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New BlackBerry 8820 Adds Wi-Fi and More

by Tom Samiljan on July 17, 2007 at 06:01 PM



Wow, BlackBerry manufacturers RIM just keep pounding the smart-phonescape with ever newer and more advanced models. Though rumored for a few weeks now, the BlackBerry 8820 is finally official. This new BlackBerry looks and acts an awful lot like the BlackBerry 8800, but has two new key features: Wi-Fi capability (the first BlackBerry to do so), and, UMA (unlicensed mobile access) capability (which means it will be able to automatically switch between cell phone and Internet phone calls, depending on whether or not it's in a hotspot).

Like the 8800, the new 8820 doesn't have a camera, but it does have built-in GPS, stereo Bluetooth capability, and and support for microSDHC cards (which will eventually let you add up to 32MB of extra memory for music and movies).

So this phone has a couple of things the iPhone has that other BlackBerrys don't have: Namely, Wi-Fi, and the capacity for more memory. And unlike the iPhone, the 8820 has built-in GPS (so it will re-direct you should you get lost in mid-route), stereo Bluetooth (so you can use wireless stereo headphones), and picture messaging (one of the biggest omissions on the iPhone).

The 8820 will initially be offered by AT&T "later this summer," according to the press release.

From Research in Motion.

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Tags: smartphones, UMA

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