It’s always a lot of fun for us — and hopefully for you, the readers — any time we can run wild with pictures, news, and even reviews of an unannounced handset. Today, however, RIM spoiled our fun and formally announced the BlackBerry Bold 9700. Things like carriers, release dates and pricing have been withheld for the time being, but RIM has made a statement saying that we should all expect to see the BlackBerry 9700 go on sale “around the world beginning in November.” Spec wise, nothing has changed since our pre-release review, but just in case some of you forgot or weren’t paying a whole lot of attention, here’s a quick refresher on the critical specs:

• BlackBerry OS 5.0
• 624MHz CPU
• 256MB flash memory and support for microSD cards up to 32GB
• Quad-band UMTS/HSDPA (800/850/1900/2100 MHz) or tri-band UMTS/HSDPA (900/1700/2100 MHz)
• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g with UMA support (carrier dependent)
• A-GPS
• 2.44″ HVGA+ display
• 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash
• Optical trackpad
• Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP/AVCRP
• 1500 mAh battery
• 6 hours of talk time and 17 days of standby (3G)
• 109mm x 60mm x 14.1mm, 122g

In short, this is the BlackBerry device of your dreams. We’re expecting pretty much every single major GSM carrier on the planet to pick up the 9700 sooner or later, so we’ll be sure to keep the updates coming. As always, high res pics and a few other odds and ends are available after the jump.

UPDATE: AT&T, Rogers and T-Mobile have announced they will be carrying the Bold 9700 in the weeks ahead. AT&T and T-Mobile’s 9700 will go for $199.99 after a $100 MIR on 2-year deals while Rogers will be asking for $299.99 on a 3-year contract with a monthly minimum voice and data plan of $45. Bell and TELUS have yet to come forward with pricing but have confirmed they will be carrying the device.

It looks like another little lamb is joining the Stefani-Rossdale household. People magazine reports that Douglas Rossdale, the father of

former Bush singer Gavin Rossdale, confirmed that the couple are expecting their second child.

“They and the whole family are delighted,” the elder Rossdale reportedly told the magazine. British tabloid newspaper The Sun reported that the singer is 13 weeks pregnant, although a spokesperson for Stefani could not be reached for comment at press time. Stefani, 38, and Rossdale, 40, are the parents of Kingston Rossdale, who will turn 2 in May.

“He is a great lad,” gramps Rossdale said, according to People. “And we are very much looking forward to another grandchild.”

It is not clear how or if the pregnancy might impact work on No Doubt’s first new studio album in seven years. The rest of the group have been working on tracks, largely without Stefani, since 2006.

After two straight solo albums from Stefani, fans of No Doubt were hoping that a new album from the long running group was on tap, especially after the group staged a surprise hometown reunion in Orange County last summer when Stefani’s band mates joined her on stage for the first time in three years. [LINK 1563286] While Stefani toured the world in support of her second solo effort, The Sweet Escape, the rest of No Doubt have been busy working on the new tracks and in June, guitarist Tom Dumont said they had plenty of songs ready, which he described as “instrumentals looking for words.”

The last time Stefani was pregnant, she announced it during a concert in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida during one of her shows, when she told the crowd, “I want you to say it loud enough so the baby hears it!”