Thursday, August 7,2008 @ 3:15pm
BlackBerry Kickstart now Pearl, intros after Javelin
RIM has given the Kickstart a more definitive name and could launch it well ahead of its Javelin, a pair of leaks suggest today. A Rogers product sheet obtained by BlackBerry Cool now appears to confirm the use of Kickstart as only a codename and that the final phone will ship as the Pearl 8220, positioning it as a replacement for the Pearl 8100 series. The tip also confirms support for Rogers' Talkspot Wi-Fi calling and also hints at a lower price of $50 with a three-year plan when the device ships in September for the Canadian carrier.
That release should be matched by a launch in the US, says a roadmap also made available today through BlackBerry News. T-Mobile is the 8220's likely first US home and should also pick up the phone in September for an identical $50 price, albeit on a shorter two-year plan.
The larger, QWERTY-equipped Javelin is said to be arriving much later, however. RIM's lower-cost, EDGE-only alternative to the Bold is now expected only by late November or early December. The phone should eventually replace the Curve at T-Mobile, including for HotSpot@Home Wi-Fi calling, and will have both a shaper 480x320 screen as well as GPS. Pricing hasn't been set, though it should sit below the 3G-ready Bold. Rogers may not carry the Javelin given its support for the Bold.
