Cell Phones, Editor's Picks, BlackBerry, Reviews, Holiday Gift Guide 2008, BlackBerry 101
BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 Worth the Hype? (Hands-on Review)
HYPE CHECK: BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220
What it is: It's the first clamshell-style 'flip' handset that runs the much-beloved BlackBerry operating system (OS) for mobile phones.
Why it's different: Thanks to the aforementioned flip design, this BlackBerry looks more like a phone than a smart phone, which will please those who like to do their work (or e-mailing/texting) discreetly. The Pearl Flip is also the first U.S. BlackBerry to feature the latest version of the BlackBerry OS, which has a slick, more cartoonish interface and an improved Web browser that offers a more realistic rendition of Web pages than on previous BlackBerrys, as well as live video streaming from sites like YouTube. Unlike the original Pearl, the 8220 has a built-in camcorder and an improved 2.0 megapixel camera, which can be used to send video- and picture-messages right from the phone.
What we like: For starters, the Flip's clamshell design eliminates the all-to-easy-to-accidentally-dial-your-boss tendency of every other BlackBerry's open keyboard, without making you deal with cumbersome tasks such as locking the keys. Imported from previous Pearls, the SureType feature – a predictive text system that allows the phone to have a traditional QWERTY lineup on a traditional phone keypad – continues to please us more than the T9 system found on most other phones and is still a cut above the iPhone touch-sensitive keyboard. Built-in Wi-Fi not only makes surfing for Web pages, downloading content, and sending video messages faster, but it also saves us money on our monthly cell phone bill because it enables us to use T-Mobile's UMA-based Internet phone service instead of our cell phone minutes whenever we're in a Wi-Fi hotspot. All that said, the main reason we like a BlackBerry in any form is the excellent e-mail service, which is easy-to-use, reliable, and lets you read and respond to your messages even when you're out of range of a signal (something that isn't doable on, say, an iPhone and plenty of other phones). One nice addition to this iteration of the e-mail service is the secondary screen on the front of the phone that flashes new e-mails (along with their contents) as soon as they arrive (then goes back to a sleek analog clock animation). Oh, and it will work easily with your office e-mail, too.
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