Usually we'd say that late trumps never, but in this case, we're not so sure. Two months shy of a full year after RIM announced the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 for CDMA carriers, Virgin Mobile Canada is just now adding the handset to its arsenal. We'll go ahead and assume you already know what this thing is packing, so here's the dirt you aren't familiar with: free on a 3-year contract (as if!), $299 on a 2-year plan, $349 on a 1-year plan (have we reached the absurdity ceiling yet?) and $399 on a 30-day contract (ah, there it is).

[Via mobilesyrup]

We've been calling the KickStart "KickStart" for so long now, it's going to be awfully difficult to call it anything else -- even if it's just another name already in RIM's toolbox. Cell Phone Signal seems to have stumbled across some sort of internal documentation that suggests that the first BlackBerry flip on the market will go by the "Pearl" name, an admittedly logical choice considering its seemingly consumer-oriented slant. As we've heard before, there'll be both GPS (8210) and WiFi (8220) versions on tap; the document actually indicates that only the 8220 will go by Pearl, we'd be hard pressed to believe that they'd break it up in such a nonsensical way. But seriously, RIM, think twice about ditching the KickStart moniker, yeah?

Well, this certainly looks familiar, doesn't it? Yep, this had been rumored to go down for a couple weeks now, which dovetails nicely with the launch of Rogers' Home Calling Zone service, offering up unlimited long-distance Canadian calls via WiFi for $20 CAD a month. The BlackBerry Pearl 8120 comes in sporting the 2 megapixel camera, 3.5mm headphone jack, SureType keyboard, and all the other spoils we've become accustomed to from the phone's other launches for $149.99 CAD (about $148) on a three-year agreement.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Rogers loves it some BlackBerry, and seeing how the Canadian behemoth's closest American analog, AT&T, now has both next-gen Pearls in its stable, we see no reason to believe that this won't happen. MobileInCanada is reporting that Rogers is gearing up to add the WiFi-packing 8120 alongside the GPS-equipped 8110, a phone that it already sells for $199.99 CAD (about $201) on contract. Heck, Rogers still proudly sells the original 8100 for a hundie less, so they could very well end up with a Pearl trifecta if they play their cards right. No word on when we might see this pop up exactly, but as for pricing, it'd have to slot in above the 8110 if AT&T's strategy is any indication.

If you're just too cool for the WiFi found in AT&T's BlackBerry Pearl 8120, we might suggest this little number. That's right, the slightly less 802.11-inclined 8110 is now finding its way into corporate stores, offering the same physical package as its counterpart plus the added bonus of GPS navigation. It's available for $149.99 after contract and rebate -- that's $50 less than the 8120, mind you -- and comes in your choice of red or the understated "titanium."

[Thanks, BrainsOnTheMonitor]

Read - BlackBerry Pearl 8110 (Red)
Read - BlackBerry Pearl 8110 (Titanium)

The next episode of the ubiquitous Pearl is now available in T-Mobile stores across the land, bringing the spec sheet in line with the features Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T customers have been enjoying for a little while now -- a 2 megapixel camera, external microSD slot, and 3.5mm headphone jack, just to name a few. Unlike the 8130 for CDMA networks, the 8120 that T-Mobile and AT&T share adds a 802.11b/g radio, but the T-Mobile version packs yet a couple more tricks up its sleeve -- you know, the ones you'd probably expect of any modern T-Mobile phone with WiFi, namely support for myFaves and HotSpot@Home. That last bit about the WiFi calling is where it gets really interesting. Put simply, the experience we had setting up, using, and making calls with the new Pearl linked up to our router was the best we've had so far with any HotSpot@Home device; it definitely seems like T-Mobile and RIM are learning a thing or two about how to make this a truly seamless and painless process. A "UMA" indicator on the display lets you know that calls are being routed over the service, but if you're not paying attention to it, you might never know it's happening -- it's just that good. Grab it starting today for a shade under $150 on contract, or if you'd prefer to keep your money firmly in your pocket, you can still live vicariously through our gallery here!

Fresh off an announcement for an April 14th release, the latest rendition of the Pearl for T-Mobile -- the WiFi-enabled 8120 -- is strutting its stuff in its natural (somewhat natural, anyway) habitat. Casual observers would have an awfully tricky time telling this apart from the Pearl 8100 of yore, but the trained eye will notice a "WiFi" logo chilling on the display and a mildly revised keypad layout here. Probably just a matter of time before T-Mobile has these bad boys in every color of the rainbow, we imagine.

