[blkberryboy]

That would be great, I reserve the right to believe it will not be out until after the first of the year. Im sure you source has good information, I happen to believe Cingular has some exclusivity longer than one month. I hope your source is correct.

On a side not this could all be a moot point should NTP get its way.

[socal7100t]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry7100/4.0.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

FWIW - I just spoke with a TMO rep in the PDA support dept who stated that the 8700 is scheduled for a pre-Christmas release. However, it may be delayed due to beta testing issues. He was not able to offer any further details. I then asked about 7105 > he recommended against the 7105 and waiting for the 8700. He said that even if the release is delayed, it would be well worth the wait.

[NJBlackBerry]

I spoke to T-Mobile's East Coast Engineering Manager and he told me March. Choose your poison, phone rep or engineering manager. I would be extremely surprised if the 8700 came out this year for T-Mobile since Cingular has an exclusive, just like T-Mobile had for the 7100. I just got a 7105t to play with and I think it's very nice.

[Bear]

Originally Posted by ddiamond77

Not that I believe it but....

...She said they were promised they would have it before Christmas. I asked her 2 or 3 times just to confirm we were talking about the same thing, but of course I still don't believe her. Especially when I called Customer Service a little later just for the hell of it and asked about it, and the CSR said there is nothing on the "Coming Soon" sheet she had. She said probably next year.

FWIW, "my" TMOB rep has said the same thing; looking at a Xmas release.

[blkberryboy]

Well my T-Mo rep beat up your T-Mo rep...

Look one glaring fact still remains; Cingular will have exclusive rights to the 8700 for a min of 30 days. Simple math:
November has 30 day, if, and only if, it come out on the first, the earliest T-Mo would have it would be Dec. first. However all indication on this forum is "sometime in Nov". So lets assume its a Monday release of the 14th, that would only give T-Mo 10 days in Dec, at the earliest, to sell the 8700. I find it difficult to assume T-Mo would mount an advertising blitz for only 10 days of sales in Dec. I tend to think Q1 of 2006.

But I have been wrong before…

[dolo]

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

I spoke to T-Mobile's East Coast Engineering Manager and he told me March. Choose your poison, phone rep or engineering manager. I would be extremely surprised if the 8700 came out this year for T-Mobile since Cingular has an exclusive, just like T-Mobile had for the 7100. I just got a 7105t to play with and I think it's very nice.

NJBB,

Please share your thoughts on the browser speed. Getting lots of mixed feedback, but the concensus seems to be that it is noticeably faster and some users state "much" faster then the 7100.

Menu speed is supposedly much faster as well - please confirm.

RF, Battery life comments are always welcome

I did play with this at the digital life convention - the 7105 in RL is veeery attractive.

Regards,
dolo

[NJBlackBerry]

The first thing I did was load on Jibi theme's and switch to the old fashioned 7700 small icons theme. I detest the T-Mobile 7100 theme.

Anecdotally, browsing and downloading seems a bit faster. Certainly not EDGE, but a bit faster.

RF seems the same. BT volume issues are unchanged. Battery life, well, I had a 957 years ago and they lasted 3 weeks on a charge. Battery life on the 7105t is nothing to write home about.

My two major concerns with the 7100t was that the screen washed out in daylight (much, much better now) and I never got used to Suretype (wait and see)....

[Bear]

Originally Posted by blkberryboy

Well my T-Mo rep beat up your T-Mo rep...

More than likely. She's pretty dang tiny. ;)

[dolo]

Thanks NJBB.

Your insight is always appreciated.

dolo

[earpon]

I just got a reply via e-mail from our RIM rep today and he said that T-Mobile is already testing the 8700 and it's up to T-Mobile if they will carry it or not. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[raafter]

Just a new guy around here but have access to real information. Those of you who say February March are Bang on. Those who say December should be out fishing! Not happening. Might be january depends on how the T-Mobile testing goes. T-Mobile won't be testing the 8700 until next week. They don't even have them yet... Friday comes soon though.

You can be VERY sure T-Mobile will be carrying the device, it is by far the best device on the market today oops November 14th when Cingular starts selling it. oops where did that come from?

[jibi]

earpon, you can just about bet money that TMO will end up carrying any product from RIM. they have pretty much dropped support for the Palm OS in favor of the BlackBerry devices, so what other 'smartphone' options are they optioning for? it doesn't appear they are too keen on the Windows Mobile devices, although i have a gut feeling that they may very well pick up the Treo 700w.

[Soapm]

TMO usually releases to business customers before consumers. They did the 7290 that way.

[FKI]

Speaking of unlocked. I really don't care about the color/functionality of this one, but can someone elaborate more about the unlocked version? Isn't this something we can do on our own, or download a script that will de-activate the restrictions?

Or can I simply take my SIM card from my TMO phone and pop it in? Don't Cingular and TMO share the GPRS/GSM network? Have some sort of agreement?

Any information about this would be helpful. I'm getting my 8700c today, and would love to use it, rather than stare at it while it sits in the box.

FKI
NY, NY

[TheMatrix]

If you're referring to the launch party, be advised they're supposedly giving out some sort of gift certificates - NOT actual phones. Or so I've read.

TM

[FKI]

Gotcha! I guess I'll find out what the real deal is tonight.

Regardless, does anyone know anything re: unlocking a phone yourself? Are the DIY procedures out there?

Thanks!~

[blkberryboy]

Originally Posted by FKI

re: unlocking a phone yourself? Are the DIY procedures out there?

Thanks!~

Yes...

www.bongowireless.com.... look under products

Good luck

[FKI]

doesn't seem to work on RIM products. Yeah, and a bit pricey! ;)

Any off-street shops around NYC that will do it "in the back room" for $40?

I knew of one in the 50's on the east side.. but I'd never find it again.

Thanks!

[crisambo]

Originally Posted by FKI

. . . Regardless, does anyone know anything re: unlocking a phone yourself? Are the DIY procedures out there?

Thanks!~

Why pay when you can get unlock codes for free from carriers, Tmobile emails code within 24-48 hours, and Cingular at one time, had me on the line for a few minutes and they gave me code over the phone. By being a loyal subscriber, you can always request your carrier to give you the unlock code so you can use a foreign GSM SIM . . . the keywords "need to be able to use foreign SIM for international travel" . . .

But you got to understand that the SIM unlock code only enables you to use foreign SIM to use the phone/SMS features of the device, you will still have to request for a transfer of your BB PIN/IMEI to your carrier of choice in order to get BB functionality.

BTW, when I say foreign SIM, it also refers to US SIMs by carriers not providing the device. (i.e. Cingular is foreign if used on a TMO device, vice-versa, etc. . . .)

[weisz108]

Any word on when Rogers will have the 8700 in Canada?