BlackBerry Onyx Preview Shows Us the Best of BlackBerry

These are good days to be a fan of BlackBerry smartphones. They're collectively regaining ground against the iPhone, at least until the release of the next device, and there are lots of very cool phones in the pipeline for the next few months. The BlackBerry Onyx, or Driftwood as some believe its code name to be, is the latest in a series that includes the updated

The only notable disappointment that we had with the Curve 8900 was that it, inexplicably, lacks 3G capability, but all indications are that the Onyx will not be so handicapped. Also overcoming a common BlackBerry shortfall, it seems that the Onyx will come equipped with both Wi-Fi and integrated GPS, two features that RIM has often seen fit to provide on an either/or basis.

Finally, we're happy to report that the Onyx is expected to feature an optical trackpad, despite the fact that available pictures of the device show a trackball. Trackballs, though usually reliable, have caused some users problems as they gradually gather dirt and oil over time. The trackpad should relegate that matter to history.

This information is rather preliminary and details will surely change over the next few months. for objective reviews of BlackBerries and other smartphones, take a look at our Smartphones Review site. And stick with our tech news blog for all the latest information as it emerges:

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