power and extended functionality, the BlackBerry Bold features the sharpest, most vibrant BlackBerry display to date, according to RIM.

The company also says it's the first smartphone to support high-speed HSDPA networks.

Other highlights of the handset include: the fastest processor in a BlackBerry, 1GB on-board storage, an external micro SD/SDHC memory card slot, 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi radios, GPS, media player, 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack and 2-megapixel camera with flash, plus video recording capabilities.

RIM didn't announce the price or which carrier will launch the Bold first, but it did say it should be available this summer from wireless carriers around the world, without elaborating.

Matthew Thornton, telecommunications analyst at Avian Securities, said in a research note that RIM’s new Bold handset isn't “revolutionary” but should “successfully extend the BlackBerry franchise as well as its shelf space.”

Thornton added that he expects the Bold handset to cost around $249 to about $299 with a service contract and that it will most likely launch with AT&T initially.

Separately, RIM, RBC and Reuters announced the BlackBerry Partners Fund, a $150 million venture capital fund designed to drive the development of mobile and wireless applications and services for the BlackBerry platform, as well as other mobile platforms.

In a statement, RIM said: “The goal of the BlackBerry Partners Fund is to encourage creativity and innovation across all mobile platforms and industry segments.“

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Source: Research in Motion.