AT&T to release BlackBerry Curve 8300 this Friday

BoyGenius says that "all signs point" to a BlackBerry Curve 8300 release by AT&T this Friday.

Features, at least according to BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion:

• Phone, email, text messaging (SMS and MMS), browser, instant messaging and organizer applications in a single smartphone
• 2 megapixel camera with built-in flash
• Next-generation media player with audio and video playback in a variety of formats
• High capacity battery
• Preloaded with BlackBerry Maps application
• Trackball navigation system
• Dynamic, highly responsive experience when viewing attachments and graphics, browsing the web and running applications
• Full QWERTY keyboard
• Bluetooth headset, hands-free and serial port profiles supported
• High resolution LCD screen with light sensing technology
• Polyphonic and MP3 ringtones
• 64 MB of memory and expandable memory via microSD card
• Quad-band support for 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS and EDGE networks

But you know something? Given the previous retail channel distribution difficulties AT&T predecessor Cingular Wireless had with the BlackBerry Pearl, here's betting it will take a week or two for the Curve to be widely available at those mall outlets.