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Cell phones > Expert reviews > BlackBerry Pearl-8120 Titanium
BlackBerry Pearl-8120 Titanium Review - Introduction
Editor Rating:   4.34 4 4 5 5 4 About a year and a half ago I reviewed the RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8100 for T-Mobile. I didn’t really like it all that much, mainly because the keyboard was a bit small for my hands and thumbs, I found the OS ugly and the handset itself felt a bit cheap to me. Now T-Mobile’s gone and sent me their new Pearl, the 8120, and I took to testing and reviewing it with an open mind.
Seems both the phone and the reviewer have grown up just a little bit in those 18 months or so. While the 8120’s still not the best fit for my large-ish hands and thumbs, this time around I appreciated its combination of diminutive size and large feature set a little bit more. As consumers demand more and more Web, Email, and Media functionality from their handsets, it’s really great to see a device that does it all while retaining the size and shape of a good old fashioned cell phone. The 8120 improves on the 8100 in a few ways, most notably by integrating a WiFI antenna for fast Web browsing and access to T-Mobile’s HotSpot@Home calling plan. $10/month gets you unlimited voice calling anywhere there’s an open WiFi network - great for extra minutes (and improved reception) at home and on the road. A few other upgrades make this new Pearl noteworthy, as well. Now if only RIM could make the BlackBerry OS look like it was designed during the current millennium. Okay, it’s not that bad ... but it seriously is in need of a makeover. Especially in the area of system fonts. Some of the Pearl’s menu screens really remind me of the VAX terminals my high school used for its library card catalogue system back in the late ‘80s. Reviews by manufacturerVerizon Wireless, Sprint PCS, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, LG, Sanyo, HTC, Palm, BlackBerry, Sharp, Pantech, BenQ, Apple, Eten, o2Wednesday, June 04, 2008Does the push email work with just the Wifi? Or do you have to buy BB service? Friday, May 09, 2008good Don't forget to submit your entry for the "PhoneDog Days of Summer" Giveaway! Win one of over 30 of the hottest new cell phones - no registration, no spam! Just PhoneDog sharing some goodies with our visitors & loyal fans! Thanks and keep the comments coming! Video: BlackBerry Pearl 8120 for T-Mobile video review Video: Unlocked #5: Motorola Z9, BlackBerry 8120, Nokia N82 and SE K850i BlackBerry Pearl-8120 Titanium in-depth review - At a Glance BlackBerry Pearl-8120 Titanium in-depth review - Design & FeaturesPerhaps the best thing about Pearl is how it packs all of the functionality of its big brother, the BlackBerry Curve, into a device that’s the size and shape of a standard candybar phone. Small and slim enough to tuck into a pocket, Pearl doesn’t feel like a smartphone when you hold it or carry it around. It looks like a regular ol’ cellphone, not some uber-geeky device (or traditional BlackBerry) - at least until you glimpse at all those buttons on the front panel. Pearl’s...BlackBerry Pearl-8120 Titanium in-depth review - Usability & PerformanceI tested the Pearl 8120 on T-Mobile’s GSM network in the San Francisco Bay Area, and also used the device for UMA calling on the WiFi networks at my house, in my office, and in a few hotspot locations. Pearl’s performance on voice calls was generally excellent, with only minimal complaints of background hiss from the people I talked to. The UMA functionality boosted call quality - particularly in locations like my house where T-Mobile reception is less than full strength - and...BlackBerry Pearl-8120 Titanium in-depth review - ConclusionRIM did a lot to bring the smartphone to a mass market with the introduction of the BlackBerry Pearl a few years ago. Combining their legendary Email support with trackball navigation, a media player and camera, and a compact form factor made the Pearl an instant success and spawned its big brother, the Curve, for those who needed a bigger keyboard along with all those consumer-friendly goodies. This latest wave of Pearls improves upon the originals in small but meaningful ways, and...Unboxing and hands-on: RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8120 for T-Mobile T-Mobile and RIM announce BlackBerry Pearl 8120 |
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