BlackBerry Thunder Photograph Leaked?

Just weeks after rumors began circulating about BlackBerry setting to release its first touch screen device to rival the Apple iPhone, reported photos of the device have emerged, though BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion (RIM) still won't confirm the device or plans for its release exist.

The device, codenamed BlackBerry Thunder, is Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM's rival to the iPhone. While the Thunder isn't expected to boom until sometime in the third quarter, a retailer calling itself Horizon Wireless has released what it says are photos of the device that has BlackBerry addicts frothing at the mouth with anticipation.

Horizon also claimed to be taking pre-orders for the rumored device, despite it not being officially announced.

Horizon's photo shows a picture of a device, however, the image is blurred making it nearly impossible to tell what the picture is actually detailing. Shortly after the image surfaced, Horizon took it down. However, popular device and gadget blogs like the Boy Genius Report have kept the image alive.

There has been no confirmation from RIM whether Horizon's shot is an actual picture of the looming Thunder or whether it's a rendition or Photoshop job.

The Thunder is already being billed as an iPhone killer, based solely on speculation fueled by the blogosphere. Early renditions of the device show a handheld very similar to the iPhone, with the noticeable absence of BlackBerry's trademark QWERTY keyboard. Word is the Thunder is just a large screen with four buttons: send, end, BlackBerry and a back key. Early information indicates it supports 3G -- EVDO Rev C -- and GSM HSPA for international use.

Rumors of a pending touch-screen BlackBerry started in earnest earlier this year when RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie said RIM would consider releasing a touch-screen device if there was customer demand.

A touch-screen device would put BlackBerry in head-to-head competition with Apple's iPhone, which today is expected to get a makeover and likely the 3G treatment itself. BlackBerry is among many device makers rolling out their own iPhone clones as they jump on the touch-screen bandwagon to get their hands in Apple's cookie jar.

A touch-screen device from BlackBerry would fall in line with its recent path of blurring the lines between business and consumer devices. BlackBerry's recent device releases, including the BlackBerry Bold, BlackBerry Curve and BlackBerry Pearl, have shown that BlackBerry is looking to move beyond just mobilizing email and applications and is looking to include more consumer-centric multimedia functions like a camera, video, a music player and GPS.