Product Description

You'll be amazed at the small, sleek form factor of the BlackBerry Pearl. It's like no other BlackBerry. But it's more than just a new look. This BlackBerry delivers everything its predecessors delivered and a whole lot more. The BlackBerry Pearl offers new features never before seen in a BlackBerry like, a 1.3 mega pixel camera, voice recognition, and an MP3 player to name a few. Try it for a few hours and you are hooked!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #477 in Cell Phone Accessories
• Color: Black
• Brand: BlackBerry
• Model: 8100

Features

• 1.3 mega pixel camera to capture those special moments
• MP3 player lets you listen to your favorite music on the go
• Menu and escape keys on the front of the device for easier access
• Bluetooth technology lets you experience hands free and wire free features
• Package Contents: phone,AC adapter,software CD,headset,USB cable,sim- card,get started poster,reference guide

Amazon.com Product Description
This major update to the popular 7105t brings the BlackBerry experience to a whole new level. The BlackBerry 8100 Pearl is not only thinner and lighter, it also sports a memory card slot, a music player, and voice dialing. Other features, such as Bluetooth 2.0, EDGE high-speed data, and the popular SureType keypad make this a complete mobile office solution. And of course, legendary BlackBerry push email is fully supported on the BlackBerry 8100 Pearl.

The SureType keypad makes the BlackBerry 8100 Pearl's diminutive size possible. Learn more about the handheld. You can also see it in 3D.

A 1.3-megapixel camera is housed in the back.

Design
Like the BlackBerry 7105t, the BlackBerry 8100 Pearl is a departure from the form factor of previous BlackBerry devices. This BlackBerry handset is far more phone-like, and RIM's engineers have managed to fit a QWERTY keyboard onto the handset's slim frame. Each button on the keyboard shares two letters and the unit automatically determines which letter is the intended one based on what it predicts you are trying to spell. This unique predictive text technology, known as SureType, makes the BlackBerry 8100 Pearl's handset's diminutive size possible. SureType also learns the words you use most often, further enhancing your typing speed.

The BlackBerry 8100 Pearl sports a large 240 x 260 screen that supports over 65,000 colors-- plenty of real estate to view your e-mails, Web browser content, messaging sessions, and attachments. The venerable BlackBerry trackwheel has been replaced on this model with an innovative four-way trackball placed below the screen. On the rear of the handheld, you'll find a 1.3-megapixel camera and a self portrait mirror. The handheld's microSD memory card slot is located inside the device, behind the battery. There's also a standard 2.5mm headset jack that can be used with the included headset, as well as a mini-USB port for data connectivity.

Calling Features
All the calling capabilities folks have come to expect in a wireless phone are present in the BlackBerry 8100 Pearl. The handset's speakerphone makes it easy to use the device hands-free, or if you prefer, you can use a wireless headset via the BlackBerry 8100 handheld's built-in Bluetooth capability. A vibrating alert, speed dial, and a contacts list/address book (limited only by the unit's 64 MB of internal memory) are also included. Any of the phone's 32 included polyphonic ringtones can be used to create caller-specific ringers, so you can know who's calling without having to look at the handset. More ringtones are available from T-Mobile's t-zones mobile Web service. A new feature, speaker independent voice dialing, allows you to call contacts with the sound of your voice. No prior voice training is required; you can just say a contact's name to call them.

Messaging, Internet, and Tools
While the BlackBerry 8100 Pearl is a different kind of BlackBerry device, it still delivers the legendary BlackBerry e-mail experience. With BlackBerry service plans from T-Mobile, you can receive e-mails instantaneously from up to 10 e-mail accounts (personal and enterprise). With BlackBerry push technology, you don't need to retrieve your e-mail. BlackBerry devices are designed to remain on and continuously connected to the wireless network, allowing you to be discreetly notified as new e-mail arrives. Support is also built-in for viewing e-mail attachments (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, WordPerfect, and PDF formats).

If your company has a BlackBerry Enterprise Server installed, you can take advantage of the power of wireless calendar synchronization. Your calendar events are exchanged wirelessly and automatically so that your desktop calendar and BlackBerry handheld calendar are synchronized. All your Outlook meeting requests, changes, and updates are instantaneously synchronized instantaneously with your desktop. Make meeting requests, invite new attendees, and more, all on your BlackBerry 8100 Pearl. Users without BlackBerry Enterprise Server support can manually sync with their desktop calendars and contacts via Bluetooth or USB using the included BlackBerry Desktop Software.

