Sprint launches BlackBerry 8830 World Edition

While Sprint's launch of the dual-mode BlackBerry 8830 doesn't come as a surprise -- we knew it was only a matter of time before it hopped into Sprint's portfolio -- subscibers may raise a cheer if looking for some worldwide phone action. For only $199 (with a new two year agreement and data plan, of course) Sprint subscribers will be talking in 170+ countries and surfing in more than 70 -- which makes RIM's 8830 device just a wee bit handier than a GSM set. As an added bonus, Sprint has served this thing up SIM unlocked, which, for the GSM uninitiated, means you can buy a local SIM card when abroad, pop it in, and take advantage of local calling tariffs. This thing has launched on carriers everywhere and seems a no-brainer if you travel in areas only serviced by GSM and can't survive without RIM's finest at your side.

[Thanks, Chris G]

[humpty @ Jul 3rd 2007 6:12PM]

iFone has nothing on the CrackBerry... dual thumb typing with REAL keys, ftw!

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Jul 3rd 2007 7:41PM]

The iPhone has never looked so good next to a brick.

[nikster @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:15PM]

while the OPs comment is dumb, I think Blackberry is the only serious competitor to the iPhone right now.

While they don't have John Ive or Steve Jobs' impeccable taste - read they make fuuuuugly phones - they at least have their priorities straight: Make the phone really, really usable. What it does, it does extremely well. Blackberry can compete with the iPhone in terms of usability - it's like the iphone's ugly sibling.

ps: And don't tell me the Perl looks cool. It really doesn't.

[Prasand J. @ Jul 3rd 2007 6:18PM]

I'm still waiting on the 8820 with Wi-fi to hit the stores ... or has it, and I just missed it?

[Jeremy K. @ Jul 3rd 2007 6:45PM]

Cool! First iPhone, now sprint offering unlocked phones. The future of mobile phones is getting to be a bit more consumer oriented. Give us what we want!

[Mike @ Jul 3rd 2007 6:45PM]

unlocked gsm? what is stopping someone from putting cingular/t-mobile sim in that?

-Mike

[Ali @ Jul 3rd 2007 6:58PM]

As far as I know, the phone only supports the european gsm bands...so no luck in north america.

[Cactus @ Jul 3rd 2007 7:23PM]

Indeed... GSM 900/1800 only, so you can't sneak in a North American GSM carrier. Still, kudos to Sprint for leaving it unlocked... I wouldn't want go roaming in GPRS for an extended amount of time.
http://www.rim.net/news/press/2007/pr-25_04_2007-01.shtml

[-ardcore Canadian @ Jul 3rd 2007 7:11PM]

Ali is correct. The 8830 only supports 1800 and 900 Mhz bands. This will not play nice with North American GSM which uses 1900 and 850 Mhz bands. Hence why they don't care if it is unlocked.

George

[Colin @ Jul 3rd 2007 7:33PM]

Does anyone know if the gps in disabled like on the verizon model?

[Prasand J. @ Jul 3rd 2007 7:41PM]

GPS is enabled.

[Miles @ Jul 3rd 2007 7:51PM]

I'll admit that is a cool toy, but I'd rather use a tool to get my work done.

iPhone blows this old tech away.

[Maneki Neko @ Jul 3rd 2007 7:59PM]

Wow, just wow. I can't tell if you were being sarcastic, but saying the Blackberry, the backbone of corporate networks everywhere is a toy, while the iPhone is implied to be the tool to get work done. Bravo, troll, bravo.

[Hexadecimal @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:25PM]

As Maneki said, I'd really hope you were being sarcastic. The Blackberry was designed for productivity, the iPhone was designed for play. Besides a few stunts apple pulled with the design of the iPhone (eg. the headphone port, locked firmware, etc.) I have no problem with the iPhone. It's definitely in a class of its own. If AT&T wasn't such a rip, I'd probably buy one.

But c'mon bro... the Blackberry is a decent phone.

[Miles @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:27PM]

The fact that the iPhone has a simple and intuitive layout that allows you to access most of it's features with only a few presses is reason enough to make it a tool.

Efficiency is what all business strive for, and the iPhone provides that.

[Jamar @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:11PM]

Businesses also strive for things like document editing and flawless Exchange support, which the iPhone does *not* have.

[MIKE @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:32PM]

ROTFLMAO ... obviously written by someone who has never had a real job.

