RIM BlackBerry 7230 (T-Mobile)

Research in Motion's (RIM) early attempts at mating its popular wireless e-mail device/PDA with a cell phone didn't turn out as well as the company had hoped. But the BlackBerry 7230, RIM's first color-screen model, is a different story. Offered by T-Mobile in the United States for a reasonable $400, the 7230 combines a GSM/GPRS world phone, a PDA, and wireless e-mail capabilities in a slim, 4.8-ounce unit that doesn't require an earbud to talk on. The only potential drawback is T-Mobile's service; if the carrier's GPRS coverage is not widespread in your area, you'll have a tough time getting e-mail on the go.

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Some jokingly refer to the 7230 as a BlueBerry rather than a BlackBerry because of its blue casing. A bit shorter and thicker (4.4 by 2.9 by 0.94 inches) than RIM's stalwart 957, the unit is compact for a smart phone; male buyers will probably wear it clipped to their belts using the included swiveling holster.

Compare to other s Compare selected select BlackBerry 7290 Editor's rating: 3.5 out of 5 select BlackBerry 8700c Starting at $200.00 Editor's rating: 4.0 out of 5 select BlackBerry 8700g Starting at $350.00 Editor's rating: 4.0 out of 5 select BlackBerry Curve 8520 - black - Refurbished Starting at $0.00 Editor's rating: 3.5 out of 5 David Carnoy Hunkered down in New York City, Executive Editor David Carnoy covers the gamut of gadgets and writes his Fully Equipped column, which carries the tag line "The electronics you lust for." He's also the author of "Knife Music," a novel that's available at Amazon, bn.com, and as a Kindle, iBooks, or Nook e-book. Follow @DavidCarnoy User Reviews See all user reviews Average User Rating 3.5 stars out of 55 user reviews Rating Breakdown 5 star: 15 4 star: 19 3 star: 15 2 star: 3 1 star: 3 My Rating 0 stars click stars to rate product Most Helpful User Review 1.0 stars 9 of 10 users found this review helpful "it's not a phone - several people in our company have ditched it" Jan 12, 2005, 5:36 pm By Pros It checks email. We got them cheap. It doesn't crash much Cons The phone features are absolutely horrible and the ergonomics are bad as well. it takes over 5 seconds to grab a number from my SIM card (who wants to sort through over 1000 contacts when you've got the important numbers on the SIM). The escape button is Most Recent User Reviews (Showing 2 of 55 reviews) 4.0 stars "does it have wifi" Aug 18, 2010, 4:37 am By cheekykim 4.0 stars "Great for people who just need no fus, no frills email access!" Oct 26, 2007, 4:04 pm By mal_web Thanks for your submission! Thank you for helping us maintain CNET's great community. Write a Review Quickly sign in with: or Log in or create an account to post a review. You are logged in as . Please submit your review for RIM BlackBerry 7230 (T-Mobile) 1. Rate this product: 0 stars 2. One-line summary: (10 characters minimum) Count: 0 of 55 characters 3. Pros: (10 characters minimum) Count: 0 of 250 characters 4. Cons: (10 characters minimum) Count: 0 of 250 characters 5. Summary: (optional) Count: 0 of 15000 characters Add Your Opinion The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited. Click here to review our site terms of use. Where to Buy Pricing not available Sponsored Premier Brands on CNET BlackBerry Sprint Phones T-Mobile Samsung Mobile Where to Buy Pricing not available Cell Phone buying advice Buying a cell phone is more than a matter of choosing a handset--you also have to pick a service provider, or carrier, as well. Each carrier in the United States offers a different selection of technologies and services, so it's important to think about your needs when making a choice. In this guide, we will provide you with all the necessary tools for making the best choices for your needs. Read our guide | Cell Phone finder Recently Viewed Products My Lists My Software Updates Promo Log In | Join CNET Follow: Close Like Us / Follow Us CNET on Facebook Follow @cnet