BlackBerry 8800 Review - Introduction & Design

Introduction & Design

Introduction
Legions of BlackBerry addicts have long traded style for functionality.  BlackBerry devices were never at the top of anyone’s “Best Dressed Phones” list, and the BlackBerry OS looked positively archaic next to state-of-the-art phone platforms like Symbian and Sony Ericsson’s Walkman series.  RIM took a big step towards changing all of that with their latest batch of handsets.  Slimmer, sexier, and sporting an interface often likened to Apple’s legendary Mac OS, today’s BlackBerries are ... dare I say it? ... almost kind of cool.

The BlackBerry 8800 sits alongside its baby brother, the 8100 “Pearl,” as T-Mobile’s RIM offerings (as of my writing this only AT&T carries the newer 8300 Curve model).  While the Mac OS comparison might be a stretch, the overhauled user interface and trackball navigation system have made the BlackBerry experience far more user friendly.  Combine that with a slimmer, hipper design, a built-in media player, and the legendary BlackBerry push email system, and you’ve got yourself a very useful device that will make being “chained to Email” that much more enjoyable.

Design
RIM built the 8800 with a longer, narrower, and more squared-off body than previous generation BlackBerries like the 8700g (also on T-Mobile).  The 8800 is also noticeably thinner than its predecessor, measuring 14mm front to back versus the 8700g’s 20mm profile.  The 8800 actually weighs a single gram more than the 8700g, but the weight is nicely distributed, making for a handset that feels solid but not heavy in the hand or pocket. 

The 8800 is finished in black with silver accents and features both RIM’s redesigned QWERY board and the trackball first seen on the Pearl.  I found the overall design of the device to be quite pleasing - BlackBerry is still a business first kind of gadget, but the new look says “sleek and hi-tech” as opposed to the “clunky and nerdy, but functional” vibe of the older models.

A candy bar phone at its core, the 8800’s front panel is split roughly 50/50 between a large 2.4” LCD display and the QWERTY keypad beneath it.  The keypad is augmented by a center-mounted navigational trackball flanked by four buttons for Call, Home Screen, Back, and Cancel.  Volume Up/Down controls are mounted on the phone’s right side, a Push-to-talk button is found on the left, and Power and Mute buttons are up top.  The rear panel includes a sliding panel that reveals the battery and microSD card slots; while the panel must be removed to access the memory card, cards can be removed and installed without disturbing the battery.

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