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!
BG – the issue of A2DP has been brought up a few times in this thread but there has been no response from you. The media functions are great but if I can’t hear it through my bluetooth then it’s not as great. So, I am wondering if you can elaborate on that with the unit you now posses. If not can you at least tell us if maybe RIM asked you not to dicuss that issue?
BG- anymore news on when/if Verizon will release the 8800 or a similar device? I remember reading that Verizon will be releasing a cdma/gsm world blackberry….will that be similar to the 8800?
Traditionally CDMA devices are released after the equivalent GSM product launch. At one time, this gap was as much as a year later – the 8703e for Verizon/TELUS/Bell came roughly one year after the 8700x GSM equivalent. I have heard rumblings up here in Canada that the Pearl is set to release for TELUS/Bell in May – this would be a 8 1/2 – 9 month gap from the rollout of the GSM Pearl.
Long story short, while the GSM/CDMA release gap is narrowing, I would not expect to see a Verizon/TELUS 8800 until Q4 of this year – that’s being optimistic.
Engadget has reports of an 8800 “like” device being released for Verizon in Q2 this year. It’s not exactly the same… Silver in color, different lines etc, but very similar.
Reports say April, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed for late May or early June.
BG, I dropped my BB Pearl in water and choose not to replace it. I did not like the size, the speed dial feature. I am back to my 7290 awaiting the release of the 8800. I am concerned I won’t like the 8800 because now that I am back to my 7290 I realize I like the trackwheel better than the trackball. I heard the software on the larger Pearl to come will not be as fast as the older versions. Is this correct? What is your advice for me. When will T Mobile sell the 8800? Thanks
I had the opertunity to test this BB out in the Summer, I am from Waterloo where its made so we got to sample it. Its very nice, I know they where talking about HSDPA (850/1900) but not sure if it was finalized yet.
I know it won’t be anytime soon, but I am SO hoping that Sprint gets this! I have my BlackBerry through work, and that’s their contracted carrier.
CPM- do you have a link to that story? Would love to check it out? Thanks!
Tom – see link…
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/01/31/new-blackberry-appears-on-verizons-radar/
BG, I heard today that the Cingular 8800 GPS is not the GPS we know that it will be but it will be netwrok based and will work in the same process like Nextel and that it will not be ready for intro untill mid year. IS that something you can confirm?
Hey BG, now that you’ve had a few days to play w/ the 8800, can you comment on the battery life? Also, another post asked about dropping calls when an email comes through, has that been fixed as well? Thanks!
Is there any chance Sprint will get this any time soon? (next 60 days) I am ready to leave them but stuck with a nextel ptt radio as well. It seems it would be better to have a small nextel with a Cingy BB 8800 as well.
Any rumors on whether any Canadian carriers will carry this puppy?
And what is the difference between the 88xx and the 9xxx? Thank you.
Great Work
Re the 8800 IS the GPS a pohone feature or a network feature. In other words, must the network offer GPS for it to work?
Shouldn’t have anything to do with the carrier…should even work without a SIM card
Do you think that any of us overly impatient T-Mobile users will have issues with service books/gps service if we jump on this and get it unlocked?
I still don’t get the deal with WiFi. If it’s not avail on Cingular…who has it? Is yours a test model or something? Thanks, BG
How about 3.5mm headphone inputs? and any news on the AD2P?
wanna know if the 8800 comes witha 3.5 mm headphone jack . Also can u tell if it supports 65K colors or 262K colors ?
and also the screen size (diagonal) .
Please…anyone….I need and unlocked 8800 NOW!!!!!!
Any suggestions
most of the questions can probably be answered here: http://www.blackberry8800.com/
Just wanted to let everyone know that I emailed the tech support at RIM to get an answer once and for all on the A2DP issue. This is the response RIM gave me, “At this time, the BlackBerry 8800 handheld software version does not support A2DP. However, this is something the development team are working and should be in support for future software update on the BlackBerry 8800.” So it is bad news but with a silver lining.
BG – thanks for the report… I read at another site that WIFI will be available as model 8820. Can you confirm/deny this. I don’t get the reason as to why make a non-WIFI model and then sell a WIFI model 3 months out. I’m sure those that get the non-WIFI model will be kicking themselves. IMHO, it’s worth to wait for the WIFI. This is something that neither moto Q nor blackjack have. I also hope that WIFI is available w/o the Camera otherwise my Co. won’t allow it or may allow it if there is a way of disabling the camera.
Any idea as to how long Verizon will take to carry the 8800/8820? If it is a 9 month wait, I think I’ll switch to cingular.
For those of that want an unlocked one – check on ebay, they are selling for a cool $1k, but I’d be cautious of buying it from them when 2/20 is around the corner.
I hear this has capability to view attachments: No editing possible yet. Can attachments be saved. Cna they be attached to emails being sent?
Any news on the Tmobile release date for the 8800? or any information on what it would look like or if it will have wifi? Thanks BG