T-Mobile, RIM Launch Color BlackBerry

A few months after the launch of the BlackBerry 7230 in Europe, Research in Motion has brought the device to the U.S. in partnership with T-Mobile USA, the companies are announcing.

The BlackBerry 7230 is a tri-band Global System for Mobile Communications/General Packet Radio Services (GSM/GPRS) device. It lets users access e-mail along with the Internet and voice networks around the world, and supports 900-MHz, 1800-MHz, and 1900-MHz bands.

It was launched in Germany and Austria on June 2 through T-Mobile International, but is now available in the U.S. for $400.

Better Browsing

Users can send Short Message Service (SMS) text messages on the device; they can also take advantage of its personal digital assistant functions such as a calendar, address book, and task list, according to the vendors.

RIM improved the browsing capability of the 7230, as compared with older devices, with scalable vector graphics and support for Java applications, says Jim Basillie, co-chief executive officer of RIM. The color display was also designed to minimize power consumption, and therefore extend battery life, he says.

T-Mobile will charge $30 monthly for unlimited e-mail and other mobile content, while the voice service fee is separate, says Scott Ballantyne, vice president of business services marketing for T-Mobile. T-Mobile is currently the only carrier that offers the BlackBerry 7230, he adds.

Court Fight Continues

On another front, RIM's legal battle in a patent infringement case brought by NTP Inc. entered a new phase last week, when a federal judge issued an injunction prohibiting RIM from making or selling BlackBerry handhelds in the United States.

That injunction was immediately stayed pending an appeal, and RIM will continue to defend itself against NTP's charges of patent infringement, Basillie says. The patents in question are being reexamined by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and RIM hopes to postpone the appeal until that reexamination is complete, he adds.

In November 2002, a jury considering the case ruled in favor of NTP, and awarded the company $23 million in damages.

Both sides have expressed confidence they will prevail. NTP attorney James Wallace said Wednesday that the company had anticipated the injunction. He says NTP is "highly confident" it will also win in the appeals, which he expects could take one to two years to complete.

Also after Tuesday's ruling, Henry Bunsow, RIM lead counsel said the company continues to believe the jury verdict was wrong as "both a matter of law and fact."

While NTP claims it owns wireless messaging technology, a decision against RIM would drag down the rest of the industry, Basillie says.