Blackberry 8700g Review

[Alienware_51]

Here is my review for the Blackberry 8700g for the Cellular One network(using the Charlyee method):

Service Plan

National 1500 minutes
Unlimited Data
1200 txt messages
and all the other standard features…



Blackberry 8700g

What came in the box:
Travel Charger
Blackberry Sync software
Blackberry 8700g
Manual
USB Cable
Blackberry Holster

Pros:

1. Very good battery life
2. Nice crisp, bright screen
3. Full Qwerty Keyboard
4. I really like the programmable dedicated keys on the left, middle, and right sides
5. Awesome speakerphone
6. Once you get used to typing on it, you can really type fast.
7. Great “push” email, it took me about 2 minutes to set up my G-mail account
8. Fits greatly in my hand


Cons:

1. Headset is somewhat uncomfortable to talk one
2. Scroll wheel makes your thumb cramp up after going through some emails and/or web pages.
3. Average call quality, while you are on a call sometimes you hear little squelches in the background.
4. No camera.


I haven’t really installed any programs on it yet, but will in the near future.

Bottom Line: Overall, it’s a well designed Smartphone. The voice quality is ok, a little bit under my standards. Exceptional Speaker phone which does not echo, this is a great Blackberry and would recommend it to a lot of people who are looking for a sturdy, great Smartphone who want rock solid “push” email and personal organizer.

[hf1khal]

hint, for scrolling page by page, use the space bar. I will send you to a great link: Stinsonddog's Blackberry Tips scroll down and look for the BB8700c Tips or click here to download directly. As to your review I agree with you as that was my impression with the 8700. Enjoy it

[Alienware_51]

Originally Posted by hf1khal

hint, for scrolling page by page, use the space bar. I will send you to a great link: Stinsonddog's Blackberry Tips scroll down and look for the BB8700c Tips or click here to download directly. As to your review I agree with you as that was my impression with the 8700. Enjoy it

Thanks for the tip hf1khal!

[Gamer03]

Nice review, Alienware_51.

How much does it cost for the data on a plan like this? Also, since you said that call quality and reception is not up to your standards, have you dropped any calls or have had reception problems in areas where your other phones work?

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by Alienware_51

Here is my review for the Blackberry 8700g for the Cellular One network(using the Charlyee method):

Lol, I didn't realize there was a "charlyee method".

Very nice review Alienware thank you. I have the same question as Gamer on the voice quality being under standard.

[Alienware_51]

Originally Posted by Gamer03

Nice review, Alienware_51.

How much does it cost for the data on a plan like this? Also, since you said that call quality and reception is not up to your standards, have you dropped any calls or have had reception problems in areas where your other phones work?

The unlimited data plan runs about $30 a month, I am using the BIS (Blackberry Internet Service)

It's not that I'm having bad reception, it's just that the headset speaker is of poor quality. While on a call with full service, it may cut out a little and act like it doesn't have full service. Compared to the call quality of a RAZR, the RAZR by far was better.

Thanks Charylee, your style of reviews is the new standard.

[hf1khal]

Originally Posted by Alienware_51

The unlimited data plan runs about $30 a month, I am using the BIS (Blackberry Internet Service)

It's not that I'm having bad reception, it's just that the headset speaker is of poor quality. While on a call with full service, it may cut out a little and act like it doesn't have full service. Compared to the call quality of a RAZR, the RAZR by far was better.

Thanks Charylee, your style of reviews is the new standard.

I am shocked asto why you are getting the not so good sound quality. With my 8700 the quality was acutlay better thant eh Razr and that carried over to the Pearl and the 8800. What OS version is it runing on? May be you have an older version and they did not release the latest ones. On the 8700c I am now runing the 4.2 version (but it has some bugs) and depending on what's your OS may be you can get it upgraded using one of the other providers version. Other than what is in 4.2 the next newest version was put out by Cingular and that is
:
Package Version: 4.1.0.529
Consisting of:
Software Platform: 2.0.0.152
Applications: 4.1.0.377

To find out what you have Note: go to options, then About screen and then compare. If it is an older version I can walk you quicly in loading the Cingular version on the 8700g and if you don't like it after you install you can always revert back to the orginal.

[Alienware_51]

I have Package version: 4.1.0.529
Software Platform: 2.0.0.125
Applications: 4.1.0.377

It looks like I have the same version as you do.

[hf1khal]

Originally Posted by Alienware_51

I have Package version: 4.1.0.529
Software Platform: 2.0.0.125
Applications: 4.1.0.377

It looks like I have the same version as you do.

Are you sure it is 125? All else seems to point to be the same as the one I put above and if so then you do have the latest. If this keeps going do an exchange before the satisfaction period is over and see if the new one would be better.

[Alienware_51]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/160)

O yea, it is 152 not 125, I got those numbers mixed up. My 14 day grace period is up already.

[hf1khal]

Originally Posted by Alienware_51

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/160)

O yea, it is 152 not 125, I got those numbers mixed up. My 14 day grace period is up already.

