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| RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Features » Gallery » |
 With the BackBerry Pearl Flip 8220, RIM has another winner on its hands, and after spending some time with the new polished interface on this lightweight flip phone, we have to say we like it even more than the standard candybar Pearl, which is a tall order. The phone isn't the prettiest, in fact we found the shell to be a bit goofy looking. But as soon as we turned it on and so the rich contrast on the bright screen, as soon as we typed on the wider, more solid SureType keypad, we knew that this would be a compelling device. The interface is still bogged down with long, textual menus, and the Web browser won't win any iPhone converts, but T-Mobile has endowed this phone with a great feature list, including Wi-Fi calling and more messaging options than you'll find almost anywhere else. Plus, it upholds the BlackBerry's great battery life reputation, though we would have given up an hour or two of talk time for some 3G networking. Release: October 2008. Price: $50.
Pros: Great new BlackBerry user interface. Lightweight phone. Good battery life. Great messaging features, especially for IM fans.
Cons: Interface improvements don't go deep enough (especially in the calendar). Poor Web browser for a modern smartphone. Call quality could be better.
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Mediocre |
71%
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| RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8110 (AT&T) |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Features » Gallery » |
_it00.jpg) It has been more than a year and a half since the first RIM BlackBerry Pearl launched, the device has changed little, at least visually. The design is still the same, and though we've always appreciated the SureType keyboard and the slim design, the OS needs a serious upgrade, and even the trackball isn't as amusing as it once was. We liked having GPS on a Pearl, but the Verizon Wireless and Sprint BlackBerry Pearls both have navigation, with 3G networking to boot. Still, even though there is little to recommend AT&T's BlackBerry Pearl 8110 over the others, it's still a competent smartphone and not a bad choice, even though there are better choices around. Release: April 2008. Price: $100.
Pros: Slim BlackBerry Pearl, now with GPS. Very good battery life. Navigation software looks better than competitor's.
Cons: Same Pearl, different model number. OS and older apps need visual update. Web browser renders messy pages. Lacks 3G networking.
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Mediocre |
66%
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Very good |
Excellent |
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| RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Sprint) |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Features » Gallery » |
_it00.jpg) The Sprint BlackBerry Curve 8330 is a slight but significant improvement over the Verizon Wireless version of the same phone, thanks to the additional apps that Sprint has thrown in. On Sprint's Curve, we found plenty of instant messaging options, including GTalk, our favorite, as well as the Facebook app for BlackBerry. We also liked Handmark's Pocket Express, which didn't quite excuse the poor Web browser, but did make information gathering more pleasant. Best of all, the Sprint BlackBerry Curve 8330 retains the excellent battery life and improved scheduling capabilities we've come to appreciate on this device. Right now, this is probably the best BlackBerry on the market, as well as the best multimedia smartphone Sprint has to offer. Release: May 2008. Price: $200.
Pros: Comes with more useful apps than competitor. Best-in-class battery life. Loads of messaging options. Comes with more useful apps than competitor. Best-in-class battery life. Loads of messaging options.
Cons: Web browser is subpar. Call quality could sound better. Media transfer software would be nice. Web browser is subpar. Call quality could sound better. Media transfer software would be nice.
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Mediocre |
74%
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Excellent |
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| RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Verizon Wireless) |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Features » Gallery » |
_it00.jpg) Without improving much, RIM has managed to maintain the BlackBerry Curve's status as a compelling device. The interface on Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Curve 8330 is more polished and clean looking than the original model, and the menus are a bit shorter and less daunting. The calendar has been cleaned up, and the media interface has been slightly improved. Otherwise, the Curve 8330 on Verizon packs all the standard BlackBerry features, which is a good thing, but we'd still like to see more. Other carriers, especially Sprint, are more likely to pack extra IM clients onto their BlackBerry devices, and we'd like to see an improved Web browser, like the Opera browser, make it's way to this device. But for calling features, battery life and even navigation, this phone is hard to beat. Release: May 2008. Price: $50.
Pros: Best looking BlackBerry yet, with a polished interface. Excellent battery life. Sharp navigation sensor.
Cons: Keyboard kind of small. Call quality could be better. Web browser renders messy pages. Camera horrendous.
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Mediocre |
69%
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| RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8120 (T-Mobile) |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Features » Gallery » |
_it00.jpg) The BlackBerry Pearl is ultimately a likable phone, and one we've had no trouble recommending. For such a small smartphone, it has plenty of features, and presents them in a way that is easy to follow for new smartphone users, clearly its target audience. The Pearl 8120 on T-Mobile is a great addition to the Pearl lineup with its UMA calling. We like any option that improves reception and cuts calling costs in one fell swoop. We'd like it even more if the phone had the 3G networking and GPS navigation of its competitor cousins, but for many customers, the HotSpot @Home service will be an even smarter option than those features. Release: April 2008. Price: $200.
Pros: UMA calling is a cheap and convenient. Slightly improved hardware design.
Cons: Interface polished, but not much improved. Lacks impressive media playing and Web browsing options.
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Mediocre |
67%
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Very good |
Excellent |
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