The program has already begun inviting select customers for the trial. Only customers with BlackBerry smartphones will be able to test out the new service. A new battery cover and a microSD card is being sent out to testers to make their existing smartphones NFC-enabled. The following phones are supported: BlackBerry Curve 8520, 8530; BlackBerry Bold 9000, 9650, 9700; and BlackBerry Tour 9630.

Payments using the NFC-enabled BlackBerry phones can be made at any location that accepts Mastercard’s PayPass. The trial program is scheduled to start this Spring.

[via BGR]

The Bold 9650 changes seem mostly stability-oriented, stopping the smartphone from disconnecting from 3G networks when roaming and “only reset when you prompt it to regardless of idle time, coverage availability, or use of applications (such as the camera).”  The Tour 9630 sees the most changes, with faster PTT, smoother menu scrolling and more.

As for the Curve 8530, that will now support WMV video files, and the visual voicemail app has also been tweaked.  Full change-lists to all three devices in the gallery below.

The Best of R3 Media

The Motorola Shadow Shows up Again: And this time it passed through the WiFi Alliance, gaining itself a pretty fantastic specifications and paperwork. While there’s still a bunch of speculation going on about what the Shadow even is, with some saying it’s the Nexus Two, others might be more comfortable saying it’s the Droid 2. Whatever it is, with a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen and a full, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, we’d be happy with whatever it’s called. [via Android Community]

Scosche In-Vehicle Car Mount is Awesome: We know you want to be a police officer, without having all that responsibility. So, what better way to make it look like you’re one than to have your iPad on an in-vehicle mount, positioned right next to you for quick, easy access. With the iPad 3G now available, you’ll be able to use navigation software like never before. And yes, that is pretty exciting. There’s a video of the mount in action, which we think you should definitely check out. [via Everything iPad]

Nokia CEO May be Let Go Due to Low Numbers: Apparently, 2010 was supposed to be the year of growth, especially when it comes to money. That memo apparently passed Nokia, because shareholders are not very happy right now. And, in their frustration, they may be ready to take it out on Nokia’s CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo. According to a recent report, he may be on the way out, unless he can assuage the shareholders into thinking that he has an iPhone-killer in the works for this holiday season. Think he can do it? [via SlashPhone]

The Dredge Net

BlackBerry 9630 Tour Now With Free Push-To-Talk, Forever: Yep, that’s right. Apparently the whole Push-to-Talk thing didn’t fly over all that well for current Tour owners. Whether that’s because they didn’t know the feature existed, or they didn’t want to pay for it, who knows. Whatever the case may be, Verizon Wireless has decided to make it free, for the life of your phone. So, as long as you add the service before June 30th of this year, you’ll get in on the great deal. Nothing beats instant communication, right? [via unwired view]

Ogg Theora Could Violate Video Patents: Jobs believes in open source projects, and he wants to make sure that it gets handled the right way. In that regard, he has addressed the Free Software Foundation of Europe in hopes to prevent them from using Ogg Theora, because it could indeed violate patents, and therefore lead to a lawsuit. He points out that despite the fact a video codec may be open source, like H.264, there’s still patents involved in the software. Ogg Theora could step on more toes than necessary, and Apple wants to avoid this. Of course, he then wants the Free Software Foundation to incorporate H.264, but that’s not surprising to anyone, right? [via Electronista]

Motorola RAZR3 Might Have Been Worth it, Maybe: There’s no telling in any real capacity whether or not the Motorola RAZR3 would have actually been worth anyone’s time, but from the video we saw earlier today, and these shiny new pictures, we might be willing to admit that we could have been excited about this bad boy. Especially considering it would have featured WiFi, GPS, 3G connectivity, and Symbian UIQ. Very interesting features for a phone that doesn’t exist anymore. Alas, we didn’t know you. [via Boy Genius Report]

The BlackBerry Tour 2 9650 is tipped to include WiFi and use the new BlackBerry 5.0 OS; other BlackBerry devices will include the new BlackBerry Pearl Flip.  Meanwhile there’ll apparently be a Motorola Windows Mobile smartphone, which given the company have said they’ve no plans for a WinMo 6.5 device would seem to suggest it could be a Windows Mobile 7 device.

Elsewhere there are several LG devices – the LG LN510, LN240 and LS680 – with various combinations of touchscreens and QWERTY keyboards, models from Samsung – the M350, M570 and M910 – and a new Sanyo 8600.  The tipster also reckons Sprint will launch a full-touchscreen Android 1.6 smartphone, the Motorola i1, for its Nextel iDEN subscribers, complete with a 5-megapixel camera, together with a black version of the Clutch and new rugged i680 and i890 devices.

The trackball issue appears to manifest as extreme undersensitivity, with almost frantic scrolling required to move the on-screen cursor only minimally.  There are some reports of multiple replacement handsets showing the same issues, while others are resorting to DIY modifications in order to address the problem.

Sprint released a comment suggesting that while an early fault was identified, the carrier “worked closely with our partners at RIM to resolve the problem quickly”; Verizon, meanwhile, has not yet commented, and nor have RIM.  According to the analyst, Verizon are looking to take out their frustration on RIM by prioritizing future rival devices: “Verizon is angry about this recurring trackball problem and is telling its retailers to expect strong support for the new Motorola phone,” Eller claims.

UPDATE : Verizon has responded to our inquiry regarding this issue.

Early on there was an issue that affected a small percentage the early production units — far less than industry norms. The issue was detected early, addressed immediately and is no longer an issue. Returns on this device are some of the lowest among any of our smart phones and far less than what was referenced in that study.

[via Gear Diary]

And so the system is unending and essential for the survival of a species.

It’s no different in the technology ecosystem. In fact, it’s a lot more evident there, as we can see the fruits of these evolutionary developments as clear as day. We watched as the iPhone became the iPhone 3G, and while it may not have been leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor in a lot of ways, we witnessed the 3G become the 3GS. And in turn, we saw almost every other major phone manufacturer develop phones to counter the iPhone. You’ve heard of them: the mythical iPhone killer.

And yet, perhaps it’s not the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) who are striving for this pivotal title. More often than not, at least here in the United States, the title of an iPhone killer is sought after more by the carrier. Sprint’s first foray into this tangled web could have been the exclusive Samsung Instinct. T-Mobile’s attempt, while belated, was the G1, manufactured by HTC. And Verizon, the network juggernaut, looked to Research In Motion (RIM) to hopefully take the crown with the release of the BlackBerry Storm.

But did any of these first attempts succeed? The media, and probably the mass of Americans in general would tell us that they didn’t. In fact, most of them would tell us that they failed miserably. The iPhone is still just as legendary, still just as loved (and hated) as it ever was, and even if Apple continues to release minor updates and no physical changes, the end result will be the same: mass consumption.

But, truth be told, it probably is the OEMs who are aspiring for bigger and better things.

And so, the manufacturers are called upon by carriers all over the world, and probably more so here in the States, to make something breathtaking and revolutionary. But, why should HTC, RIM, or Nokia care? They still have their fan base. Even in today’s market, there are still die hard Windows Mobile fans; there are still Nokia evangelists; and people who would rather die, than be parted with their BlackBerry.

The truth is, the evolutionary arms race to nowhere, within the technology ecosystem, means the ultimate victory for the consumer; because even if the BlackBerry fan doesn’t care about the iPhone, its features, or even its App Store, you can certainly bet that RIM does. They don’t want you to eventually see that the iPhone 3GS can do this, that, and has an app for everything else, while your BlackBerry Tour’s lasting feature is a physical keyboard or the Storm has a screen that clicks. They’re upgrading their Operating Systems (OS) to look flashier, to do more than ever before, because of the iPhone’s impact on the market.

We’ve seen the evolution of these changes, these aspirations from the manufacturers, even as it looks like Apple is perfectly complacent keeping the iPhone right where it is. HTC released the Hero, which brought Android to a whole new level. And, from out of nowhere, Palm released the Pre, which for some, gave the iPhone its first run for its life. And as Apple continues to produce mobile phones, you should expect the rest of the world to watch and create their own devices in its reflection. Not its shadow, because each of those other devices have their own appeal and draw. None of them can be labeled a disaster, simply because they do not ascend to the level that the iPhone has ascertained in such a short time.

In the end, as consumers, we cannot forget to look at every aspect to a phone. Physical sex appeal of a device is one thing for sure, as no one wants to be seen walking around with an ugly phone in their hand. But, that can only go so far. Manufacturers shouldn’t be sitting idly by, waiting to see what the next “great” thing Apple creates is. Instead, they should be doing their own innovations. We should expect more out of them on a constant basis. But, as the Red Queen Effect shows us, we need to wait for one species to evolve, before we can expect the others in the ecosystem to follow suit. The Arctic Hare, in trying to stay alive while the Arctic Fox hunts him, evolves to run faster. The Arctic Fox must evolve to catch the speedier hare, or it will lose out on that food supply.

Alltel announced this week that the Tour was now available in its retail stores and online. The Tour with Alltel offers the same features that we are already familiar with on Verizon and Sprint. In case you missed the feature set, the device includes support for 3G networks in the U.S. and abroad.

Other features include integrated GPS and Bluetooth along with a 2.44-inch screen. The Tour sports a 3.2MP camera with flash that can also record video. Storage can be expanded with microSD cards up to 16GB and the Tour has 256MB of flash memory and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Alltel will sell the tour for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate.

Your money gets you a smartphone fit for international roaming, with EVDO Rev.A support for the US and quadband GSM with 2100MHz UMTS/HSPA for when you venture abroad.  There’s also a 480 x 360 2.4-inch display, full QWERTY keyboard, trackball and a 3.2-megapixel camera with flash and auto-focus.  Bluetooth (with A2DP support) and a microSD card slot are also present.

The Tour 9630 is priced at $199.99 on both carriers, to which you’ll have to add the usual data package and two-year agreement.  Having trouble deciding if the BlackBerry Tour is the QWERTY mid-range smartphone candybar for you?  Check out our comparison feature with the Sprint HTC Snap and T-Mobile Dash 3G.

Other specifications include an HVGA 480 x 360 display, microSD card slot content with up to 16GB cards, and a full QWERTY keyboard.  No WiFi, but there’s Bluetooth and GPS, plus a 3.5mm headphone jack and 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera.

Sprint are also set to launch the Tour, though they’ve not specified a release date as yet.  Instead, they’ve merely confirmed that the smartphone will land “later this summer” priced, like Verizon’s, at $199.99.

BlackBerry Tour quick hands-on

Press Release

TAKE A TOUR – A BLACKBERRY TOUR – ON AMERICA’S MOST RELIABLE 3G NETWORK AND BEYOND

Around the World or Around Town, Verizon Wireless Offers a Host of BlackBerry Smartphone Choices

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – The highly anticipated global 3G BlackBerry^® Tour™ from Research In Motion (RIM) will hit Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on July 12. Verizon Wireless announced today that customers can pre-order the BlackBerry Tour for $199.99 after a $70 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement online atwww.verizonwireless.com/tour.

The BlackBerry Tour joins the BlackBerry^® Storm™, BlackBerry^® Curve™ 8330 (available in either silver or pink), BlackBerry^® Pearl™ Flip 8230 and BlackBerry^® 8830 World Edition smartphones in the Verizon Wireless portfolio. The BlackBerry Tour is a 3G world phone, giving customers the option to make phone calls in 220 countries and to access e-mail and Internet in any of the 175 countries where Verizon Wireless provides data roaming services. It is also packed with features customers expect from industry leaders, including RIM’s popular push-based mobile solution for e-mail; messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) and social networking; a 3.2 megapixel camera with geo-tagging and video recording; advanced multimedia capabilities; built-in GPS; full HTML Web browsing; and support for Verizon Wireless’ Mobile Broadband Connect tethering service. It supports Verizon Wireless’ V CAST Music with Rhapsody and VZ Navigator^SM services. BlackBerry Enterprise customers will find the stylish BlackBerry Tour has all the BlackBerry security profiles that make this an efficient business tool. A model of the BlackBerry Tour without a camera will also be available.

Customers can purchase either the BlackBerry 8830 World Edition Smartphone or the BlackBerry Curve 8330 for $49.99 after a $70 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement for a voice plan with e-mail feature or an e-mail plan. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 and BlackBerry Storm 9530 are available for $79.99 and $149.99 respectively after $70 mail-in rebates with new two-year customer agreements for a voice plan with e-mail feature or an e-mail plan. Customers receive rebates in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.

Email and Web for BlackBerry plans begin at $29.99 when added to any Nationwide voice plan. For information on Verizon Wireless’ voice and data plans for BlackBerry smartphones, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Business customers may contact their Business Sales Representatives at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ.

Elsewhere, Nokia’s long-awaited N97 finally reached North American customers’ hands, ours included, and you can find our unboxing and first-impressions here.  It’s a decent smartphone, and understandably the flagship of Nokia’s line, but can it hold up in the face of iPhone’s upgraded OS 3.0 software?  We’ll have our full review this coming week.

If it’s a QWERTY keyboard you’re after, but you prefer your phones berry-flavored, then the news that both Verizon and Sprint would be offering the BlackBerry Tour 9630 in the near future will probably come as some relief.  3G, GPS, for all the specs check out the official RIM video.  Finally, Samsung took the wraps off of the Omnia Pro B7610, complete with a glorious OLED touchscreen display and slide out ‘board.

It’s not all been smartphones, though.  SlashGear sat in front of a small screen, in the shape of Fujitsu-Siemen’s Amilo Mini Ui 3520 netbook, and a big screen (albeit a virtual one) with the Q-London 3D 80″ Video Eyewear.  Oh, and in the name of extreme destruction, we watched Lenovo’s ThinkPad T400s go head to head with a 26,000lb DOW truck.  If you want to see whether a slender ultraportable notebook can cope with getting comfortable between rubber and gravel, check out the video.

Finally, Microsoft confirmed that the Zune HD PMP will use NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset, making us even more keen to see what this potential-iPod-killer (yes, we know, a cliché if ever there was one) brings to the table.  And for your high-definition home entertainment, PopcornHour delivered their C200 Blu-ray ready media-streamer.  If you’ve ever looked at your media collection and wished there was a set-top box that could handle it all without breaking a sweat, this is the gadget for you.

Elsewhere there’s a 480 x 340 resolution display, 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus and image stabilization, and 256MB of onboard storage with a microSD card to augment that.  The Tour 9630 also has GPS with support for photo geotagging.

Video overview after the cut 

BlackBerry Maps is pre-installed, and there’s a mediaplayer with support for non-DRM iTunes synchronization.  Bluetooth 2.0 including support for the A2DP stereo profile is there, plus a 3.5mm headphone socket, and there’s obviously the full QWERTY keyboard and trackball.  RIM rate the battery life as good for up to 5hrs talktime or 14 days standby. 

No specific release dates for the smartphone, but Sprint have suggested it will come “later this summer” priced at $199.99. 

Press Release:

RIM Introduces the BlackBerry Tour Smartphone

New 3G World Phone Keeps You Connected on High-Speed CDMA Networks in North America and UMTS/HSPA Networks Abroad

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – June 16, 2009) – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today introduced the BlackBerry(R) Tour(TM) – a powerful new 3G BlackBerry(R) smartphone for CDMA customers in North America. The new BlackBerry Tour smartphone offers state-of-the-art communications and multimedia capabilities with outstanding mobile performance and consummate styling. It is a feature-packed and highly refined world phone that keeps you connected and lets you tour the world in style.

“BlackBerry continues to be the top selling smartphone brand in North America and we are proud to add this powerful new 3G world phone to our successful product portfolio,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “With its striking design and exceptional performance, the new BlackBerry Tour will offer a compelling choice for the growing number of wireless customers looking to upgrade their existing cell phone to a smartphone.”

The BlackBerry Tour smartphone allows customers to stay seamlessly connected – across town and around the world. It supports high-speed 3G EV-DO Rev. A networks in North America, as well as 3G UMTS/HSPA (2100Mhz) and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks abroad.

The BlackBerry Tour smartphone also provides the industry’s leading mobile solution for email, messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) and social networking together with built-in GPS and advanced multimedia capabilities, enabling customers to make the most of both their personal and professional time.

The BlackBerry Tour features a chic black finish with chrome highlights surrounding its sleek design (112mm x 62mm x 14.2mm and 130g). It includes a large, highly tactile, full-QWERTY keyboard with chrome frets and finely sculpted keys for fast and precise typing. In addition, the large (2.44″), bright display (480 x 360 resolution at 245 ppi) delivers the highest resolution available on a BlackBerry smartphone, presenting pictures, web pages and videos with incredible clarity.

Other key features of the BlackBerry Tour smartphone include:

3.2 MP camera with flash, variable zoom, image stabilization, autofocus and video recording(i)
Full HTML web browser, including support for streaming audio and video (RTSP)
Advanced media player for videos, pictures and music, a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack and support for the Bluetooth(R) Stereo Audio Profile (A2DP/AVCRP)
256MB Flash memory
Expandable memory via hot swappable microSD/SDHC memory card slot, supporting cards of up to 16 GB today and expected to support next generation 32GB cards when available
Built-in GPS with support for geotagging, BlackBerry(R) Maps and other location based applications and services
BlackBerry(R) Media Sync allows customers to quickly and easily synch music from iTunes(R) and Windows Media Player with the smartphone(ii)
Premium phone features including voice activated dialing, enhanced background noise cancellation, a low-distortion speakerphone, and Bluetooth (2.0) support for hands-free use with headsets, car kits, stereo headsets and other Bluetooth peripherals
Preloaded DataViz(R) Documents to Go(R), allowing users to edit Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT)(R) Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the handset
Easy mobile access to Facebook(R), MySpace and Flickr(R), as well as popular instant messaging services including BlackBerry(R) Messenger, Yahoo!(R) IM, AIM(R), Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Talk and Windows Live Messenger(TM)
Support for BlackBerry App World(TM), featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones. Categories include travel, productivity, entertainment, games, social networking & sharing, news & weather, and more
BlackBerry(R) Internet Service allows access to up to 10 supported personal and corporate email accounts, including most popular ISP email accounts
BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Server provides advanced security and IT administration features within IBM(R) Lotus(R) Domino(R), Microsoft(R) Exchange and Novell(R) GroupWise(R) environments
Removable and rechargeable 1400 mAhr battery for 5 hours of talk time and 14 days of standby time
The BlackBerry Tour smartphone (model number: 9630) is expected to be available this summer from carriers in North America.

For more information visit www.blackberry.com/tour

[via CrackBerry]

When it does land, it’s expected to have the same specifications as the Sprint Tour 9630, with EVDO Rev.A for everyday use but also packing 2100MHz UMTS/HSPA and quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE for use when roaming.  Like most of Verizon’s devices there’s no WiFi, but you do get Bluetooth, GPS and a 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera.

There’s also a microSD card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack and of course that full QWERTY keyboard and trackball.  No word on pricing, but given that Sprint’s version is expected to retail at $199.99, the Verizon BlackBerry Tour is likely to show up with a similar tag.

[Thanks Tony!]

Other specifications include an HVGA 480 x 360 display, microSD card slot content with up to 16GB cards, and a full QWERTY keyboard.  No WiFi, but there’s Bluetooth and GPS, plus a 3.5mm headphone jack; Sprint also load the Tour with their music store, mobile TV, NFL and NASCAR apps.

There’s also Facebook, MySpace and Flickr integration, IM and MMS support.  Specific release dates are yet to be confirmed, but the Sprint BlackBerry Tour will be priced at $199.99 after $150 of rebates (part mail-in, part instant).   

Press Release:

The New BlackBerry Tour Smartphone Launches on America’s Most Dependable 3G Network to Create a Powerful Mobility Tool for Those on the Go

The BlackBerry Tour smartphone from Sprint offers access to America’s most dependable 3G network, plus 2100 MHz UMTS/HSPA and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM support for international roaming

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun. 16, 2009– With the new BlackBerry® Tour™ smartphone from Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) available from Sprint (NYSE: S) on America’s most dependable 3G network1, staying connected won’t be a worry domestically, or when you travel around the world.

The BlackBerry Tour smartphone is a powerful mobility tool that operates on Sprint’s nationwide 3G (EV-DO Rev. A) network domestically. It also roams on other high-speed wireless networks around the world for reliable voice and email communication without missing a beat.

The BlackBerry Tour is a sophisticated smartphone that enables customers to be more productive and better equipped to manage both their busy personal and business lives. It is ideally suited for those who want to stay socially connected, and lets you share moments through pictures and videos via MMS and instant message on popular IM services or BlackBerry® Messenger. It also offers easy access to your favorite social networking sites like Flickr®, MySpace and Facebook®, and you get smooth integration between the BlackBerry Tour smartphone and your Facebook events and friends giving you a great view of what’s happening both personally and professionally. This is the most powerful business smartphone in Sprint’s line-up with instant access to emails, calendar, contacts, robust business applications and location-based services, leveraging the best performing networks both domestically and abroad.

“The BlackBerry Tour is a sophisticated and powerful smartphone that will enable customers to be more productive and better equipped to manage their busy business and personal lives; and global travelers can rest easy knowing Sprint has a solution to keep people connected wherever their travels may take them,” said Kevin Packingham, senior vice president – Product Development, Sprint. “Particularly compelling for world travelers will be the performance enabled by combining the new feature-rich BlackBerry Tour with Sprint’s 3G network and some of the world’s other most robust voice and data networks.”

