Slimmest BlackBerry model launched in Canada

Toronto, Dec 9 (IANS) Research In Motion (RIM), the Canada-based manufacturer of wireless phone Blackberry, launched its latest Blackberry smartphone model in the home market Monday.

The thinnest of the BlackBerry smartphones to date, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 will be offered to Canadians through wireless giant Rogers.

Apart from the $179.99 fee for activation, the smartphone service offers any combination of three-year voice and data plan which will cost a minimum fee of $45 per month.

The new smartphone offers a powerful media player and 3.2 megapixel camera, advanced phone, email, messaging, organizer and web browser applications on the go.

'Rogers is thrilled to offer Canadians the exclusive BlackBerry Curve 8900, the smallest full-QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone to enter the market,' said John Boynton, chief marketing officer for Rogers Wireless in a statement.

'With its ingenious design and stunning display, leading-edge mobile messaging system and compatibility with Rogers TalkSpot, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 strikes the right balance between serious business tool and social lifeline,' he said in the statement.

'The new BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone packs an amazing range of useful features into a simply beautiful and compact design,' a RIM statement quoted Mark Guibert, vice president for corporate marketing, as saying.

'It delivers a winning combination for people who want exceptional phone quality, reliable email and messaging and great media features together with a well designed keyboard and renowned ease-of-use,' said Guibert in the statement.