The BlackBerry 7100i

The addition of an ugly-ass antenna is definitely a step backwards in terms of design, but BBHub dug up some pics of RIM's latest 7100-series BlackBerry phone, the new 7100i. No official announcement about this one yet, but it looks the 7100i is going to end up on the Nextel half of Sprint Nextel (you can also barely make out the word "Nextel" right there on the phone's screen). That probably means Push-To-Talk, but otherwise we expect the 7100i will probably be about the same as the 7100t and the 7100g.

[Ed @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

You could poke an eye out with that...

[vrf @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Man, I know five people off the top of my head who wouldn't buy that thing simply because of the antenna. Surely RIM isn't this stupid.

Can it be a hoax? Maybe it's only a cable locking the thing down against theft?

[l @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I think all Nextel phones have antennas.

[Kleptonooch @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Correct, all Nextel phones have antennas -- including the current Blackberry model.

[Kleptonooch @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

...and for the record, I would buy this phone if I was forced to use the Nextel network (as I currently am for business purposes). It's a much better design than the current model and I dig the new features.

[Jon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I would trade my left nut for this thing if that antenna means it could receive a steady signal. I have the T-mobile version and I have never had a phone with worse reception. This thing will lose a signal if you close the window. It then says it's "searching" for about a minute and a half before it connects. No matter how much I yell at it to "search harder, dumbass" it still takes way too long.

I've never done more than laugh at those stoopid cell phone reception boosters, but now I've gotta know, do they work?!?

[TZK @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Yeah that definately looks like a pile of caca.

[sunz @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

i like antennae!!!

[Sanity @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Is there some rule that says that all Nextel phones must be ugly?

Is it written into the iDEN spec?

[Bill @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Oct 17th soft launch on Sprint Nextel iDEN Network.
Features 8mb of SRAM and 64mb of flash memory (double the amount of the competition's 7100's)
One touch mute (thank goodness!)
BT will work with some car kits (not just Canadian cars)
Polyphonic ringtones, ability to assign different ringtones to different callers
MMS - can be blocked at BES or Service Package level
Can embed photos in emails
view ppt slides, not just text
NO Pricing released (although if I had to guess I'd say $199.99 which is consistent with the others out there)
TeleNav will be available shortly for this device
PTT button is on the left side like the Motorola phones

[RJ @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I work for a Fortune 500 company, and a guy I work with was one of the beta testers for this phone. I have heard release dates as soon as a couple of weeks or as late as early November. I personally hate the antennas on all Nextel's, but I don't know if that can be changed.

[ChrisG @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Just got the 7100i and after dealing with the 7520 i can tell you the new design is much friendlier. The backlight comes on at the first sign of input of any kind, rather than having to turn it on manually. The PTT button is where it should be. (can't tell you how many times the 7520 nearly shot out of my hands when i pushed too hard on that awkward PTT button at the top.) The graphics are much nicer as well. The 7100i has actual 'send' and 'end' phone control buttons... much better than the 'push and hold cancel to end call' technique on the 7520. The jury's still out on the plasticky feel of the 7100i and the new keyboard, although the intuitive software seems to work well, and as for the antenna... it's likely here to stay, especially since it actually makes a difference in fringe areas. What i can't understand is why neither of these will allow viewing of PDF files, one of the most frequent attachments I receive.

[Corey s @ Dec 24th 2005 1:12PM]

I was just forced to change from verizon to nextel and got the 7100i. great signal and although it took some time to get used to the keypad works great. Much better and friendlier than my other blackberry!!!

[Natasha @ Dec 27th 2005 2:05PM]

I have purchased the new blackberry 7100i and I am looking for a site where I can get real tingtones, if anyone out there knows of any PLEASE refer me.