New BlackBerry 'Pearl' Comes With Expandable MemoryNew BlackBerry 'Pearl' Comes With Expandable Memory

Research In Motion on Thursday rolled out the BlackBerry Pearl, a smaller and sleeker version of the BlackBerry, in an effort to make its popular smart phone devices more cell phone-like.

The BlackBerry Pearl incorporates a digital camera, a multimedia player with a stereo headset jack for MP3 and AAC music files, and an expandable memory slot--a BlackBerry first. The device is small like a cell phone and weighs 3.1 ounces. RIM says it's determined to develop one of the smallest and lightest smart phones in the world that has all the capabilities of a traditional BlackBerry.

A huge chunk of businesses in the United States use BlackBerry devices to receive their e-mail wirelessly and for access to applications. Palm's Treo devices are also popular among businesspeople, but they're just as widely used by consumers because Treos are stylish and phone-like, and they come bundled with cameras, touch screens, and different multimedia capabilities for watching video and viewing pictures.

Now RIM has its eye on consumers and so-called prosumers, a mixed breed of users that relies on smart phones for both professional and personal needs. For example, the BlackBerry Pearl's built-in 64 Mbyte flash memory, which is now expandable with a MicroSD card, gives users more storage for music, pictures, videos, and data files.

Other features include support for up to 10 personal and business e-mail accounts and instant messaging clients from AOL, Yahoo, and MSN. In addition, the device comes with BlackBerry Maps, a new app for finding directions and maps.

Last week, RIM rolled out the BlackBerry 7130g in the United States, a lightweight device for a class of users the company calls "mobile professionals." The BlackBerry 7130g is exclusively available from one carrier: Dobson Cellular Systems, a provider of wireless services in only 16 U.S. states.

The BlackBerry Pearl will be available in the United States from T-Mobile starting next week.