The EDGE network rollout by AT&T was right before their sale to Cingular – so it wasn’t met with as much hoopla as it could have been, the drums were sounding, but overwhelmed by the sounds of the Cingular cash dump.
EDGE, for those who aren’t familiar, is a “mid-speed” platform that delivers up to 200k of data throughput on the Cingular network. According to the CommsDealer report,
BlackBerry is going high-speed as Cingular Wireless and Research In Motion (RIM) have introduced the BlackBerry 8700c, the first BlackBerry device to support high-speed EDGE network technology.
The new Cingular Blackberry 8700c features a completely re-engineered device platform that is optimised for breakthrough performance and usability.
With the enhanced device platform and integrated EDGE capabilities, BlackBerry 8700c users will experience faster Web browsing, application performance and attachment viewing; the ability to store and run more powerful enterprise, and personal productivity applications; as well as comprehensive, smoothly integrated phone features in a light and compact design.
Other items of note regarding this new device is that it is Intel Powered!
The BlackBerry 8700c features a bright, high-resolution, landscape QVGA (320×240) LCD. The display supports over 65,000 colours and utilises active matrix transmissive technology to deliver vivid graphics. The display also incorporates intelligent light sensing technology that automatically adjusts both the LCD and keyboard lighting to provide an optimised view in outdoor, indoor and dark environments.
The BlackBerry 8700c uses the Intel XScale architecture and the Intel PXA901 cellular processor (codenamed “Hermon�) to enable exceptional EDGE communications capabilities, as well as application performance, without compromising battery life requirements. The Intel XScale architecture provides users of the BlackBerry 8700c with the increased processing power needed to enjoy a rich user experience while running a variety of applications.
Source: CommsDealer
