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Telstra tightens its grip on the smartphone market and is the first to market with the highly anticipated BlackBerry Bold update.
As of today customers will be able to purchase the BlackBerry Bold 9700, nicknamed Onyx by manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM), through Telstra shops for the outright price of AU$999, or for $0 upfront on an AU$85 per month Mobile Plus plan from 1 December.
The Bold 9700 is the successor to last year’s Bold 9000, RIM’s first smartphone to feature HSDPA connectivity for access to the web and data services. The 9700 features the same specifications as the former, but packed into a smaller, more lightweight package. It also features an optical trackpad below the screen which behaves like a laptop touchpad in certain applications, such as the web browser.
One important distinction for certain Australian customers will be that the newer 9700 does not carry Telstra’s Blue Tick — a badge indicating superior coverage and best suited for customers living in remote regional locations. Last year’s model was given this distinction by Telstra; however, the Onyx is “recommended for handheld use in metropolitan and major regional areas”, as per Telstra’s website.
