O2 has become the latest cellco to offer the Blackberry 8700 - Research in Motion's (RIM) latest offering - in the UK.

Like T-Mobile, O2 will offer the device as the 8700g. The machine is the first Blackberry based on an Intel processor, the XScale PXA901, and includes 64MB of Flash memory and 16MB of SDRAM. Crucially, the 8700 supports the EDGE bandwidth-boosting extension to GPRS. It's also a quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) device. It's got a 320 x 240, 65,536-colour LCD, along with Bluetooth to support headset and data-synchronisation connections.

O2 said the device has a stand-by battery life of up to 16 days and offers four hours' talk time.

Orange was first to bring the 8700 to Europe, pitching the 8700f to French buyers in November 2005. Earlier this month, RIM and Spain's Telefónica Móviles said the cellco would offer the 8700g in February. Vodafone Spain will also offer the machine as the 8700v. Orange said it would bring the 8700 to other European nations, including the UK, early in 2006.

T-Mobile is also offering the 8700g in Germany. ®