I currently own a 8100c Pearl and love it. My dad has been looking to get a BB for quite sometime and is looking at the 8700. I wanted to know which one people recommend for a 40 something Chemical Engineer. Thanks for help in advance.

It really depends on what he's looking to do with a bb. If it's strictly to stay connected and receive/respond to email and do some occasion web browsing, then the 8700 will be great. Plus it has a great screen and full QWERTY keyboard.

If he's into multimedia (pics, videos, MP3s), then the 8100 should suit him. It's smaller and more like a phone, although the 8700 is a great phone as well.

8700. Hands down winner.

8700 for the old geezers.

It depends on if he likes SureType on the Pearl or QWERTY on the 8700. If he is sending a lot of email, the 8700 might be the better option.

I'd say SureType versus full qwerty preference will be the major concern. Granted, the 8100 has additional features such as the memory card slot, camera, and media support. However, in my experience, the keyboard can be a deal-breaker if you can't stand it.

8700... no contest in my opinion.

i think the 8700 as well.

As a relatively old geezer myself, there are other issues other than suretype. But suretype is a biggie as well!
Other things that make the 8700 a lock are:
?Bigger Screen
?BBlite actually works and the screen doesn't turn off whie typing!
?Short cuts from home screen!! (Geezers like economy of motion)
Just to name a few...

Thanks for all the responses so far. He will prob use it mostly for data services. I was thinking the Pearl because he already carries a laptop for that, but i guess with the 8700 he doesnt have to carry that as much.

The 8100 is more stylish. the 8700 more functionality

This is exactly what I need to decide... which is better for me. I have an ancient 5820 and an LG 3G phone and finally want to upgrade and combine thse into one...

I spent an hour testing the Pearl and it eventually seemed okay to type with but not nearly as fast as the full keyboard models. I'm 50 and my eyesight is going as well..

I also got used to (and like) the click wheel / interface / bigger screen but not the bulk of the thing. I tend to leave it at home if I don't have sufficient pocket space which negates email on the run..

But the Pearl will fit in my pocket and replace my ageing ipod as well...and it felt strange speaking on such a large device. Oh the last thing was that the PEARL had voice dialing which is a feature I love when driving...

Lastly the new 8800 model is supposedly due out soon and eventually I decided to wait and test that one out....

Please convince me which is the best one!

I dumped my SureType unit because it was driving me nuts. It seemed to confuse the silliest words (it would type "tea" instead of "yes", "hey" instead of "get", etc).

In my opinion, the x100 models (8100, 7100) are for prosumers, and the x700 models are for power users who really want an effective messaging tool.

From what you have stated it seems like the 8800 is the one for you. It has the form factor of the Pearl, but also consists of a full QWERTY keyboard. If i was you i would just wait till that came out.

Oh btw my dad ended up getting the 8700, not because that the one he decided on but because thats the one his company got him. He seems really happy with it so far, and just to help him out some I advised him to join BBForums.

Very well stated!

Unless you're using email as a quasi - text/sms messaging service [meaning: keeping messages very short and casual in content], a full QWERTY is a necessity. If your emails are a matter of company record and are necessary for documentation purposes, again, full QWERTY is the only realistic option.