Sprint Nextel launched a new push-to-talk BlackBerry today, the long-awaited Curve 8350i from Research In Motion.

The phone, which uses the iDEN network and has WiFi connectivity, was rumored to be coming out earlier in the fall, but Sprint never gave any official word on a release date. The phone also has built-in GPS and a 2 megapixel camera.

The Curve 8350i is an affirmation of Sprint CEO Dan Hesse's commitment to the iDEN network. When he emphasized the carrier's commitment to Nextel in October, he specifically mentioned the Curve 8350i as one of the premier devices that would be available on the network.

The phone is available for $149.99 with a two-year contract and after $80 instant savings credit and a $100 mail-in rebate.

For more:
- see this release
- see this post
- see this picture of the Curve 8350i with push-to-talk

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