Inventing Interactive

The device that started it all, the Interactive Pager, introduced the world to thumb keyboards and thumb wheel scrolling to navigate its 132-by-65 pixel screen. It ran on the Mobitex data-only network. RIM launched the device in 1997.

End of the Silent Era

In 2002, RIM introduced its first voice-capable devices, which transmitted data over GSM/GPRS cellular networks. Some models in the 6000 series had monochrome screens as large as 160 by 160 pixels.

In living colour

In 2003, RIM moved to colour screens for its 7200 series. The top-of-the-line 7290 model had breakthrough quad-band capabilities, 32 MB of memory and Bluetooth connectivity.

The consumer is always right

Meanwhile, RIM's 7100 series was the first BlackBerry to target the consumer market. It broke with the device's historical form factor to mobile phone-like dimensions by replacing the QWERTY keyboard with SureType predictive text technology that paired characters on a single key.

A Pearl of a phone

In 2006, RIM went all-in on the consumer market, aggressively marketing consumer features on a number of different model lines. The Pearl ditched thumb wheel tracking for its eponymous spherical navigation tool.

Throwing a Curve

The BlackBerry Curve, meanwhile, boasted a full-QWERTY keyboard in a more traditional, though sleeker, BlackBerry profile. Like the Pearl, it had many consumer-oriented features, including a camera, MicroSD storage, polyphonic ring tones and a media player.

A Bold move

The BlackBerry Bold continued RIM's trend toward consumer devices. The trackpad navigation in place of the trackball featured on the Pearl and Curve set it apart.

A brewing Storm

Research in Motion shocked die-hard thumb typists with the Torch, the company's first touchscreen BlackBerry. Many lamented the lack of a physical keyboard, and the clickable touchscreen interface got inconsistent reviews.

Carrying a Torch

The BlackBerry Torch combined the touchscreen interface for navigation with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, beloved of BlackBerry afficionados.