RIM BlackBerry 8100 Smartphone
- Screen Size (Diagonal): 2.2 inch
- Installed Memory: 64 MB
- Operating System: BlackBerry OS
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB, WiFi
- Performance: Quad Band
- Design: Mobile
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BlackBerry Pearl - For the Younger Generation In Our House
Pros
Friends & Family Plan Compatible; Small & Lightweight; Durable; Great Reception; Great Color Screen
Cons
Not for Large Hands
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Not for someone who just wants to make telephone calls, this is a powerful PDA that has so much to offer.
OUR EXPERIENCE
We just updated the entire family's handsets getting ready to add the Friends and Family Plan to our T-Mobil Service. It was necessary because none of our old phones were compatible with this service. Our youngest son, a freshman at college, was currently using a T-mobile aka Danger Sidekick II and wanted to stay with something similar. After researching all the available options, all costing in the $200-$300 range, the BlackBerry? Pearl™ 8100™ became the obvious solution at $199 after rebate. Still a hefty chunk of change, it was a grown up version of his SideKick and I felt an investment in his future and hopefully a phone/PDA he could use once he graduated and got a J*O*B!
PLAYTIME AKA MEDIA MANAGER
There are plenty of things for him to do in his downtime. There's an MP3 player – download music from the optional Blackberry internet service or attach via a USB port to your computer. Support file types are MIDI, MID, SP-MIDI, SMF, MP3, M4A, AAC, GSM6.10 AND WAV.
Photos can be moved from your Media Manager to your computer via a USB cable or via your Blackberry email (if you subscribe). The picture file types that are supported are: JPEG, GIF, BMP, and PNG. This is a feature he uses often – photos are very important to him and he snaps them often and uses them in his address book. This camera does have a flash which works somewhat well within 3-5 ft. It also has a zoom. Again, within 3-5 feet.
It plays small AVI files well, larger ones not so well. This isn't a feature we use often.
EMAIL & INTERNET
With the optional email & internet account through T-mobile, my son has access to so much more. Blackberry has it's own Blackberry email so you can access your network mail at work, Yahoo, AOL or Gmail, or just about any other email address you like. He did lose his Sidekick T-mobile address which we didn't realize came with his sidekick so there wasn't time to send out a notice, but luckily he uses Yahoo as well. He decided this time to stick with Yahoo instead of using T-mobile's email to avoid a similar situation when disconnecting again.
BLUETOOTH
It's Bluetooth enabled for wireless headsets but he thinks it's weird looking and doesn't talk while driving his moped around campus so it's not a necessity for him. Others may find this a very useful feature.
SIZE, DURABILITY, & DESIGN
Size: 4.2 x 2.0 x 0.6 inches Weight: 3.1 ounces - Yes, it's that small! Too small? Not for my 5' 11" 150 pd son, but it's not for everyone. Someone with big hands will not enjoy this.
The screen is slightly recessed into the body giving some sense of security from scratches. The first thing I purchased was a carrying case that had cutouts for all of the buttons below and a screen cover. Even though it feels durable, we didn't want to take any chances in it being dropped or the screen being scratched. It's three months old now and thanks to the case looks brand new. I highly recommend protecting your investment with a case that allows you to keep it enclosed while you use it.
The Blackberry has Convenience Keys on both the left and right side. The default settings for these are to initiate voice dialing with the left and the camera application with the right; however, the buttons can be customized to whatever applications you choose.
There is an additional pair of buttons on the right side to increase/decrease the volume and a headphone socket and mini-USB port on the left.
IT LEARNS!
It uses SureType software to make typing email a snap. With a word list of over 35,000 words and the ability to increase that list based on of use and the names and addresses in the smartphone's address book. It also has the ability to recognize character letter sequences that are common in the English language, such as "-ing". It uses also extracts words from your incoming emails and automatically adds them to your custom word list. It supports industry-specific word lists and has enhanced support for ambiguous words handling. Just type a letter and it will suggest the word you're trying to type.
KEYBOARD & LAYOUT
The keys on the Blackberry double as the keyboard. Each key also is two letters and above the keys is the trackball. All of these are very small. Someone with large hands will have a difficult time with them. My son has become so adept with them he can hold and type with one hand now (thumb typing). The trackball is used to move around the screen to select the applications, the keys to dial and type.
