[vsgotto]

Originally Posted by Dubdub

I need to see it before I leave my 8700c. Can't base my decision on the posts and specs we have seen so far. Sounds nice, bt does it work as advertised. My bet is it does, but .................

I agree. While the specs and pics look promising, my biggest fear is the trackball. While playing with the Pearl for 6-8 mins in a local T-Mobile store, I didn't like the trackball at all. But if I'm being honest, 6-8 mins isn't enough time to make a fair evaluation.

[mas90guru]

I used a Pearl daily for about 3 months. The trackball does take some getting used to. Despite my initial fears, it never became unusable due to "stuff" that gets stuck under the wheel. The ball remains as responsive as the day that I bought it.

Definitely an aquired taste and it looks like a feature we'll all have to get used to.

[pimp7100i]

I'm upgrading to the 8800 because I have the outdated Nextel 7100i nuff said

[Number13]

Originally Posted by cmpugh

D) all of the above

E) for the ladies

[Michbb]

I went away from my 7100t a while ago and went to a cell phone only. Only took 1 month to go back. But now it was time to upgrade cause the 7100 is outdated... was gonna get the pearl or dash but heard about the 8800... can't wait now!!!!!

[ItsAllVerbatim]

2) Gps
3)

[bcaslis]

Pearl's keyboard just isn't for me and I want to get away from the bugs I've had in all the Treos I've owned. 8800 looks like it might do the job.

[justin.culp]

Originally Posted by greggebhardt

Yes what he said.

Like the Pearl features, HATE the keyboard. Give me QWERTY with the Pearl features, give me the 8800!

Ditto!

[Number13]

Double Ditto! A coworker of mine has a Pearl and I cannot stop picking it up and using the trackball, evaluating it, etc. She keeps calling my 8700 a "junky phone", in a joking way ofcourse b/c of the call quality. But....

If I can get the Pearl's features, full QWERTY and WiFi I'm pretty happy. Well, two out of three ain't bad unless I want to wait and get a non-branded 8800 with the WiFi and camera.

[diginixy]

This may sound silly, but the pearl is getting way too much exposure. When I see teenagers carrying one, and those rip-off ringtone commercials showing the pearl as a demo phone, its time to upgrade. Also to me the 88 seems like the adult version to the 81. Although I will still use my pearl weekends for going out and what not. I just wish i didnt get locked in that damn 2 yr contract, now i have to pay full retail, blah!

On the technical side, the wi-fi, QWERTY, and lack of camera are my main selling points.

[Aroc]

• trackball (yes I want this)
• slimmer than the 8700c
• it's a QWERTY BlackBerry

[jon01]

wifi, camera, sd slot, full keyboard like my 8700.

- Jon

[BBAdmin]

There is no camera on the 8800, I thought that was common knowledge by now!!!

For me it's all about going back to a full qwerty device which is thinner than my 8700 was and also, the biggie, built in GPS.

[TheBigNewt]

I guess it won't have WiFi after all. If that's true it'll be just another pretty phone, no better than the Pearl, but without a camera. zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Shughes]

Switching from the 7520 to the pearl was a good switch. Love the form factor, media manager, and such. I got used to the suretype fairly quickly so no worries with that. I only miss the intergrated gps so thats while I'll be switching to the 8800. I can live without a camera to catch those drunken episodes.

[Wanchaiman]

I tried very hard for an hour to learn to type quickly on the 8100 but it extended stares to even find the letter I wanted!

The 8800 offers a full size keyboard, extended memory, multi media, mms and wifi (hopefully).

It should make a good replacement for 5820, 3G phone and ipod

[rambo47]

It's the QWERTY Pearl. And it's the new hotnessxxx8482;. And the (eventual) camera will take video clips as well as pictures. And GPS. And it's the new hotnessxxx8482;. :D

When the Pearl was first released I was worried that there would be some MAJOR bugs and that I would be unhappy with buying the first model of a new product. I've never been so happy to be so wrong!

[plchan]

regarding 8800 has cam or not, or 8900 or 8x00 with camera, I am just hoping to get a bb with qwerty, gps, wifi and camera

[muck]

after using the pearl.... i think id really appreciate a full qwerty

[BMWLotAttendant]

Originally Posted by muck

after using the pearl.... i think id really appreciate a full qwerty

Thanks for coming to that conclusion for me.