Popular Series Continues with New BlackBerry Curve 3G from Sprint; Able to be updated to BlackBerry 6
New model of the popular BlackBerry Curve smartphone features a sleek, professional look with a chrome-like finish, textured battery door, more memory and two color options - Graphite Gray and Royal Purple
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS and WATERLOO, ONTARIO - Sprint (NYSE: S) and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM)(TSX: RIM) today announced the upcoming availability of BlackBerry® Curve™ 3G (model 9330), a new addition to the popular BlackBerry Curve family of smartphones. The new model offers Sprint customers a powerful, feature-rich handset at an easily affordable price.
BlackBerry Curve 3G will be available beginning Sunday, Sept. 26, through Sprint’s direct ship sales channels including Business Sales, Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1) and Web sales (www.sprint.com) for $49.99 with a new two-year service agreement, after a $100 mail-in rebate (taxes and surcharges excluded). It will then be available in all remaining Sprint sales channels beginning Sunday, Oct. 10.
The new BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone features a sleek and professional look with its slim and lightweight form factor, textured battery door and a new chrome-like finish in Graphite Gray or Royal Purple. BlackBerry Curve 3G has 512MB Flash memory as well as a MicroSD/SDHC slot that supports up to 32 GB memory cards for media storage.
This new smartphone ships with BlackBerry® 5 out of the box and is BlackBerry® 6 ready. BlackBerry 6 is a new operating system for BlackBerry® smartphones that will be available to Sprint BlackBerry Curve 3G customers in 2011. It retains the trusted features that distinguish the BlackBerry brand while delivering a fresh and engaging experience that is both powerful and easy to use. Key enhancements will include a new intuitive user interface, new Social Feeds application, WebKit browser and universal search.
"The BlackBerry Curve series continues to be a tremendous success" said David Owens, vice president of Marketing for Sprint. "We are excited to offer this new model and then bring the new BlackBerry 6 operating system to it in 2011. BlackBerry Curve 3G offers the same value and form factor our customers have come to expect but it also provides key enhancements to stay productive and entertained with email messaging and the latest multimedia and social media features"
BlackBerry Curve 3G offers many popular features including:
* Convenient trackpad interface with full QWERTY keyboard
* 2.0 MP camera with support for video recording
* Dedicated media keys to play, pause and skip songs
* Wi-Fi®: 802-11 B/G and GPS
* Visual Voicemail
* 512 MB Flash memory plus a MicroSD/SDHC slot for up to 32 GB of media storage, 2GB card included
"The new BlackBerry Curve 3G is an extremely attractive, approachable and affordable handset that provides a perfect choice for Sprint customers who are looking for a user-friendly 3G smartphone to help them make the most of their day" said David J. Smith, vice president of Product Management, Research In Motion.
The BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone will support a variety of multimedia applications, including Sprint Music Store™, Sprint TV™ and Pandora™. It also boasts dedicated applications for a smoothly integrated social networking experience with Facebook®, MySpace™ and Flickr™.
BlackBerry Curve 3G requires activation on an Everything Data plan or a Business Advantage Messaging and Data plan. Additional plan options are available for business customers. Sprint’s industry-leading Everything Data plans with Any Mobile, Anytime℠ include unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from every mobile in America while on the Sprint network. Everything Data plans start at $69.99 per month – the same price Verizon and AT&T charge for unlimited talk only (all price plans exclude surcharges and taxes).1
With the Sprint Free Guarantee, customers can take advantage of BlackBerry Curve 3G for 30 days. If not completely satisfied, customers may return the smartphone within 30 days to get reimbursed for the handset purchase and activation fee, get both the early termination and restocking fees waived, and receive a full refund for the monthly service plan charges.2
Sprint is the only wireless carrier to offer Ready Now service with trained retail associates to work one-on-one with customers to personalize their BlackBerry Curve 3G, set up features and demonstrate how it works before the customer leaves the store. Customers have the choice of sitting down with a Sprint retail associate at the time of purchase or they can schedule an appointment for a later time at www.sprint.com/storelocator.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 48.1 million customers at the end of the second quarter of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, Common Cents Mobile and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. With its customer-focused strategy, you can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM’s portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry® wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.
Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used herein, words such as "expect" "anticipate" "estimate" "may" "will" "should" "intend" "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by RIM in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that RIM believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause RIM’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of RIM’s Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on RIM’s forward-looking statements. RIM has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.
1 Verizon comparison excludes Southern California.
2 Refund excludes usage not associated with the monthly service plan, premium content, third-party billing, international charges and associated taxes and Sprint surcharges.
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