I just checked out the cingular website and the 7130c is no where to be found what could this mean. I was thinking maybe something new from RIM is about to show up on cingular website in a couple of weeks hmmmmm I wonder what

Hmm...I wonder what as well...

7130C's still on the Business site:

Cingular Cell Phones and other Devices for Business | Cingular Wireless

On my government premier account site the 7130c package is no longer available.

I kinda figured that when Cingular dropped the 8100c I knew that was going to be the end of the 7130c I guess I was right

The 7130c is now gone. Cingular has replaced it with the Pearl. Or should it be that ATT has replaced it with the Pearl.

This is frustrating for a small BlackBerry shop. I don't want the Pearl. I don't want to support this thing. I don't want my users to be calling me with questions on their camera, how to navigate with the "pearl", how to setup their voice-activated dialing, or how to load MP3's into the media player.

The 7130 was a great phone...rugged, thin, reliable. Now I'm forced into buying Pearls with a completely different interface and a bunch of features that will only increase support issues on these units.

Oh sure you can disable the camera using a policy from the BES...that will be popular! Why drop the 7130? Why?

my son has the 8100 pearl i donot like it i hope they donot drop 7130c

deacon

Why drop the 950? That thing was simple and rugged too

Why not move to the 8700c? No camera, QWERTY keypad. Easy to navigate. IT policy to eliminate mp3s and 3rd party software.

Yes, the BB 7130 is a great phone. Have never had any problems of any kind with it.

Maybe Cingular is going to replace it with the BB 8830 in Q-2 .

CarBob

Maybe but the 8830 is NOT a suertype device....

Why does it have to be a SureType device? Maybe Cingular is only going to carry Qwerty devices.

CarBob

Because the OP (this thread) was about the 7130 device which is suretype

I know that the BB 7130 is a SureType device. I got mine through Bell Mobility in Toronto. However, BELL also carry Qwerty devices - the most recent being the BB 8703e.

CarBob

I try to steer users to the 8700c, but some can tolerate SureType (generally the folks that only type 'yes', 'no' or 'you're fired') and insist on a slim phone ("I'm not going to talk into a damn calculator"). With the 8800 out, I'm sure it won't be long before my Cingular (AT&T) rep tells me the 8700 is going EOL.

We are coming up on nearly 4 months since the 7130c was discontinued by Cingular. What a terrific disappointment! It also appears that there will be no replacement unless someone knows something that I have not heard about.

Of the four BB's I have (7130c, 8100, 8700c, 8800) I find the 7130c to suit me the very best. It's the perfect size, shape and has the fastest & most accurate input method.

Part of the surprise is that it was not that old. Usually RIM leaves their models in the lineup much longer than the 7130c. Less than one year old, known for being a very good reliable BB and they kill it off?

Another issue is that, if indeed, the "replacement is the 8100" they are not even in the same class in terms of size and features. Two completely different devices for two different target markets.

The 7130 is the mid sized model, which like the 8700 is targeted at business users since it does not have a camera and media player, two features that I DO NOT want on my BB.

Of all my BB's it's been completely trouble free, has the fastest keyboard and SureType which I find to be a fantastic technology. The 7130 vs 8100 in terms of size is a drastic difference.

What was RIM Thinking? I don't know a single 7130c user that is happy with this situation.

I don't think it was RIM.... I think it was Cingular's decision to drop the 7130...

Good riddance

Not a suretype fan, I see.

Yes, I agree with you, in retrospect as I read my post a second time, I clearly suggested it was RIM, which was wrong. Here is how I knew: as the 7130c was the first of the 7130 series to be dropped. Furthermore the minute it dropped off the Cingular web site I asked my corp rep, store mgr, called in, and even checked with tech support and no one would confirm that it had indeed had been dropped. So, yes you bring up a very good point.

If that's how it's going to be (no more mid size BB) than I can accept that even though I disagree with the move. Change is inevitable, perhaps they just did not make their sales target with that model, etc.

In your opinion do you believe that it will be the end of that particular size and form factor?

Thanks

No, but I am a fan of out with the old and in with the new. The 7100 series is a bit long in the tooth. I briefly owned a 7130 and the suretype was fine, it was the lack of a decent browser that I didn't like. The 8100 is much better for those who want that form factor.

Isn't the Pearl 8100 the replacement for the 7100 series?

I haven't heard that officially, however I believe that's the general consensus.

I also have the Pearl, so I speak from experience, also noting that I'm simply stating my personal preference. I NEVER look at it from the standpoint that one model is the "best for everyone, or better than the rest".

They are all very nice and each have their pros and cons. That's why I currently own four, the 7130c, 8100, 8700c, 8800. I like having choices and I have different needs, one set of requirements for work, thus the 8800, and a few others depending on what I'm doing. I really like the pearl as a weekend phone, as it is so small and handy. However that said there is such a difference between that and the 7130.

The 7130 is for business use primarily as it has no camera, no media player just all business in a smaller form factor than the 8700 or 8800 models. Here for comparison is a size chart.

114 x 66 x 14.0mm - 8800
106 x 60 x 15.5mm - 8300
115 x 56 x 18.0mm - 7130
107 x 50 x 14.5mm - 8100

So when one looks carefully, you notice that their are indeed 3 different sizes. Small, Medium & Large if you will.

The 8800 being considered the replacement for the 8700 makes perfect sense. They are both of very similar size. The 8100 being considered the replacement for the 7130 makes no sense, as the size and form factor are completely different. If they were as similar as the 8700-8800 comparison, then I would NOT be registering this complaint.

After all the 8100 has a camera and media player and is clearly targeted at the consumer. So, I'm not saying that the 8100 is not a "good model" or inferior to the 7130. Quite the contrary, I find the 8100 a very nice model, which is the reason I purchased one. It's just that if they are laid side by side on a desk, it becomes very apparent how different they are in terms of keyboard size, overall size, etc.

Finally, I believe that while the 7130c is a great model, it's entirely possible that sales did not take off. The SureType input method is indeed quite different and the in-store experience of "trying it" for just a few minutes in combination with untrained and opinionated sales people is a negative one at best.

I believe the Pearl with SureType sold purely based on it's attractive styling, small size and the fact that is has a camera and media player which is exactly what the public wants. Furthermore I'm happy to see this model make a huge impact and pull people into the BlackBerry family. The sales increase is great for RIM.

Therefore as I see it before Cingular "pulled the 7130c" from it's sales channels it must have had a good reason. I just don't happen to see (nor am I aware) of the logic. It would be very interesting to know why they did what they did.

Cheers...

I will keep my 7130 until 3G comes out, but then I'll have to (unhappily) change formats. A camera is out of the question for me unless I want to go to jail.