BlackBerry 8830
Average Ratings
BLACK BERRY 8830
I have been reading Phone Scoop for years. It is one of the most valuable sites for determining mobile phone equipment, primarily because real owners out in the field post authentic user reviews.
This is my first smart phone. I wanted a workhorse for email and Blackberry was the obvious choice. This is a terrific phone and work tool. Large, crisp screen, great sound, excellent speaker phone, not a single dropped call with Verizon, easy implementation of email set-up, blue-tooth and all multi-media uploads, GB media card which can hold hundreds and photos, mp3's and or video mp4's and a battery thay lasts up to 3 days in full use (1400 maH). It currently suffers only in two principal areas:
1. tiny keyboard - difficult to see and type unless you are from Munchinland.
2. Verizon has deactivated the fine GPS functionality of this model. Why ? Even though I installed "Spot" GPS navigation software, it will not work until Verizon "activates" its functionality. Not everyone at Verizon is aware of this shortcoming on this model. I am led to believe that eventually they will re-activate its functionality with a down loadable software update.
That being said, the Blackberry 8830 is a quality and reliable smart phone for the busy working executive.
Great Efficient Phone!
I purchased this phone on its release date, so I have only had the phone for a couple days. I have upgraded to this phone from the Pocket PC6700, and have been pleased thus far. Don't get me wrong the PPC is a great phone, but maybe too much.
Pros:
**Great battery life
**Real time E-mailing
*Sleek/ strong design
*Auto dimming back-light, excellent for outdoors
*Maps - provides map quest like directions (free with unlimited data plan)
*Great holster (come with the phone)
*Easy email set-up
I could probably go on, but I haven't had the phone that long.
Cons:
*No camera, not a big deal since I don't use the camera feature that much anyways
*There isn't a quick way to switch the ringer volume settings.
Very Nice
Just picked up this phone yesterday. I am coming from a Moto Razr V3c so as you will see I am much happier with this phone now.
Pros:
- Nice design and good feel to the phone
- Much better battery life over the razr
- Keyboard easy to use
- Picks up a strong signal and calls are crystal clear
- Nice LCD display
- Easy to navigate menu
- Email setup with Gmail was very simple
Cons:
No camera - Obviously I knew his buying the phone. Its not a big deal and did not change my rating score.
No OBEX - Not sure why Verizon would disable this for a blackberry which can't have the Get it Now option.
Vibrate isnt as strong as it was on the razr.
Besides that it seems to be a very nice phone and I will be keeping this one for a while.
Very Disappointed
I was a very content user of Blackberry 7250 but was lured to 8830 specifically for two new features: (i) Voice activated dialing & (ii) GPS -well guess what, none of these two are for practical usage.
I was extremely shocked on voice dialing quality... it sounds like a rusty & squeaky robot. Blackberry should talk to my WellsFargo or AT&T phone assistant!
I am writing this review after using the phone for over 2 weeks and was absolutely sure to find at least one good thing... and that is the media player. My desk phone voicemails get forwarded to my email as WAV attachments, so now i can listen it while on road. That was pleasant surprise.
PROS:
-Colorful screen
-Nice job in hiding icons
-Easy to read PPT, DOC, PDF etc.
-Media Player
-Sleek
-Better holster
-Speaker phone (i had this in my V60 in 20030)
CONS:
-GPS is useless
-Voice activated dialing does nothing after intensive device training
-Poor styling and i am sure one drop will be enough to break it
-Track ball light is really annoying
-Cannot see the screen even in daytime without turning on light
-compared to 7250, this phone has much compact keypad making it difficult to push right buttons
-Blackberry is yet to crack the code to seperate the alpha - numeric keys
Awesome!! (with Sprint anyway)
Everything about this phone has been perfect so far.
Pros:
- Applications execute flawlessly
- Obviously the GPS map is a hit
- Internet is lightening fast
- You can load Google Talk and have IM conversations so fluidly that the other user never knows that you're not in your Gmail.
- The browser is super functional (I can use the Bank of America site and its Bill Pay feature too!)
