BlackBerry announced its Passport smartphone today and bet large that there are users who will want a qwerty physical keyboard with a wider, square, 4.5-in. display.

The new smartphone went on sale in the U.S. today at ShopBlackBerry.com for $599 unlocked. Several U.S. carriers, including AT&T, are expected to sell the device later this year for about $250 on a two-year contract, BlackBerry officials said. Amazon.com will also offer the smartphone although pricing wasn't disclosed.