I windered how many 7100 owners have actually dropped their BB on the ground by accident and the BB lived another day. Many of you can see my posts as I am in my 30 days with my 7100g and liking it more each day, but still concerned with the build quality. Anybody have stories where they dropped this little sucker and it did not smash to pieces?

That is a very common question... afterall we do have one of the most expensive handsets in the industry... Based on your model I assume that you're using Cingular's network. As you already know ins is not offered on any PDA devices, however Cingular will replace your handset if it has a manufacture defect even though your device may have a few nicks... I have the 7100G as well and I have been working in the wireless industry for 5 years and I have experimented with every phone.

To answer your question, the durability is like any other cellphone with the exception of Nextels because they're built to survive abuse. If you accidentally dropped it on the floor then it will most likely hold up. Ever persons situation my be different... if you dropped it on the floor and there is a sharp object there then you may run into the issue of a crack-bleeding LCD screen.

I have dropped my BB while it was in the holster as well as without the holster and nothing happened to my phone except for some nicks... Oh yeah and if you physically abuse the phone or if you throw it against a hard surface than you'll be SOL, afterall, no phones will be break-proof. My best advice to you is to keep it in the holster it came with. Hope this helped. Thanks.

I've had my 7100t for about six weeks. I don't use a holster or even screen protectors; I just slip the device into a front pants pocket most of the time on most days. When I'm driving, I often have it on the passenger seat. Last Friday I was getting out of my Trooper with the BB in hand and as I went to slip it in the pocket, I dropped it 3-4 feet onto a concrete drive. It evidently landed on the bottom end because the nicks there are the only damage. Now I'm glad to have a plastic screen, and although the 7100t looks a little less new this week, it still works like new.

I have been pleasently surprised at the durability of the blackberries we have. Since our company is int he construction industry, I expected a much higher rate of breakage than I have seen. I am especially impressed with the fact that I have yet to see one come back with a broken screen.

I myself dropped my 6510 so many times that I lost count. I had it for almost 18 months and dropped it probably once or twice a week. In the end, it was scratched and dented and there was a crack in one corner, but the thing just kept on working. I will try to be nicer to my new 7520.

Seen quite a few dropped here at work. Lots of scuffs on the side, but no cracked screens or any serious damage. Just adds "flair".

I have had my 7100g for about a month and dropped it about 4 or 5 times. Each was from about the waist or elbow high. No damage yet and everything works fine.

I dropped mine screen side down onto wet paving and apart from a slight scuffing of the silver paint on a couple of corners (hardly noticeable!) it survived unscathed!!

Dropped mine from waist level a few times with no issues.

dropped my 7520 from chest high a few times scuffs on the corners other than that works like a charm

Dropped 7100t. Knocked something loose in earpiece. Was horribly distraught. Nice folks at T-Mobile replace quickly. Happy.

Dropped my 7100t like a bad habit when I saw the 7290...

Seriously my buddy has abused his 7100t and its like a Timex...Still ticking. Bot he and I would recomend taking the ut most care with a tool such as a Blackberry, accidents do happen. My 7730 looking a little beat up but we'll be doing something about that as soon as I find a good deal on a T-Mo 7290.

I dropped my 7100g a distance of about 12 feet, and it most certainly did not smash to pieces. In fact, I'm pretty sure there's not a scratch on it.

I can't tell for sure, since it's sitting on the bottom of the Great South Bay right now.

My boss has dropped his from the cruddy case provided with our 7100g's several times, and it keeps on working. I've also dropped mine a few times, and they seem very durable. I think when one looks at one, they seem fragile, but that hasn't been the case with us.

Think of them as battle scars... and not blemishes

I find my 7100 is quite durable and survives waist level drops with no harm done.

Dropped mine for the last time last Friday, down a stairwell and onto rough cement. Half the LCD is now dead. The phone still works, and I can just make out the first line of text in a message. T-mobile is asking $70 for replacement.

Dropped my brand new 7100r about a week after I got it. The holster slipped off my pants, and my BlackBerry hit the asphalt top first (on the exposed part). I actually *heard* it bounce. Needless to say I was terrified, and still rather upset when I found two pretty noticeable gashes on it, but other than that it's intact and working perfectly. Thank god I had a screen protector on there. I've got my eye on a holster that has a flap over the top...the stock one is just too loose for comfort (a common complaint with the 7100 series holsters).

I can hardly get a nick in mine. thing is like a black box for an airplane, meant to withstand a hellova crash

Dropped once onto concrete - the holster slipped off my belt. Bounced a couple of times, minor scratches on the edges. No damage on the screen.

If I slam it against the wall I'm sure it would break. So would anything else.

Keys and wheel are working great. I take care of it, after all, I should take care of anything I've spend good money on. I get the impression some of you are real monsters with your portable electronics. If so, damage and replacement will be the price you pay.

Otherwise, accidents do happen. It's life.

The default case certainly sucks... I've had my phone go flying out of the case onto the cement in our parking garage. I have a couple of scracthes in the side of the phone, but no damage to the screen. I have since picked up the T-Mo 7100t leather cover with screen protector.