Report: RIM Preps CDMA/GSM BlackBerry 8830

Looks like RIM is cranking out smartphones at a rapid clip these days. Hot on the heels of the BlackBerry 8800 with its QWERTY keypad and cool trackball comes word of the 8830, a new variation of the 8800 that works on both CDMA and GSM cell networks.

PhoneArena managed to find some details and high-resolution shots of the long-rumored phone, which looks like a silver-gray version of the 8800, complete with that phone's full QWERTY keypad and trackball. However, there are a couple of key differences. First, the 8830 is set to work on EV-DO networks, giving it the 3G data access that the EDGE-only 8800 sorely lacks. Also intriguing is the 8830's supposed ability to make voice and data calls on GSM networks as well as CDMA, meaning you should be able to use the 8830 practically anywhere in the world. Not many CDMA/GSM phones hitting the U.S. market these days (Samsung's recent IP-830W smartphone on Sprint being a rare example), and if the rumors are true, the 8830 will mark the first CDMA/GSM BlackBerry I've seen.

Other than the 8830's dual-mode abilities, the phone will probably come with a fairly standard set of features, including a QVGA display and a slot for microSD memory cards, although you won't find a camera (which was also missing on the 8800). It's a safe bet the 8830 will arrive on Verizon Wireless given the logos on the PhoneArena shots, but the carrier is keeping mum for now.