Blackberry 8100 - Expert Reviews

Review summary: A trackball, a camera, and an MP3 player are among the handy additions that make this Research In Motion's best BlackBerry yet.

Verdict: I can't count how many times I told Jim Balsillie, one of the two chief executives of Research In Motion (RIMM), that his company's popular BlackBerry wireless calling and paging device was missing one crucial feature: a camera. The BlackBerry has evolved

Award: Recommended!

Review summary: A great piece of hardware, backed up by BlackBerry's legendary services.

Verdict: The Pearl has its faults, but classy design combined with push email make it a very desirable piece of kit. If you need a device for writing short messages, Internet browsing and voice calls, it's a superb fit.

Review summary: There are times when smaller is not necessarily better, such as when cell phone makers try to shoehorn every conceivable technology into their cell phone despite all of the restrictive...

Pros: Blackberry push/pull e-mail functionality; GSM EDGE/GPRS quad-band world compatibility

Cons: MicroSD slot behind battery; no Blackberry jog wheel; no standalone MP3 application; confusing menus

Review summary: This sleek cell phone adds a serviceable camera and multimedia features to BlackBerry's already terrific e-mail capabilities.

Pros: Stellar messaging capabilities Adds a camera

Cons: Lacks a full QWERTY keyboard Keys can be difficult to press

Verdict: None of the new features on the Pearl are earth-shattering; most smart phones have offered music players and cameras for some time. And the phone has rough spots in audio quality and key design. Nonetheless, when you combine its well-executed features wit

Review summary: The BlackBerry Pearl is designed with both consumers and business professionals in mind with its blend of multimedia features and reliable access to e-mail.

Pros: Slim and sexy design, Lightweight, BlackBerry's email and business functionality, Multimedia capabilities, Inclusion of a camera, Quadband, Flash memory and microSD card, New consumer focus

Cons: No 3G connectivity, No QWERTY keypad, No Wi-Fi, Poor camera quality

Verdict: Consumers that have already been lured by the BlackBerry's popular email functions will love the new-look Pearl, but may be disappointed when comparing it to other high-end consumer devices with 2-megapixel cameras and Wi-Fi connectivity.