[tallfella @ Jul 4th 2007 12:46AM]

Jamar wrote

"Businesses also strive for things like document editing..." haha, who edit anything seriously on a phone? even just enter or edit someone's contact is a pain in the bum - business people like and want to be seen busy - so they invented Blackberry.

f*ck, more and more people are staring at a small screen than looking and talking to their own kids!

[fhlh @ Jul 4th 2007 2:40AM]

classic... until the iphone support corp email.. it's an overpriced POS...

[El @ Jul 4th 2007 2:33AM]

I hope now you are being sarcastic... anyone whose anyone knows that iPhone is NOT a business tool, its an awesome device but (as of right now) its not business phone.

[Hexadecimal @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:40PM]

A phone that requires your full visual attention while using isn't
exactly what I'd call efficient. I don't know if you've ever tried
dialing or texting while driving, but without a sense of feel, it's
nearly impossible.. Then again, that is a rather silly statement,
cause you sound like you're about 13 and don't drive yet.

[Bob @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:52PM]

I'm all for your argument about tactile feedback but you really shouldn't be texting while driving. As a matter of fact it is illegal in some states.

[nikster @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:18PM]

Seconded - texting while driving is dumb.

Unless you are one of those teens who can thumb-text without looking, in which case I am impressed and resting my case. I have seen this in person, somebody at the airport kinda texting super fast with their right hand without looking.

[Jason Brown @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:44PM]

be careful, the roaming charges for this phone are insane. It is still cheaper to buy a foreign phone unlocked with pay as you go added where ever you travel.

[Jamar @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:24PM]

This phone *is* unlocked. That's the big deal about it.

[Jason Brown @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:58PM]

an unlocked gsm phone will have quadband. sprint will not endorse sim switching and will supply their own sim card. This is what other cdma carriers are doing. I am just warning that if traveling in europe but in other non-cdma areas the roaming charges will kill you.

[flamer's grill @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:21PM]

Jason: wrong. You can have dual-band, tri-band, or quad-band unlocked phones. Unlocking a phone to accept any carrier/operators SIM card has nothing to do with how many bands it has.

This phone is not locked, and will accept any SIM card you throw at it OUTSIDE of N. America.

[Ian Jardine @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:11PM]

iphone blows this away, you must be kidding.
This phone has a much faster data service and better corporate email integration. It routinely can be used while travelling internationally and unlike Verizon and AT&T comes unlocked with the abuility to slip in a local SIM card.
A month ago I bought the Palm Treo 755P this blackberry would have saved me buying an unlocked GSM phone for travel.

[Michael @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:12PM]

Day late and a dollar short... I just switched from Sprint to AT&T last friday!!!!!!!!!!!

[Stephen Brown @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:43PM]

Michael if you really want this phone and want to switch back, you should be able to cancel your contract with AT&T within the first 14 days with no penalty. Sprint and Verizon let you so they should be the same. Check and see.

[Michael @ Jul 5th 2007 11:32AM]

NO NO NO... I have NO interest in switching back...I have the iPhone and as happy as can be!

[boston @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:03PM]

thats great and all, but where is the pearl 2?

[Jason Brown @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:49PM]

I never said you could not. But as this is a dual band phone outside of n.america it is not going to work in countries/states/provinces with 850/1900. If travelling is your goal buying a phone from a cdma network that boasts worldwide abilities is stupid. they tried it once with a motorola phone and had far too many complaints regarding high rates charged. the only true world phone is a quadband unlocked preferably with edge/umts and possibly even a hsdpa upgrade. they are rare right now but will be the norm soon enough.

[MIKE @ Jul 4th 2007 12:48AM]

Jason ... you clearly have no clue WTF you're talking about.

Quadband or dualband, it has absolutely nothing to do with how much you're charged when you roam internationally. I spend 1/3 of my time traveling in Asia, Europe and latin america. I always purchase local sims in Europe and Asia and use them in my unlocked quadband GSM phone (a BlackJack); you can do EXACTLY the same thing with this phone. The ONLY difference is that in the US you'll be using Sprint's CDMA network. I still get true international roaming at the same rates as before. In fact, this phone may actually be BETTER than a quadband GSM because it will also roam in many parts of latin american where GSM is unavailable.

[Jason Brown @ Jul 4th 2007 12:55AM]

I clearly said that in my first post. The issue is will the majority of users by sim cards abroad or use those supplied by their own carrier. P.S. as far as blackberries go this one is nothing compared to the newer gsm models making this a null issue any way.

[tallfella @ Jul 4th 2007 12:50AM]

Can someone tell me how to keep that Blackberry scroll-ball clean? I'd imagine it would get clogged pretty quickly...

