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Filed under: Handsets , RIM , Alltel , 1xRTT , GSM , GPRS , EDGE , EV-DO , CDMA They're a little late to the party , but it looks like Alltel has started slipping its own variant of RIM's BlackBerry 8830 World Edition into retail channels in the past few days. Thanks to a 900 / 1800MHz GSM radio packed in there beside the standard CDMA / EV-DO fare, the 8830 gives subscribers to CDMA carriers like Alltel a somewhat painless route to international roaming without juggling multiple handsets. The cameraless posterior means that the 8830's pretty much all business -- but with GPS in the mix, it's a darned good business to be in, we reckon. Check it for $250 on contract after rebates. [Via PhoneMag ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Handsets , RIM , 1xRTT , GSM , GPRS , EDGE , EV-DO , CDMA It seems RIM's going full force with the "you can't have your cake and eat it too" rule with its new batch of devices, even though we're pretty sure we could have our cake and eat it too -- if only RIM would let us. If a slide deck over on Pinstack turns out to be legit, the next-gen Pearl and the 8300 Curve's slightly newer cousins will be available in carriers' choices of WiFi or GPS variants, but for whatever reason, never both. We're guessing RIM has some fancy explanation about battery drain or engineering issues, but whatever -- we can think of plenty of devices that do both with aplomb, so we're not too happy about the whole mess. As the Curves go, the 8310 will do GPS while the 8320 will pack the 802.11b/g action, but the devices' internals are otherwise unchanged from the original. The Pearl 2 meanwhile has a more expansive list of updates from its predecessor, stepping up to a 2 megapixel camera, an honest-to-goodness 3.5mm headphone jack, and "new firm keypad technology" ( yay !) among other things. In the Pearl's case, network determines the add-on feature: GSM gets WiFI (probably to make up for the agony of EDGE) while CDMA gets GPS. Look for all of these to hit well before the year's out. Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Handsets , RIM , Sprint-Nextel , 1xRTT , GSM , GPRS , EDGE , EV-DO , CDMA This document sure seems to think so. The world-ready variant of RIM's BlackBerry 8800 series -- sporting both CDMA / EV-DO and GSM radios -- saw a recent launch on Verizon , and seeing how these two carriers like (need?) to one-up each other, a July launch makes perfect sense. Looks like the device is pretty much the same as Verizon's variant (Sprint even says right in the slide that price and plans will be "competitive with VZW") though the carrier is touting that its global roaming service will be more user-friendly than Verizon's, offering a single phone number with unified calling and texting. [Thanks, anonymous tipster] Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Handsets , Motorola , 1xRTT , GSM , GPRS , EDGE , EV-DO , HSDPA , UMTS , CDMA Motorola has today officially unveiled the successor to one of the most iconic mobiles ever made, the RAZR 2. Available in 3.6Mbps HSDPA, EV-DO , and GSM / EDGE variants as the V9, V9m, and V8 respectively, the device comes in 2 millimeters slimmer than its predecessor and -- on some versions, anyway -- will be the second to use Motorola's new Linux-based platform (the first being the Z6 ). It includes something Moto is calling "Crystal Talk" technology that automatically adjusts volume and tone based on ambient noise. Other features include external music controls, haptics for tactile feedback when keys are pressed, a full HTML browser, 2 megapixel cam, the full suite of Bluetooth profiles, Windows Media Player synchronization, a 2-inch external display, and twice the screen resolution of the original RAZR. GSM versions start shipping in early July, with CDMA following up later in the summer. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Peripherals , Others , 1xRTT , GSM , GPRS , EDGE , EV-DO , HSDPA , UMTS , CDMA If you're one of those who needs a vehicle-mounted wireless modem for street use -- or you just like the novelty of a roving hotspot -- you may want to take a peek at some new ruggedized modems from Sierra Wireless . The wireless data modem company is releasing a few models in its "MP" series of product meant for industrial use and abuse (like in a delivery vehicle or ambulance, not necessarily the back seat of your Roller). The newer MP 595 GPS model will give you EV-DO Rev. A speeds if you're into CDMA , while the MP 875 will hook you up on that HSDPA / UMTS network with GPRS / EDGE fallback when necessary (and we hope that's never). Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.