Research In Motion and Hong Kong's CSL Limited have launched the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 smartphone in Hong Kong, the first BlackBerry smartphone to come in a cumbersome clamshell format.

"CSL has long been a carrier partner of RIM, bringing various BlackBerry smartphones to Hong Kong," said Aenil Premji, chief marketing officer of CSL. "With the launch of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone, we are happy to continue to work with RIM to bring more choice of BlackBerry models to customers."

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone is now available from CSL's 1O1O and one2free, a mobile operator in Hong Kong.