Next-Gen BlackBerry Pearl Makes AppearanceNext-Gen BlackBerry Pearl Makes Appearance

A generous -- and in-focus -- number of images of the unannounced BlackBerry Pearl 9100 have been posted to the Internet. If you're a fan of the Pearl line of smartphones from BlackBerry, it's time to get excited.The BlackBerry Pearl 9100 is a very handsome device. It takes the basic elements of the original, but updates them with Research In Motion's current design language. (Find the images here.)

The biggest change, in my opinion, is that the Pearl loses its namesake. Gone is the white, illuminated trackball that gave the original Pearl its name, and instead users will interact with an optical trackpad. The trackpad has been deployed across several of RIM's other handsets, so it appears this is the new reality when it comes to on-screen navigation with BlackBerries.

The keyboard design looks very similar in configuration, though the keys appear to be shaped just a little bit differently. Remember, in order to have its slim profile, the Pearl has a SureType 20-key keypad that offers two letters per key. It uses software to figure out what users are typing as they go along.

The overall fit and finish of the Pearl 9100 looks top notch, with quality materials being used throughout. The fellas at CrackBerry.com, who were generous enough to share these images, didn't take the opportunity to put the 9100 next to its predecessor or any other BlackBerries for that matter, so it's hard to tell if the size has been increased at all.

No word from RIM when this device will hit the streets, but surely it won't be too long.

[Via CrackBerry.com]