Verizon, Sprint Go Bold, Global With BlackBerry Tour

Both Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. will soon take a Tour, as it were. The BlackBerry Tour, to be exact.

The device, arriving at the carriers later this year, is meant to be an EV-DO version of the popular 3G BlackBerry Bold that AT&T Inc. sells. But not just EV-DO: It’s also able to tap global networks by incorporating dual-mode CDMA/GSM technology.

That unique cross-standard capability may help it against AT&T, which has the new iPhone 3G S and global roaming capability thanks to its GSM network. However, it might also compete internally, against the Palm Pre at Sprint and the next-generation BlackBerry Storm touchscreen at Verizon.

The Tour will cost $199 after rebates.