BlackBerry Pearl 2 Slides

Surprise information about the BlackBerry Pearl 2 has been revealed today through a set of leaked presentation slides. Simply dubbed the "new Pearl," the sequel known internally to RIM as the BlackBerry 8130 will reportedly drop the camera from the hoped-for 3.2 megapixels down to 2, but will also be available as a CDMA version -- the first that carriers such as Sprint or Verizon could use since the GSM-only Pearl release last year. Notably, however, Wi-Fi is not guaranteed for both devices; only the GSM version will offer 802.11g to make up for its slower EDGE access, while the EVDO version swaps Wi-Fi for assisted GPS mapping. The microSD card slot is also confirmed to have moved to an easily reachable outer location.

Software should receive minor but welcome improvements such as streaming media embedded into the web browser, audio recording, and a BlackBerry Maps suite that can take links sent from e-mail or websites to pinpoint a location. The slides point to a generic fall 2007 release date and give few clues as to the final launch, which may be as early as September with AT&T but will be delayed for other American providers.

By Electronista Staff