BlackBerry KickStart clamshell revealed

RIM does flip phone shocker

1 May 2008 9:25 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

We know RIM is working on a 3G BlackBerry, dubbed the "Meteor" due for release later this summer, but it seems the sleek new high-speed offering isn't the only new device the Canadian smartphone maker has up its sleeve.

The Boy Genius Report has revealed that the company is also hard at work on producing a clamshell - a radical departure from their signature squat, candybar offerings.

The site states: "It is a BlackBerry clamshell — a flip phone and codenamed the Kickstart! Let me repeat this. This isn't fake, this isn't a hoax."

"We've known RIM is planning to launch a flip phone within the year, and we now have the pictures to prove it!"

"As you can see, it uses a SureType keyboard, has an external LCD, and a pretty decent looking internal LCD. It also uses the TrackBall for navigation and does have a camera."

The site says that RIM plans to launch the new phone before the end of the year - we'll keep you informed.