On the Blackberry 8700c

I just retired my Blackberry 6280 today and replaced it with the spiffy new Blackberry 8700c. In case you are wondering, the "c" stands for "Cingular". Blackberry appends an operator code to their models (for example, "t" stands for T-Mobile, "v" for vodaphone, "r" for Rogers, "i" for Nextel, etc). I carry a Blackberry in additon to my personal phone.

I am one of those people who like to upgrade their cellphone every year (or sometimes, less). Personally, I am waiting for RIMM to settle their NTP suit so I can get a NOKIA with the Blackberry Client on it. Presently, Nokia has phones with Blackberry capability, but due to the NTP lawsuit, they will not sell them in the US. Of course, that is what E-bay is for, so you can get a grey market phone.

As I have had, at this point, the 8700c for all of 2 hours, I can give you my initial impressions:

The display screen is great! It is the first thing you notice when you turn on the unit. The display is bright and clear, and very sharp! I am used to the monochrome screens of the 6280 and the 7200 series, after all, who really needs a color display to read text emails, contacts and calendar appointments? With the 8700 series, have the options of selecting different themes and backgrounds. However, the great part about it is that, as I understand it, RIMM is going to add JPEG conversion support to BES (Blackberry Enterprise Server- the product that "runs" the Blackberries.) which will enable the opening and viewing of images on the handheld (gee, I can't wait for that, with my users downloading porn on their handhelds. Well, I guess better on the Blackberry then on their PC's, eh?). I also am under the impression that RIMM is going to add the ability to convert audio files to BES, so that you can listen to WAV voicemails (that is the intent) on your handheld. This functionality is not yet implemented on the current version of BES.

The form factor of the 8700c is a bit smaller then the 6280 and 7200 series. The size of the 6280 never seemed to bother me much, but smaller is better in some respects, and the smaller form factor does not in this case mean a smaller display. I will have to get out and use this pig a bit before I can say if the smaller size makes much of a difference. The form factor of the keys are also changed from the 6200/7200 series, and they are raised higher and are less rounded and more of a squarish shape. The keys are higher profile, and you can certainly notice that they are raised from the casing more then in previous models. The case does not appear as rugged as the older traditional handhelds, but I need to stress this is just an observation. I beat the heck out of my mobile devices, and it's just a matter of time before I discover how rugged this design is.

Additionally, the 8700 has support for

• MP3 and polyphonic ringtones
• MMS messaging
• bluetooth
• quad band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS
• EDGE
• Speakerphone

Yes! EDGE support! No more painfully slow internet on the Blackberry! In case you don't know what EDGE is, it is a protocol that allows for better/faster/larger data transfer to your Blackberry or other mobile phone. It is a good thing to have, and it's about time RIMM got on the EDGE bandwagon.

Quad-band means that this phone is suitable for international travel, and you will have a higher likelyhood of it working overseas than a phone that is not quad-band. If you are a road warrior, you want to have quad-band. Even if you do not travel internationally, a quad-band phone can allow you to have better reception in certain areas.

A lot of people like the bluetooth support, but I am ambivilant about bluetooth for headsets on mobiles. Most bluetooth headsets that I have seen or used are just plain ugly, and I really don't want to have to bother with another device that routinely needs to be charged, as well as having the clutter of another charger lying around on my desk. I'll take a wired earpiece any day over a bluetooth one (well, at least until the day I find a bluetooth headset that doesn't make you look like the freakin' Terminator, and has a standby/talk time of weeks, and doesn't use its own charger- USB maybe?).

On the other hand, the speakerphone is a feature I can't live without. I always carry a Nokia as my personal phone, and for me, the speaker phone feature is a must. Three cheers for RIMM adding a speakerphone!

OK, this is quite a rambling review. So what's the bottom line? You've got your quad-band, your bluetooth, EDGE support, speakerphone and your nice and shiney color display. Pile that on top of what a Blackberry does (real-time e-mail synchronization, calendering, contact list etc etc.) and it is pretty darn spiffy. However, if given a choice, I would probably want something along the lines of a Siemens SK65. Or even better yet, I would want my Nokia 6680 to have the Blackberry capability.