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RIM To Update Pearl, Release EV-DO Version

Business users looking to add some sexy swag to their briefcases will have more options from RIM later this year. The company is reportedly looking to launch a new version of the Pearl smartphone, which will include EV-DO wireless data and will still shave a few millimeters from its waistline. Verizon Wireless and Sprint business users who felt left out when the original Pearl was released on T-Mobile and then AT&T can commence celebrating now.

The rumor mills have really been churning out a lot of material lately. The iPhone is most likely leading the way with relentless "news," but that's not to say there aren't other exciting things going on in the wireless industry. Just yesterday we saw some juicy material about a new smartphone from Palm.

Not to be left out, Research In Motion has registered a few new domain names that point to an upcoming release of a revised Pearl. The Pearl 2 (I know, clever name), will switch from today's GSM model to a CDMA model, meaning it would work on the Verizon Wireless and Sprint networks. Some other potential updates include a boost in the camera from 1.3 to 2 megapixels, the new multimedia software found on the Curve, and EV-DO for higher-speed wireless data (current models offer only Edge speeds on the T-Mobile and AT&T networks).

Oh, and it'll be thinner and lighter. As if the Pearl were a beefy phone to start with. That's like asking Paris Hilton to lose weight.

The better news for business users is that it will come with the latest OS from RIM, 4.3.0, which coincides with some new features that will be available from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4.1.4 coming out later this month.

The news on Wi-Fi isn't so good, though. Though RIM committed to launching a BlackBerry with Wi-Fi on board later this year, it likely will be included in one of RIM's larger business devices.

Potential release dates fall in September and October.

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