Research In Motion (RIM) has finally announced the successor to its high-end BlackBerry Bold 9000 smartphone, the Bold 9700. Wireless carriers across the globe, including AT&T and T-Mobile in the United States, are expected to release the Bold 9700 next month.n Research In Motion (RIM) this morning decided to acknowledge what most Web-watching gadget-enthusiasts have known was coming for months: the BlackBerry Bold 9700. The business-oriented Bold 9700 is expected to become available in the United States on T-Mobile and AT&T in November, and the device could find its way to T-Mobile Germany customers and Canadians on Rogers even earlier. RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700 Smartphone Most of the BlackBerry Bold 9700’s technical specifications are no secret; blogs started posting images, details and even reviews of the device last spring. The Bold 9700 is a souped-version of RIM’s Bold 9000 in a more compact package. The specs most worth noting are the device’s support for Wi-Fi/UMA, or voice-over-Wi-Fi calling, where available (T-Mobile); new, optical “trackpad” for navigation; GPS; 256MB of Flash application memory (double the app memory of the Bold 9000); and RIM’s as-of-yet unavailable–at least officially–BlackBerry handheld OS 5.0. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe The Bold 9700 packs RIM’s guitar-fret-style keyboard–thin, chrome “frets” sit between each row of keys. It has the same 3.2-megapixel camera as RIM’s Curve 8900 and Tour 9630. And the new Bold uses the same 1500mAh battery as the Bold 9000. It also packs what RIM’s calling a “next-generation (624-MHz) processor,” though the Bold 9000 also has a 624-MHz processor. And the Bold 9700 will be T-Mobile’s first 3G BlackBerry–just like I predicted back in August. Because T-Mobile, AT&T and other carriers employ different RF frequencies for 3G, the Bold 9700 will be available in two versions: UMTS/HSDPA 2100/1900/850/800 MHz and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM; as well as a version with UMTS/HSDPA 2100/1700/900 MHz and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM. T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9700 Interested customers can expect to pay at least $200 along with a new service agreement at launch, regardless of carrier. RIM’s Bold 9700 announcement comes just a week after the company made its new touch-screen device, the BlackBerry Storm2, official along with Vodafone U.K. AS FREE CIO BlackBerry NewsletterGet better use out of your BlackBerry and keep up-to-date on the latest developments. Sign-up » Related content feature Gen AI success starts with an effective pilot strategy To harness the promise of generative AI, IT leaders must develop processes for identifying use cases, educate employees, and get the tech (safely) into their hands. By Bob Violino Sep 27, 2023 10 mins Generative AI Innovation Emerging Technology feature A fluency in business and tech yields success at NATO Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer speaks with Lee Rennick, host of CIO Leadership Live, Canada, about innovation in technology, leadership across a vast cultural landscape, and what it means to hold the inaugural CIO role at NATO. By CIO staff Sep 27, 2023 6 mins CIO IT Skills Innovation feature The demand for new skills: How can CIOs optimize their team? By Andrea Benito Sep 27, 2023 3 mins opinion The CIO event of the year: What to expect at CIO100 ASEAN Awards By Shirin Robert Sep 26, 2023 3 mins IDG Events IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe