Just announced the BlackBerry Bold and AT&T confirmed that they will be the first US carrier to carry the next-generation BlackBerry.

“AT&T will be the only U.S. carrier to offer the [Bold] when we begin selling it later this year. I also want to make sure you know that AT&T will be the only U.S. carrier to offer a BlackBerry that has international 3G capabilities and the only U.S. carrier to give its customers the ability to use their BlackBerry in such countries as Japan and South Korea,”

Research in Motion revealed the BlackBerry Bold, the next generation of its full-size smartphones.The BlackBerry Bold is RIM’s first 3G enabled device. The Bold is also first among BlackBerries to include both GPS and Wi-Fi in the same device, replacing the need to choose between models to get full navigation as well as short-range, high-speed Internet access. BlackBerry Bold have a 2-megapixel camera and an externally accessible microSD card slot carry over from earlier phones, but the Bold is the first to include sizable storage of its own with 1GB of permanent flash memory.

RIM expects the phone to launch worldwide but is expected to make it available first for AT&T, followed by Vodafone and other international carriers. Rogers in the phone maker’s home country of Canada is also believed to be offering the Bold when it goes on sale during the summer. A version with 1,700MHz support should also appear to provide the extra speed over T-Mobile’s new 3G network. Pricing is expected to hover between $300 and $500 depending on contract lengths.

Sprint today announced availability of the BlackBerry Curve 8330 on their network.  BlackBerry Curve 8330 it`s a media phone, the device also includes a 1GB microSD card for handling music and videos.

The Sprint edition of the GPS-capable phone is also less expensive than the Verizon model shipping today and sells for $180 when paired with a two-year plan versus the $220 of its rival; Sprint also lists a $600 contract-free price, though Verizon doesn’t list a similar price in public for comparison.

The clamshell will be the first to use a ‘next-generation’ version of the SureType keypad found on the Pearl and will include a “stealth” external display on its outer shell; when active, the outside screen will light up in a color that matches the outer frame, which should be available in blue and several extra hues.The phone will be limited to quad-band EDGE data when on cellular networks but should support Wi-Fi. A 2-megapixel camera, native 3.5mm headphone jack, and microSD slot are also shared with the earlier device. Nonetheless, the phone should include the upcoming revamped interface of BlackBerry OS 4.6, which adds web video and improved media browsing.

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
• “Next Gen” SureType keyboard
• 2 Megapixel camera
• 16-bit color LCDs
• Internal LCD is 320×240, external one is 160×128
• Wi-Fi b,g
• 3.5mm headset jack
• OS is 4.6

A launch date isn’t included with the leak, though the unnanounced state leaves any official debut towards late 2008 at the earliest. Source BGR via Mobile Phone news

It is a new BlackBerry clamshell — a flip phone and codenamed the Kickstart!.  The BlackBerry flip phone is codenamed the Kickstart, according to the BGR report and uses the SureType keyboard. It features an external LCD as well as an internal LCD and also uses the TrackBall for navigation. RIM, which also included a new camera in the device, is expected to release it before the end of the year. No word on specs, carriers, but we’re hearing a release date is before the end of the year. via daily phone news