Vodafone first with new BlackBerry
Vodafone is to become the first UK network to offer one of the new breed of BlackBerry devices.
Due for launch in early October the Vodafone BlackBerry 7100v jettisons the pager style of existing devices for a more phone like form factor. The phone is also styled differently to the BlackBerry 7100t which T-Mobile unveiled in the USA last week.
It keeps that handset’s controversial keyboard, which features two letters per key and works in conjunction with a predictive text type system called SureType, but sports a more compact more stylish design.
In addition to the now infamous Blackberry push e-mail system, which sends a message straight to the device as soon as it hits an ISP’s server, the 7100V also boasts a calendar and contact storage.
Blackberry/Vodafone has also improved the storage capacity of the device which now boasts 32MB of memory.
Other facilities include compatibility with variety of formats including microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat, Bluetooth, Quad band and an integrated speaker phone.
It also sports a Vodafone developed interface and is available in both consumer and business versions. There is however no integrated camera and very few entertainment applications.
The device price will range from free of charge to customers on Anytime 400 or
1000 to £82.50 for Anytime 100 customers.
Vodafone, which has also recently added the Nokia 7610 and VPA III to its smartphone portfolio stresses that it wants to offer its customers a range of choices in the high-end business phone area.
