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| Home >> Handheld & PDA Reviews: BlackBerry Pearl 8100 Smartphone, Sapphire Blue (T-Mobile, Phone Only, No Service) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Like the BlackBerry 7105t, the BlackBerry Blue 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 modified QWERTY keyboard onto the handset's slim frame. Each button on the keyboard shares two letters and the unit automatically determines which letter you intend to type one based on what it believes you're trying to spell. This unique predictive text technology--known as SureType--makes the handset's diminutive size possible. SureType also learns the words you use most often, further enhancing your typing speed. The BlackBerry Blue Pearl sports a large 240 x 260 screen that supports more than 65,000 colors--plenty of real estate to view your e-mails, Web browser content, messaging sessions, and attachments. The venerable BlackBerry trackwheel, meanwhile, 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 that lets you take high-quality pictures wherever you roam. Other design details include a microSD memory card slot inside the device (behind the battery), a standard 2.5mm headset jack (the Blue Pearl includes a headset), and a mini-USB port for data connectivity. Calling Features The Blue Pearl also offers a number of T-Mobile-specific features when combined with the right service plan, including myFaves support, which delivers unlimited any-network calling to your choice of five people, and quad-band worldwide support (850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz), which helps the phone function in every country where T-Mobile offers GPRS service. Messaging, Internet, and Tools If your company has a BlackBerry Enterprise Server installed, you can take advantage of the power of wireless calendar synchronization with the Blue Pearl. Your calendar events are exchanged wirelessly and automatically so that your desktop calendar and BlackBerry handheld calendar are synchronized. In addition, your Outlook meeting requests, changes, and updates are designed to synchronize instantaneously with your desktop, making it a breeze to make meeting requests, invite new attendees, and more. And users without BlackBerry Enterprise Server aren't out of luck, as you can manually sync the Blue Pearl with your desktop calendar and contacts via Bluetooth or USB using the included BlackBerry Desktop Software. As with most smartphones, the Blue Pearl lets you access the Internet from the palm of your hand, with an integrated Web browser, up-do-date stock quotes, news readers, weather reports, and more--all at fast speeds thanks to support for T-Mobile's EDGE high-speed data network. Instant and wireless messaging are also built into the Blue Pearl, with support for AOL, Yahoo, and ICQ instant messaging as well as SMS text messaging. Plus, users can receive and forward MMS messages. Imaging and Entertainment Vital Statistics What's in the Box User Submitted BlackBerry Pearl 8100 Smartphone, Sapphire Blue (T-Mobile, Phone Only, No Service) ReviewsDate: 2008-09-17 Don't buy into the hype. This "smartphone" is a dumb buy. If you have not yet bought a Pearl, then don't. I've had this almost two years and I can't wait till my contract is up so I can chuck this POS into a recycling box! Why? #1 Poor durability (and I'm easy on phones). I had this phone for a month when the button that holds the batter cover on popped off. It's a piece of plastic with a tiny spring the size of a toenail clipping. Somehow this was my fault and this sort of defect didn't fall under the manufacturer's warranty. AT&T, the Company I bought it from, would do nothing. OEM (The manufacturer) offered to repair it for $90 dollars! AT&T offered to SELL me a new phone for $199 (when I got it free with a 2 year contract). Both Companies' best suggestion was to buy a silicon cover for the phone to hold the batter back on. Also, the chrome like paint on the phone wore off within 6 months of using it. C'mon people! #2 This phone interferes (makes that buzzing sound) REALLY loudly with any audio device. More than any other phone I've owned. So if you want the convenience of using your USB cable to charge it on your laptop or pc, mute your speakers, or you'll be sorry. Also GREATLY interferes with car stereos, TV speakers, PA systems, and etc. #3 I am equally disappointed that bluetooth headphones are not any option for this phone because the Pearl doesn't use the new technology that most, if not all, of the stereo headphones do. The headphones available for this phone are junk, and there is no good off brand alternative either. I've tried every adapter electronics store sell. #4 Make sure your cellular carrier has a REASONABLE data plan for blackberry. AT&T only has the "blackberry data plan" that costs a minimum of $39.00 in addition to your minute plan. You cannot use the blackberry feature without this plan. This doesn't include using your blackberry as a wireless modem, that costs extra and you are limited on how much date you can use. (Don't go over unless you're prepared to take out a second mortgage.)Not useful as a personal organizer unless your willing to spend over $100 a month for a cellphone bill. Seriously, this has been a thorn in my side, rather than a helper (which is why I bought a Blackberry). Date: 2008-08-22 Great Price for a Blackberry with so many options! I bought the Blackberry Pearl 8100 in navy and it looks sleek and I like the pearl 8100 much better than the regular blackberry because it is slim,easy to carry around not so bulky like the bigger version. They call it the "pearl" becasue there is a roller ball, kind of like a mouse thats opaque and lit up & it allows you to easily scroll through your phone easily. You will have to contact your service provider to set up your email, AND your voicemail account, & sometimes I hear an echo when I talk, as if Im in a whole...but that is about the only cons. It takes FANTASTIC pics for a phone and allows you to zoom, crop, take in b&W and sepia. I recommend this phone for anyone ages 8 to 80, they will Love it AND the wide variety of accessories it has and the colors it comes in. I have my service through TMobile so I got this phone for a very good deal. its really a great buy! Date: 2008-03-24 Compact Smartphone I bought this phone because it was free with an instant rebate. If anyone out there is looking for a deal I would recommend shopping here in Amazon. So far I haven't had any problems with using the phone. If you are looking for a compact smartphone I would recommend the BB Pearl. The only downside I have is the small keypad but you get used to it afterwards. My plan with T-mobile is also far more cheaper than when I was with Verizon.
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