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Alltel recently announced it would soon join fellow carriers Sprint and Verizon Wireless in launching the RIM’s first BlackBerry Pearl model, the 8130, for CDMA operators. It plans to add the new smartphone to its handset lineup in time for the holidays. You can sign up to find out exactly when the Pearl 8130, which will go for run $150 after a $100 mail-in rebate, goes on sale.

For over a year, you could only get the BlackBerry Pearl through GSM carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T Wireless, leaving customers of operators like Verizon, Sprint and Alltel out of luck. That changed this fall with RIM's introduction of the Pearl 8130.

The new Pearl supports CMDA carriers’ EV-DO 3G data networks, far faster than the 2.5G EDGE technology used by Pearls from the GSM operators. It also integrates GPS to support location-based services.

The Pearl 8130 measures 4.2 x 1.97 x .55 inches and weighs 3.4 ounces, slightly heaver than the GSM Pearl, the 8100, which only hits 3.1 ounces.

RIM says the Pearl 8130's battery last 9 days in standby to the 8100's 15 days and 220 minutes of talk time, the same as the GSM version.

As with the 8100 the 8130 sports a microSD expansion slot. It supports the SDHC variety of microSD card, which currently top out at 4GB and will someday reach 32GB. There's also 64MB of internal Flash memory.

For picture and video there's a 2 megapixel camera with what RIM is calling an enhanced flash. There's a 3.5mm stereo headset jack and support for Bluetooth stereo audio.

Alltel will offer the Pearl 8130 in amethyst.