[dkf747]

What I'd like to see is side to side comparison shots with the 8700.

[pnd4pnd]

Originally Posted by dkf747

What I'd like to see is side to side comparison shots with the 8700.

and the pearl....

[mymitsu3kgt]

I just hope individual service providers will change the color of the 8300. If TMobile releases it in their standard dark blue, that would clinch it for me.

[waine06]

Me too.. Let TMO get 3G, and a blue or black case and I am all over this one... Love my 8700, but..

[sjsilverman]

Originally Posted by dkf747

What I'd like to see is side to side comparison shots with the 8700.

What I'd like to see is a new BB 83XX in my sweaty little palm. My 7130g is getting a little long in in the tooth!!!

[BallHawk3]

Wow, I gotta come back to this thread again. The last time I was this excited (for a blackberry) was when I saw the first shots of the 8700 series.

Really feeling the 8300. Just curious if its slightly smaller than the 8700? I've used the 8100 and 8800. Don't like the 8100, I hate the sure type keyboard and I hate using something (pda wise) that small. The 8800 maybe thinner than my 8700 but I can't stand the dimensions. Its just like the Moto Q. Just feels award.

I've always thought my 8700 was perfect for what it does (size wise). It can be slightly smaller.

[joespys]

Great shots - but no way the BB 8800 has anything to fear. For the business types and professionals the 8800 is the clear winner!

[rivviepop]

Originally Posted by joespys

Great shots - but no way the BB 8800 has anything to fear. For the business types and professionals the 8800 is the clear winner!

An interesting statement that reminds us that we all have different opinions. Personally I think the 8800, like the 8100, looks like cheap shiny plastic; the 8300 looks like a better industrial design that reminds me of the 8700 -- the 8300 pics make me think I could run it over with a car and it'll be fine.

I just don't happen to agree with your statment about business types liking the 8800, I think it's quite the opposite. It looks like a playtoy that people aren't going to invest in 10,000 new units for their company. Being in the general IT area, I've see what "biz guys" do to their hardware, it's gotta stand up to a beating.

==
Some of the more esoterics from different people:
- ran over his laptop with his Jeep
- dropped his Treo in the toilet (ewww)
- dropped his laptop brick in the toilet (wtf???)
- checked her Treo into baggage, destroyed
- pushed his laptop accidentally off a balcony
- 70 different kinds of liquids spilled on everything, including exploding suntan lotion in the same bag

[archer6]

Originally Posted by rivviepop

An interesting statement that reminds us that we all have different opinions.

Precisely !

From my perspective this is one of RIM's greatest strengths. The fact that we have choices of sizes, form factors and keyboard types qwerty or SureType.

In addition, now that they have the Pearl to join the ranks of companies that produce consumer devices, the possibility of continued growth and sales to people who previously would not have considered the BlackBerry platform is increased significantly.

Cheers.....

[H3LLFIRE]

From a functional standpoint the 8300 appears to be the better design. Ergonomics seem improved, on par with the 8700. The simple fact that the keys are spaced out instead of bunched together like the 8800 should win over a lot of people (including me). I'm not a big fan of the color scheme but I bet it'll show fingerprints a lot less than the 8800. And as much as I like the thin design and silver sides of the 8800, it just doesn't feel all that great in the hand. Feels very insecure and slippery.

Like a previous poster said, the 8300's like a cleaned up 8700. Should be awesome.

[xkon]

That is my next BB... I saw the 8800 today, and was VERY unimpressed. The pearl is nicer IMO, but that 8300 looks to be all I wanted in a bb!

[takeshi]

Originally Posted by rivviepop

I just don't happen to agree with your statment about business types liking the 8800, I think it's quite the opposite. It looks like a playtoy that people aren't going to invest in 10,000 new units for their company.

Meh. We're standardizing on the 8800. I guess it's probably different with your company but the "looks" of a device are last on our list of concerns. ;)

I'm surprised by how it sounds like many are swayed one way or the other based on photos or the appearance of one model over the other. Guess I shouldn't be surprised considering how well the RAZR sells over here (and consdiering that it really has nothing going for it other than thin-ness)... If I wasn't looking for a camera-equipped BB I'd stick with the 8800. Color and appearance don't matter near as much to me as reliability and performance but as we've said -- at least people are getting more options from RIM.