Use the BlackBerry 8100 handset's Web browser to access the Internet from the palm of your hand. Browse Web sites, get up-to-date stock quotes, read the latest news, check weather reports, and more--all at fast speeds, thanks to support for T-Mobile's EDGE high speed data network. Instant messaging and wireless messaging are also built into the BlackBerry 8100 Pearl. The handheld supports AOL, Yahoo, and ICQ instant messaging, as well as SMS text messaging. MMS messages can be received and forwarded.

The BlackBerry 8100 Pearl ships with a number of tools, including a calculator, a calendar, an alarm, and a to-do list.

Imaging and Entertainment
The BlackBerry 8100 Pearl really kicks the fun up a notch with the inclusion of a 1.3-megapixel camera that features an LED flash and white balance controls. How about some music? The handheld's music player supports playback of your tunes in MP3, AAC, AAC+, and eAAC+ formats. The handheld is also compatible with Java application and game downloads (available via the t-zones service).

Vital Statistics
The BlackBerry 8100 Pearl weighs 3.16 ounces and measures 4.2 by 2.00 by 0.57 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3.5 hours of digital talk time and up to 360 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies. The phone comes with a one-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews

Great Phone but some quirks
This is the first phone I've had of this kind (s'appelle "smartphone"), but the battery life is bad when using for email, texts, calls, browsing, etc... when using all day. I don't know if that is the nature of the beast, because I haven't had a phone of this caliber before, but my impressions are that it is a battery drainer. No tech problems at all and it is an all around an awesome phone for any purpose.

Don't buy into the hype. This "smartphone" is a dumb buy.
If you have not yet bought a Pearl, then don't. I've had this almost two years and I can't wait till my contract is up so I can chuck this POS into a recycling box!

Why?

#1 Poor durability (and I'm easy on phones). I had this phone for a month when the button that holds the batter cover on popped off. It's a piece of plastic with a tiny spring the size of a toenail clipping. Somehow this was my fault and this sort of defect didn't fall under the manufacturer's warranty. AT&T, the Company I bought it from, would do nothing. OEM (The manufacturer) offered to repair it for $90 dollars! AT&T offered to SELL me a new phone for $199 (when I got it free with a 2 year contract). Both Companies' best suggestion was to buy a silicon cover for the phone to hold the batter back on. Also, the chrome like paint on the phone wore off within 6 months of using it. C'mon people!

#2 This phone interferes (makes that buzzing sound) REALLY loudly with any audio device. More than any other phone I've owned. So if you want the convenience of using your USB cable to charge it on your laptop or pc, mute your speakers, or you'll be sorry. Also GREATLY interferes with car stereos, TV speakers, PA systems, and etc.

#3 I am equally disappointed that bluetooth headphones are not any option for this phone because the Pearl doesn't use the new technology that most, if not all, of the stereo headphones do. The headphones available for this phone are junk, and there is no good off brand alternative either. I've tried every adapter electronics store sell.

#4 Make sure your cellular carrier has a REASONABLE data plan for blackberry. AT&T only has the "blackberry data plan" that costs a minimum of $39.00 in addition to your minute plan. You cannot use the blackberry feature without this plan. This doesn't include using your blackberry as a wireless modem, that costs extra and you are limited on how much date you can use. (Don't go over unless you're prepared to take out a second mortgage.)Not useful as a personal organizer unless your willing to spend over $100 a month for a cellphone bill.

Seriously, this has been a thorn in my side, rather than a helper (which is why I bought a Blackberry).

Burned by T-Mobile, dishonest lying company!!!
This is not a review for the phone which is probably great. This is a rant about T-Mobile. T-Mobile had lied to me when I was going to the Carribean with my Black Berry. The Representative had told me that I would be charged according to the data used and instead signed me up for BB International Roaming, which is $19.99. The service had never worked, I wasn't able to recieve or send email, but this is not what this is about. Four months later I had opened a bill, which I usually don't do since the bill is paid automatically every month, and discovered that I am being charged $19.99 for the past 4 months. Manager at T-Mobile insisted that there's nothing that they can do regardless of the fact that I am being charged for the service that never been used. The Manager did not even attempt to accomodate me in any way, no partial credit offer, not even for one month, not even free text messages for next month.
T-Mobile is out there to take advantage of you. They take no responsibility for lying to their customers and charging them for services not provided.
Avoid T-Mobile