First touchscreen BlackBerry unveiled

On Tuesday night, RIM officially introduced the first touchscreen BlackBerry to the world: the RIM BlackBerry Storm.

Also known by its code-name, BlackBerry Thunder, the Storm's features include a touch-sensitive display, dual-mode functionality, integrated GPS and BlackBerry OS 4.7.

The device will be available through Vodafone in the UK and Verizon Wireless in the US.

The touch-sensitive display is unlike any other touchscreen smartphone on the market, including the Apple iPhone, T-Mobile G1 and Samsung Omnia. RIM has developed something called ClickThrough, which consists of a suspension system that lies beneath the display, so when you select an application or enter text, you push the screen down as you would any other tactile button.