BlackBerry flip phone now available on T-Mobile

Showing that the upcoming G1, the industry's first Android-based mobile device, isn't the only new smartphone to be "exclusive" to its wireless network, on Monday, T-Mobile USA announced the availability of a BlackBerry flip phone.

T-Mobile competitor Verizon Wireless got the honor of being the exclusive provider of another new RIM smartphone -- the BlackBerry Storm -- in the US. But T-Mobile is the exclusive US provider of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220, the first smartphone from RIM to come in a flip phone form factor.

This about a month after introducing its first clamshell device at the CTIA wireless show, and only three days before the planned delivery of the G1 -- the industry's first Android-based mobile device -- on the same network.

Unlike the G1, which is based on HTC's "Dream" device, RIM's phone ships with stereo Bluetooth support, not just mono. Other capabilities of RIM's feature-rich flip phone include an internal QVGA 2.4-inch diagonal screen; enhanced SureType keyboard; video recording and playback; a 2.0 megapixel camera with digital zoom; 128 GB of flash memory; an external memory card slot; and Wi-Fi connectivity for voice and data, with support for T-Mobile's Unlimited HotSpot Calling service.

Meanwhile, still unconfirmed rumors continue to circulate this evening that 1.5 million T-Mobile customers have pre-ordered the Android-enabled G1. Late this afternoon, a Google spokesperson declined to comment on T-Mobile's sales, while a T-Mobile spokesperson had not yet replied.