Leading up to the Canadian BlackBerry Torch 9800 launch, Rogers has begun equipping stores with dummy units, at least in Toronto. Although Rogers has set tomorrow as the official launch day, rumour has it that the stores proper won’t get handsets until the 27th, though online ordering will be available as of the 24th. The BlackBerry 9800 will be going for $199 on a three-year plan after mail-in rebates on Rogers, but Bell hasn’t mentioned pricing, and won’t be offering the Torch for another week. The Telus version should be coming out tomorrow, though, and preorders are already available.
The BlackBerry Torch 9800 is RIM’s next-generation handset, being both their first slider, and first smartphone to run a significantly updated operating system. The specs land the Torch squarely in the mid-range: 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and flash, 3.2″ HVGA capacitive touchscreen, 624 MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage, Wi-Fi b/g/n, HSPA 3G, and GPS. It’s certainly RIM’s best phone yet, and reaps the benefits of both a physical keyboard and a touchscreen, plus BlackBerry 6 offers a fresh coat of paint on what had traditionally been a pretty cut and dry experience. Take a look at our review if you’re considering picking up a Torch on Rogers (or any other Canadian carrier, for that matter).
[via The Cellular Guru, MobileSyrup]