In today's MarketWatch article entitled RIM hopes to create its own buzz, Research In Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie seems to be all but admitting the much-anticipated BlackBerry 8700 will be announced this week.

Article author Bambi Francisco notes that Balsillie tells her that RIM will be announcing "the most 'substantive' architectural-design changes," and that this announcement would be later this week.

Code-named Electron, the BlackBerry 8700 appears to sport these design changes.

RIM will announce their Fiscal Year 2006 second quarter results tomorrow at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Just so happens that Balsillie will participate in the call.

When I combine the substance of what Balsillie tells MarketWatch with RIM's demonstrated tendency to make big announcements during - or on the same day as - analyst and earnings calls, I am betting he'll announce the BlackBerry 8700 tomorrow. Or maybe RIM will announce it earlier in the day and Balsillie will explain just what is "substantively" different about this device.