BlackBerry Javelin confirmed through photo

The rumored BlackBerry Javelin is real and has been in developent, based on a snapshot given to Engadget. An engineering sample confirms a look seen in concept drawings and suggests the phone will be slightly more conventional-looking than the Bold, with a non-chrome trim and a keyboard like that of the 8800 series. The Javelin will allegedly drop costs by shedding the Bold's 3G in favor of EDGE-only access but should keep the 480x320 display as well as GPS and Wi-Fi.

In return for its slower Internet access, the Javelin should have a 3.2-megapixel camera in place of the 2-megapixel unit on the Bold; it's also expected to include the latest BlackBerry OS and should have a standard headphone jack.

While a release window for the new smartphone doesn't accompany the leaked shot, the existence of a prototype points to a nearer release than for the 2009-era, CDMA-only Niagra and may see the Javelin launch with T-Mobile in the US.

Filed under: gadgets
Other story tags: BlackBerry, Research in Motion, Bold, Javelin, Niagra