BlackBerry Pearl 8130
Average Ratings
Doesn't Work for Syncing to Outlook
The phone aspects are great: small size, camera, video, quick internet, save messages and internet pages options. If what you want is a BlackBerry, but don't care if you can actually sync it to your Outlook for calendar management (the whole reason I use a BlackBerry), than it is a good choice.
Got the phone in December and have not once successfully synced it without first wiping the device clean, deleting the "corrupted" (according to RIM) sync files and starting from scratch. I have spent literally hours on the phone with RIM and Verizon Wireless problem shooting. The patches RIM gave didn't work, so finally after what I hope is my last multi-hour phone call, I am returning the device and going back to my 7130e. It doesn't have a camera/video/save pages options, is slower and thicker, but at least it syncs and I can trust there aren't any random deletions of entries on my calendar.
I would like to go back to the Pearl when/if RIM fixes the software problems associated with the device. Was told by RIM that Vista "complicates" the issues. Since the Pearl isn't marketed to consumers who use all the integration aspects of the BlackBerry (those users buy a full sized device) the problems I have had are less known.
I'm not impressed.
I recently purchased the Blackberry Pearl 8130 about 2 weeks ago. I was so excited for it to come out with my carrier ( U.S. Cellular ) because usually the dont carry phones that are this sharp. I loved that look of it and was very pleased to find they had it in my favorite color.
So, off I got to purchase my dream phone.
Biiiiig mistake.
First day I found it very hard to navigate. The "pearl" navigating is completely annoying.
Second day I found that I could not receive text messages (although I could send them) because my phone decided to delete them as they came in. Along with my recent calls, I found that frustrating. The basic point of a cell phone is to know whose calling.
And no one seems to figure out what the problem is. I'm very fed up.
Once you get past the nice look, its downhill from there.
Tomorrow I'm returning it for the Motorola Q.
Seemed great...not so much!
I have owned the pearl for a month now and fell in love with it. The email is amazing on this phone and I am getting great reception with it. I use the calender feature alot and have no complaints with that. The special blackberry internet fee kinda sucks but its just something you have to put up with.
The thing that disappoints me is that my call logs and texts are getting erased randomly. I have called sprint and blackberry and the only answer I got from sprint was that the phone will erase this data when the battery life drops below 50%. This makes no sense and is a bunch of bs! So I talked to someone at blackberry and they said the software on the phone will automatically erase the call logs and texts when the memory gets low. How can this phone not have enough memory to keep the data needed to save call logs? I owned 3 different treos and they would store the call logs and texts for a couple of months! The pearl wont keep my call logs for more than a few days!
Pros:
Email
Size
Actual usable headphone jack
Sprint features like navigation / On demand
Cons:
Memory
Seems to have slowed down
No picture mail
Does work with Toyota
There is only one word to describe this phone. FANTASTIC. It does work with Toyota bluetooth [...] I had a hard time getting it to work with bluetooth in my Toyota as well. No one could help me figure it out. I figured out that if you erase all other phones (if you have more than one) from your device list then, reset the bluetooth on the car to default, the phone will then connect. It took forever to figure this out but, it does work beautifully. [...]
Ed. note: Removed response to other review.
I like it but.....
I love my new bb, it is awesome but I got it last saturday, woke up sunday morning and all of the memory was gone, it was like I just took it out of the box and would not retain any info. Took it back to VZ, got a new phone and this week the battery will not hold a charge, literally would not use it for 6 hours but it lost 1 bar of battery life, then made 2 calls and was down to 1 bar of battery life left. Took it back again today, they replaced the battery and we will see. I do not want to have to get another device BUT for what I paid I expect a quality phone and bb that work!
Pros: everything when it works
Con: battery life
HATE it!!
Pros
Track ball
Camera
Brick Game
Cons
Where do I begin?!
Takes forever to figure out
Ring tones suck
Bluetooth will not work with my brand new Dell laptop
Messages all in one place
SMALL buttons
Hard to text and I am a text genius
Browser sucks
It freezes
Battery DOES NOT last
It is slick when you hold it in your hand
I will use this phone for the 30 days and then I am going to get rid of it!!
Disappointing especially on Verizon
I've had this phone for a week and a half and I'm really disappointed. I don't know what everyone is raving about. I got this phone based on everyone's comments. When I picked it up in the store I thought, "It's too small. The keys are too small and too slippery."
I was right; it's too small. The display is too small, the keys are too small and too slippery - it's too easy to hit the wrong key.
The back cover doesn't fit right; it's too small and it's loose in all directions.
There are plenty of user interface design flaws: There are two different shift keys; the delete key is right next to the enter key. And oh yeah, sometimes, the enter isn't really an enter key. You're supposed to hold the * key to lock the keypad, but I have found times when that doesn't work. It froze on me once (so far).
The browser is pretty useless; yes, I can get sports scores - so what? I can also find lists of applications to buy. What's that about?
I like the trackball, but that doesn't make up for the other short-comings.
great phone but...
Bar phone that is just about perfect in terms of size. If it was ruggedized then it would be perfect.
RIM gets it.
Camera... could care less.
The signal strength is no better or worse than any previous phone.
Ear piece clarity is very good.
Blackberry set-up can be done sans reading the manual.
All in all I'd have no qualms with recommending this phone to others.
So why the 3.5 rating?
The phone book and its features leave a lot to be desired. At least for me. Others might not think what I find to be dissatisfying, a problem at all.
I've a 104 names in the phone book with almost every name having multiple phone numbers.
The software does not allow for a default number to be set. To place a call out of the phone book requires having to chose which number (home, work, cell...) is to be dialed.
The software designer not including a default phone number parameter is what earns this phone the 3.5 ranking.
Love It
I got the 8130 the day Verizon released and I immediately started to like it. I was really waiting for the Voyager so I switched for that recently when it came out (see my negative review on that phone).
I went back to the Pearl and really started customizing it. I am really impressed by this tiny phones capabilities. Its a great phone overall. My two small gripes are the keyboard is tiny for fat fingers and the battery life is average if you use it a lot.
Overall I love it though...can do so much. Oh one more last gripe, seems like you have to pay for just about every application where the iPhone seems to give a lot of links for free.
I dont think most people will be dissapointed in the Pearl 8130.
Best Phone I've ever HAD!!!
I've gone though about 10 phones in a short span. usually I get a phone because of it looks, then when I use it I get bored is. Not in the case of the Blackberry Pearl. Finally a phone that I am not bored it. It has everything that a phone should have and even more.
Camera is pretty good, and I never once dropped a call.
OVerall a great fone!!!
Recommend to buy you won't regret it!!!!
