I'm trying to decide whether or not I should go for the 7100 or the 7290

From what I've read and researched, I think there are two main differences:

1. Keyboard
2. Screen Quality

Can I get your opinion on Screen Quality - Is the Screen on the 7100 better than the 7290? It seems brighter than the 7290. Is that just me? Was I looking at a 7290 in "dim-mode" (is there such a thing)

According to the RIM website, the 7100 has a resolution of 240x260. For the 7290 it just states: "High resolution full-color display supporting over 65,000 colors" Does anyone know what the rez is for the 7290?

Which one has the better screen

Are there any other key differences that I should be considering?

I can't compare brightness from memory, but the 7290 does have two levels of backlighting and I never use the higher setting as it's unnecessary. I would say that the 7100 screen is sharper.

the 7100 screen is brighter and more vibrant than the 7290.
The choice really comes down to the question: which is more important to you - the phone function or the email, sms, pin functions. If you communicate more by voice -get the 7100, if you communicate more by text get the 7290.

What roofus said, except that I would say if you communicate by voice WAY more. I have both, and I just can't get behind the keyboard on the 7100.

The 7100's keyboard does take some getting used to. But you just can't knock on the fact that the the 7100t is actually quite attractive.

Newbie question here. I noticed lots of people say that if you use phone more, get the 7100 but if you use data centric activities more, get the 7290 (or equivalent).

Is that only / primarily because of the keyboard on the 7100 or is because of some limitation of the OS or OS related functionality? I do prefer the form factor and the screen on the 7100 but I probably use data more than phone (except I like a speaker phone). If the main difference is not OS (i.e. they can both run the same programs and have the same built in or third party capability functionality) then it just comes down to whether you can get used to the 7100 keyboard, no?

There is no difference between the functionality of the 7100 and the 7200/7700 "traditional" BBs. The form factor and keyboard are different. As an example, the 7100t and the 7290 both use OS version 3.8, with 32 MB of memory and BT. The 7100 has a speakerphone. The key difference is the form factor and the keyboard. A 7100t can do everything a traditional BB can.

I have heard that the 7100 is somewhat slower than 7290. Maybe Talldog could confirm/deny that, since he has both?

I have both also. The new UI that T-Mobile provides on the 7100t definitely slows down the device. No question. So I replaced it very early on with the 7700 small icons theme, and it works nicely. At least on a par with the 7290.

Yeah, the 7100 is slower, but I haven't tried NJBlackBerry's fix.