RIM Releases BlackBerry Bold 9790, Curve 9380

Research In Motion has announced two new smartphones, including the first device from the Curve lineup to include a touchscreen. But while RIM is touting the advantages of its new Blackberry 7 OS-based devices, BlackBerry watchers were more interested in a leaked image showing a purported next-generation BlackBerry smartphone.

Future Blackberry handsets will be a running a new mobile OS called BBX that is based on software by QNX Systems, a company RIM purchased in 2010 that produces a respected industrial-grade OS. The company has yet to show off BBX OS, but RIM has said the new software will be a hybrid system based on the QNX operating system found in the PlayBook tablet and the traditional BlackBerry OS used in the company’s handsets.

As the tech world waits for RIM to produce an array of new devices, here’s what the company released.

Two new real phones

The BlackBerry Bold 9790 and the Curve 9380 will be coming to carriers worldwide in a few weeks, RIM said, but pricing was not announced. The new Bold features a 2.4-inch capacitive touchscreen, 1 GHz processor, NFC support, 8 GB onboard storage, and a microSD slot with support for another 32GB of storage. The device features BlackBerry’s signature physical keyboard.

The touch-only Curve 9380 is the first device from this BlackBerry line to feature a touchscreen, the company said. Announced specs for the new Curve include a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera and NFC capabilities.

The new Bold and Curve handsets are running Blackberry 7 OS, which includes built-in support for augmented reality applications, the premium version of Documents To Go, BlackBerry Protect (the company’s free online back-up and remote wipe solution), and BlackBerry Balance, which IT managers can use to create a firewall between company and personal data.

London, presumably

Gadget blog The Verge on Monday published an image of a boxy-shaped touchscreen smartphone called the London that it claims will be one of the first next-generation BlackBerry smartphones. Boy Genius Report later backed up The Verge’s claims saying its sources confirmed the London is a real BlackBerry device. The device will purportedly feature a Texas Instruments OMAP 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 3.7-inch touch display, 8 megapixel front-facing camera and 2 megapixel rear-facing camera. Assuming it’s genuine, the London could launch as early as June or possibly later in 2012.

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