Hands On: BlackBerry 8800!
Coming in svelte black and chrome here is the new BlackBerry 8800! I am happy to show everyone this fantastic device from every-which-angle possible. The OS seems to loads way faster than the Pearl, and the speaker sounds a lot better. The feel of the device is great and the keyboard is just as good and functional as the 8700 so no worries out there power 8700 users! The screen? Oh man, the screen! The Cingular release will not have WiFi, but this unit does. Look for a WiFi 8800-style berry coming shortly after the launch of the 8800 on Cingular which is later this month, on the 20th. Click on for the full picture set here first, only on Boy Genius Report!
Updated with screenshots!
If your demoing the 8800 for T-Mobile than when will the TMo be out? Is it possible that the Feb 20th device is really the TMO version?
boomboom: Most I know is we start training on the 16th of March. They keep much a secret right now and won’t give me too much else. As far as it being 88xx or 9xxx, I feel it’s 88xx being that it is so soon…
i heard Verizon will not be supporting the 8800, is this true?
Is 4.2 for the 8700 never going to happen? I dont need a new BB, all i want is 4.2 damnit!
WOW that looks purdy. Wonder if it’s unlockable out of the box for T-mobile or if someone is going to figure it out……
Now if only this thing also had 3G.
hm, I wonder if the cingular version will have AT&T or cingular branding?
Too bad there’s no camera.
Does this model have a Bluetooth DUN profile? Any idea if the Cingular release will?
“i heard Verizon will not be supporting the 8800, is this true?”
No, they’re planning on a June release.
BG: Can you comment a tad bit more on the sound quality (mainly the speaker) of the device? I think that was on major step back that the pearl has. It sounds like a muffled flamingo in a headlock. Even with mods such as cutting holes in the battery door..It’s still nowhere near the loud sound that the 8700 or even simply standard phones have nowadays. Seems like the speaker placement is generally the same? Good speaker placement on the pearl but just wasn’t loud AT ALL.
Thanks
kyle: There was an article a few weeks ago, but I couldn’t find it. It was about Verizon getting the 8800
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Sure. Speaker is probably 65% louder (it’s freakin’ loud!). Very clear, obviously if your playing something with heavy bass it will be a little muffled as it can’t produce those super low-ends but for the most part it’s very pleasant to listen to. Placement is actually great because when you put it on your desk, table, whatever, it won’t muffle the sound at all. I am definitely happy with the change from the Pearl’s disappointing speaker. Hope this helps
I seriously am gonna faint. That is all the info I needed to make me want to switch over. I better sell my pearl before people catch on to this upcoming release. I guess now its a matter of figuring out which provider is gonna get it first?…or how long its gonna take for t-mobile to get it, or even if I’m willing to make the switch to Cingular for this device, the service in general, and the iphone.
Thank you so much man. I work in Hollywood and I keep all my little A-listers on top of this stuff thanks to you.
wow. and to think I was gonna take another spin with the dash again.
wifi=no (was there but now its gone)
a-gps=yes
a2dp=no
bluetooth tether=no
usb tether=yes
I’m confused guys. Does the 8800 have wifi or not? If not, then why does BG’s version have a wifi setup menu? Are you guys suggesting that Cingular’s version won’t have wifi, but other carriers might carry a version that will?
Thanks!
Yes. It seems as if so. Probably different incentives for each carrier. Ie: Carrier Exclusives.
Oh and another question which more people are wondering probably as much as I am. The Media Player. Has it been improved or did they end up taking up half the screen with the player controls again? lol. I’m wondering if there’s a full screen option now?
Oh and btw. There’s a channel I and some fellow RIM enthusiasts run called #blackberry on EFNET server in irc (internet relay chat). Jmirc works so flawlessly on blackberrys in general I wish there were more people that would stop by. We got a good group of people in there with OBD (Obsessive Blackberry Disorder). irc.easynews.com is a stable server to use/manually enter into jmirc.
jmirc OTA download: http://jmirc.sf.net/jmIrc.jad (case sensitive)
(very awesome easy to use client that works on majority of bbs. even the pearl – Make sure you have your TCP settings set up properly before using ..whether it be wap.voicestream.com or whichever. Or else you will get the Failed Tunnel Open Schmopen error..lol)
BG – Thank you so much for posting these pics and taking your valuable time to answer our questions. I have two if you don’t mind. I see that they were asked these previously but I couldn’t find the answer.
1. Can you confirm or deny if T-Mobile will have the 8800 any time soon?
2. 8800 A2DP – Can I hear the music and video through my bluetooth earpiece?
Thanks again.
great job on the pics. we can always count on you for the best scoop. well done! like visom, i am very curious about the 8800 and t-mo. can you say anything on when the 8800 will hit t-mo? could it also be on the 20th?
thanks and keep up the very good work.
Well, the 20th for T-Mobile, no. It’s looking like March for T-Mobile as far as I can tell. With Cingular being the #1 BlackBerry carrier in the world you can count on them having an exclusive (in the US atleast). The length of the 8700 Cingular exclusivity period was 90 days even though T-Mobile didn’t release the 8700 for a little bit after that. I highly doubt it’s that long in this case as launch of the 8800 is looking like a pretty solid global launch on a lot of carriers at almost the same time. I expect RIM to announce the device at 3GSM, and then announce carrier-specific device availability later.
Boy genius, is that 8800 able to stream video like from ORB?
And what about A2DP? Does it work on the unit you have?
Regarding all the “new” Blackberry “media-rich consumer products” and the 8100 and 8800, 9xxx in particular.
I bought the Cingular BB 8100 and want to sell it or return it. It is UNLOCKED (meaning you can use it in any cell company network that you wish in the USA or INTERNATIONALLY).
If anyone is interested please email I will let it go for $325. I didn’t use it for one week and I have the box and all the items fresh.
The problem for me:
(1) I go to many meeting and need to be able to exchange vcards/ecards contacts from my Outlook to my friends and colleague contact list. All the phones that I have allow me (provided that the recipient phone is capable) of sending my “business card” via Bluetooth, Infra-Red or SMS. This Blackberry 8100 “consumer -as claimed” product allows me to do NONE of the above. I don’t care for all the arguments for or against this feature in the corporate world coming from BB. I needed and I want it and I have had it and used it for many years in my SonyEricsson, Nokia, Sagem, Mio and other phones. Unless “SERVICES” are offered in Bluetooth or I can send my contact info by SMS (btw I do not mean sending the information in text form, I mean sending the vCard and allowing the recipient to click on it and automatically adding it to the contact list without further intervention), I am not interested.
(2) I travel internationally. For many years I have subscribed to a Swedish and a Danish cell company voice and data service besides my subscription to Cingular (I just swap SIMS) and configure my data services to the plain vanilla data service for all PDA/smart phone. The applies to 3G, EDGE or whatever. I have no use for a phone that requires subscribing to dedicated Blackberry servers at the cell phone company that may or may not be supported or that in any case requires additional extended contracts (when my visits may be from 1 to 6 weeks at a time). This is no good. And it is no good for anyone who wants to just pop a “pay for use” it SIM card at an international location.
If anyone knows how I can get AROUND items (1) and (2) above. Exchanging contact information and data via Bluetooth or exchanging contact information via SMS through the use of a third party software for BB 8100 PLEASE let me know. I hope to hear from you before I sell my BB 8100.
And for you whose work or play demands the same 2 items above, STAY AWAY FROM THE BB.
TD
I vote for profile shots next to the pearl too!