Merely months after we heard that the BlackBerry Pearl 8110 was headed to Rogers, Americans green with envy can finally chill. According to shots posted over at Boy Genius Report, the GPS-enabled 8110 looks to be making a B-line for AT&T outlets -- in two colors, no less (red is option two, for those curious). Word on the street has these ready to rock "in the next month or two," but your guess is as good as ours on price. Check the high-resolution snaps in the read link below.

April 14th -- just like we expected, that's the date T-Mobile subscribers will gain access to the WiFi totin' BlackBerry Pearl 8120. Unlike AT&T's offering, that's WiFi for voice and data thanks to T-Mobile's HotSpot @Home service. EDGE data, 2 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, 3.5-mm headphone jack, SureType keyboard, and microSD / SDHC expansion for your multimedia round out the specs quite nicely. Now all we need is the price, right T-Mob?

Now that BlackBerry Pearl 8120s are trickling into AT&T's retail channel, so are the reviews, and it looks like we have a worthy (if not modest) successor to the original 8100 on our hands. PC Magazine's quick look at RIM's latest "fashion" phone (we use that term very loosely here) reveals that the 8120 continues RIM's tradition of handling business tasks with aplomb while stepping up its personal game in a big way; the external microSD slot had no trouble taking an 8GB microSDHC card, and let's be honest, there really isn't anything to not like about a 3.5mm headphone jack. Sound quality is apparently quite good -- another RIM trademark -- and the web browser has mercifully improved over what the 8100 brought to the table. Sadly, the WiFi apparently doesn't do much good; browsing with it doesn't yield much of a performance gain over EDGE for some reason (a problem seen on T-Mobile's Curve, too) and the lack of VoIP support is a bummer. Kudos to AT&T for protecting its voice revenues, we guess. Overall rating? 4 / 5, which we figure should be enough of an endorsement to swing a few BlackBerry faithful headlong into the 8120 boat.

Oh, T-Mobile. If only you'd kept to the original rumored date we'd heard of February 18 to release your BlackBerry Pearl 8120, you'd have been able to beat your arch nemesis AT&T out of the gate. Anyway, we suppose late is definitely better than never in this case -- and when you consider that you'll be tacking on support for your HotSpot@Home WiFi calling service, it's still a solid win for your lineup. Let's hope you can stick to the date!

[Thanks, Mumbo]

Grab your Kleenex, folks, because we've heard today that a couple of seemingly timeless pillars in AT&T's lineup might be breathing their last few breaths of in-store air. First up, the Pearl 8100 is due for replacement on all the networks that still offer it, with the 8110 and 8120 models taking their place depending on individual carriers' dispositions toward WiFi, and we're hearing that AT&T will be phasing out the older units this month in preparation for an April launch of the GPS-equipped 8110.

Next -- and here's a shocker -- rumor has it that AT&T is also starting to close the door on the original Motorola RAZR V3. Not to worry; naturally, you'll still be able to get those great circa-2004 looks by picking up a V3xx, but the old-skool units appear to be on the verge of overstaying their welcome. Frankly, the writing's been on the wall there for a year, if not longer, so we're not sure that this is much more than a formality. We'll keep you updated on this one as soon as we here more.

[Thanks, Kal and Matthew]

It's a little behind schedule, but we're hearing that one of the two updated GSM BlackBerry Pearls, the 8110, is finally en route to Rogers dealers across Canada. While the 8120 features WiFi, the 8110 makes do with integrated GPS along with most of the other things that have made the revised models great: a redone keypad, external microSD slot, and integrated 3.5mm headphone jack, just to name a few. We're hearing it'll run $249.99 when purchased with a data plan on a 3-year contract, available in any color you like as long as it's dark blue.

[Thanks, Mightymouse]

In case you're too good (or too bad) for the original silver version, the previously outed pink variant of Verizon's BlackBerry Pearl 8130 is now available. Think of it as light red, if you will. Grab it for $199 on contract after rebate, and if you play your cards right (that is, sign up for a qualifying voice and data plan) you can pocket another $100.