[Boy Genius]

Ok to recap everything over the past 2 months here is what I have found regarding the 8100...

Pros:
Good design

Works decent as a phone

Small, thin and light

Trackball will bring up a mini menu when pushed in which saves some time.

Browser gives a view of whole page so you can navigate


Cons:
Horrible playback speaker (mp3s, ringtones)

Worst RF reception of any BlackBerry

Extremely low vibrate

Video player is fine but converting videos, even to the specs released by RIM give many problems, some play only audio with black screen, some skip a lot and then freeze the whole device.

File structure is terrible, the device only lets you use files from the designated areas for instance, you downloaded an mp3, and saved it to music folder, you goto profiles to set that mp3, and its not available because its not in ringtones folder, no problem just move it to the folder right? Wrong. You can't move any files out of the original folders.

You can not download large files, the same limits apply from the 8700 around 500kb I believe
You can listen to .wav attachments but not mp3s

Many OS problems like freezing, and unecessary slowness. 2 different devices had the exact same java error with BlackBerry Messenger and then corrupted the whole OS.

Memory card size is limited to 1GB

[adamlau]

Originally Posted by boygenius

Worst RF reception of any BlackBerry

Hmm...Not good...Not good at all ...

[Eric5273]

Just a thought, but didn't you have a beta device? I would think some of the things you are complaining about have been corrected. Is that possible?

[flash24]

I'll wait for the qwerty one then.. :D

[penk]

before this thread goes crazy, please keep in mind that many other 'berry handsets have had slightly imperfect or somewhat inferior feature perfomance at time of release. most, if not all, current OS releases have corrected any user concerns, even if that OS comes from another carrier's handset.


oven temps may vary.

[MajSingh]

...very dissappointing :(

[kathrynhr]

Forgive the n00b question, but how are OS updates accomplished on a BlackBerry? Are they OTA or do you download them to your PC first, or what?

(I've never owned a BB before, but am thinking of making the jump.)

[havaloc]

1) Isn't saying decent as a phone but in the same post saying the reception is the worst of any Blackberry contradictory?

2) Also, since it doesn't play MP3 attachments, could you save them first and then play them, or is not not possible due to the horrible file system?

3) While most of the cons could be addressed by future updates (and I think they'll come pretty fast), the horrible reception one is particularly worrisome. Then again, I remember that a lot of your screenshots had Cingular on the screen.

Originally Posted by boygenius

Works decent as a phone
Worst RF reception of any BlackBerry

You can listen to .wav attachments but not mp3s

[biscuit]

BG, Please clarify a couple of things:

What OS are you using? If you are not using the newest OS have you had a chance to see if any of these problems have been addressed?

As to RF reception, are you actually speaking of its ability to hold signal to a tower or are you refering to its BT transmission ability or both?

Thanks

[alslsb]

Yikes! I am waiting too ...

[kwang98131]

so whats better or someone liek me trying to make the BB jump? 8100c or 8700c?

[ddenson]

Originally Posted by kathrynhr

Forgive the n00b question, but how are OS updates accomplished on a BlackBerry? Are they OTA or do you download them to your PC first, or what?

(I've never owned a BB before, but am thinking of making the jump.)

Downloaded to PC, then installed over USB.

[secrecyguy]

One thing I have to say is this, it will be better than the 7290 I have now. So this will be a big jump for me when I get it in few weeks.

I can live with few flaws the 8100 has.

But I do hope the reception is not too bad.

[Pizzle]

For what it's worth, BG has stated his reviews are based on a retail version of the product. Not a beta version. What he states, assuming it's true for all 8100's, is going to be true for what you buy tomorrow.

[biscuit]

It is my understanding that BG received his phone before the OS 4.2 was available. Does the unit that will be available tomorrow come with the new OS? Is his review based on the 8100 complete with the 4.2 version?

[Boy Genius]

It is a retail version like Pizzle said, same thing your buying tomorrow. In response to
1) Isn't saying decent as a phone but in the same post saying the reception is the worst of any Blackberry contradictory?

No, im not talking about RF im saying when you have service the phone works fine, its comfortable and small, screenshots had cingular because the prototypes are unlocked and Cingular kills T-Mobile in reception

[d_fisher]

Originally Posted by biscuit

It is my understanding that BG received his phone before the OS 4.2 was available. Does the unit that will be available tomorrow come with the new OS? Is his review based on the 8100 complete with the 4.2 version?

The 8100 requires v4.2. You can not use v4.1 on the 8100.

[biscuit]

I cant find anything that says the 8100 is packed with the new OS, does this fix any of the problems that BG has stated in his review?

[Stinsonddog]

Sounds like the oyster needs more time in the mud.

[d_fisher]

Originally Posted by biscuit

I cant find anything that says the 8100 is packed with the new OS, does this fix any of the problems that BG has stated in his review?

Handheld software v4.2 is what enables the camera, removable media, and multimedia capabilities (among other things). Version 4.1 does not have these capabilities. Look at the screen shot he has of the About screen. You will see that it shows v4.2.