7100i press release from RIM

[jnelson2000]

http://www.blackberry.com/news/press/2005/pr-14_10_2005-01.shtml

[Dawg]

looks like the 17th will be the day then..

[purephase]

Here's the product page (http://www.blackberry.com/products/blackberry7100/blackberry7100i.shtml).

[purephase]

Interesting. From the FCC pictures the device appeared to be much larger than the original 71xx series. Not so:

Here's the comparison specs:
7100r:
Size 4.7 x 2.3 x 0.8 inches / 11.9 x 5.8 x 1.9 cm (LxWxD)
Weight 4.2 oz / 120 g

7100i:
Size 4.7” x 2.3” x 0.9” / 11.9 cm x 5.9 cm x 2.3 cm (LxWxD) (not including antenna)
Weight 4.2 oz / 120 g

So, same weight and 0.1 inch (0.4cm) thicker than earlier models. Nice! Can't wait until this is available in Canada.

[Dawg]

I love the fact that they moved the Direct connect key to the side of the unit. Still hate the keyboard. But may have to test drive one of these units

[purephase]

Dawg, agreed. It was the main reason I didn't go with one of the 75xx models. Most common complaints I've heard from co-workers is the location of the PTT button and the thickness of the device. Looks like this model addresses both issues.

[teamcrn]

thinking about buying one for my wife.. trade in my old 7510 and her 830..if i can get use to that keyboard i just might switch..not sure

[Dawg]

i dont mind the size of the unit I have big hands and have gotten used to the location of the PTT button. I notice it says it does sms too

[jbaltz69]

Told you guys the release date was the 17th. Did you not believe me :)

[kitmoni]

Why do the Nextel models still sport the antennas? Does it have to do with either the Nextel or iDen network? I guess the simple answer is "for better reception - duh". But with other carriers not needing them (7520, 7100x), I'm just wondering why Nextel does. Dawg? Anyone?

[jbaltz69]

Not for better reception. The iDen network has to have an external antenna, can't work with an internal one. That's the way motorola designed it.

[purephase]

The 7520 has an antenna. The iDEN network requires it.

[kitmoni]

Not for better reception. The iDen network has to have an external antenna, can't work with an internal one. That's the way motorola designed it.
That is really interesting. I wonder what will happen in the merge, if the iDen functionality will be moved out eventually. Thanks for the info!

[Dawg]

Actually the iden is going to be greatly enhanced not done away with. Thats the reason sprint bought them. I have friends in several law enforcement and fire departments that have showed me letters from sprint and nextel wanting to buy their frequencies. and setting them up on new ones. Sprint/nextel already owns the 2.5 ghz

[teamcrn]

i might switch..once i get it in my hand who knows..just the keyboard thing is really bothering me

[jbaltz69]

Yeah, suretype is a POS. Especially coming from a full qwerty keyboard.

[teamcrn]

because i really want to get rid of my 860 and just use one phone.. and i hate talking into a big calculator..lol would rather have something smaller but like the freedom of talking and typing at the same time..thats the real reason i have 2 devices

[Dawg]

You know I have heard that comment alot about talking into a calculator. But I dont find it burdensome at all. But I am a big guy (6'2" 320) so sometimes the little phones seem danity to me.

[jbaltz69]

I had a 7510 and now have a 7520 and I've never had a problem with it either. You just get used to it after a while. No big deal. The only thing I don't like is that you can't keep it in your pocket and have easy access to it because of its size. Belt clip is almost required.

[iNViOnE]

i agree with you dawg... im about 6'3 290 and having small phones just make me look like a gargantuan which is why i love my 7520 ... although the fact that i can receive sms unlike the 7520 is really making me lean towards the 7100i.

lets just hope sprint dosent drop the ball like they did the i930 and have them on backorder the same day they get rls.

come oct17 ima be on the nextel website all day so that as soon as its out i can order mine.

[purephase]

I had a 7510 and now have a 7520 and I've never had a problem with it either. You just get used to it after a while. No big deal. The only thing I don't like is that you can't keep it in your pocket and have easy access to it because of its size. Belt clip is almost required.
That's one of the main reasons I've been waiting for this one. It definitely looks as though it will fit in a front pocket and not require a belt clip. I can't stand belt clips and the like.

[Dawg]

only problem with sliding it in your pocket is you scratch the screen

[corey@12mile]

Told you guys the release date was the 17th. Did you not believe me :)

I saw you say 3 different dates... what's to say it wasn't getting 'pushed back' again?

How about this... Nov 15, 2005 for Rogers 8700.

