RIM launches 3G BlackBerry

RIM has announced a a new BlackBerry device that will finally bring 3G data speeds to the platform.

The BlackBerry Bold is the first BlackBerry to support high-speed download packet access, or HSDPA, connections. The device also sports integrated GPS, Wi-Fi and a host of multimedia features.

"It's really a step up in function in many core aspects of the system," RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie said.

The smartphone rolls out globally this summer and will cost between $300 and $400 (£154 and £205). European carriers have yet to be named but the phone will launch in the US on AT&T, the carrier which also has exclusive rights to the iPhone.

RIM hopes the Bold will entice corporate users to upgrade the handsets they currently use, but Balsillie said he "wouldn't be surprised if it gets picked up by the consumer".

The device will be a test of whether the shaky U.S. economy is making corporations less willing to spend on new wireless hardware. Some analysts have expressed concerns that companies will delay upgrades or cut back on spending on items such as the BlackBerry.

The Bold features the most vivid display ever on a BlackBerry, a 2-megapixel camera with video recording capability, and a media player for watching movies and managing music collections.

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