Pearl9100
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Colorware freshens up BlackBerry Pearl 3G and Flip UltraHD with bodacious new paintjobs
Say, are you finding your 3G-equipped BlackBerry isn't looking quite so Pearlescent now that the Curve has also gone 3G and BlackBerry 6 seems to have moved things along (a bit)? Maybe it's time you gave that zany bunch at Colorware a call, as they've just started taking orders for repainting Pearl 3G (aka 9100) handsets into whatever shade of awesome you desire. Prices are still ludicrous, starting out at $165 for a respray or $640 for a brand new phone, though if you want some more affordable customization, you can opt to send in your Flip UltraHD for a $50 change of hue (or grab a new one for $260). Sure, none of it makes much fiscal sense, but then blinging out your gear was never about rationality anyway.
BlackBerry Pearl 3G turns up on Cincinnati Bell
Wondering what ever happened to the BlackBerry Pearl 3G that made its debut way back in April and then all but disappeared? Well, we've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that you can now actually buy one in the US. The bad news is that it's seemingly only available on Cincinnati Bell at the moment. If that happens to be your carrier of choice, however, you can get your order in right now for $99.99 on a two-year contract, or simply snag the slim, SureType device outright for $349.99. Still no word on when other carriers will be getting the phone but, if the FCC is any indication, it should be headed elsewhere sooner or later. [Thanks, Adam]
BlackBerry Pearl 3G scoops FCC approvals in two flavors
RIM thought it'd save everyone some time (us included) by bundling both the 14- and 20-key variants of its upcoming Pearl 3G in a single FCC filing, which is awfully nice of them. The phones you're looking at here are both operating on WCDMA Bands II and V, which means they'll work swimmingly on Bell, Telus, Rogers, and AT&T (though Telus and Rogers have both announced the 20-key version alone, and neither Bell nor AT&T have said a peep on the matter). At any rate -- considering that RIM has promised a May release window -- we can't imagine it'll be long before we get the rest of the details (read: your move, AT&T).
BlackBerry Pearl 3G video hands-on
Observe, the rare BlackBerry Pearl 3G feeding in its natural habitat. Just look at the majestic display of vibrant colors as it attempts to court the journalist in a mating dance never before captured on camera! All kidding aside though, here's a quick look at the user interface on the 20-key version of the Pearl 3G; it's stock OS 5.0, so you're not really going to notice anything fresh here, but what we did see worked smoothly and without delay -- the delightful result of pairing a responsive optical pad, 624MHz processor, and what we would assume is a pretty well-optimized build of the platform. As we mentioned earlier, we're pretty sure the keyboards on these things are going to be a polarizing experience for users -- some will love them, others will hate them, still others will tolerate them at first and grow used to them over time. To be fair, the peak-shaped keys are probably an improvement over flat keyboards of Pearls gone by; when you've got five keys per row on a fairly narrow body, you need all the tactile help you can get. For some reason, we weren't able to connect to RIM's open WiFi network with the particular unit we were given -- the Bold 9650 next to it fared just fine, so we're not sure if the 802.11n-capable radio in this bad boy is a little dodgier than its cousin, but it's definitely something to keep an eye on. Follow the break for the video.
BlackBerry Pearl 3G first hands-on!
We just wrapped up a quick play with RIM's just-announced BlackBerry Pearl 3G, and our initial impression is a positive one -- if you've currently got a Pearl 8100 series (or even an 8200 series flip, for that matter), this looks like a must-have upgrade. The phone's UI is lightning fast, the optical pad is plenty responsive (as RIM's optical pads tend to be), and 802.11n and HSDPA are obviously both welcome additions. The keyboards are a little funny, but that's nothing new -- Pearls have always had polarizing keyboards, dating back to the early days -- but we think we prefer the 14-key just a smidge over the traditional 20-key. For whatever reason, RIM has chosen to give the 14-key version more rounded, curved keys, whereas the buttons on the 20-key version have angled tops that put a little more pressure on the fingertips (we're sure you could handily get used to either version, of course). The company is quick to note that the numeric keypad is not using T9 -- it's using a flavor of SurePress -- so... you know, don't get it twisted. Hit up the gallery below! %Gallery-91806% %Gallery-91812%
BlackBerry Pearl 3G revealed: two keypad styles and 802.11n WiFi
As smartphones go, the original BlackBerry Pearl 8100 series' longevity is nothing short of astounding -- with some minor tweaks, the phone has lasted essentially unchanged for well over three years. Needless to say, it's time for the granddaddy of consumer-grade BlackBerrys to start collecting pension, so it's an awfully good thing that RIM has chosen its WES conference this week to announce the all-new Pearl 3G. Rumored as the Pearl 9100, the phone becomes RIM's very first with 802.11n WiFi support (in addition to 802.11b and g, naturally) and features a 3.2 megapixel camera, 256MB of internal storage with microSD expansion up to 32GB, GPS, triband HSDPA with quadband GSM / EDGE, and a 360 x 400 display. RIM is making the Pearl 3G available in "several lustrous colors" and two different keypad configurations -- numeric 14-key and the more traditional SurePress 20-key -- though there's no indication that the rumored QWERTY version will make it to retail (at least, not yet) or that the company intends for users to be able to swap modules themselves. Expect the phone to launch with "various carriers" in May -- and considering that they've got both AWS and 850 / 1900MHz 3G versions in the mix, we'd expect to see it launch on AT&T and T-Mobile alike. Follow the break for RIM's full press release. Update: RIM CEO Mike Lazaridis just showed off a white version of the Pearl 3G during his WES talk. We haven't seen one floating around, but it looks pretty hot -- and considering the number of colors the original Pearl came in during its lifetime, we'd expect it to be just the start. Pic after the break.
BlackBerry Pearl 9100 dummies showing up in Rogers stores
It's basically open knowledge at this point that RIM finally has a new candybar Pearl just around the corner -- the Pearl 9100, to be exact -- and we've been sent a new shot of a dummy gussied up in Rogers branding. