RIM and Globe Launch BlackBerry 9220, 9320 with Affordable Plans

Aiming to drive more sales and pushing the Philippines to be a "BlackBerry nation," RIM has partnered with Globe as they launch the latest BlackBerry Curve smartphones, the Curve 9220 and Curve 9320. With this partnership, Globe has the rights to be the first to market the said BlackBerry Curve smartphones, coupling them with their signature affordable plans.

From L-R: Divine Lee (Host), Peter Bithos (Globe Telecom Senior Advisor for Consumer Business), Cameron Vernest (Research in Motion Director of the Philippines), and Cliff Ho (Host)

The new BlackBerry Curve 9220 and 9320 are entry level phones that are great upgrades to the most popular BlackBerry Curve handset, the Curve 8520.

The BlackBerry Curve 9220 and 9320 are essentially the same in most of its features, except that the former is only 2G and the latter is 3G. Both models still have the usual well-loved social media communication tools and apps, a new dedicated BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) key on the side, and the most updated BlackBerry 7.1 OS. In addition, the 9220 and 9320 also features with a built-in FM radio and a battery life of up to 7 hours talk time or up to 28 hours of FM radio listening or music playback with headphones.

BlackBerry Curve 9220

The BlackBerry Curve 9220 borrows some of its looks from the Curve 8520 in terms of keypad and form factor. On the other hand, the call keys and control keys of the device have been designed like the ones in Bold 9790. It is slimmer by 1.2 mm and lighter by 4 grams than the BlackBerry Curve 8520.

The Curve 9220 is now available in Globe stores (and also online), FREE at a monthly subscription of Php598. With this plan, you get: Php499 consumable, unlimited BlackBerry Messenger use, and 2 choices of freebies (e.g., Globe-Globe/TM 10 mins calls and 200 SMS; Globe-Other Networks 5mins calls and 25 SMS; International call and text; 3 hours mobile surfing).

BlackBerry Curve 9220 Specifications

Dimension - 109 x 60 x 12.7 mm
Display Size - 320 x 240 pixels, 2.44 inches
Internal Memory - 512 MB ROM, 512 MB RAM
Card Slot - microSD, expandable up to 32 GB
Processor - 800 MHz
Data - GPRS, EDGE, WiFi, Bluetooth
Camera - 2 megapixels, fixed focus, 1600 x 1200 pixels, no flash
Video Recording - Capable of recording in VGA mode
Extra Features - Accelerometer, Proximity, Compass, Stereo FM radio

BlackBerry Curve 9320

The BlackBerry Curve 9320 comes with additional features including Mobile Hotspot support, which allows users to share the mobile data connection with up to 5 WiFi-enabled devices, including laptops and tablets.

This smartphone can be pre-ordered from Globe via http://blackberrycurve.globe.com.ph/ at a monthly subscription of Php999 (BlackBerry Unlisurf Combo). With that, you can get unlimited surf, BBM, Twitter, Facebook and Email; Php400 consumable, and 1 freebie (e.g., Globe-Globe/TM 10 mins calls and 200 SMS; Globe-Other Networks 5mins calls and 25 SMS; International call and text; Unlimited call and text to 1 Globe/TM number)

BlackBerry Curve 9320 Specifications

Dimension - 109 x 60 x 12.7 mm
Display Size - 320 x 240 pixels, 2.44 inches
Internal Memory - 512 MB ROM, 512 MB RAM
Card Slot - microSD, expandable up to 32 GB
Processor - 806 MHz
Data - GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth
Camera - 3.15 megapixels, fixed focus, 2048 x 1536 pixels, with LED flash
Video Recording - Capable of recording in VGA mode
Extra Features - Geo-tagging, Image stabilization, Accelerometer, Proximity, Compass, Stereo FM radio, A-GPS support

BlackBerry Messenger Dedicated Key

The BlackBerry Curve 9220 prepaid kits and/or unit only are priced around Php9,990, while the Curve 9320 is at Php11,990. To know more about these two new smartphone models, visit the BlackBerry Philippines website or log on to Globe's website.