RECEPTION
He's in the middle of farmland…literally, and the reception is as clear as if he were next door. He has no complaints about dropped calls and as long as the signal is 2 bars or more he has great calling ability, both in and out. On this model, the antenna is built in and is locate in the bottom of the phone, near where your palm is. If you do experience bad reception, hold it with your thumb and second finger being careful not to wrap your palm around it. Because of its shape and size, it generally is most comfortable holding it this way naturally, so it's generally not a problem.
BATTERY LIFE
My son charges his phone every night. Mostly out of habit but also because he uses his phone all day text messaging and playing games. For anyone who uses theirs as he does, or uses the Bluetooth features, charging frequently will be necessary as they draw significant power. Additionally, charging with mobile chargers are not as reliable as home chargers so they should only be used occasionally. If you're finding your phone is not holding a charge check to see that the cord is fully connected, that you're using a wall charger, that the wall socket does have power, and be sure to leave the phone there until it's fully charged. Sounds like common sense, but you'd be surprised how many times people use a car charger exclusively.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Would I buy it again? For my son, absolutely. He has it in his hand all day long. It's absolutely perfect for him. He uses it for keeping in touch with family and friends now and hopefully in the future for finding and keeping a job. Would I purchase one for myself? Absolutely not. I don't need all the extra functionality. The phone I chose for myself and my husband has no camera, MP3 player, etc. It is money well spent for my son but the extra monthly fee of $19.99 for the Blackberry Unlimited Internet Plan which is in addition to his regular cell phone fee is something I wouldn't spend on myself. Oh, and the Friends and Family Plan that started all this? We never did switch to it because we found out we'd lose our in-network calling. Oh those little details in the fine print.
The BlackBerry Pearl features complete functionality, including:
•
BlackBerry? Maps
•
Camera
•
Media Player
•
Wireless Email
•
Organizer
•
Phone
•
SMS
•
MMS
•
Wireless Internet
Included Accessories
•
AC Adaptor
•
Battery
•
Stereo Hands-Free Headset
•
USB Cable
•
SIM Card
•
BlackBerry Desktop Software
Included battery: Li-Ion
Talk time: Up to 3.5 hours
Standby time: Up to 15 days
Band (frequency): 850 MHz;900 MHz;1800 MHz;1900 MHz
Feature Summary (BlackBerry? Pearl™ 8100™)
Specifications
•
Phone style: Bar
•
Quad-band world phone (850/900/1800/1900)
•
Battery: Rechargeable lithium ion – Secure crypto
•
Codecs: AMR, EFR, FR, HR
•
Display type: TFT
•
Supports over 65,000 colors
•
Display size: 240 X 260 pixels
•
Memory: 64 MB Flash ROM and 16 MB SRAM
•
Expandable memory: Micro SD cards sold separately
•
Phone book capacity: Dynamic, based on available 64 MB Flash memory
•
Operating system: BlackBerry OS/Radio 2.2
Call Management
•
Picture Caller ID
•
Ringer Caller ID
•
Speed dial/One-Touch dial (up to 13 speed dial entries)
•
Full Duplex speakerphone
•
Vibrate
•
Voice dialing: Capacity based upon number of entries in phone book
Camera
•
1.3 Megapixels
•
Resolution: 65,000+ colors
•
Video playback
•
Zoom: 1x, 3x, 5x
Connectivity
•
Bluetooth? Profile: version 2*
•
WAP and HTML browser: WAP 2.0, HTTP 1.1 (supports: WAP [1.0, 1.2.1, 2.0], HTML, WML, xHTML, XML)
•
GPRS: Class 10
•
USB support
•
USB mass storage
Messaging
•
E-mail client: Protocols supported: IMAP4, POP3, SMTP
•
Instant messaging: AOL? Instant Messenger™ (AIM?), MSN?, ICQ?, Yahoo!?, BlackBerry?
•
Picture messaging: Audio clips, graphics, photos, video clips
•
Text messaging: Concatenation support, predictive text, SureType
Organization
•
Alarm
•
Calculator
•
Calendar
•
Memo/Notepad
•
Phone book: Multiple numbers per name, address field, e-mail field, caller groups
•
To-do list
•
Voice memo
Personalization & Fun
•
Games: Brickbreaker (installed)
•
Downloadable games
•
MP3 player: Supported file formats: MIDI, SP-MIDI, MP3, WAV
•
Ringtones: Polyphonic, MegaTones?, HiFi Ringers?, MIDI, SP-MIDI, MP3, WAV
•
Themes: T-Mobile Zen, BB Dimension Icon, BB Dimension Today, BB Dimension Zen
•
Wallpaper
*The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by T-Mobile is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.