- Displays attachments very well (Word, Excel, PDF)
- The media application is polished
- CDMA and GSM, great b/c I VASTLY prefer CDMA technologies but travel to Europe and other places where they haven't caught on yet
- Blackberry PUSH is why nothing else will cut it
- Trackball is fantastic
- Micro SD
- INTEGRATION, INTEGRATION, INTEGRATION: Everything works together! You simply hit the menu button when your cursor is on something and the BB tells you everything you can do with that information and provides you with a link to do it!
Cons: None so far.
If you think you actually like the touch screen aspect of a TREO, then you've never had a BB with a trackball. You will do everything 100 times faster. Throw away your stylus and get a BB. I always thought BBs were great for email but light on features. The 8830 will change your mind. Everything about this phone is fast, in real time, polished, and stylish. No regrets, even at $550.
Sprint 8830 YES!
This phone is definately THE REAL DEAL! I have been using it for about a week now and it is the best phone I have ever used. I am not much on PDA/Smartphones, but this one has changed my mind.
PROS
FANTASTIC signal
Very high sound quality
Bluetooth works flawlessly
PUSH email is by far THE BEST
Battery Life Excellent
Screen/Resolution AMAZING
Roller ball is great
And MUCH MORE
Cons (very minor)
no camera
text messages mix with emails
Over all the best. It takes a little getting used to but well worth the time.
8830 crippled on GPS
I am waiting for a new one of these to ship , but after allot of shopping around and playing with it and a friends for 2 days its not bad.
The sound quality of calls making and recieving is loud and not one person has had any complaints when calling or receiving there calls. The scrolling and menu's take time to get used too but other than that time will tell. Biggest disappointment is the crippled GPS.
Lukewarm
I was really excited to get this phone as I enjoyed other Blackberries I have owned. It was great at first then reality set in.
The good:
Nice feel, look.
Great display and peppy response even with some taxing apps, (Weather Channel, Pocket Express, Pocket Day)
The media features are a welcome addition
Nice case included.
Office and PDF viewers included as is spell checker
Voice Dialing and control.
The not so good:
Blackberry Maps included, limited functionality GPS is in the phone but crippled by Verizon, said to be revived when they can turn on VZ Navigator for new revenue stream$$$$
The ring volume is really bad even with the "fix" of turning up the volume in the profile options, it's loudest setting is not as loud as the medium setting on the 8300 Curve.
Keyboard takes a lot of getting used to, minimal key travel and poor visibility back light.
This is a premium phone with much potential but as usual Verizon took a good thing and screwed it up. I wish they'd let you pay for a phone that is meddle free.
BlackBerry 8830 Not Ideal for me
I purchased this phone a week ago and have been playing with it even since. While this was my first blackberry I had high expectations coming from the latest Treo 7 series. First of all:
The ringer is very low, even on the highest setting.
Keyboard back light is a dreary blue, not good in low light conditions.
the headphone is not in stereo and poor quality.
Trackball takes getting used to, but no big deal. Keybooard buttons too small and not raised enough.
DOES NOT allow for you to select REPEAT for your Mp3 files or videos.
As a person who plays alot of music and video files the Treo is much better than the Blackberry 8830 I suspect BB will come out with better features next time, perhaps even with a camera.
for now I'm taking my B8830 back to Verizon and getting my Treo reactivated TODAY.
Shame on Verizon Again !!!!!!!
I have to say that i was really looking forward to Verizon Getting this phone i switched back from cingular were i was using the same device and was very pleased. Great device overall however software issues like always. Send button stops working after heavy usage. Exchanged 2 devices and had a co worker with the same problem who also exchanged several times.
Pros.
-Its a blackberry so email of course
-Reception
-sound quality is great
Cons.
-Software issues as always Verizon ruins every phone they touch. Send button stops working after heavy usage.
-Battery is horrible i don't know who uses this phone but if your not sitting in an office all day and rely on your cell phone as your business phone expect your battery to be drained by 5pm if used from 9am.
-Ringers are louder when you are choosing them once selected and the phone rings it will be at a lower volume.
In closing let me just say this phone deserves a 5 however not with Verizon. Once software updates are released to fix these issues it will be a phenomenal device. I urge those of you leaving reviews to use the phone for a while before posting. One or two days of usage is not sufficient enough to post you r remarks of a phone.