No one has a larger voice calling area than Sprint. The Nationwide Sprint Network (inclusive of roaming) reaches more than 304 million people in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a Sprint calling plan that includes roaming. Additionally, the Sprint 3G Network, the nation’s most dependable 3G network, is faster in more places than AT&T’s 3G network2, and Sprint has more than 20 times the coverage of T-Mobile’s current 3G network, based on square miles.

The BlackBerry Tour smartphone comes with a vibrant high-resolution display (480 x 360 at 245 ppi) plus intuitive trackball navigation, a large, full-QWERTY keyboard, corporate and personal email with attachment viewing, calendar, integrated address book and up to 16 GB of expandable memory with a microSD/SDHC card.

It also includes a 3.2 MP camera with variable zoom, auto focus, flash and image stabilization able to capture crisp pictures and video. It comes pre-loaded with the Sprint Music Store, Sprint TV®, Sprint NFL Mobile Live and NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile, and features an advanced media player for playing video and music files, plus a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack and support for the Bluetooth® stereo headsets (A2DP/AVCRP). The BlackBerry Tour smartphone also has built-in GPS and supports location-based services.

The BlackBerry Tour will be available at Sprint stores, www.sprint.com and 1-800-Sprint1 later this summer for $199.99 with a new line of service or eligible upgrade, two-year service agreement and $50 instant rebate and $100 mail-in rebate. Additional savings may be available to business customers through their Sprint account manager.

For more information on BlackBerry Tour smartphone, visit www.sprint.com/tour or www.blackberry.com/tour.

International Travel

The BlackBerry Tour operates domestically on the Sprint 3G network, and globally on 2100 MHz UMTS/HSPA and quad-band EDGE/GSM/GPRS networks where Sprint has international roaming agreements. With this handset, Sprint customers have the power to make or receive phone calls in more than 185 countries and access BlackBerry® data services including email and Web browsing in nearly 150 countries.

International Service Plans

Sprint offers clear value and simplicity with its Worldwide BlackBerry® service plan. The Worldwide BlackBerry plan gives customers unlimited BlackBerry email and Web access in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other locations using CDMA technology, and with GSM/GPRS carriers abroad where Sprint has applicable roaming agreements. The plan is available for $69.99 per month, or just $40 per month (excluding taxes and surcharges) as an attachable to Simply EverythingSM, Everything Data, Everything Data Family or Business Essentials with Messaging and Data.

Sprint international voice roaming rates range from $0.59 to $5.99 per minute, depending on where customers are calling. Customers making frequent calls while in Canada can take advantage of a specific service plan for $2.99 per month which allows calls to be made and received at $0.20 per minute. Additional pricing plans are available exclusively to enterprise customers.

Customers also have the option of using a third-party SIM for international voice and data services.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving nearly 49 million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2009; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

1 Most dependable claim based on independent, third-party drive tests for 3G data connection success, session reliability and signal strength for the top 50 most populous markets from January 2008 to February 2009. Not all services available on 3G and coverage may default to separate network when 3G unavailable.

2 Speed claim based on total network size, sq. miles, multiplied by network upload/download speed capability. User’s speed experience may vary.

3 Coverage comparison based on publicly available information as of 4/1/09 inclusive of Sprint roaming partners. Based on square miles.”

There’s also GPS and A-GPS, a 35-key QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth 2.0, 3.5mm headset port and microUSB port.  No sign of WiFi, but you do get a microSD card slot (under the battery cover), 256MB of internal memory and a 1,400mAh battery.

The whole thing measures 112 x 62 x 14.2 mm and weighs 130g.  While we’re excited for our friends up in Canada, we’re perhaps a little more keen to see whether – as the leaked inventory details suggest – the BlackBerry Tour 9630 arrives on Verizon Wireless in the US on July 13th.

[via Gadgetell]

As for specifications, RIM are yet to make anything official but the Tour 9630 is believed to be a cross between their Curve and Bold handsets.  It will have EVDO Rev.A connectivity, together with quadband GSM for global roaming, a 480 x 320 display and a 3.2-megapixel camera with video recording capabilities.

Other specifications include GPS and a microSD card slot to augment the 1GB of internal storage.  Dimensions are believed to be 4.46 x 2.48 x 0.55 inches, and there’s both USB and Bluetooth connectivity.  No word on whether Verizon will allow the Tour to have WiFi or not; we’re expecting it to be absent.