[jbaltz69]

That's cause Nextel kept giving me different dates. It was a highly credible source though. The original release date was Oct. 1st. Then the 17th due to issues with the PTT. I just report the information here as it becomes available to me out of sheer kindness to my fellow BB users. No need to be rude.

[iNViOnE]

who cares... lets just be happy its finally out!! ;p

and here to hoping it dosent sell out like the i930

[rglorios]

A powerpoint presentation of the 7100i just received from my boss. Here is the info

[iNViOnE]

i had a quick question ive read on the specs for the 7100i "Full wireless synchronization of calendar, contacts, notes and tasks as well as text messaging; " now does the full wireless sync only work if u have BES?

[teamcrn]

of course i called sprint/nextel trying to get some info...or at least see if they were going to do a trade in promo and it was a straight dead end...lmao customer service knows absolutly nothing

[antisepsisDC]

i had a quick question ive read on the specs for the 7100i "Full wireless synchronization of calendar, contacts, notes and tasks as well as text messaging; " now does the full wireless sync only work if u have BES?

One would assume so. I don't think there's much different softwarewise.

[stonent]

In the second slide, they have the gall to refer to it as "slim" ?

Haha.

[purephase]

In the second slide, they have the gall to refer to it as "slim"
Compared with the 7520 it is half a centimeter slimmer in depth and more than two ounces lighter.

[Dawg]

2 ozs is alot if you are talking drugs but in weight of a phone thats not much

[stonent]

2 ozs is alot if you are talking drugs but in weight of a phone thats not much

The preceding post has been approved by John Delorean.

[jibi]

The preceding post has been approved by John Delorean.
haha.

[Mr Pink57]

I love the fact that they moved the Direct connect key to the side of the unit. Still hate the keyboard. But may have to test drive one of these units

They didnt move it to the side it is still on the top, if you check on of the demo's with ptt it shows it being pushed on the top.

pink

[purephase]

They didnt move it to the side it is still on the top, if you check on of the demo's with ptt it shows it being pushed on the top.
This is really strange. In the interactive demo it's fairly obvious that the large button on the side is the PTT button, however, in the device features list it points to the top of the device for the PTT button.

Someone needs to check this out on Monday.

[Mr Pink57]

This is really strange. In the interactive demo it's fairly obvious that the large button on the side is the PTT button, however, in the device features list it points to the top of the device for the PTT button.

Someone needs to check this out on Monday.

It also states that the phone works in Asia, so that also tells us something.

pink

[bookbinder]

Should I hesitate buying a new 7100i given this recent decision out of the federal appeals court?

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/08/technology/08rimm.html

[SUFan]

We have deployed Cingular devices for our execs on a BES server - very successful and well received.

I don't know much about the Nextel PTT feature and am wondering if this would be a cost effective device for a team of IT support staff to stay in touch with one another? We currently use Vocera VOIP communicator devices with voice recognition that work great but we don't have WiFi throughout our entire campus.

Could I make a business case for giving my staff the Nextel Blackberry's? What are the advantages of PTT? Thanks for any insight.

[purephase]

From an IT perspective, it really depends on what your staff do. I use it all the time in order to stay in contact with our frontline support/networking/server administration. Rather than waiting to fully dial and hopefully connect, the PTT feature takes far less time and it's cheaper than voice communication.

Also, this coupled with push email (for automated monitoring services etc.) these devices are perfect.

[purephase]

Should I hesitate buying a new 7100i given this recent decision out of the federal appeals court?

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/08/technology/08rimm.html

Once you purchase the device it is up to your provider to support it with their own network, so yeah, I'd say that if you can buy it you'll be fine regardless of the patent issues. The injunction (if pursued by NTP) will only prevent future devices from being sold in the US. I seriously doubt that NTP will pursue this course of action as it will significantly cut into RIM profit and reduce the possibility of NTP getting their extortion payouts.

[SUFan]

Purephase - thanks for the info, a couple of questions.

Does PTT offer more reliable coverage? We have coverage issues in the hospital I work at. Is it a different network than standard cell networks?

The folks I have in mind our field service technicians, network admins etc...

How does the pricing work on PTT vs. standard voice plans?

Thanks for your insight.

[Nextel4ever]

This is really strange. In the interactive demo it's fairly obvious that the large button on the side is the PTT button, however, in the device features list it points to the top of the device for the PTT button.

Someone needs to check this out on Monday.


The PTT button is on the side no doubt about it. I have one in my hands as I type this.

[Nextel4ever]

Purephase - thanks for the info, a couple of questions.