You can try by re-installing the OS over again. And while you are at it you can, if you want get the other themes on it too. But I would fo sure re-install the OS.

[Alienware_51]

Ever since I downloaded Gmail Chat, my Blackberry doesn't blink green any more, sometimes it doesn't blink at all. Is this bad???

[hf1khal]

Originally Posted by Alienware_51

Ever since I downloaded Gmail Chat, my Blackberry doesn't blink green any more, sometimes it doesn't blink at all. Is this bad???

I would recomend using jvetalk instead (and it is for free) as it covers gtalk, MSN/hotmail AOl, yahoo and a couple others I never downloaded g chat. But for the blinking, check the stting and make sure that it did not turn off and if it there then do a battery pull. I fyou use jivetalk then remove g chat as you would not need it.

[Alienware_51]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/160)

Also ever since I dowloaded google talk my phone shows the Enterprise Activation icon on my home screen, how do I get that to go away??

[Alienware_51]

Ok I fixed it, I just had to hide the app by pressing alt+pushing in the scroll wheel, then select "hide application"

[hf1khal]

Have you tried jivetalk yet?

[AnthroMatt]

I just got jivetalk for my 8703e...I love it!

[SteveW]

Originally Posted by Alienware_51

Pros:
...
5. Awesome speakerphone
...
7. Great “push” email, it took me about 2 minutes to set up my G-mail account

Cons:
2. Scroll wheel makes your thumb cramp up after going through some emails and/or web pages.

I agree about the speakerphone, but the odd thing about it is that the speaker is on the back. The typical reason I use the speakerphone is when I want to be able to take notes on my laptop during a phone conference. So I need to put the phone down, but I don't want to block the speaker by putting it face up, or accidentally press a key, by putting it face down. I've gone through all kinds of balancing tricks.

Originally Posted by Alienware_51

I haven’t really installed any programs on it yet, but will in the near future.

My essential app is Google Maps for Mobile. I travel a lot and it has changed my life, even without GPS.

Originally Posted by hf1khal

hint, for scrolling page by page, use the space bar. I will send you to a great link: Stinsonddog's Blackberry Tips scroll down and look for the BB8700c Tips or click here to download directly.

Other thumb savers which I use a lot:
n - jumps to the next day when you are viewing a message list
p - jumps to the previous day

These and more are on the 8700c tips page that hf1khal pointed to.

Another typing tip I use constantly - keep holding a letter key down to get a capital - no need for two-handed shifting.

Originally Posted by Alienware_51

The unlimited data plan runs about $30 a month, I am using the BIS (Blackberry Internet Service)

So the BIS retrieves your Gmail every so often and pushes it to your phone? Is this a separate bill from your Cellular One Service? Sorry ask something so rudimentary, but I've only used the BB with a corporate Blackberry Exchange Server.


SW

[Alienware_51]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/160)

SteveW, the BIS does push my gmail to my phone just like the BES does. My data package is on the same bill as my Cellular One voice plan.

[SteveW]

Originally Posted by Alienware_51

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/160)

SteveW, the BIS does push my gmail to my phone just like the BES does. My data package is on the same bill as my Cellular One voice plan.

OK, thanks for the info. I remember the story a few months back when RIM's servers had a hiccup and lots of people's email was delayed. I had a vague understanding that RIM provides this service directly to consumers, in addition to providing the tools to companies, but I didn't really think it through.


SW

[Alienware_51]

I finally got the JiveTalk Blackberry 1.0 messenger, it just came out on May 31, it is really nice, in my opinion it is alot better than the Gmail messenger and the yahoo messenger. It is very clean and easy to use. I would highly recommend this mobile messenger!

[hf1khal]

Originally Posted by Alienware_51

I finally got the JiveTalk Blackberry 1.0 messenger, it just came out on May 31, it is really nice, in my opinion it is alot better than the Gmail messenger and the yahoo messenger. It is very clean and easy to use. I would highly recommend this mobile messenger!

Yes i do like it and now I can't make up my mind if I want to use that or IM+. One thing IM+ has is I can send files with it while it seems that I can not do with jivetalk.

[Alienware_51]

Originally Posted by hf1khal

Yes i do like it and now I can't make up my mind if I want to use that or IM+. One thing IM+ has is I can send files with it while it seems that I can not do with jivetalk.

Well hf1khal, have you decided which one you are going to get?? I also checked into IM+, I think the file transfer operation is really cool, you woulda' thought that jivetalk would have made some kind of file transfer program, but yet again, nothing is perfect.........

[AnthroMatt]

I'll take the lack of file transfer ability for a savings of almost $20.

I bought the multi-pin option version of jivetalk ($29.99 vs. $19.95) since I have a tendency to switch phones.

[Alienware_51]

Originally Posted by AnthroMatt

I'll take the lack of file transfer ability for a savings of almost $20.

I bought the multi-pin option version of jivetalk ($29.99 vs. $19.95) since I have a tendency to switch phones.

I haven't bought my jivetalk yet, I'm still doing the 30-day trial, then I'm going to buy it.