A Lightweight Design with Heavyweight Features: BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8330 Smartphone Now Available to Verizon Wireless Customers

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, builder and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless network, announced today that the highly anticipated BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8330 smartphone from Research In Motion (RIM) is now available through Verizon Wireless' online store and through business sales channels. This sophisticated, silver smartphone will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City, on May 12.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080507/NYW011 )

The BlackBerry Curve is the smallest and lightest full-QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone and is packed with rich multimedia capabilities and services, allowing customers to stay connected to work, family and friends while on-the-go. The BlackBerry Curve 8330 smartphone also includes the following capabilities and key features:

    -- BlackBerry(R) Internet Service -- access up to 10 supported POP3 and
       IMAP personal and corporate e-mail accounts, including most popular ISP
       e-mail accounts
    -- BlackBerry(R) Professional Software for small businesses and
       BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Server for enterprise deployments -- advanced
       security and IT administration within IBM(R) Lotus(R) Domino(R),
       Microsoft(R) Exchange and Novell(R) GroupWise(R) environments
    -- VZ Navigator(SM) -- get visual and audible directions to a destination,
       locate businesses and other places in an area, get a map of a location,
       bookmark favorites spots and recent searches, and even share locations
       with others.  Customers will be able to upgrade to the new VZ Navigator
       (Version 4) in the coming weeks, which will provide traffic updates,
       information on traffic incidents and detours around traffic congestion
       and accidents in 75 cities from coast to coast
    -- Small and light design that is easy to handle and use;
       measures 4.2" x 2.4" x 0.6" and weighs only 4 ounces
    -- Large, vibrant 320 x 240 display, with light sensing technology that
       automatically adjusts brightness for optimal viewing in outdoor, indoor
       and dark environments
    -- Responsive, highly-tactile full-QWERTY keyboard and RIM's intuitive
       trackball navigation system
    -- Premium phone features including: noise cancellation technology to
       offset background noise; Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR)
       for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD); dedicated "send," "end" and "mute"
       keys; and low-distortion speakerphone
    -- Bluetooth(R) 2.0, with support for hands-free headsets, stereo headsets
       (Bluetooth stereo audio profile A2DP/AVRCP), car kits and other
       Bluetooth accessories
    -- 2.0 megapixel camera with support for video recording, a self-portrait
       mirror, enhanced flash and 5x zoom (microSD(TM) memory card required
       for video recording, sold separately)
    -- Easy access to the popular Facebook(R) for BlackBerry(R) Smartphones
       application
    -- 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack and dedicated volume controls
    -- Advanced media player and enhanced desktop media manager software that
       makes it easy to move media files between a PC and the BlackBerry Curve
       8330 smartphone via High Speed USB 2.0 -- USB Data Cable comes in-box
    -- microSD/SDHC memory card slot, providing plenty of additional storage
       (cards up to 8 GB are currently available)
    -- HTML Web browser delivers a fast, rich browsing experience and supports
       streaming video from sites like m.youtube.com (3GPP RTSP streaming
       protocol over EV-DO)
    -- Removable, rechargeable battery, rated for up to 260 minutes of talk
       time and up to 11 days of standby time
    -- In-box accessories include: a stereo headset, USB cable, travel charger
       and premium tote sleeve

The BlackBerry Curve 8330 smartphone is available for $169.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. An additional $100 credit toward the purchase of the handset is available for customers who sign up for qualifying voice and data plans at the time of purchase. Customers who purchase a Verizon Wireless Nationwide voice plan can also subscribe to the E-Mail and Web for BlackBerry plan for an additional $29.99 per month while those opting for a data-only plan can pay $34.99 per month for unlimited e-mail and access to the Internet via BlackBerry Internet Service.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Business customers should call 1-800-VZW-4BIZ or contact their Verizon Wireless Business Sales Representative.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 67.2 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications NYSE: VZ and Vodafone NYSE: VOD LSE: VOD. For more information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.