BlackBerry Pearl 8100

Advantages: Lightweight, slim-line, packed with features, built in camera, real tones, easy navigation
Disadvantages: None

...have been upgraded to the Blackberry Pearl 8100, quite possibly the smallest yet most functional multimedia device I've laid my hands on to date. Anyone remotely familiar with the RIM Blackberry range will be aware that in addition to bring a mobile phone they have the capability to send and receive email, store addresses and contact numbers, browse the internet, a diary and many other useful little functions that all come in handy when away from ...
...no different from the standard Blackberry range but has some interesting software and hardware additions whilst at the same time being drastically reduced in size. Personally I have never had to pay for my Blackberry, and have struggled to find the actual cost of just buying the handset online, however it is apparent that if you take up a specialist tariff with any of the major networks the handset is provided free of charge to users. So, you have ... Read review

Advantages: Good Looking, Slim, Simple To Set Up, Single device for all communication!
Disadvantages: Camera not great, Not 3G so relatively slow web browsing

...these devices has soared since Blackberry introduced this model, which is aimed slap bang at people like me: Want the fancy functions of a Blackberry (i.e. sending and receiving emails on the move) without sacrificing the more 'fun' features such as a camera and good looks. There's a lot to cover in terms of the features, so I'll deal with them individually in a moment. Firstly, to explain how I got this mobile - I was due an upgrade through my ...
...big PC/Apple Mac-type divide between Blackberry users and non-Blackberry users, so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Long story short, it still cost me (well, my company) £90 as part of the upgrade. I'm sure you will find plenty of operators offering it for free with nre contracts / upgrades. It also cost an extra £11 or so per month, for the data allowance. Not being in the know about these things, this may be a good or bad deal - perhaps ... Read review

Advantages: Blackberry functionality, great looking, features for both business and consumer use
Disadvantages: Interface is perhaps a little dated

...in 2007, the number of Blackberry users reached 8 million and is continually on the rise. Originally aimed at large corporations with the Blackberry's appealing wireless email services and corporate functionality such as calendar, contacts and tasks synchronisation, Blackberry have now created a device which goes even further and offers a few more consumer friendly features. Aimed at both business users and consumers simultaneously, Blackberry have ...
...The Pearl is the first Blackberry device to feature multimedia features such as a built in camera with a flash, music and video playback features and of course the first thing that makes the Pearl more appealing than other Blackberry devices: a sexy, slim line body. This phone weighs almost nothing - it's certainty the lightest I've ever held, yet one of the most feature-packed. It is a 'candy-bar' shape and feels nice to hold. It's shiny, professional ... Read review

Advantages: trackball, interface, predictive text, email, style, ease of use, java, all in one device
Disadvantages: not a true WAP device, camera

First the good bits... My first attraction to the Pearl was the style, it looks very nice. Much more stylish than may other phones currently on the market, although thats down to individual taste. I've had the Pearl for about 3 weeks and its definitely the best phone I have ever had just because its put everything I need (phone, PDA and media player) all in one device. I bought a 2GB media card and I now have a phone with 15 albums, 2 films so ...
...with me - no separate media player or PDA. It was a little shaky at first - I was told by my phone company that I could continue to pay my regular monthly amount with this phone and receive emails and surf the WAP internet. Wrong - the Pearl is NOT a true WAP device like other phones. Unless you pay the additional amount for a 'data package' you will not be able to do emails OR WAP. So, if WAP is important to you expect to pay an additional amount ... Read review

Advantages: Great Signal, Email, Blackberry Messenger, Half-QWERTY, Good Camera.
Disadvantages: Bad Lock Feature, Repeated "sim card error".

The blackberry pearl is a compact smartphone with all the capabilities of it's lager counterparts. The only downside I have experienced is a repeated "sim card error" which apparently cannot be solved, it is rather frustrating and the only "temporary" solution I have found is to turn the phone of and back on again. Other than this one minor issue the phone lives up to it's name. It maintains fantastic signal pretty much anywhere is easy to set up ...
...those who are unfamiliar with blackberry devices from accessing and using the device. The look and feel of the phone is great, it's small and easily slides into pockets (unlike some other blackberry devices). The phone is robust and to put it bluntly, difficult to break. I have dropped it into the bath, spilt a pint of beer on it and dropped it numerous times (unfortunately, it has spent about 4days in the airing cupboard and now has the battery ... Read review