View source for Engineering:BlackBerry Electron

{{Short description|Smart phone series}}
{{Infobox Mobile phone
|image =
|caption = BlackBerry Electron 8703 by Sprint
|imagesize = 175
|name = BlackBerry Electron
|screen = 320 x 240 pixels, {{convert|2.6|in|mm}}
|display Colour   =	65K colors
|ringtone = Polyphonic Sound, ([[MP3]])
|memory = 64MB
|networks = CDMA, GSM
|connectivity = Bluetooth,  [[Engineering:USB|USB]] (with Mass Storage Mode support)
|network data connectivity = EDGE, GPRS
|dimension = 110 x 69.5 x 19.5 mm
|weight = 134 g
|battery = Talk time Up to 4 h, Stand-by Up to 450 h
|OS  	= BlackBerry OS
|processor = Intel PXA901 312 MHz processor
|messaging    = SMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging
|status      = Discontinued
}}

'''The BlackBerry Electron (8703/8700/8707)''' is a series of discontinued [[Engineering:BlackBerry|BlackBerry]] smart phone developed by Research In Motion Ltd and released in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blackberry.com/products/handhelds/demos/8700g_generic/8700g_generic.html|title=BlackBerry Electron 8700 official overview|author=|date=|publisher=Blackberry|accessdate=28 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619031241/http://www.blackberry.com/products/handhelds/demos/8700g_generic/8700g_generic.html|archive-date=19 June 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Electron use a mini-SIM.<ref name=":8">{{cite web|url=http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_8700c-1349.php|title=BlackBerry 8700c - Full phone specifications|date=|publisher=Gsmarena.com|accessdate=2015-02-18}}</ref>

==Launch==
The Blackberry Electron was announced in Q4 of 2004.<ref name=":8" /> It was formally launched in the fall of 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/15/blackberry_web_leak/ |title=Blackberry 'Electron' details appear on web |publisher=Theregister.co.uk |accessdate=18 February 2015}}</ref> The gross profit reported by RIM's income statement, as of March 2006 (about four months after the release of the Electron), was US$1.37 billion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Research_in_Motion_(RIMM)/Data/Income_Statement#Income_Statement |title=RIM: Income Statements, recent and historical, for BLACKBERRY Ltd |publisher=Wikinvest |date= |accessdate=2015-02-18 |archive-date=2016-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027055149/http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Research_in_Motion_(RIMM)/Data/Income_Statement#Income_Statement |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Manufacturing==
Most of the materials that make up the [[Engineering:BlackBerry|BlackBerry]] Electron and other [[Engineering:BlackBerry|BlackBerry]] devices, such as flexible circuit boards, were manufactured in {{wipe|China}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffreycarr/2011/01/13/do-you-know-who-manufactured-your-blackberry/ |title=Do You Know Who Manufactured Your Blackberry? |work=Forbes |date=2011-01-13 |accessdate=2015-02-18}}</ref>

==Hardware==
<ref name=":8" />

===Body===
Dimensions: 110 x 69.5 x 19.5&nbsp;mm (4.33 x 2.74 x 0.77 in)

Weight: 134 g (4.73&nbsp;oz)

Keyboard: QWERTY

===Display===
Technology: LCD Display

Resolution: 320 x 240 pixels

Color Depth: 16-bit (65K colors)

===Sound===
Alert types: Vibration; Polyphonic, MP3 ringtones

Loudspeaker: Yes

3.5 mm jack: No

===Memory===
Card slot: No

Internal: 64 MB storage, 16 MB RAM

===Battery===
Battery type: Lithium-Ion 1100 mAh battery.

Stand-by time: up to 450 hours

Talk time: Up to 4 hours

===Camera===
There is not a built in Camara

==Software==

=== Interface ===
The interface of the [[Engineering:BlackBerry|BlackBerry]] Electron is graphical and uses menus and icons for navigation.<ref name=":5">[http://docs.blackberry.com/en/smartphone_users/deliverables/1546/GSG_8700_BlackBerry_Zen.pdf]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030090357/http://docs.blackberry.com/en/smartphone_users/deliverables/1546/GSG_8700_BlackBerry_Zen.pdf|date=October 30, 2012}}</ref>

===Music and ringtones===
All 8700 series phones come with [[MP3]] [[Engineering:Ringtone|ringtone]] support.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=http://www.adamphones.com/news/index.php/2005/11/01/blackberry-electron-is-the-8700/|title=BlackBerry Electron is the 8700 &#124; Adam Phones News|date=2005-11-01|publisher=Adamphones.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218212449/http://www.adamphones.com/news/index.php/2005/11/01/blackberry-electron-is-the-8700/|archive-date=2015-02-18|accessdate=2015-02-18}}</ref> Also, saved songs can be played by clicking on the media icon.<ref name=":5" />

==Network==
The 3 versions of the Electron differed in network support {{En dash}} the original (8700) model supported Quad-band GSM (EDGE/GPRS). The 8707 (AKA "UMTS Electron") added 2100&nbsp;MHz UMTS 3G and the 8703 model was designed for US CDMA operators and supported both 850&nbsp;MHz and 1900&nbsp;MHz CDMA2K (EvDO/1xRTT) {{En dash}} the 8703 also has A-GPS support, which was not present on the GSM/UMTS variants. All variants have [[Bluetooth]], and [[Engineering:USB|USB]] facilities. The quad-band network (on the 8700 and 8707, but not the 8703) gave it an edge over its competitors, such as the [[Engineering:Palm Treo|Palm Treo]], as it was the best network available for international travelers in 2005{{En dash}}2006.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1009740/rim-readies-blackberry-electron |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006111318/http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1009740/rim-readies-blackberry-electron |url-status=unfit |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |title=RIM readies Blackberry Electron |publisher=The Inquirer |date=2005-09-14 |accessdate=2015-02-18}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120624225240/http://us.blackberry.com/smartphones/ BlackBerry Smartphones]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120619031241/http://www.blackberry.com/products/handhelds/demos/8700g_generic/8700g_generic.html BlackBerry 8700 Series]

{{Research In Motion phones}}

[[Category:Mobile phones with an integrated hardware keyboard]]

{{Sourceattribution|BlackBerry Electron}}