We just updated the entire family's handsets getting ready to add the Friends and Family Plan to our T-Mobil Service. It was necessary because none of our old phones were compatible with this service. Our youngest son, a freshman at college, was currently using a T-mobile aka Danger Sidekick II and wanted to stay with something similar. After researching all the available options, all costing in the $200-$300 range, the BlackBerry? Pearl™ 8100™ became the obvious solution at $199 after rebate. Still a hefty chunk of change, it was a grown up version of his SideKick and I felt an investment in his future and hopefully a phone/PDA he could use once he graduated and got a J*O*B!
PLAYTIME AKA MEDIA MANAGER
There are plenty of things for him to do in his downtime. There's an MP3 player – download music from the optional Blackberry internet service or attach via a USB port to your computer. Support file types are MIDI, MID, SP-MIDI, SMF, MP3, M4A, AAC, GSM6.10 AND WAV.
Photos can be moved from your Media Manager to your computer via a USB cable or via your Blackberry email (if you subscribe). The picture file types that are supported are: JPEG, GIF, BMP, and PNG. This is a feature he uses often – photos are very important to him and he snaps them often and uses them in his address book. This camera does have a flash which works somewhat well within 3-5 ft. It also has a zoom. Again, within 3-5 feet.
It plays small AVI files well, larger ones not so well. This isn't a feature we use often.
EMAIL & INTERNET
With the optional email & internet account through T-mobile, my son has access to so much more. Blackberry has it's own Blackberry email so you can access your network mail at work, Yahoo, AOL or Gmail, or just about any other email address you like. He did lose his Sidekick T-mobile address which we didn't realize came with his sidekick so there wasn't time to send out a notice, but luckily he uses Yahoo as well. He decided this time to stick with Yahoo instead of using T-mobile's email to avoid a similar situation when disconnecting again.
BLUETOOTH
It's Bluetooth enabled for wireless headsets but he thinks it's weird looking and doesn't talk while driving his moped around campus so it's not a necessity for him. Others may find this a very useful feature.
SIZE, DURABILITY, & DESIGN
Size: 4.2 x 2.0 x 0.6 inches Weight: 3.1 ounces - Yes, it's that small! Too small? Not for my 5' 11" 150 pd son, but it's not for everyone. Someone with big hands will not enjoy this.
The screen is slightly recessed into the body giving some sense of security from scratches. The first thing I purchased was a carrying case that had cutouts for all of the buttons below and a screen cover. Even though it feels durable, we didn't want to take any chances in it being dropped or the screen being scratched. It's three months old now and thanks to the case looks brand new. I highly recommend protecting your investment with a case that allows you to keep it enclosed while you use it.
The Blackberry has Convenience Keys on both the left and right side. The default settings for these are to initiate voice dialing with the left and the camera application with the right; however, the buttons can be customized to whatever applications you choose.
There is an additional pair of buttons on the right side to increase/decrease the volume and a headphone socket and mini-USB port on the left.
IT LEARNS!
It uses SureType software to make typing email a snap. With a word list of over 35,000 words and the ability to increase that list based on of use and the names and addresses in the smartphone's address book. It also has the ability to recognize character letter sequences that are common in the English language, such as "-ing". It uses also extracts words from your incoming emails and automatically adds them to your custom word list. It supports industry-specific word lists and has enhanced support for ambiguous words handling. Just type a letter and it will suggest the word you're trying to type.
KEYBOARD & LAYOUT
The keys on the Blackberry double as the keyboard. Each key also is two letters and above the keys is the trackball. All of these are very small. Someone with large hands will have a difficult time with them. My son has become so adept with them he can hold and type with one hand now (thumb typing). The trackball is used to move around the screen to select the applications, the keys to dial and type.
RECEPTION
He's in the middle of farmland…literally, and the reception is as clear as if he were next door. He has no complaints about dropped calls and as long as the signal is 2 bars or more he has great calling ability, both in and out. On this model, the antenna is built in and is locate in the bottom of the phone, near where your palm is. If you do experience bad reception, hold it with your thumb and second finger being careful not to wrap your palm around it. Because of its shape and size, it generally is most comfortable holding it this way naturally, so it's generally not a problem.
