[jayinla]

Hi Everybody,

This is my first post and I just wanted to share some observations on the new Verizon 8830 compared to my old reliable 8703.

Last week I switched over to the new 8830, intrigued buy it's looks and new operating system. I also liked the idea of the new track ball compared to the trackwheel. After a full week of the 8830, I finally had enough and returned it back for my old 8703. Here are the reasons for the return:

1. The ringer volume blows. I've read on the forums here this is an issue and I should get a program to boost the volume of the mp3's. I don't think so. On a new phone like this, I should be able to hear my phone ring with the standard stock ringers.

2. Call background noise! This issue is strange. When speaking on the phone, you can hear yourself coming through the handset as well as any other background noise such as your car A/C. Callers on the other end had also complained that they can hear every little thing going on around me. This issue isn't gigantic but is annoying.

3. Keypad not up to par! Besides the horrible choice to make the backlight on the keypad blue and pretty much unreadable in the dark, the keys themself are too small and not spaced properly. I knew this going in but read that some people got use to the size. After one week, I just couldn't get into it.

4. Unlocking keypad is more difficult then 8703. I like to keep my BB in my pocket and always lock it when doing so. On the 8703 all you have to do is click the trackwheel twice and you're unlocked. On the 8830 you need to press * and phone button to unlock. Ok minor issue but with the size of the keys and horrible backlight, it's pretty hard to unlock your phone in a hurry at night.

There are some good things about the 8830. I think the phone is beautiful. The silver is classy and it feels great in your hands. The 4.2 OS is great. Spellcheck and voice command are great additions. The track ball takes time to get use to but is nice. The speakerphone works great. But I have to say, although not as pretty as the 8830, the 8703 is a solid piece of magic. I've never had better reception on a cell phone. The screen is beautiful. The key pad is perfect. The ringers are loud and the call quality is top notch. Maybe if the 8703 wasn't so great i would have kept the 8830 and dealt with it's negatives but since the 8703 rocks so hard, I'll wait for the next Verizon release and see if it fairs better.

Interested to hear your comments.

Peace and Go Ducks! 2007 Stanley Cup!