Comments on: Is The BlackBerry 8800 A “Bit Of A Dud”?

By: John

John — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 01:21:16 +0000

The trackball sux, period. Give me an 8700 with thumbwheel any day of the week. I might want a trackball if Atari Centipede ever makes a comeback … but otherwise they can keep it.

By: j.a.

j.a. — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 13:21:34 +0000

I live in a country where CDMA Blackberries are the only available, so the only models we have here are 7250 & 7130e. Personally I use a 7250 and yesterday I had the opportunity to test a friend’s 8700 from Cingular. No matter that this model has better look and a beautiful color display, I felt it less strong than my 7250.

I have read that 8700 feels stronger than 8800, there fore after using a 7250, I can’t imagine how flimsy it is.

By: BusinessUser

BusinessUser — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 02:24:21 +0000

One is constrained to point out that there a places of employment which prohibit cell phones that have cameras. While cameras seem to be the sine qua non for many phone consumers, some of us business types need a phone/pda combo sans the gizmos that have no real business uses (eg cameras, mp3 and eve gps all have minimal impact on a business phone — though the latter does have business uses it is not the decider for a phone for me and many other users but I NEED, for business reason, to be able to get to my cell PHONE at work and cannot have it prohibited for the toy camera.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 19:59:33 +0000

I played around with the 8800 in the store today. Gotta say–at least from a hardware perspective–not impressed at all. I thought the keyboard was abysmal. I’m sure it’ll sell to the business user, which this is so obviouly aimed it. As a funny aside, though, my wife works for a big financial company, and they all just got brand new Cingular Blackberries….. 8700s!! I wonder how many companies looking to upgrade are more inclined to opt for the now-discounted 8700 instead of the 8800? One other thing: treoLover made an interesting point regarding WiFi: it really doesn’t mean much to VZW user w/ EVDO. I guess it means more to the person using EDGE. Anyway, my verdict? DUD!

By: treoLover

treoLover — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 17:48:49 +0000

I’m with Phreqd on this one. Why is wifi so desired? EVDO speed seems adequate (from my Treo 700) and is available most everywhere. Please don’t start a BB vs. Treo war or Verizon vs. Cingular war here. That’s not my intent. I’m a BB fan but had not seen a viable alternative (for my particular needs) to the Treo until hearing of the 8800 due out on Verizon this spring. I’d be interested in comments from former Treo 700 users who have since tried the 8800..

By: Phreqd

Phreqd — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:55:39 +0000

I’m with Jim. Love mine and it’s the best phone I own. I already have wi-fi on my pda and you’re limited to the places you can receive a signal. So I didn’t care if this had it. Over the last three years I have had a camera phone. And during that time I only took 4 pictures. I don’t miss it at all on the 8800. If I want pictures that look good, I bring a camera. I get a lot of people who admire the looks of the 8800. I’d recommend it to anyone and I’m please with all I can do with it.

By: Jim Macs

Jim Macs — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 03:41:06 +0000

i just love mine. it’s the best device i’ve ever owned. and i’ve owned many. many.
a dud? because it doesn’t have some features yet? no camera, ok, personally, i don’t like phone cameras. no wifi. wifi would be nice, but next time. wifi is not the end all.
i guess the first blackberry was a dud too – black and white lcd, not even gprs….

By: Chace B.

Chace B. — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 17:23:26 +0000

Agreed justelise & BBB.

No company is perfect though. I think RIM will learn from its mistakes and also better time it’s releases.

e.g. 8100 (cam), 8800 (gps, no cam), 8300 (gps, cam, wifi), 8820 (gps, wifi, no cam).

I think the timing and order can make quite a difference between what is considered “flop” and what is considered “genius”.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:33:04 +0000

The BlackBerry 7130g on Rogers came out last year, and then 6 months later the Pearl came out. The 7130g was the EDGE/Intel Xscale upgrade of the 7100g, but it didn’t have OS 4.2 on it. It also didn’t have a camera.

You could say that the 7130g was a dud, as well. But it’s still being sold to the suits who cannot have a camera, but want a bar phone rather than an 8700.

I suspect, 6 months from now (or sooner) that the new device with the camera and wifi will be out and available for sale, just like what they did with the Pearl.

I wouldn’t call it a dud.