Ian Austen reporting on the new BlackBerry handed out to developers:

>Among the features missing on the prototype phones given to software developers was the ability to actually make phone calls or access wireless networks.

No word yet on whether these phones come with ethernet cables, all we know is that:

>“The reason why we’re doing this — which is unprecedented for us and it’s quite uncommon in the industry — is because we want to create a wave of application support behind the new BlackBerrys before we bring them to market,” Mr. Saunders said in an interview on Friday at a RIM office here where much of the new operating system was developed. “If we launch without applications, well, it will be slow.”

Ah, whatever I am sure developers will get cracking on developing for the phone that can’t get on the internet, wait what’s that you say:

>The incompleteness of the phone only becomes apparent when it is switched on. Most notably, it is still missing the on-screen interface that will be offered to consumers, which Mr. Saunders said developers would see this summer.

Oh, now that’s just sad.