BATTERY LIFE
My son charges his phone every night. Mostly out of habit but also because he uses his phone all day text messaging and playing games. For anyone who uses theirs as he does, or uses the Bluetooth features, charging frequently will be necessary as they draw significant power. Additionally, charging with mobile chargers are not as reliable as home chargers so they should only be used occasionally. If you're finding your phone is not holding a charge check to see that the cord is fully connected, that you're using a wall charger, that the wall socket does have power, and be sure to leave the phone there until it's fully charged. Sounds like common sense, but you'd be surprised how many times people use a car charger exclusively.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Would I buy it again? For my son, absolutely. He has it in his hand all day long. It's absolutely perfect for him. He uses it for keeping in touch with family and friends now and hopefully in the future for finding and keeping a job. Would I purchase one for myself? Absolutely not. I don't need all the extra functionality. The phone I chose for myself and my husband has no camera, MP3 player, etc. It is money well spent for my son but the extra monthly fee of $19.99 for the Blackberry Unlimited Internet Plan which is in addition to his regular cell phone fee is something I wouldn't spend on myself. Oh, and the Friends and Family Plan that started all this? We never did switch to it because we found out we'd lose our in-network calling. Oh those little details in the fine print.
The BlackBerry Pearl features complete functionality, including:
•
BlackBerry? Maps
•
Camera
•
Media Player
•
Wireless Email
•
Organizer
•
Phone
•
SMS
•
MMS
•
Wireless Internet
Included Accessories
•
AC Adaptor
•
Battery
•
Stereo Hands-Free Headset
•
USB Cable
•
SIM Card
•
BlackBerry Desktop Software
Included battery: Li-Ion
Talk time: Up to 3.5 hours
Standby time: Up to 15 days
Band (frequency): 850 MHz;900 MHz;1800 MHz;1900 MHz
Feature Summary (BlackBerry? Pearl™ 8100™)
Specifications
•
Phone style: Bar
•
Quad-band world phone (850/900/1800/1900)
•
Battery: Rechargeable lithium ion – Secure crypto
•
Codecs: AMR, EFR, FR, HR
•
Display type: TFT
•
Supports over 65,000 colors
•
Display size: 240 X 260 pixels
•
Memory: 64 MB Flash ROM and 16 MB SRAM
•
Expandable memory: Micro SD cards sold separately
•
Phone book capacity: Dynamic, based on available 64 MB Flash memory
•
Operating system: BlackBerry OS/Radio 2.2
Call Management
•
Picture Caller ID
•
Ringer Caller ID
•
Speed dial/One-Touch dial (up to 13 speed dial entries)
•
Full Duplex speakerphone
•
Vibrate
•
Voice dialing: Capacity based upon number of entries in phone book
Camera
•
1.3 Megapixels
•
Resolution: 65,000+ colors
•
Video playback
•
Zoom: 1x, 3x, 5x
Connectivity
•
Bluetooth? Profile: version 2*
•
WAP and HTML browser: WAP 2.0, HTTP 1.1 (supports: WAP [1.0, 1.2.1, 2.0], HTML, WML, xHTML, XML)
•
GPRS: Class 10
•
USB support
•
USB mass storage
Messaging
•
E-mail client: Protocols supported: IMAP4, POP3, SMTP
•
Instant messaging: AOL? Instant Messenger™ (AIM?), MSN?, ICQ?, Yahoo!?, BlackBerry?
•
Picture messaging: Audio clips, graphics, photos, video clips
•
Text messaging: Concatenation support, predictive text, SureType
Organization
•
Alarm
•
Calculator
•
Calendar
•
Memo/Notepad
•
Phone book: Multiple numbers per name, address field, e-mail field, caller groups
•
To-do list
•
Voice memo
Personalization & Fun
•
Games: Brickbreaker (installed)
•
Downloadable games
•
MP3 player: Supported file formats: MIDI, SP-MIDI, MP3, WAV
•
Ringtones: Polyphonic, MegaTones?, HiFi Ringers?, MIDI, SP-MIDI, MP3, WAV
•
Themes: T-Mobile Zen, BB Dimension Icon, BB Dimension Today, BB Dimension Zen
•
Wallpaper
*The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by T-Mobile is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.
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