Research In Motion Expected To Unveil A New BlackBerry
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TORONTO – Research In Motion could be set to unveil the latest version of its BlackBerry device as early as next Tuesday, sources told Dow Jones.
The BlackBerry 8700, codenamed Electron, is expected be introduced in conjunction with Cingular Wireless, the American carrier jointly owned by SBC Communications and Bellsouth. According to one Web site, bbhub.com, which is dedicated to news about Research In Motion and its BlackBerry device, the companies have booked the Tribute event hall in New York City Tuesday evening for a launch party. The featured guest will be Lance Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France winner, according to the Web site.
Mr. Armstrong and his fiancee, singer Sheryl Crow, carried on the early stages of their courtship via their BlackBerry devices, according to media reports.
In a research note on Friday, National Bank Financial’s Deepak Chopra said he believes the 8700 will offer a number of technological advancements over the current generation of BlackBerries, as well as an upgraded Qwerty keyboard. He said, he believes the 8700 will sell to Cingular for about $325-$350. It wasn’t clear whether Cingular will sell the device at a subsidized price, but many carriers have been discounting heavily, as the BlackBerry is a big revenue generator for carriers, he said.