[Shayan @ Jul 4th 2007 2:37AM]

Now... if only Verizon Wireless could do the same ! Does anyone know if the GPS is uncrippled on the Sprint Version?

That being said, unlocked SIM is a huge cost saver compared to VZW/Vodafone SIM lock on the 8830. It's too bad SPrint coverage is terrible where I live.

[CF @ Jul 4th 2007 4:21AM]

ooh look another propeller driven Bi-Plane in the jet age...

The most amazing thing about the future is that most people in the present can't recognize it until it's firmly in the past...

Give it 18 months and Schmackberry will either be touting a touch screen OR the company will be filing for bankruptcy...

Sure the iPhone has a few oversights on launch day but it's a lot easier to replace the seats in a jet than it is to put a jet engine in a Bi-Plane...

[one2gamble @ Jul 4th 2007 3:08PM]

Im sorry but unless that touch screen is paired up with a real keyboard I dont want anything to do with it, tactile feel is very important when trying to multi-task.

[George @ Jul 4th 2007 5:34AM]

Wait....I think I'm missing something here. Does the 8830 simply allow SPRINT (and verizion) users to use their phones overseas in addition to those two carriers' stateside non-GSM networks? Because the "world edition" isn't any more "world" capable than an 8800 through T-Mobile or AT&T which can run on any GSM network anywhere....and you can have your phone unlocked through T-Mobile as well.....

[Sal @ Jul 4th 2007 11:10AM]

Actually it is indeed more of a "world phone" than a quad-band GSM. It covers everything a GSM world phone does plus large swaths of latin american that don't have GSM networks.

[Kyle @ Jul 4th 2007 11:05AM]

I've been using scroll ball blackberries for months and have had no issues with dirty trackballs.

[Mark @ Jul 4th 2007 12:51PM]

Any word if the Sprint 8830 has autonomous GPS locked out like Verizon's?

[Cameron @ Jul 11th 2007 7:01PM]

I have been using a treo 650 that now looks like it has been through war. I am a multimedia specialist, constantly using my device for email to clients and others. I have read this entire blog, thanks for the info folks. My question: As far as format compatibility, EDITING files on the go ( though a laptop is better suited, some of use who are device PRO's and can move through software on the phone like a knife through warm butter) viewing video, images, and other media; how does the blackberry fair? I NEED a keyboard, and having used a treo I can appreciate having the touch screen, but the actually keys are relevant. I will say that the iPhone is a great device in the realm of Zune, PSP, the iPod, etc. But if we completely rely on tech and software, things like freezing up in a moment important as, say uhh, your national Television debut...can really put a halt on business. So the blackberry then?

[samiran paul @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:11PM]

This world edition mobile, whitch time on lonching in india and how many cost this hand set.

[enantiodromia @ Aug 30th 2007 4:52PM]

anyone who claims the iPhone somehow out-classes a real Blackberry for work use either doesnt have a real job and/or is trying to justify waiting 8 hours outside the Apple store and throwing their paycheck to the cashier.

i suppose if you mainly use the iPhone for SMS'ing your mom for a ride home or for looking at youtube in the bathroom stall at work, it's a great 'tool', but when it comes down to communicating with other adults who are business execs, lawyers, doctors, IT, or CEO/CTO/CIO types, the Blackberries simply cannot be touched. POP and IMAP are for kids, sorry.

i liked the comment about "the blackberry is the only real comptetion to the iPhone". it's more like "the iPhone is really the only competition to the iPod".

[Nick @ Sep 3rd 2007 12:41AM]

Are you kidding me the iphone sucks, compared to this phone. Lets see real email support on the blackberry, I can delete more than one email at a time, I can cut and paste. I can use cdma or gsm, and last time i checked 1xevdo is alot faster than edge, I have a full keyboard, the trackball is excellent for moving around the screen, and the kicker I can tether this to my laptop and use it at 1.5mbps internet connection. My email comes in when they are sent, I dont have to wait or send/recieve. And I if I want an mp3 player I can through in an 8gig minisdhc card and still save money over an iphone, oh and I can replace my battery too.

[neil @ Nov 7th 2007 8:05AM]

Traveling to South America. Will he 8830 work there or do I need to buy a local SIM?

[Oceans4surfing @ Apr 16th 2008 1:18PM]

After debating the iphone vs 8830 it just seems that the Blackberry is the better choice for the work phone application. The 99.00 mo and no contract to sign with my current Sprint plan looks like the better deal. The iphone I'm sure has some great fun factors.