T-Mobile offers Wi-Fi BlackBerry

T-Mobile USA Inc. is offering a BlackBerry Curve equipped with Wi-Fi for prosumers-yes, Virginia, that’s a real word-who sign up to take advantage of the carrier’s HotSpot@Home service, launched in June.
The device, known as the Curve 8320, is Research In Motion Ltd.’s second Wi-Fi-equipped device and sells at $250, with a mail-in rebate and two-year contract. AT&T Mobility is already selling a Wi-Fi-capable BlackBerry.
T-Mobile USA touted the device’s ability to hand off calls between its cellular network and its Wi-Fi hotspots and vice versa. T-Mobile has 8,500 hotspots around the country.
The Curve 8320 is the first high-tier, QWERTY-equipped, e-mail-oriented device to support the carrier’s HotSpot@Home service, which previously offered only the Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. T409 and the Nokia Corp. 6086, both silver clamshells priced at $50 with a contract.
The Curve is designed to be RIM’s most consumer-oriented handset to date.
T-Mobile USA also will introduce a new line of Sidekicks, including the LX, made by Sharp Corp., which offers a slimmer form factor and improved screen resolution. The LX is expected to go on sale Oct. 24. A Sidekick Slide model, made by Motorola Inc., is focused on messaging and lacks a music player.