And was not impressed. Its just too dang big compared to my pearl. As someone who doesn't write huge emails, sure type works for me (YMMV). I was just surprised how big it felt in my hand. I was just *expecting* it to be smaller given all the talk. Go see it before you buy it to make sure it will work for you.

If rim comes out with something the width of the blackjack I might consider it but right now my pearl stays with me.

Eric

Thinner but taller....

I like shiskabobs but don't tell anyone...

Anyone considering a pricey device like the 8800 should do this anyway. Not researching and not trying out the device is like buying a car without knowing anything about it or even taking a test drive.

What was the point of this thread? Size is going to be a personal preference just as much as SureType vs full qwerty... I mean, there are plenty of people who are happy with the 8800. It seems to me that people who consider size of the device to be very important will take that into account already.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8800/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

This thread bothers me a little. The whole point of the pearl is to attract customers like the OP. You're not supposed to like the 8800 you're suppose to like the pearl. And those who prefer larger screens and qwerty boards will like the 8800. Its like I told my girlfriend. She should not get the 8800 even though I'm in love with it cause I think her needs r better met by the pearl. To each his own.

It's pretty much apples and oranges. Although the 7100t is how I was introduced to Blackberry and then I switched to the 8700g. Now I'll never go back to Suretype but I needed that first step to make the transition.

I retired my 8700g and got a Pearl so that I could attach things to emails. I thought I would hate the suretype, but actually grew to like it. I much prefer a full QWERTY keyboard, and so when I say the 8800 I was all over it. I went to they store, and MAN THAT THING IS HUGE! Is that really bigger than my 8700g was? It looks like about twice the size as I remember the 8700g being. Has my Pearl just spoiled me, or is it that much bigger?

Here's the side-by-side comparison:
Compare Phones (Phone Scoop)

The 8800 is a little taller (5mm), but 3mm narrower and 6mm thinner. The 8800 also outweights the 8700 by a whopping ONE GRAM...

My conclusion: it's simply a matter of perspective.