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RIM BlackBerry Pearl - black (AT&T)

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Full user review

  • 10 out of 13 people found this review helpful

    4.5 stars

    "Wow. Best phone I have owned to date."

    by sherryzbs on December 8, 2006

    Pros: Compact, easy to use, good battery life, many features

    Cons: Track ball takes some getting used to. Keys are a little small.

    Summary: I have owned alot of phones and always stuck with the flip phone variety as I was afraid of making those unintentional calls to friends b/c I would forget to engage the key lock.

    I took the plunge and escaped the flip and am really enjoying this one.

    Track ball interface - This was very different for a phone. there is a little translucent ball in the center of the face that is used like a mouse. Unlike the scroll wheel you can move in 2 dimensions around the screen which makes it much faster to get thru a large number of icons. Clicking the ball acts as the selector. This was a little hard to get used to, but it is a very functional concept.

    Reception - Much better than my Razr v3. Also, doesn't make phones/radios buzz when it's about to ring like the Motorolas.

    Screen - Very bright, great contrast and color, plays video in decent quality - Auto dimming at night. Keypad light only comes on if light level is low.

    Dialing and phone function - All blackberry functions as usual.

    There is a 1.2 mpix camera, takes decent shots. A gimick for me, but I believe it's the first blackberry with a camera. Shots can become you're phone background or be sent easily in e-mail/messaging.

    Voice dialing. I was expecting the old train each contact procedure, but was pleasently surprised when I selected the voice dial feature and the phone asked me to "say a command" I instinctively said "Call Home" and it located my home number and asked for a confirmation "yes/no" command before dialing. Works well with bluetooth headset as well. After trying a few more names I found that the systems works pretty well!

    Makes use of Cingulars PTT (Push to talk) features. I have not tried this, but it seems like an advanced version of Nextel's walkie talkie feature.

    Quad band - Works out of the US no issues.

    Edge compatible - Has the high speed wireless capability. I have not tried the tethering feature that enables you to use the phone as a high speed modem for you're laptop, but the feature is there.

    Expandable memory with micro-SD.

    Case and construction - The case does not easily scratch though I will be getting a decent holster for the phone. The phone is pretty light weight, I prefer phones that feel a bit heavier, so the construction comes off as being a little fragile. It has been on one trip from my hand to the ground and did survive, but I wouldn't do this on a regular basis.

    Drawbacks:
    -Keys are a bit small.
    -Must remove battery to get to Micro-SD expansion slot.
    -Not as heavy as I'd like.

    Overall this is the best phone I have owned to date. It's ease of use, features, battery life are good. The trackball interface is a very good alternative to a touch screen that can scratch easily. All blackberry functions are as on other models they do the same good job with their mail and typing interface.

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