New smartphone features innovative trackpad for smooth navigation and dedicated media keys for controlling music and videos

TORONTO and WATERLOO - Rogers Wireless and Research In Motion (RIM) today launched the BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8520 smartphone. It's the latest addition to the BlackBerry Curve series of smartphones and it provides a highly intuitive and efficient mobile experience for users with easy mobile access to email, messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) and popular social networking sites including Facebook(R) and MySpace, as well as rich multimedia capabilities.

The BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone will be available from Rogers Wireless in two colours - black and violet. In addition to providing the industry's leading mobile email and messaging solution, the smartphone features a new touch-sensitive trackpad for navigation and dedicated media keys that are integrated into the top of the handset for quick and convenient control of music and videos. It also comes with built-in Wi-Fi(R) (802.11 b/g) and support for Rogers TalkSpot(TM) service, allowing customers to make unlimited Canada-wide calls over Wi-Fi for only $15 per month.

"Rogers and RIM have a proud history, dating back over ten years, of bringing Canadians the best in smartphone hardware and technology," said John Boynton, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Rogers Communications. "Rogers is thrilled to offer this latest BlackBerry Curve to our customers looking for a stylish and cutting edge smartphone at an attractive price."

"BlackBerry is already the top-selling smartphone brand in North America and this latest addition to our line-up is designed to expand its appeal even further," said Carlo Chiarello, Vice President, Product Management, Research In Motion. "The new BlackBerry Curve 8520 is an incredibly approachable smartphone with easy-to-use messaging, social networking and multimedia features that will undoubtedly help more Canadians decide to make the switch from a traditional cell phone to a BlackBerry smartphone."