The RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 features a brilliant internal display and updated interface. The smartphone continues to offer strong e-mail support and adds Documents to Go. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 2-megapixel camera are also on board.
The Pearl Flip 8220 doesn't offer 3G support or GPS. The SureType keyboard also takes some acclimation.
While its flashier siblings may overshadow it, the RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 should satiate the appetite of flip phone fanatics by bringing in a clamshell design.
It's been quite a year for Research In Motion. In 2008, the company debuted its premiere touch-screen BlackBerry, theRIM BlackBerry Storm as well as its first clamshell model, the RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220. While it didn't draw quite the oohs and ahhs of the Storm or the BlackBerry Bold, there are still plenty of people of who really like the flip phone design. In fact, according to RIM, about 70 percent of the cell phone-owning population in the United States has clamshell phones, which is why it wanted to provide this option to customers.
Admittedly, the overall design of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip isn't the flashiest, but it is functional. Plus, there's plenty to like inside the device: an updated operating system and interface, document editing, Wi-Fi, strong e-mail support, and a 2-megapixel camera. It's not for the power business users, but if you're looking for your first smartphone or just want to keep tabs on your e-mail and have a penchant for flips phones, the Pearl Flip is a good option. The RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 will be sold through T-Mobile for a very reasonable $149.99 with a two-year contract and comes in two colors. The black model will be available on October 13, while the red model will be available around October 20.
The RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220's design is obviously the main headline here. It's RIM's first stab at the clamshell design, and while it doesn't leave a lasting impression, there are some elements that show careful thought went into it.
In its closed state, the smartphone measures 3.9 inches high by 1.9 inches wide by 0.7 inch deep and weighs 3.6 ounces. It's not the most compact flip phone we've seen, but you should be able to slip it into a pants pocket with no problem. The Pearl Flip fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. The phone is quite tall in its open state, but when on a call, it feels a bit weird since the drop hinge (see below) causes the bottom half of the phone to hit your cheek. On the positive side, the handset has a solid construction and is available in black or red.
On front, you get a 1.6-inch diagonal external nontouch display with a 65,536-color output and 128x160-pixel resolution. In addition to showing the standard information (battery life, network strength, time and date), it displays notifications for new messages, missed calls, caller ID, voice mails, and the like. You can even read previews of new e-mail from the external screen. In addition, when using the media player, you can also see track information but you can't perform any functions, other than adjusting the volume. The screen goes completely dark after the preset time-out duration, but you can quickly activate it by pressing any of the external controls. Above the display, you'll also find the camera lens and flash.
The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220's flip mechanism is smooth, and the phone opens and closes with a satisfying snap. The hinge feels nice and sturdy, and in fact, RIM actually used something called a drop hinge to provide the best ergonomic experience. If you open the phone and look at it from a side profile, you can see that the front flap sits behind the back cover, instead of directly above. While not the most aesthetically pleasing, it allows for plenty of room for you to use the navigation array and you don't have to worry about your thumb hitting the bottom edge of the front cover when trying to press a button.
The Pearl Flip borrows its keyboard and navigation controls from the BlackBerry Pearl. The latter, however, is set fairly deep beneath the phone's surface, so while it's fine for scrolling, it was a bit difficult to press down when selecting an item.
For better or worse, you get a SureType keyboarad. For the uninitiated, it's a modified keyboard that has two letters assigned to one button. As you start to enter the letters of a word, the SureType software will present you with a list of possible letter combinations or words, based on context. People seem to either love or hate the SureType keyboard, but regardless, if you're new to it, there may be a slight learning curve or period of acclimation. The good news is that the buttons are large and spacious, so there aren't a lot of accidental presses.
The Pearl Flip 8220 doesn't offer 3G support or GPS. The SureType keyboard also takes some acclimation.
While its flashier siblings may overshadow it, the RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 should satiate the appetite of flip phone fanatics by bringing in a clamshell design.
It's been quite a year for Research In Motion. In 2008, the company debuted its premiere touch-screen BlackBerry, theRIM BlackBerry Storm as well as its first clamshell model, the RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220. While it didn't draw quite the oohs and ahhs of the Storm or the BlackBerry Bold, there are still plenty of people of who really like the flip phone design. In fact, according to RIM, about 70 percent of the cell phone-owning population in the United States has clamshell phones, which is why it wanted to provide this option to customers.
Admittedly, the overall design of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip isn't the flashiest, but it is functional. Plus, there's plenty to like inside the device: an updated operating system and interface, document editing, Wi-Fi, strong e-mail support, and a 2-megapixel camera. It's not for the power business users, but if you're looking for your first smartphone or just want to keep tabs on your e-mail and have a penchant for flips phones, the Pearl Flip is a good option. The RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 will be sold through T-Mobile for a very reasonable $149.99 with a two-year contract and comes in two colors. The black model will be available on October 13, while the red model will be available around October 20.
The RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220's design is obviously the main headline here. It's RIM's first stab at the clamshell design, and while it doesn't leave a lasting impression, there are some elements that show careful thought went into it.
In its closed state, the smartphone measures 3.9 inches high by 1.9 inches wide by 0.7 inch deep and weighs 3.6 ounces. It's not the most compact flip phone we've seen, but you should be able to slip it into a pants pocket with no problem. The Pearl Flip fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. The phone is quite tall in its open state, but when on a call, it feels a bit weird since the drop hinge (see below) causes the bottom half of the phone to hit your cheek. On the positive side, the handset has a solid construction and is available in black or red.
On front, you get a 1.6-inch diagonal external nontouch display with a 65,536-color output and 128x160-pixel resolution. In addition to showing the standard information (battery life, network strength, time and date), it displays notifications for new messages, missed calls, caller ID, voice mails, and the like. You can even read previews of new e-mail from the external screen. In addition, when using the media player, you can also see track information but you can't perform any functions, other than adjusting the volume. The screen goes completely dark after the preset time-out duration, but you can quickly activate it by pressing any of the external controls. Above the display, you'll also find the camera lens and flash.
The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220's flip mechanism is smooth, and the phone opens and closes with a satisfying snap. The hinge feels nice and sturdy, and in fact, RIM actually used something called a drop hinge to provide the best ergonomic experience. If you open the phone and look at it from a side profile, you can see that the front flap sits behind the back cover, instead of directly above. While not the most aesthetically pleasing, it allows for plenty of room for you to use the navigation array and you don't have to worry about your thumb hitting the bottom edge of the front cover when trying to press a button.
For better or worse, you get a SureType keyboarad. For the uninitiated, it's a modified keyboard that has two letters assigned to one button. As you start to enter the letters of a word, the SureType software will present you with a list of possible letter combinations or words, based on context. People seem to either love or hate the SureType keyboard, but regardless, if you're new to it, there may be a slight learning curve or period of acclimation. The good news is that the buttons are large and spacious, so there aren't a lot of accidental presses.
