8800 Launch - a photoset on Flickr

Recommend you view as a slideshow first.

Sorry that I don't have time this weekend for the full story, but here are the highlights. Check back later for more on my experiences getting my 8800 up and running.

Big event and very crowded compared to last year. Great food and drinks again. Felt more like a Cingular event due to the participants. Only 4 enterprise software displays, and 2 others Impactico and Telenav for the broader audience. Speech was short, and music was a nice touch. Enjoy the shots. The box is a very nice carbon fiber topped wood box that the device came in.

Added 2-25:

BBChristopher attended the SF event. Like I had mentioned great food and drink, but crowded. Lots of users were not enterprise users which leads me to believe that Cingular invited lots of local users to the function. For example, someone from the SF fire department IT department was there. So the box has been opened. Cool black box with a carbon fiber top. This years box was similar to the very interesting leather valet box from last year. Besides the 8800 was a CD, getting started book (lots on PTT), regular mono headset, USB cable, and folding blade travel charger. All I did at the part was put in my new Cingular 3G SIM card, that I had gotten the day before at a Cingular store, and I immediately got a signal. From the NY event, I knew that my ATT (Cingular Blue SIM) would not work. Now being on a corporate plan I wasn't giving up anything in terms of cost of minutes. What I was losing was free incoming texts and the ability to manually change networks, but I did pick up rollover minutes. So did I care all that much. Not really. Still have one Blue SIM in the family for those few times where its nice to choose the network.

So as the event was winding down, I played with the menus for a bit and then we left and I walked to my hotel (playing it safe - no driving after the AT&T Tinis), and low and behold I take a look at the GPS and I already have a lock. There is a small park next to the Metreon so I did have some open sky.

Back in the hotel, the real work began. In the hope that all relevant applications would carry over I had deleted some from my 8700. The ones that I knew I would need to upgrade. So I fire up my PC, and start Device Switcher. I had preloaded the OS on my PC. So it all runs great. No errors. I look at the 8800 though and no third party apps have carried over and none of by BBM contacts (about 50). YUCK. All it really did is carryover my settings and browser bookmarks and service books, so I don't really get it. Maybe I unchecked a box along the way but didn't think so. Anyway my Enterprise Activation begins to run and takes about 5 minutes. No issues. I should have deleted my call log first from my 8700 but did not. That helps speed up EA.

So I use DM to load a bunch of applications. No issues. I find my Telenav link. No issues. Does take a few minutes for it change the application permissions which sets the device to allow the program to run. I downloaded Google Maps for the 8800. No issues. For BBWeather I followed my own instructions in the Tips sheet and got that up and running. The locations never carry over to a new OS so I had to reenter those. Quick Note and Quick Compose all worked too. The only thing that did not load was Cryptmagic 3.83. I had to revert to 3.81. I have let them know. Even 3.81 has some duplicate menu items on the BB, but it still runs. I even installed Microsky which I am very exicted about but it doesn't appear to support the internal GPS. I will look more into that. I thought it didn't work on the 8700 because it needed an internal puck. I will look more into this.

So after all the programs are installed. I noted that the new OS had all sorts of languages that I didn't need. So I go back into DM and uncheck them all. Well guess what? My 8800 likes certain languages. I had to leave Brazilian Portuguese on as well as Input Support for Greet and Portuguese. Every time I tried to delete them, I got an error message so I left them. I hope the Telenav woman can speak those languages to me.

VAD- haven't really gotten that working yet. I think I need to run the adapt program functionality. Anyone got any hints.

So what do I think so far. Screen is amazing. Trackball will be good. I will post more later but I think this is a power move for two handed use. For example, a quick hit of the menu key followed by the enter key will send an email. While the keyboard is tight, it is very useable. The tight keyboard will make one handed use more difficult. I love the feel of the gadget - hehe. Feels like an Apple product. Not the cheap satellite radio devices I once picked up.

Overall I think the 8800 is a great device.

The looks like they (the band) was jammin!

Thanks for the photos!

whats the last picture of? something carbon fiber looking?

ImpaticA...

Showmate rocks.

The box that it came in at the launch party.

It was a great event. Good music, and Blackberry Martini's were great!

I have some pics from the pearl I will post soon.
Was great to meet Stins too!!!

Wow that was better than NY, I don't rmember having a band and there was no displays like there was in this event.

Looks like that would've been fun.

Thanks for the pics, SD!

I forgot to mention a funny part - when I went to put the micro SD in, I first looked for a slot for the SD transflash adapter that came with it. I had it backwards in my mind. I can't believe how small the micro SD is. I was embarrassed for myself.

LOL. Welcome to the club, I had the Micro SD confusion myslef when I used it in the Pearl.. A to VD, it has worked for me from teh start, may be that was because i knew how it works due to teh use of the Pearl. My recomendation to you is to speak slower and when you want to call, say something like this (for short cut purposes) Call John Smith Mobile. make sure that if you have a first and last name in your phone book you need to say both when you use the voice dial. The way I told you will most of the time bring up the contact name and all you have to say is yes.

Hey Stinsonddog, you said that you switched out to the Cingular orange SIM with this device. I'm also a longtime ATT SIM user in Bay Area and I'm wondering what you mean by losing "free unlimited inbound text messages". Do you mean to tell me that these SOBs at Cingular/ATT are now going to charge for inbound text as well? I have the ability to get free devices but I've just about had it with Cingular's business practices. Everytime you turn around they are up to something bordering on monopoly, which I guess they basically are now that they've been allowed to reconstitute.

"It's getting to be re-G**Damn-diculous!" - John Wayne

MM (8{|)

Yes this goes back to different plans in place before Cingular bought ATT Wirless in Seattle. Sorry about that. If you text alot then I recommend a bulk plan.