Verizon intros BlackBerry Curve with 3G, GPS

Verizon early on Monday became the first North American carrier to launch the BlackBerry Curve 8330. The smartphone is the first Curve capable of 3G by using the carrier's EVDO network and adds all the improvements of the 8310 used on GSM phone networks, highlighted by the native GPS receiver: the device can either use Verizon's own VZ Navigator for driving directions or an alternate solution for mapping. Research in Motion's updated BlackBerry also brings a 2-megapixel camera, a native 3.5mm headphone jack, and an externally accessible microSDHC card slot for up to 8GB of storage.

In Verizon trim, the 8330 will be available solely in silver and uses a slightly customized version of RIM's standard BlackBerry interface while supporting all the typical third-party software, including a native Facebook app. Verizon hasn't set an exact release date but notes that the phone will sell for $270 with a two-year plan; pricing goes down further with special calling and data plans.