Unlike many other smartphone manufacturers, Research In Motion has found themselves in a unique position over the last few years. Since the launch of the iPhone, and the subsequent rise of Android, the company has been faced with a competition unlike any they have seen before. While Windows Mobile and Palm’s PalmOS were competitors in their own right, the landscape has changed drastically since 2007. But, RIM hasn’t budged much from their tried-and-true routine, releasing handsets with killer keyboards and a business-oriented appeal. Unfortunately, a lot of business people out there have turned to iOS and Android, leaving RIM to look at drastic changes not only in their hardware, but also their software.

Since the release of BlackBerry OS 6, it’s become obvious that Research In Motion knows they need to not only go after the business market, but the consumer market as well. The new mobile OS is still embedded in the business savvy of yester-year, but the new UI tweaks and touchscreen interface make it accessible and “fun” for the general consumer. What drags the whole show down is RIM’s lack of killer hardware, or more specifically, top-of-the-line internals. The BlackBerry Torch launched with spectacularly underwhelming hardware, so despite the fact it married a touchscreen experience with the BlackBerry hardware keyboard, it wasn’t enough to draw in new (or even a lot of old) customers.

But the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9930 looks to change things up for RIM, and for the better. While a lot of the specifications of the device are still unknown, it is known that the handset will launch with a touchscreen display with a resolution of 640x480, and under the hood there will be the newest version of BlackBerry OS 6, 6.1. If these specifications are any indicator, then it looks like RIM is ready to put some high-end stats in the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9930, and that means it could be a real contender for the limelight in the next few months.

Or, more importantly, it could mean that it’s the best BlackBerry smartphone available on the market. With the combination of a touchscreen, and that expansive BlackBerry hardware keyboard, it’s potentially the best of both worlds. And that means that the Bold Touch 9930 could be the perfect BlackBerry handset. While others may be trying to figure out tactile feedback on a touchscreen, RIM’s focusing on what they know: provide users with that killer keyboard, but give them a touchscreen experience that’s so desired in today’s market.

Then again, it could all come tumbling down if RIM doesn’t give the Bold Touch the specifications it needs. In today’s market, it’s all about the CPU and memory, along with any other physical specifications you can throw in there to wow the potential buyer. Dual-core processors, a lot of memory to store all those applications and media, and a display that boggles the eyes; all of these are things that people want, even when it comes to their business phone. And while the Bold Touch may not have a display that boggles the eyes, it’s certainly better than what we’ve seen in the past.

I’m in RIM’s corner here, and I hope that they’ve got the ability to launch a killer high-end device that puts them back on the map. But if the Bold Touch can’t do it, perhaps the Monaco will have a better shot at it. What do you think? Is the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9930 the perfect BlackBerry smartphone? Or is it just another device? Let me know in the comments below.