T-Mobile, RIM Launch White Pearl

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Claiming a first in the color department, T-Mobile USA and Research In Motion (RIM) launched the new white BlackBerry Pearl.

The carrier is now offering the product in a pearl white finish as well as piano black. The Pearl includes phone, e-mail and Web browsing when combined with T-Mobile’s $19.99 monthly unlimited data plan added to a voice plan.

The BlackBerry Pearl is myFavesSM-enabled, allowing customers to have 1-touch access to their favorite five friends and family members. In addition to calling, instant messaging and texting, consumers can send e-mail to one of their five myFaves contacts.

Last week, Apple announced plans to launch the iPhone music device with Cingular in June. RIM’s stock initially took a hit after the announcement as investors perceived increased competition in the smartphone space.

The Pearl includes a multimedia player and stereo headset jack with support for MP3 and AAC music files as well as MPEG4 and H.263 video formats. The new white version also comes with a complement of white accessories – stereo headset, travel charger and USB cable – that are included in the box.

In another sign that the BlackBerry is going from the enterprise to the consumer realm, T-Mobile says it has been successful in appealing to college kids, soccer moms and general consumers. Nearly three out of four T-Mobile customers who upgraded to an existing BlackBerry Pearl traded up from a regular phone rather than another converged device. Plus, the majority of T-Mobile’s Pearl customers use it for personal e-mail rather than staying connected to corporate servers. In fact, the carrier reports, about 80% of all T-Mobile BlackBerry Pearl customers to date have signed up for BlackBerry Internet service only for personal e-mail accounts versus the BlackBerry Enterprise Service for corporate e-mail.

Besides plenty of competitors in the consumer realm, there are still BlackBerry wannabes and challengers in the enterprise space as well. inVue, a provider of mobile business solutions and wireless applications in the United Kingdom, just announced inHand, a BlackBerry-like application designed for the smaller business.

The company says inHand transforms any mobile phone into a BlackBerry-like device. It offers the same functionality, with the benefit of file management without the need for additional hardware or software.

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After working for a few large IT firms Read born in 1966, is currently an entrepreneur and Venture Capital Advisor and Managing Consultant for Wireless and Mobile technologies [including the internet] and in particular, in software applications for the Wireless or Mobile Industry. www.torwug.org/ RESOURCE: www.torwug.org/Articles/newsletters/Jan17_2007/ar_03.asp

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