Rogers and RIM Introduce the BlackBerry 8800 Smartphone in Canada
Written by RIM
Wednesday, 14 February 2007
Toronto and Waterloo, ON - Rogers Wireless (TSX: RCI; NYSE: RG) and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today introduce the sleek, elegant and performance-driven BlackBerry® 8800 - a powerful, feature-rich smartphone that delivers best-in-class technology in a thin and stylish design. The BlackBerry 8800 is the latest addition to Rogers’ full line-up of world-capable BlackBerry handsets.
Operating on Rogers’ high-speed EDGE network, the quad-band BlackBerry 8800 is the thinnest BlackBerry handset yet. It incorporates built-in GPS (Global Positioning System), a full QWERTY keyboard, RIM’s new trackball navigation system for fast and intuitive navigation, a media player, and a microSD expandable memory slot for storage of music and videos. The BlackBerry 8800 offers proven and popular BlackBerry features including support for phone, email, text and instant messaging, web browser, organizer, multimedia, corporate data applications and more.
"Rogers continues to bring Canadians the latest innovations in mobile devices such as the new BlackBerry 8800," said John Boynton, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer. "Our business customers are always looking for the latest in technology and with the new BlackBerry 8800 they can get ahead of the competition and save time by having access to the latest in mobile innovation and email connectivity.”
The BlackBerry 8800 features built-in GPS and supports location-based services applications. It includes BlackBerry Maps, which provides on-screen driving directions with the ability to track the route via the GPS - and integrates with other BlackBerry applications, so users can generate a map from an address in their BlackBerry Address Book and send maps via email from their BlackBerry 8800. Rogers’ customers can also receive turn-by-turn voice and on-screen driving directions on the BlackBerry 8800 with TeleNav GPS Navigator™, which Rogers Wireless and TeleNav announced separately today. TeleNav GPS Navigator includes turn-by-turn voice and onscreen driving directions with 3D full-color moving maps. The TeleNav Navigator service also includes Biz Finder, with information and directions to more than 10 million businesses and Fuel Finder, which provides users with directions to gas stations with the cheapest gas.
"The new BlackBerry 8800 smartphone is as stylish as it is powerful and the built-in GPS adds an exciting new dimension to the user experience," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. "We are proud to introduce the BlackBerry 8800 to Canadians with its world-class functionality and cutting-edge design."
The new BlackBerry 8800 from Rogers Wireless also offers:
An incredibly intuitive user interface with an easy-to-use trackball, dedicated 'menu' and 'escape' keys, and context-sensitive menus that make navigation feel instinctive and fast
Fast performance, operating on Rogers Wireless’ GSM/GPRS/EDGE network, allowing customers to use the quad-band BlackBerry 8800 while traveling overseas in over 180 countries*
Intuitive call management features such as smart dialing, conference calling, speed dialing, and call forwarding
Premium phone features with noise cancellation for enhanced audio performance, Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD), dedicated 'send', 'end', and 'mute' keys, low-distortion speakerphone, and Bluetooth® support for hands-free use with headsets, car kits and Bluetooth peripherals
Rogers Wireless dedicated BlackBerry technical support in French and English at no additional charge
Support for popular Instant Messaging (IM) applications such as Yahoo!® Messenger and Google Talk
Support for polyphonic, MP3 and MIDI ring tunes
An ultra-bright, high resolution (320 x 240) landscape colour display – images appear vivid and crisp
An innovative light-sensing technology that automatically optimizes the screen, trackball and keyboard lighting for indoor, outdoor and dark environments
High performance HTML browser for visiting favourite web sites while on the go
Multimedia player with stereo headset jack for MP3 and AAC music files, as well as MPEG4 and H.263 video formats
64MB built-in flash memory, expandable through microSD expansion slot
An ultra-thin high-capacity battery
BlackBerry® Internet Service support - allows access to up to 10 supported personal and corporate email accounts, including most popular ISP email accounts
BlackBerry® Enterprise Server support – integrates with Microsoft® Exchange, IBM Lotus® Domino® and Novell GroupWise® environments and features a new set of IT policy controls for managing the BlackBerry 8800’s features and usage.
The BlackBerry 8800 will be available in Canada exclusively at Rogers Wireless and is expected to be available in retail and business channels in March.
For more information, please visit www.rogers.com orwww.blackberry8800.com.
* Please check with Rogers Wireless for international roaming services.
About Rogers Wireless
Rogers Wireless Inc. is Canada's largest wireless voice and data communications services provider with offices in Canadian cities across the country, more than 6.7 million customers, and two powerful brands: Rogers Wireless and Fido. Rogers Wireless, which operates Canada's largest and clearest integrated wireless voice and data network, providing advanced voice and wireless data solutions to customers from coast to coast, is Canada's only carrier operating on the GSM/GPRS technology platform, the world standard for wireless communications technology and the only technology that enables roaming around the world in over 180 countries. The company is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX: RCI; NYSE: RG), a diversified Canadian communications and media company. For further information, please visit www.rogers.com.
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 and Asia Pacific. 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.
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