Review: T-Mobile BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220
by The PocketBerry Team
So what took so long to review the T-Mobile BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220? For one thing, PocketBerry was not yet around when the device came out. Secondly, every device deserves a fair chance to have its pros and cons brought out. The device is not completely phased out, as Verizon recently got the 8230 a few months ago. Also, the Pearl Flip does not seem to be getting an adequate amount of coverage as we felt it should. Even when it comes to third party applications, there are plenty that are not compatible with it, which can be a downer. We always like to encourage developers to keep the Pearl Flip in mind, as the device is around and will be for awhile. The Pearl Flip was one of the most unique BlackBerry experiences we ever had. SureType was a breeze as we were always fans of the Pearl and 71xx series BlackBerry. The fact that it was a flip phone style device made the whole experience quite interesting. We spent the past month playing around with the Pearl Flip, checking out all its ins and outs. Continue reading to check out our full review.
Body/Design
For starters, this BlackBerry is not the smallest guy out there. With the device just closed, it’s almost as big as the BlackBerry Pearl 81xx. What we liked is the size of the SureType buttons which made it easier to type. The chrome edging around the top flip makes the device look sleek. Also, the incredible design and finish around the recessed trackball makes it look very elegant. RIM did an excellent job meshing everything together well, not leaving gaps and cracks all over the place this time.
Keyboard/Trackball
The trackball works as good as any other. We did not enjoy the fact that it was recessed too much. Of course they later made it more dented in after the first 8100, but it was never this deep in as the Pearl Flip put it. Keyboard was a wonderful experience as we missed SureType for a long time. It is really easy to type around on the device as we mentioned earlier that the buttons were a lot bigger on the Pearl Flip than they were on the 81xx Pearl.
Display
There wasn’t much of anything fancy here. The quality is ok and it isn’t the best, but it’s fine to get around today. We have newer devices floating around with just as much quality such as the BlackBerry Curve 85xx which is more of a starter edition Berry. What we wanted to see was a way to make the video play normally without having to hold it sideways for the widescreen effect. The large screen was very enjoyable in reading long text messages, emails, or even articles on the web. Of course other devices have large screens, but the Pearl flip has a thin and long screen, becoming an advantage of seeing lots of characters all at one time. In addition, you have the outer screen that is displayed when the device is closed which is very convenient. There you’ll your BBM friends’ pictures come up as they message you, including the time, and other indicators such as Messages, SMS, and MMS.
Connectivity
T-Mobile service works a charm in Central New Jersey, so we did not face any network issues. As you all know, the Pearl Flip 8220 does come with WiFi, and T-Mobile does support UMA WiFi calling as well. Meaning, at times when you do not have adequate service but a WiFi connect is available and active, it’ll switch to UMA mode where your service is tip top. Browsing the web is pretty responsive using WiFi, and runs ok on the EDGE network. When this device released, 3G was still not in the game with RIM, so we did not expect to see that.
Just like any other BlackBerry, emailing is great. Of course the BIS client is RIM’s signature of superb services for both consumers and business users. Emailing away using SureType was our pleasure indeed. As we mentioned earlier, emailing back and forth goes hand in hand with the large screen the Pearl Flip has which enables you to seeing long lists of emails and messages at a time.
Media
The media player works as good as any other BlackBerry. You can easily create Playlists and shuffle songs as you please. This Berry makes a good media player given that it is small in size and has a 3.5mm jack to fit all standard headphones and auxiliary wires. The camera is a basic 1.3MP camera which was standard for a long time with BlackBerry. A flash is also available as we do appreciate that and consider it a luxury given that newer devices such as the Curve 85xx do not rock a flash for the camera at all. The older Pearl 8100 did not have video recording at all so seeing it added in the Pearl Flip is great add-on. Both snapshot and video recording are accessible easily by application, or by selecting one or the other through the Camera menu.
Battery
Standby time is great on the Pearl Flip, and with usage, it has lasted us all throughout the day with email, web browsing, and average call usage. It’s nothing like the newer devices which are coming to last for days, but it is far more impressive than other Berry battery lives out there such as the BlackBerry Bold 9000, which required a charger at hand at all times.
Operating System and User Interface
OS 4.6 is far better than the previous 4.2-.4.5 OS. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip comes stock with 4.6, which maneuvers a lot like the Bold 9000 and Curve 8900 original OS. The great news is that the Pearl Flip will be getting OS 5.0, which other BlackBerry Pearl devices are getting left behind in.
Conclusion
The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 may appear to be different than other BlackBerrys, but it still is one, and has all functions that any other BlackBerry could have. As we touched base before, having WiFi on your BlackBerry becomes quite a luxury as it caters to UMA, enables faster Internet browsing, and lets you download a lot more applications that require WiFi. In this case, it’s more of a matter if you are indeed a fan of flip phones or not. If you’re looking to take the device in and out of your pocket/holster all day, it might get annoying having to keep flipping it. For others who have been using flip phones for years and decide to switch to the device, it’ll work out just fine. For me personally, it is a device worth getting with its low price and great specs, but it is not suited for me personally as I have just been too spoiled with the candy bar shaped devices. Will I consider the Pearl series for the future? Indeed, just not in a flip format.
-by Mac Jadalhack
