RIM BlackBerry Bold 9900 (photos)

Announced at BlackBerry World 2011, the RIM BlackBerry Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Bold 9930 will launch this summer worldwide. T-Mobile has already said it will offer the BlackBerry Bold 9900 later this year as its first 4G-capable BlackBerry. No word yet on other carriers or pricing. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the GSM version, and the BlackBerry Bold 9930 is dual-mode (CDMA/GSM) model.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 keeps the Bold's familiar QWERTY design but brings the addition of a 2.8-inch, VGA touch screen, as well as NFC technology and a 1.2GHz Snapdragon. The smartphones will also run BlackBerry 7 OS, which promises to deliver faster graphics and browser performance.

Research in Motion said the new Bold is its thinnest BlackBerry yet. It measures 4.53 inches tall by 2.59 inches wide by 0.41 inch thick and weighs 4.58 ounces.

Addition features of RIM's revamped mobile platform include support for augmented reality apps and 720p HD video recording. The Bold 9900/9930 will have a 5-megapixel camera with that capability.

Though some of the hardware and software upgrades are welcome and very much needed, is it enough for RIM to compete with the iPhones and Android devices of the world?