BlackBerry Cool

Name: Doesn’t look like a Pearl to me. I think they would have really hit it out of the park if the Pearl was in an iPod white. With all the talk of the iPhone it would have been a consumer home run.

Consumer push: It’s about time.

TMo – Seems like RIM does a good job of spreading the love to all they’re carriers I just hope this doesn’t mean that TMo won’t get the first exclusive on the QWERTY version.

No scroll wheel. AMEN! I don’t get the BB zealots that love the scrool. The BB is designed to work with the thumbs now when you thumb typing you don’t need to move to the side for navigation

I’ll definitely wait for the 8700 style version. I had the 7100 and 7105 and just never got used to SureType. I’ll never go back.

I am in the market for a smartphone. I was leaning toward a Treo, but a friend recently purchased a 7200 series and it is quite impressive. I have never had a thumbboard or a scroll wheel so I am unsure of whether I would miss them.

I hope they are going to put out a best of breed more like the 8700 series with all the options ready to go. Great screen, memory expansion, bluetooth, voice dialing, Wi-Fi.

RIM has concentrated on the Fortune 1000 which has pushed them toward a very stable product. But there are many of us in smaller businesses that need the same services. We need a connection point whether by wireless or Wi-Fi. Perhaps more so as we don’t have a team of people back at the office monitoring calls and mail.

I think once the installed “consumer” market reaches a critical mass, developers will have great new software out soon. Most corporate IT depts. dictate what is on their BBs. Heaven help anyone who strays from the “supported” list. Individual consumers have the freedom to experiment with new software and workflows.

Though T-mobile doesn’t do me much good, once this hits the market other carriers will need to have a similar offering. Lets hope Verizon doesn’t drag its feet as usual.

I am in the market for a smartphone. I was leaning toward a Treo, but a friend recently purchased a 7200 series and it is quite impressive. I have never had a thumbboard or a scroll wheel so I am unsure of whether I would miss them.

I hope they are going to put out a best of breed more like the 8700 series with all the options ready to go. Great screen, memory expansion, bluetooth, voice dialing, Wi-Fi.

RIM has concentrated on the Fortune 1000 which has pushed them toward a very stable product. But there are many of us in smaller businesses that need the same services. We need a connection point whether by wireless or Wi-Fi. Perhaps more so as we don’t have a team of people back at the office monitoring calls and mail.

I think once the installed “consumer” market reaches a critical mass, developers will have great new software out soon. Most corporate IT depts. dictate what is on their BBs. Heaven help anyone who strays from the “supported” list. Individual consumers have the freedom to experiment with new software and workflows.

Though T-mobile doesn’t do me much good, once this hits the market other carriers will need to have a similar offering. Lets hope Verizon doesn’t drag its feet as usual.

The name makes no sense. Unless they are going for a Black Pearl (where’s Jack Sparo!?). Anyway, I work for a competitor of T-Mobile so naturally I’m disappointing.
I do use a 8700 now and love the keyboard. The scrll-wheel and Blackberry seem to go together; but it’s time they break the mold.
It’s also natural to go with TMo, since they do have the least business customers and pride themselves on being trendy and keeping the younger generation with the hip phones.
All in all, you’ll see a lot more from Blackberry soon, including a flip phone. It’s good to see RIM expanding and being more competitve in all areas of the consumer base.

It’s named pearl because of the white pearl in the middle as a scroll ball.

Well, I dunno about the name… Pearl, for a blackberry, seems kinda cheesy.

No scrollwheel… first reaction was WHAT!?!??! However I can be open minded on this point. Would have to try it out first.

Biggest hold up for me… Suretype. I love my big screen and full keyboard on my 8700g. I am planning to wait for an 8700 type 8100. But who knows if I can hold out.

As for being on Tmo…. Well, I can only hope they get the 8700 version first too. Why can’t they get the phone I want the most first

The name: For me, the name “Pearl” is taking some getting used to. I’m sure that in time, it won’t matter and will become synonymous with the “BlackBerry experience”. I mean, who would have associated the word “blackberry” with mobile email, security, etc before they paved the wireless email highway?

However, I’ve been thinking more about RIM’s consumer push, and considering the multimedia features that they’re introducing, I think the name “Jam” would have been more appropriate. BlackBerry Jam! Get it? Got it? Good! It’s a lot more “fun” than Pearl, and if you’re aiming at Joe Consumer, that’s they way to go. Pearl stills sounds too sophisticated. Too business. …and let’s face it; effeminate.

As for replacing the jog wheel with the scroll ball, I dig it. It opens up a new door for application developers and allows for total one-handed use. No more alt-scroll for vertical movement! I think it’s an exciting step for BlackBerry. I look forwards to seeing what the developer and user communities think of it.

Long live BlackBerry Jam!

