Not the phone for me... (Blackberry Pearl 8110)

Member Name: eilidhcatriona

Product:	Blackberry Pearl 8110
Date:	20/05/09 (83 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to use email and text mailboxes

Disadvantages: WORST KEYPAD LAYOUT EVER

I use this phone for work, so it was not my choice to have it - it's the model I was given when I started. I was delighted to get a Blackberry, but I have to say my first reaction was surprise - I didn't know they came in small sizes!

I don't use the phone a great deal, it's just that it's company policy for everyone to have one. There are some things on it that I don't use, such as facebook, but I can give you a lot of comments on the main functions of the phone.

One of the first things I realised about this was that the keyboard has a really daft layout. On larger Blackberries you get a full size keyboard, and on every other regular size mobile phone you get more or less the same keyboard layout - key 2 is a, b, c etc etc. However, on this, most of the keys have two letters each, so it's completely different. I'm starting to get used to it now (after 6 months) but it is a definate negative point as far as I'm concerned.

Keyboard issues aside, the email and text functions are quite good. When you go into your mailbox you get a basic list by date of your emails, and the rollerball on the phone makes it easy to scroll down through them. For texts, you get a history of past messages in each text until you delete them - so if you've texted one person several times and they've replied, when you open the most recent you get the whole conversation, like on email. I find this really useful.

The call function is pretty standard, no complaints there. You have an address book where you can store phone numbers, emails, addresses, photo, company, job title, birthday and all sorts of information, which is very handy. You can call from your address book or by keying in the number on the home screen. You also have a call log showing calls made, received and missed.

The internet browser isn't bad, but it is hampered a little by the size of the screen. Obviously, as it is not a larger size Blackberry, the screen is smaller and is in fact smaller than some regular mobile phones (it is approx 4x4cm). But the browser is easy to navigate, with a "Go To" page for keying in addresses, and the rollerball for scrolling through the websites. It also stores your history so that once you have been to a website, you just have to enter the first letter or two of it next time and it will give you the option of using that address again.

The Pearl has a camera, but at only 2 mp it is lower than my personal mobile so I don't use it. It also has a video camera and can store music.

It also features a calendar, tasks list, memo pad and calculator. These are all very easy to use and similar to those of most other phones - they are not features I have used very often so I don't want to into too much detail.

I've downloaded Google maps for the phone, which is incredibly useful, it means I don't have to print off Google directions before I go somewhere, I can load it into the phone and just check it when I need to!

The battery life isn't fantastic. If you're just sending emails or texts, or using the internet and other functions like that, it can last several. But as soon as you start making a few calls, it goes right down. So depending on how you use it, it's either good or bad. I've recently started using it for calls more often, and I'm really noticing the difference - annoying in an office where people keep "borrowing" your charger!

These are the functions of the phone that I use most, and these cover the basic uses which I think most people will be interested in. Now for a few negative points...

As I mentioned, the keyboard is a silly layout. This can be really annoying when typing an email, so I think larger Blackberries are probably better for this as they have the full keyboard. Once I'm eligible for an upgrade, I'll be getting one of these for this reason.

Another negative is the on/off button. To switch on or off you use the red "hang up" button. To switch the phone off you have to hold it down for a few seconds, which is fine. However, to switch it back on all you have to do is touch the button. I haven't yet found a way around this, i.e. locking the keypad while off. This can be really annoying because although the phone has a flight mode (turn off all connections), I still prefer to have it completely off while flying, so I have to make sure I don't put it somewhere that it could accidentally get switched on (like in my messy handbag!).

Another bad point is that on the side of the phone there is a button you can press to activate voice commands - this is where you record a name in the voice notes section, and when you press this button you say a name and it dials the number. I have never used this function, and neither have any of my colleagues. However it is EXTREMELY easy to press this button by mistake, and when you do you get a recorded voice coming out of the phone saying "Say a command". We hear this about every half hour in the office as someone presses it by mistake, maybe just when picking the phone up!

All in all, the Blackberry Pearl 8110 has a few too many faults for my liking. That said, it also has its good points such as being able to use maps on it and the internet browser, despite the small screen. This is not a phone I would choose to have again, but as I don't need to use it all the time, I can live with it.

Summary: A few too many flaws for me