BlackBerry 8220 Pearl User Reviews

I have been using this model since it has been released and not only is the design nice but it's really easy to use, it's an excellent way to get instant information on the spot for anything you need. In this day and age keeping up to date is a necessity for anyone selfemployed wanting to keep their finger on the pulse.

A compact, lightweight flip phone - typically BlackBerry, easy to use and navigate. All the usual features you'd expect from a flip phone - protected keyboard when lid closed, screen in the flip lid which shows a clock or a caller id photo, and details part of emails or facebook updates as you receive them. Quick to charge, adequate battery life on daily continuous use and the QWERTY keyboard surprisingly easy to use.

Having used a Motorola V3 and Krzr for the last few years I wanted a phone that was small and light and a flip.

I had used an early Blackberry and found it difficult to avoid unwanted email. So imagine how surprised I was when I started using this Blackberry. The flip is sturdy albeit a little plastic in feel, the buttons are positive and the thing felt right in my hand.

I was nervous at setting it up and was again surprised at how intuitive the wizards are. I set up the Blackberry desktop assistant and registered online at the Orange/Blackberry web based control site.

This took me through the email system, I chose to sync with Gmail, as it is an online account that I use for only real contacts, I have other mail addresses for subscribing to lists etc which I chose to leave off, I dont want to be disturbed by the thing telling me I have new spam mail.

Its a shame that it doesnt sync with the Gmail contact list as that would have made everything very simple, instead I used Yahoo contacts and calendar and it synchronised simply and easily with well written options.

In use I found the menu easy to navigate, the text took a little getting used to as the dictionary doesnt always come up with the word I am looking for, but I am getting used to it quickly. My fingers are large, so the fact that the buttons are close together was always going to be a problem, but in fact, they are so positive that it rarely happens.

The profiles that set the ringtone and alerts took me a while to work through, I wanted to set the thing up not to make a noise when emails arrive, beep when texts arrive and ring/vibrate when a call comes in plus I wanted a personal ringtone for a few of the contacts in my phone book.

Once I had realised that I needed to set up a personal profile, it was easy to do, even loading the ringtone via the media manger was simple. In fact all the content was loaded, from address book to photos and ringtones via the Blackberry device manager, it meant that the phone was up and running with all my personal details in record time, no typing individual phone numbers in, it just synched them all.

Overall, I was ready to dismiss the Blackberry before I started, I had low expectations, but after just a week of using it, I don't know how I managed before. The email is so useful, and so immediate it is an unbeleivable personal and business aid. I'm delighted with it.

Easy to use, plenty of features that are usable in business as well in private use. Comfortable to use, easy to carry, long lasting batteries and very clear screen.

Fast to access the internet and can also be switched to wifi to access office computer files, download data and such. Overall a very good handheld and I have had and still have about 8 Nokia's still in use.