Does PTT offer more reliable coverage? We have coverage issues in the hospital I work at. Is it a different network than standard cell networks?

The folks I have in mind our field service technicians, network admins etc...

How does the pricing work on PTT vs. standard voice plans?

Thanks for your insight.

PTT with Nextel is the same exact coverage as what the Cell coverage is with Nextel. Well Nextels network is different from everyones elses network to begin with. PTT pricing is built into plans excluding Nationwide Walkie Talkie and Internation Walkie Talkie. Nationwide (if the plan does not already include it is .10 cents per minute or you may buy up for $10 and it is then unlimited. IDC is .20 cents per minute or $15 gives you Nationwide Walkie Talkie and International together unlimited. Hope this helps.

[stonent]

I'm in IT, and I use a 7520. It's good for things like "OK, Joe, move cable 3 over to port 12 and I'll ping again"

[purephase]

The PTT button is on the side no doubt about it. I have one in my hands as I type this.
Thanks, that's reassuring.

[Nextel4ever]

Thanks, that's reassuring.

Please check out post here: http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=748679

[stlpilot]

Anyone know anything about the "overmodulation" problem on the 7100? My wife has one thru TMobile and if she talks much louder than a regular voice all we get is static on the other end. I have a 7520, which seems to never have this problem. Any word on how to fix the problem and if the 7100i has addressed this?

[Mr Pink57]

Anyone know anything about the "overmodulation" problem on the 7100? My wife has one thru TMobile and if she talks much louder than a regular voice all we get is static on the other end. I have a 7520, which seems to never have this problem. Any word on how to fix the problem and if the 7100i has addressed this?

T Mobile did release the 7105t just recently, this might fix her problem.

pink

[stlpilot]

Pink,
Is it a device issue or a software issue. Her company provides her phone, so I doubt they will just up and buy another unit. It's that "blown speaker" sound when she speaks too loud...Thanks!

[JDWallace]

For those of us with a Nextel 7520...I figured I would post this so you can see what little difference there is....although I like the better ringtones it will have...

http://www.blackberry.com/compare/compare.do?handhelds=221&handhelds=141&method=getFeatureView&x=43&y=15

[Dawg]

good job JD not enough to make me switch

[purephase]

The device is listed on Nextel's site for purchase. So, I think we can safely say that Oct. 17 was the real deal. ;)

[JDWallace]

I did notice on the Nextel site that it is the same price as the 7520 $169.99 which included the $180 instant savings. HMMMM Same price as the 7520 huh...HELLO DROP THE PRICE OF THE 7520! Then again, I'm not a marketing type of guy, I just have common sense.

[rohn_s]

Visited the local Nextel store yesterday, to verify that they were going to release today. They actually had one unit in the store, of which the salesperson asked had I seen it yet. My response was, I've only seen pictures. She then went into the back room and came back with it. She then asked are you sure you want to switch? I guess the consensus of the sales persons at this particular store was that it was an ugly looking Blackberry. My 12 year old daughter who was with me, concurred.. and now seeing the comparison between the 7100I and 7520, I think I will stay with the my 7520.

[bigdaadio]

[QUOTE=Nextel4ever]just wondering if you arte using bluetooth with your new BB, and if so does it have any volume?

[purephase]

I don't understand the comparison link (and it must have been recently updated, since it's different than it was first posted) because, according to the link JDWallace posted above the 7100i doesn't support the 800MHz Mike or Nextel networks. They only check off the GSM links. I think someone screwed-up. ;)

[JDWallace]

From what I looked at the chart show it does support the 800mhz Nextel, but no check on the Mike Network. I am not too familiar with that stuff though. What would be the difference??

[purephase]

The Mike network is offered by Telus in Canada, whereas Nextel is (obviously) in the US.

They keep changing the site. Now it shows only the 800mhz Nextel network. Earlier today it did not. Oh well, so far the official BB site has messed-up a lot of the information for this device so this doesn't really surprise me.

From my limiting understanding, I'm pretty sure that other than the two separate carriers, the technology involved is essentially the same (both iDEN, and WiDEN etc.). Telus just takes a little longer to release the latest devices (the bastards!).

;)

[JDWallace]

Thanks for the schooling, I didn't know that. I'm not too familiar with Telus either so that would explain why I didn't know the whole Mike network.....I do know about the JD Network....it's growing at a rapid rate...you should join it....hahaha

[jbaltz69]

I just ordered a 7100i from our Nextel Rep. It will be here tomorrow morning. I will let you guys know if it is worth a crap or not.