Alltel ships BlackBerry Pearl 8130 with GPS

Alltel has begun shipping its version of the BlackBerry Pearl 8130, the first CDMA-capable Pearl. The candybar design has all the features of the full version including true GPS, which can be used either through Resarch in Motion's own BlackBerry Maps feature or through a subscription to a service like TeleNav. Unlike Sprint or Verizon models, though, its music can be sideloaded through a custom program dubbed Jump Music instead of Windows Media Player or manually copying files, helping to justify the phone's microSDHC slot and cards over 8GB.

The 2-megapixel camera, 3G Internet access through EVDO, and native headphone jack remain in place from the fundamental design. Alltel carries the phone in black trim for $150 with a two-year plan but also offers it for $480 without any contract. The Pearl should be available both online and in shops as of today.