I am not sure why everyone is making a big deal about ‘Pearl’. Its just the development code name. Windows 95 was called ‘Chicago’, The BB 7100 was called ‘Charm;, and the 8700 was called ‘Electron’. They all have some internal meaning, but upon release they get a new name. In this case, the new device will be know as a BlackBerry 8100.

I love that T-Mobile is going to be releasing the 8100 first. That could just be due to the fact that I am currently using a T-Mobile 7100t. I am looking forward to upgrading as soon as the 8100 is available.

I have a theory as to why the scroll wheel is gone. Two words, ‘BlackBerry Thumb’. Maybe RIM realizes that it is not a good things that their flagship device has caused a medical condition.

I for one am looking forward to all the ‘consumer’ oriented additions to the BlackBerry. I firmly believe that anything to expand the BlackBerry capabilities is good, pending that it is well implemented. Don’t be afraid of change, embrace it.

“The Pearl”, it’s not about the color of the phone, its about its meaning. So the BB 8100, in my opinion, has earned the right to be called a pearl. A pearl is unique and this is what this BB is. This is exactly what us young bussiness people have been asking for. Kudos for the consumer push on this. A for the track wheel, I like change. And I think it will be quicker navigation since itwill be next to the key pad. And I am MOS DEF glad TMO is getting this since that is who I am currently with. So I will be upgrading! My wife is going to hate me more for it though since I am a definate CrackBerry.

Finally, a T-Mobile exclusive!! And it’s a device I desperately want!! I put my Blackberry(s) away and bought a Treo 650. For me, the thing that pushed me from the BB to the Treo was storage. I keep lots of files, pictures, spreadsheets, etc., on my PDA and the limited memory of the Blackberries was nowhere near enough. I also got used to having a camera with me as part of my phone/PDA and while it wasn’t a “killer feature” I had to have, it came in handy on more than one occasion. I have been railing for quite some time about the need for a Blackberry model aimed at consumers, not professionals, that includes external storage like a mini-SD card and a camera. If Palm can try to push into the corporate arena with a Windows Mobile device like the 700w then wny can’t RIMM go for the consumer/non corporate sector with a model tailored to those users? They’ve finally answered: “We can.” Bravo!

The name “Pearl” is fitting because it’s sure to be a gem of a model. I plan to be an early adopter rather than wait like I usually do for rev.b or at least until I hear the initial reviews. I’m all over this thing the second I can find one.

It was only a matter of time until RIM made a push into the consumer market. Some people, like me, who value the stability and functionality of the BlackBerry over other features already have them. The Pearl is RIM going after those who would like the stability and functionality of the BlackBerry, but also want those extra features, like a camera, etc.

It was a no-brainer that a consumer Berry would show up first at T-Mobile, as of all the major cellular carriers in the USA, T-Mobile is the most consumer focused one, with companies like Cingular & Verizon being much more business focused. This will allow people to try out the BlackBerry relatively cheap (T-Mobile is not expensive), and if they ever want to move away from T-Mobile due to coverage issues (like myself) they will be hooked and buy a BlackBerry at their next carrier, even if it costs a bit more (again, I did the same thing.)

The lack of a scroll wheel might keep some business users away from this specific model because one handed operation would become more difficult, but this model isn’t aimed at them anyways.

The name, Pearl, comes from that RIM wants this to be the perfect mobile device for consumers, becoming a “pearl” in their eyes.

To: d_fisher,

Sorry, I have to disagree with you ona few points. The thumbwheel does not eliminate “BlackBerry thumb syndrome”. That has jokingly been related to the keyboard, not the thumbwheel. Also, how does moving from the jogwheel to the scroll ball eliminate BB Thumb? Do you plan to use the scroll ball with your index finger?

Also, the TMO leaked NDA communication re: the 8100 proves that “Pearl” is more than just a codename. Sure, all of the devices have had codenames, but they weren’t disclosed in a feature sheet to carrier partners.

All I know is, Tetris is now available for download on Handmark.com…Also the scroll wheel is better than the trackball BECAUSE it is bi-directional, what makes BB great is the simple and functional OS, and when you start trackin-around with it, it becomes…Sidekick III (pause for gag)..As far as looks go, as long as its reliable with a big screen and maintains its intuitive interface; paint it, put rhinestones on it for all I care as long as it works like my 7290 did and 8700 do its all gravy for me..mmm gravy!!!

Pearl. Research In Motion’s first foray into the consumer market. Probably named so for its new navigation system. We haven’t seen high quality pictures of it. We depend on rumors and leaked information. We’re all aware of its features. There is a buzz in our Crackberry circles about this product. However, no such enthusiasm exists in the consumer space it’s being targeted to. Not too many know of it’s upcoming release. And that’s not a good thing.

Although market share will continue to grow in government and private sectors, I have personal doubts about their consumer strategy.

