WATERLOO, Canada - Research in Motion has added a new Bold to BlackBerry's smartphone portfolio. The BlackBerry Bold 9700 should follow its predecessor's steps, by adding style to formal-looking business phones.

Like the recently-revealed Storm2, the Bold 9700 was also leaked numerous times in the internet, building up to the official launch from the Canadian manufacturer.

To the signature QWERTY keyboard, a touch-sensitive trackpad has been added. The phone also has 3G and HSDPA support, a new 624MHz processor, Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a 3.2 megapixel camera.

The device does not have a touchscreen, which is believed to be a crucial component to attract the market, by RIM's rivals. The included display is 2.44" in size, and has a resolution of 480x360 pixels.

The Bold 9700 will run on the new BlackBerry OS 5.0, which is said to bring an improved web browsing experience, among other features.

RIM has not forgotten the multimedia needs of users - its new smartphone supports microSD memory cards, it can sync with iTunes and Windows Media Player, and has a 3.5mm audio jack. The latter component is considered standard by RIM's rival HTC.

The included 1500mAh battery should provide 6 hours of talk time and 17 days of standby time in 3G mode.

The phone's release date points to the beginning of November, although pricing and exclusive carriers have not been revealed.