BlackBerry Pearl 8100c Phone, Red (AT&T) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros:
- Sleek enough to be perceived as a regular cell phone and yet comfortable for browsing and mail checking
- Highly intuitive OS and Menu
- Track ball is a welcome change
- Nice screen
- All the typical blackberry functionality available.
- A lot of other features that can be expected from a smartphone, such a camera, MP3 player, Calendar, PC sync, etc...
- This quasi-qwerty keyboard takes a day or two to get used to but the "suretype" software works sooooo well that you will be amazed. In about 90% of the typing I do on this phone, It works just like a normal qwerty keyboard. Entering names and web addresses at times requires manual intervention, otherwise the software takes care of everything. You have to try it to believe it.
Cons:
- Supports only EDGE. 3G is definitely faster and it becomes strikingly painful when you are trying to do a lot of information searching in a small period of time, mostly when you are on the road. But for the most part, it does its job
- Battery life. Nothing to brag about but then I heard that other phones in the category have worse battery performances. So, I guess I will have to live with it. I am sure if I search the web, I can find articles on how to minimize battery usage. On less than moderate use, it lasts about 2 days.
- The headset that comes with it is a joke. And the headphone jack is not a standard one. So, if you actually want to use it as an MP3 player, you have to purchase the converter for the jack for $15 approx and then use your headphone with it. I personally view this as a very cheap tactic.
Overall, it is a great phone. But I am already getting over the crackberry addiction and have stopped checking my gmail on this every 10 mins. I might even drop the data plan altogether :-). And can't complain about the price either.
Nothing has happened yet for me to vouch for its toughness and build quality but I am guessing it won't be built as tough as my old Nokia 8260.
I took a star away for the minor qualms mentioned above in the cons.

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This major update to the popular 7105 brings the BlackBerry experience to a whole new level. The BlackBerry 8100c Pearl is not only thinner and lighter, it also sports a memory card slot, a music player, and voice dialing. Other features, such as Bluetooth 2.0, EDGE high-speed data, and the popular SureType keypad make this a complete mobile office solution. And of course, legendary BlackBerry push email is fully supported on the BlackBerry 8100c Pearl.
DesignLike the BlackBerry 7105, the BlackBerry 8100c Pearl is a departure from the form factor of previous BlackBerry devices. This BlackBerry handset is far more phone-like, and RIM's engineers have managed to fit a QWERTY keyboard onto the handset's slim frame. Each button on the keyboard shares two letters and the unit automatically determines which letter is the intended one based on what it predicts you are trying to spell. This unique predictive text technology, known as SureType, makes the BlackBerry 8100c Pearl's handset's diminutive size possible. SureType also learns the words you use most often, further enhancing your typing speed.
The BlackBerry 8100c Pearl sports a large 240 x 260 screen that supports over 65,000 colors--plenty of real estate to view your emails, Web browser content, messaging sessions, and attachments. The venerable BlackBerry trackwheel has been replaced on this model with an innovative four-way trackball placed below the screen. On the rear of the handheld, you'll find a 1.3-megapixel camera and a self portrait mirror. The handheld's microSD memory card slot is located inside the device, behind the battery. There's also a standard 2.5mm headset jack that can be used with the included headset, as well as a mini-USB port for data connectivity.
Calling FeaturesAll the calling capabilities folks have come to expect in a wireless phone are present in the BlackBerry 8100c Pearl. The handset's speakerphone makes it easy to use the device hands-free, or if you prefer, you can use a wireless headset via the BlackBerry 8100c handheld's built-in Bluetooth capability. A vibrating alert, speed dial, and a contacts list/address book (limited only by the unit's 64 MB of internal memory) are also included. Any of the phone's 32 included polyphonic ringtones can be used to create caller-specific ringers, so you can know who's calling without having to look at the handset. The unit comes with built-in ringtones, and more ringtones are available from Cingular's MEdia Net mobile Web service.
A new feature, speaker independent voice dialing, allows you to call contacts with the sound of your voice. No prior voice training is required; you can just say a contact's name to call them.
Messaging, Internet, and ToolsWhile the BlackBerry 8100c Pearl is a different kind of BlackBerry device, it still delivers the legendary BlackBerry email experience. With BlackBerry service plans from Cingular, you can receive emails instantaneously from up to 10 email accounts (personal and enterprise). With BlackBerry push technology, you don't need to retrieve your email. BlackBerry devices are designed to remain on and continuously connected to the wireless network, allowing you to be discreetly notified as new email arrives. Support is also built-in for viewing email attachments (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, WordPerfect, and PDF formats).
If your company has a BlackBerry Enterprise Server installed, you can take advantage of the power of wireless calendar synchronization. Your calendar events are exchanged wirelessly and automatically so that your desktop calendar and BlackBerry handheld calendar are synchronized. All your Outlook meeting requests, changes, and updates are instantaneously synchronized instantaneously with your desktop. Make meeting requests, invite new attendees, and more, all on your BlackBerry 8100c Pearl. Users without BlackBerry Enterprise Server support can manually sync with their desktop calendars and contacts via Bluetooth or USB using the included BlackBerry Desktop Software.
Use the BlackBerry 8100c handset's Web browser to access the Internet from the palm of your hand. Browse Web sites, get up-to-date stock quotes, read the latest news, check weather reports, and more--all at fast speeds, thanks to support for Cingular's EDGE high speed data network. Instant messaging and wireless messaging are also built into the BlackBerry 8100c Pearl. MMS messages can be received and forwarded (Cingular messaging charges apply).
The BlackBerry 8100c Pearl ships with a number of tools, including a calculator, a calendar, an alarm, and a to-do list.
Imaging and Entertainment The BlackBerry 8100c Pearl really kicks the fun up a notch with the inclusion of a 1.3-megapixel camera that features an LED flash and white balance controls. How about some music? The handheld's music player supports playback of your tunes in MP3, AAC, AAC+, and eAAC+ formats. The handheld is also compatible with Java application and game downloads (available via the MEdia Net service).
Vital Statistics The BlackBerry 8100c Pearl weighs 3.16 ounces and measures 4.2 by 2.00 by 0.57 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3.5 hours of digital talk time and up to 360 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies. The phone comes with a one-year limited warranty.

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