BlackBerry lovers on CDMA carriers (Verizon and Sprint) have been waiting for this moment for a while, so it's nice to see the next generation of devices come one step closer to arrival.  Yesterday, the BlackBerry Bold 9650 popped its little head up on the FCC website along with all the usual test reports, and then some - a solid suggestion that the device is approaching launch.  Sprint has announced that they will release the 9650 for purchase on May 23 for $200 with the usual stipulations, but Verizon has yet to make it official.

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 was the first of the new generation of BlackBerry devices sporting the more modern trackpad along with the more recent OS 5.0.  When the 9700 finally came out last November, Tour owners were wondering when they'd get either the upgarde to OS 5.0 or a new trackpad-wielding device of their own.  Just recently at WES 2010 RIM announced several devices (inlcuding the 9650) as well as OS 6.0, which - rumor has it - will be seen as an update on the 9650 sometime down the line.

Here are some of the specs for the Bold 9650 on Sprint:

• 480x360 HVGA+ screen
• 3.2MP camera with flash and autofocus
• 512MB flash memory
• 2GB microSD included, capacity to 32GB
• Wi-Fi b/g
• GPS
• Bluetooth 2.1
• 1400mAh battery
• Full QWERTY keyboard with trackpad navigation 

Is the Bold 9650 comparable to many of the new smartphones purported to hit the market this summer?  Probably not when it comes to specs, but I still think Blackberry fans on Sprint and Verizon (if they get it) will welcome the new device to the lineup.  What say you?

Via PocketNow