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The latest BlackBerry

By Keith Shaw, Network World, 03/02/07

The scoop: BlackBerry 8800, from AT&T (Cingular), about $300 (with two-year agreement plus $50 monthly e-mail service and additional voice contract).

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Click to see: The BlackBerry 8800 has a trackball navigation, but no digital camera.

What it is: The latest high-end BlackBerry wireless e-mail device from Research in Motion (RIM) features Edge network support (quad-band GSM/GPRS, which means you can use it worldwide) and a full qwerty keyboard. Navigation is handled through a trackball in the center of the device, similar to the system used on the BlackBerry Pearl models. New features include built-in GPS technology (with driving direction service offered by TeleNav), a multimedia player, voice-activated dialing and Bluetooth. The device also includes a light sensor that adjusts the keyboard, screen and trackball brightness, depending on lighting conditions.

Why it's cool: The new device is thinner than previous models, almost small enough to pass off as a cell phone rather than a BlackBerry. The light-sensing technology is good for sending or receiving e-mails in dark locations, and the built-in GPS means you don't have to use a separate device to get driving directions.

Some caveats: I don't understand why RIM didn't include a digital camera on this model; business users would likely benefit more from a camera than a media player.

The microSD card slot is behind the battery cover, which makes it difficult to remove the card to add your own songs and file. I had to remove the battery to try and get the card out of its slot (some users may find this easier than I did). A 1GB card was provided, but we didn't receive an SD card adapter. RIM says it does include a TransFlash Adapter for customers.

Grade: 3 stars (out of five)