We attended the official launch party for the TELUS BlackBerry Curve 8350i today. The location was at one of their clients, AIM Autosport (They race wicked cars for a living). The crew will use the Curve 8350i to communicate instantaniously during race day.
The Curve 8350i is the push to talk version and is available on their Mike Network. The official press release is below and this is available on the following price plans: 3-year contact: $249.99; 2-year contract:$449.99; 1-year contract:$549.99 and No Contract: $599.99.
At the launch party we heard from Mark Applebaum, TELUS Business Solutions and Ian Willis of AIM Autosport:
Press release:
January 28, 2009 TELUS launches the new BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone with Direct Connect Push To Talk – only on the TELUS Mike Network
Toronto, ON – TELUS today launched the new BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone, featuring support for the popular Direct Connect Push To Talk service and available only on the TELUS Mike Network. The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone is the ultimate productivity tool for professionals in the field and on the go who need instant communication with their teams along with instant access to their e-mail.
The new smartphone is packed with functionality, including built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, and combines BlackBerry communications and multimedia capabilities with Mike’s Direct Connect Push To Talk, all in one. “The BlackBerry Curve 8350i combines the convenience of our Mike Direct Connect Push To Talk technology and the trusted BlackBerry solution,” said Jim Senko, vice-president of Mobility Solutions at TELUS. “It’s a fantastic new addition to our extensive selection of business-ready smartphones operating on our Mike or PCS networks.”
Featuring integrated Global Positioning System (GPS), the new BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone from TELUS supports GPS tracking and dispatch solutions and also has Bluetooth-enabled support for accessories such as wireless headsets or hands-free car kits. In addition to being ready for work, the BlackBerry Curve 8350i is ready for play. It includes a robust media player, a 2MP camera with video recording and the capacity to store up to 16GB of music, pictures, video and documents per memory card. And with its built-in Wi-Fi, users have more ways to stay connected with the people and information that matter most.
“The BlackBerry Curve 8350i is a communications powerhouse that makes it easier than ever to stay connected,” said Mark Guibert, vice-president of corporate marketing at RIM. “We are very pleased to be working together with TELUS to bring this innovative and stylish smartphone to Canadians.”
Additional features include:
– High-resolution, 320 x 240 colour display
– 35 key backlit full-QWERTY keyboard
– Premium phone features including voice activated dialing, enhanced background noise cancellation and a low-distortion speakerphone
– Expandable memory via microSD/SDHC memory card slot supporting cards of up to 16GB for additional storage, 1GB microSD card included
– USB connectivity for charging and fast data file transfers between the smartphone and PCs – Removable, rechargeable battery
– Robust messaging capabilities with support for popular instant messaging, multimedia messaging (MMS) and text messaging services
– DataViz Documents To Go preinstalled for editing Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the smartphone
– Support for thousands of applications, including business, lifestyle and entertainment titles
– BlackBerry Enterprise Server support, providing tight integration with Microsoft® Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino, and Novell GroupWise and works with existing enterprise systems to enable secure, push-based, wireless access to e-mail and other corporate data
– BlackBerry Internet Service support for smaller businesses and individuals, allowing customers to access up to 10 supported email accounts (including most popular ISP email accounts) from the handset
The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone is available from TELUS for as little as $249.99 on a three-year contract or $599.99 without a contract. For more information about TELUS’ full suite of Mike services on the BlackBerry Curve 8350i, please visit www.noordinaryphone.com.
