Vodafone will launch the 7100v, an exclusive BlackBerry mobile handset-styled device, on 1 October through Vodafone Retail, with other channels to follow.
The Bluetooth-enabled 7100v has a hybrid keyboard adding eight keys to the traditional phone keypad to offer a Qwerty-style layout with SureType predictive text.
Vodafone is hoping that the 7100v will broaden the appeal of the BlackBerry service by offering a more conventional- looking phone with all the capabilities if not all the keys of the conventional BlackBerry. It will be compatible with email services on both the internet and BlackBerry Enterprise Servers, meaning corporates, SMEs and individual users will be able to use it.