Spotify announced on Wednesday that its BlackBerry client is now out of beta and officially available for download. Spotify is a free ad-supported desktop music service that allows its users to listen to any song they want, provided it has been licensed by Spotify. Users who want to take advantage of the service’s mobile features, which include offline caching and access to the full Spotify library, must pay a $10 monthly subscription fee. We’re fans of Spotify here at BGR so we highly recommend BlackBerry users give it a try. The download is free (remember, you’ll need a monthly plan to use it, though) and accessible from the BlackBerry App World now. The catch? You’ll need to own one of five BlackBerry models (BlackBerry Bold 9780, Bold 9700, Curve 9300, Bold 9000 or Curve 8520) in order to use the app, which means it looks like CDMA users are being left out in the cold for now.

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We’ve known for the longest time that Rogers will soon be releasing the wallet friendly BlackBerry Curve 8520, but up until now we’ve (or anyone, for that matter) been unable to figure out the exact release date and pricing of one of the worst kept phone secrets in recent memory. The release date, as tipped off by Best Buy, is apparently October 9th, while the same source also indicates that the 8520 will be unreasonably expensive. We’ve no major qualms with the $499.99 non-contract price (other than it’s a rip-off and $200 more expensive than the $299 USD T-Mobile customers pay) but $99.99 on contract when the Pearl Flip 8220 is $9.99? That’s just not right, now is it. Anyway, hit the jump for some screenies.

Thanks, ILLIONAIRE!

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In case anyone had doubts that Rogers is on the cusp of releasing the BlackBerry Curve 8520, Rogers dealerships across the country have just begun receiving literature for RIM’s latest low-cost QWERTY smartphone. No surprises were included with the official documentation, but the appearance of the literature so early indicates that Rogers might be planning to push out the 8520 ahead of schedule. If this is the case, it’s likely because Rogers doesn’t want to draw attention away from the Bold 9700, which still seems to be on track for a release before November.

We recently told you that both the Curve 8520 and the Bold 9700 were entered in Rogers’ upgrade system, and now the former can finally be found in its natural habitat — and by natural habitat, we mean leaked shots on BGR. Currently running OS 4.6.1.274, the Rogers 8520 appears to have escaped from one of RIM’s manufacturing plants without having been horribly disfigured by physical branding. We think it would be foolish to assume this will be the case once the device launches, but at least there’s hope. You know the drill; hit the jump for a couple more pics.

Thanks, Guiscard!

Get ready, BlackBerry adoring Canadians, because both the Bold 9700 and Curve 8520 have popped up in Rogers’ upgrade system. There’s no official word yet on when we’ll see both devices launch, although the smart money is that the Curve will come sometime in early October followed by the Bold in late October (this could change at any moment). As for how much they’ll run for is even more of a guessing game, but we would imagine the Curve will be heavily discounted (likely under $100) while the Bold should go for around the same price as the Bold 9000 which should go down in price. Good stuff. Hit the jump for some larger pics.

Thanks, ILLIONAIRE!

Sorry Walmart, it looks like your time in the sun was over before it began — at least as far as the BlackBerry Curve 8520 is concerned. Not really of course, since Walmart presents the handset to an entirely new range of consumers across the country, but you know what we mean. We spilled the beans on 8520 pricing from Walton’s legacy ages ago and it has been the talk of the town ever since. Fast forward to launch day however, and we find that Amazon has swooped in to smash Walmart’s $49 price all over the floor. How does 1¢ on contract without ever having to leave your couch sound? Yeah, we thought so.

Thanks, Aravinda!

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Hmmm. Here you are thinking, “Wow, I really want one of those sweet new BlackBerry Curves with an optical sensor trackpad and that slim, sleek body — I’m just not sure what to pay!” $49? $130? $49? $130? The decision is difficult indeed, but it’s time to get cracking folks. The Curve 8520 is now live and ripe for the picking on T-Mobile’s site. You can either cough up $130 and then sit back and relax while Tmo rushes it to your doorstep, or you can get up off your couch and snag one from your neighborhood Walmart for $49. In either case, if cheap is the route you’re looking to go you’ll end up with a sexy entry level BlackBerry handset and Tmo’s insanely competitive $10 BIS plan (well, unless you’re on a BES). The only question is whether saving $81 is worth not having to deal with moving, traffic, Walmart or human contact in general. We’ll just go ahead and call Tmo’s ballooned pricing a recluse tax.

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Yeah, we’ve already confirmed that the BlackBerry Curve 8520 will be dropping on T-Mobile next month but while the Tour trolls are occupied with a flurry of new fodder, why not take a moment to enjoy it once again? Mmmmm, optical trackpad. T-Mobile customers are often forced to wait what seems like ages for hot new devices so it’s always nice to see what looks like a timely release shaping up. Today, another piece of the puzzle slides into place as the sleek little handset receives the FCC’s blessing. Yay. So, T-Moblers, is the Tour going to be enough to pull you away from Tmo or will you be showing off your budget, optical trackpad-rocking 8520 with Pink pride? Cu, Cu, Curve?

[Via Cell Phone Signal]

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We just got our hands on an internal T-Mobile roadmap that is specifically for Walmart stores. This indicates what devices Walmart will carry, when, and at what price. Lucky for us, there’s some good stuff on here! Starting off is the BlackBerry 8520 — a device that’s not too new to us. What is new however, is that the launch date seems to be much earlier than reported. How does July sound? How does $78 for pricing sound with a drop to $48 a few months later? Thought so! While we get the rest of the goodies together, take a look at the first actual computer image of the BlackBerry 8520 after the break!

It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything about the much-rumored BlackBerry Curve 8520, codenamed Gemini, but there’s no question that when it rains it pours. We showed you what now appears to be an early prototype back in March and gave you some preliminary specs, but it looks like quite a few things have changed since that image was snapped. Namely, it got itself an optical trackball. CrackBerry got a hold of some new shots and this little guy could definitely be shaping up to give 8900 owners a healthy dose of buyer’s remorse. Beyond what we’ve already reported — and the optical ball of course — the Curve 8520 is going to hit the streets with dedicated media buttons, Curve branding and a rubberized finish surrounding the metal battery cover. It will indeed lack 3G as we reported but maybe the allure of an optical trackball is enough to compensate. Hit the jump for a few more shots.

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