Blackberry 8100: new name, features leaked
updated 08:25 pm EDT, Wed August 9, 2006
Blackberry 8100 Pearl
Earlier, we received word of a new Blackberry that was allegedly known as the Stealth. At the time, there wasn't much to know abou the phone other than that it was equipped with EDGE, a camera, and a media player. What appears to be the same source for the earlier story, however, has all but made an official announcement. The earlier information was correct; we now also know that the real name of the phone is the 8100 Pearl (undoubtedly due to its glossy black shell) and that it packs a 240x260 screen, Bluetooth, and 64 MB of internal memory (plus the now-ubiquitous MicroSD slot). Instead of RIM's signature scroll wheel, users scroll through data with a trackball, which is certainly more useful when checking more than e-mail. The best news of all is that the phone will be distinctly affordable compared to some multimedia phones: T-Mobile will offer the Pearl for $199 on its September 18th launch date. Even if this price comes attached to a contract, it could mean early success for RIM's first experiments with music and photos.
