BlackBerry Pearl 8120

“What RIM's aversion to 3G is we'll never figure out. With version 8120, RIM updates its beloved Pearl smartphone with Wi-Fi but still omits a 3G radio and, oddly, GPS, the latter of which can be found on both the 8110 and 8130. The shell is virtually identical to older Pearl models, and functionally very little here has changed. Aside from some minor interface tweaks (woo, new icons!), the trackball-and-two-letters-per-key experience is fully intact. The big news, of course, is the addition of Wi-Fi, and RIM seems to have finally gotten the kinks worked out of its 802.11g implementation, we didn't encounter any of the troubles we experienced with the BlackBerry 8820 last year. If you dig the BlackBerry's mature email features (who doesn't?) and can handle the whole bi-character key setup (and we know many who don't), the Pearl 8120's a solid upgrade to hold you over until a 3G version (fingers crossed) arrives.WIRED Camera upgraded to 2-megapixels plus flash and video capability. Software is somewhat better at word detection and correction, even works well with odd, multi-word URLs. Crazy loud speakerphone. Very sensitive mic offered exceptional call quality in our tests. Very fast battery charging, and nearly nine solid hours of talk time in our benchmarking. Stable Wi-Fi implementation.TIRED Pearl keyboard still not for everyone. Lack of 3G is absurd. No GPS.”

“The RIM BlackBerry Pearl has proven that the company can indeed produce devices that appeal to consumers. The Pearl is the most phone-like BlackBerry device that we've seen thus far, with the look and feel of a regular mobile handset. While the user interface could use some improvements in the eye candy department, it offers plenty of benefits, specifically to users for whom the Pearl is their first smartphone.I think that the BlackBerry Pearl 8120 is a great handset, and now has the multimedia features to contend with the rest of the mid-tier market. The trackball is extremely easy to use, and offers a break to aching thumbs everywhere. The SureType text input, while slightly daunting to someone already familiar with iTap and T9, is great for users who are currently uncomfortable entering text on a mobile, and goes a long way towards making that an easier task. I give the RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8120 a 'Recommended' rating, with the hopes that RIM soon does something to set the multimedia features apart, rather than just maintaining the status quo.”

“The Pearl 8120 is a nice improvement over the original Pearl 8100. The keyboard does not feel as soft and squishy, and the device has the added benefit of WiFi. OS 4.3 has some nice new added features such as video recording and the L theme. The basic camera on the device has been bumped up to a 2.0 megapixel camera that takes crisp clear photos when you have good lighting conditions.The device overall is very good. I am having some difficulty adjusting back to a SureType device after having been on a full QWERTY for over a year. It is not a fault with the 8120, just a fault with the user. Current owners of the Pearl 8100 should be able to transition into this device smoothly.Not everything with the Pearl 8120 has been covered in this review. I covered some of the basics of setting up the device, and tried to anticipate what questions might be popping into your head as you read the article. If there is something you still want to know, post a question in the forums and let’s talk about it. Until then, thanks for reading, and keep on crackin’!”