[bigdongers]

I saw the 8300 for the first time today and it is simply beautiful!!! Much nicer looking and sleeker than the 8800. Image a thin and light Treo and thats about the size of the 8300.

the new media software looks nice and videos play in full screen mode too.

[delmarco]

wow...those are two totally different looking devices!

I prefer the more pocketable 8300.
I held the 8800 in the Cingular store and it was way too hefty and square for me. I felt the 8800 was much bigger than the 8700g for me to want it or even consider it to be an upgrade of any sort.

Looking forward to more of the 8300 style berrys.

[NCBuckeye]

Originally Posted by delmarco

wow...those are two totally different looking devices!

I prefer the more pocketable 8300.
I held the 8800 in the Cingular store and it was way too hefty and square for me. I felt the 8800 was much bigger than the 8700g for me to want it or even consider it to be an upgrade of any sort.

Looking forward to more of the 8300 style berrys.

You must have not ben holding the 8800 then if you thought it was heftier than the 8700c.

[archer6]

Originally Posted by takeshi

I'm surprised by how it sounds like many are swayed one way or the other based on photos or the appearance of one model over the other. Guess I shouldn't be surprised considering how well the RAZR sells over here. Color and appearance don't matter near as much to me as reliability and performance but as we've said -- at least people are getting more options from RIM.

I agree, it never ceases to amaze me how appearance is often the first consideration for so many people. Especially those who are looking for functionality and reliability. I choose functionality first, feature set second, and appearance last.

Cheers....

[Galvatron]

i was hoping for somthing bigger and lengthier it looks like a sqare instead of a rounded rectangle

[BryanHarig]

Originally Posted by archer6

I agree, it never ceases to amaze me how appearance is often the first consideration for so many people. Especially those who are looking for functionality and reliability. I choose functionality first, feature set second, and appearance last.

Cheers....

In my case I feel that we have reached a point in the evolution of the mobile device such that I should not have to make the choice:

Attractive, reliable and functional. Pick any 2!

There are numberous examples of phones that are both reliable and functional AND attractive. IE: BB pearl, Nokia 5500, Sony Ericson K800, Samsung M610, Nokia 8800SE.

Obviously it isnt cheap but there is no reason a capable reliable phone needs to be unatractive.

[archer6]

Originally Posted by BryanHarig

In my case I feel that we have reached a point in the evolution of the mobile device such that I should not have to make the choice:

Attractive, reliable and functional. Pick any 2!

There are numberous examples of phones that are both reliable and functional AND attractive. IE: BB pearl, Nokia 5500, Sony Ericson K800, Samsung M610, Nokia 8800SE.

Obviously it isnt cheap but there is no reason a capable reliable phone needs to be unatractive.

I think perhaps my post was misread. I certainly agree with you that we shouldn't have to make a choice, however we're not quite there yet. For example, I find the Moto-Q an attractive smart phone, and yet the two that I tried were fraught with problems. I can also say the same based on personal experience with the Blackjack model. Conversely you have listed some phones that are quite nice within their limits, some of these I own. So we are getting closer depending on how broad ones needs are.

My point was (from my personal preferences only) that while I'm as eager as anyone to have an attractive device, since I use a BB for work, it's the reliability , feature set & functionality that are much more important to me than it's appearance. It's kind of like buying a copy machine for the office based on it's looks. Just does not make sense to me.

I have flip phones, bar phones, slider phones, all kinds of phones. This is what I truly enjoy about GSM is that I merely move my sim card to any of the 15 or so, new phones that I have and I'm all set. That is one reason why I own so many phones. I like to have choices and when it's the weekend and I choose to disconnect from email, then I have other phones chosen primarily based on their performance as a phone and their styling. Another reason I have so many, is every product, especially mobile phones, is a series of compromises. Since we all have our own personal taste, the number of models required to take care of everyones preferences is vast, and growing rapidly. That's the good news as I see it. Once someone begins selling a phone that matches my every need for work as well as social use, AND of an attractive design, I will own just one phone.

Based on my preferences, as well as needs, and the needs of others I know. I think we are a few years away yet from having something for everyone that will also include styling as a major consideration.

Cheers....

[maxboostlude]

Wow, that's one plasticky looking phone... The camera is good to have, bit makes the phone look cheaper. Also looks a lot like the palm which imo isn't a good thing.

I also think typing with no extra space under the keyboard will be hard.. Thumbs will need to navigate downwards rather than upwards.