BlackBerry Pearl 8130
Bringing the acclaimed style and svelte body of the Blackberry Pearl to Sprint’s CDMA network, the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 comes packed with new features including a striking new software interface, rich multimedia capabilities, built-in GPS and support for Sprint’s high-speed EV-DO data network–perfect for surfing the Web as well as downloading music and video from Sprint’s Music Store and TV service. The Pearl 8130 continues to offer all the communication features that you’ve come to expect from Blackberry smartphones, including email served up by the BlackBerry Internet Service and a full menu of messaging options (SMS, MMS, and IM). Other features include a 2.0-megapixel camera with video capture, Bluetooth for both communication headsets and stereo music streaming, MicroSD expansion, digital audio player, speakerphone, and voice-activated commands and dialing. Other features include:
- Phone as Modem Capable: Use the included USB cable to connect to laptops for a wireless modem, or choose to run this capability via Bluetooth with no USB cable requirement.
- Voice Command and Voice Activated Dialing: Built-in speaker independent voice command allows users to look up contacts, place phone calls and access key information from the device.
- Voice Notes: Make a voice note and send as an email .wmv file attachment.
- Productivity Tools: View and update your calendar, schedule appointments, checks your task list and more while you’re on the go. Also includes a calculator, alarm clock and memo pad.
- Notification: Polyphonic, MIDI, MP3 ringtones plus vibrate mode
- Rating for hearing aids: M3, T3
- Instant Messaging: Connect with your IM contacts using popular applications like Yahoo! Messenger and Google Talk
- 64 MB internal memory
- 3.5mm stereo headset capable
- Built-in speakerphone
reviews.cnet.comThe good: The RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8130 keeps the same sleek design of its predecessor but adds built-in GPS, EV-DO support, and video-recording capabilities. The smartphone's Web browser is also improved, and it has a 2-megapixel camera. The device's messaging functions remain strong. The bad: The SureType keyboard takes some acclimation, and call quality could be slightly better. The bottom line: The RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8130 improves on an already-impressive smartphone with the addition of GPS, video recording, and 3G support.
www.mobilewhack.comThe 8130 still has all the standard features that have made BlackBerry popular among mobile users, including unrivaled email and messaging (SMS, IM, MMS), web browsing, organizer and more. The new smartphone also expands on its communications and multimedia features and presents the entire offering with a striking new software interface.
www.pcworld.comBlackBerry units are known for their e-mail capabilities, and the 8130 is no exception. You can configure up to ten Web, POP3, and IMAP e-mail accounts, and you can download a crudely designed mobile IM client to instant-message via AIM, Yahoo Messenger, or Windows Live Messenger. Our silver Verizon test unit is $250 with a two-year contract (as of 12/20/07), but don't forget to factor in the extra fees for data. An unlimited e-mail and messaging plan with 450 voice minutes will cost you $100 per month. That's not cheap--especially for a phone that doesn't make e-mail and IM composition particularly easy.
www.wirelessinfo.comThe Pearl 8130 is a slightly updated version of the original Pearl 8100. The differences are so small, in fact, that it’s hard to call it much of an upgrade. Some of the new features include an improved browser and camera. The changes to the browser are fairly significant, and propel it pretty far up our list of proprietary browsers. The camera is now 2-Megapixels and capable of capturing video. The quality hasn’t really improved much, however, as we noticed our captures tended to suffer from horizontal bands of noise. Though both of these are improvements, neither can compete with Nokia’s offerings: their proprietary browser is the best out there, and the N95 has one of the best cameras on a cell phone.
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