I get a lot of “Aren’t they supposed to be going out of business?” This perception, created by the alarmist media, is still out there. Seen ANY BlackBerry ads on TV or radio recently? RIM needs to get the word out that the BlackBerry platform is in fact growing and not going away anytime soon. I can’t help but wonder how much this has cost them in overall lost revenues. How much of the Q’s success is based on this perception?

For expansion into the consumer space to be successful, certain factors have to be in play. Things like consumer confidence, a rock-solid product, a buzz surrounding the product. And let’s not forget advertising!

I had no idea that it was that small. That is awesome.

To nm156:

“Seen ANY BlackBerry ads on TV or radio recently?”

When have you EVER seen a BlackBerry ad? Maybe you’ve seen a Verizon ad featuring a BlackBerry, but when has RIM ever done it’s own marketing to Joe Average? Which model would they put forth? The 8700r? Oh…that’s a Rogers branded device. The 7130c? Wait, that’s just for Cingular, right? That has always been the problem IMHO with the carrier specific branding. You can’t toot your own horn, if you can’t focus on a single product. With the UNbranding of the 8100, they will finally be able to market like the other guys. Wait for it, you’ll see.

To moog:

Funny you should mention that. Just saw a Sprint ad for their new 7130. It wastes a perfectly good opportunity to showcase it.

I can certainly agree with your point. However, you’d figure RIM was capable of engaging with their carrier partners in some joint advertising ventures. Or at least hire an advertising firm to do this for them.

I DONT THINK ANYONE WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS YET ??!!! AND I THINK ITS THE MOST AWESOME THING THAT HAS EVER BEEN CREATED YALL WHO DONT LIKE IT PROBALY JUST DONT HAVE THE MONEY AND YALL WHO DO BUT JUST DONT LIKE IT YUR FAGGITS!!

AWESOME AWESOME PHONE !!!
GOOD JOB RIM U ROCK AND ALL YUR HARD WORK YALL SHOULD BE PAYED MILLIONS GOOD JOB EVERY BODY BUY THE PEARL AND THE NAME IS PERFECT BECAUSE THE DEVICE IS A SHINY “BLACK” PEARL!! AND YEAH THE PIRRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN ROCKED SO IT ATRACTS COUSTOMERS!!!!!!!!!11

HEY MOOG DO U SEE NOKIA WITH COMERCIALS ?? NOT EVERYBODY NEEDS A COMERCIAL WHEN THEY HAVE OTHER PEOPLE SELL THERE DEVICES I MEAN WHY SHOULD THEY …. THEY DONT HAVE A BLACKBERRY STORE … THINK ABOUT IT AND WATCH WHAT U SAY BLACKBERRY IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

d_fisher: No, Pearl is not the internal code-name, “Stealth” was… The device is going to be marketed as the BlackBerry Pearl, or alternately the BlackBerry 8100, but that’s synonymous with LG releasing their “Chocolate” phones (which also have model numbers). and Pearl apparently comes from the trackball which is sort of a pearl white.
As for advertising, RIM has *never* released advertising of their products, even through their carriers, before launch. If this drops with TMo in September, then you can expect the media frenzy of advertising for the three months before Christmas. TMo may have a 3-month exclusive on it – Cingular had something like that for the 8700. But you can bet that every other EDGE carrier globally will be getting this eventually. Verizon / Sprint will likely be left in the cold – there isn’t even a CDMA version of the 8700 out yet (8702?), so why expect then to have a CDMA version of this anytime soon? I’d expect a UMTS version for Vodafone to roll out before Verizon (the 8707 has been out for months now).

I’d be interested to know what other features got packed into 4.2 though… voice-activated dialing, media player, camera… what about Bluetooth? DUN? A2DP? Sadly I’ll have to wait until this comes out for Rogers to find out

d_fisher: No, Pearl is not the internal code-name, “Stealth” was… The device is going to be marketed as the BlackBerry Pearl, or alternately the BlackBerry 8100, but that’s synonymous with LG releasing their “Chocolate” phones (which also have model numbers). and Pearl apparently comes from the trackball which is sort of a pearl white.
As for advertising, RIM has *never* released advertising of their products, even through their carriers, before launch. If this drops with TMo in September, then you can expect the media frenzy of advertising for the three months before Christmas. TMo may have a 3-month exclusive on it – Cingular had something like that for the 8700. But you can bet that every other EDGE carrier globally will be getting this eventually. Verizon / Sprint will likely be left in the cold – there isn’t even a CDMA version of the 8700 out yet (8702?), so why expect then to have a CDMA version of this anytime soon? I’d expect a UMTS version for Vodafone to roll out before Verizon (the 8707 has been out for months now).

I’d be interested to know what other features got packed into 4.2 though… voice-activated dialing, media player, camera… what about Bluetooth? DUN? A2DP? Sadly I’ll have to wait until this comes out for Rogers to find out