A few key points have surfaced about the upcoming iDEN BlackBerry due to land on Sprint-Nextel on December 1st. For starters, it’ll only have a 2.5mm headphone jack, rather than the standard 3.5mm that all BlackBerry Curve models have enjoyed up to this point. Second, this one is a bit bulkier than previous 8300-series devices, but also sports a beefier battery from the 8800. Lastly, the side convenience key is locked in for push-to-talk, so no reprogramming it.
We had heard that the 8350i was going to be a bit more bigger, but not that it would be necessarily any more rugged, which is unfortunate. The choice of 2.5 mm for the headphone jack is an interesting one, and I’m sure RIM had their reasons – perhaps mono earbuds are more practical for the PTT workplace. The larger battery is fantastic news, as the 8800’s battery life was top-notch, and will serve the 8350i well. The iDEN BlackBerry, complete with GPS and Wi-Fi, should be going for about $149.99 on Nextel, and with any luck, Telus’ Mike as well.
[via BGR]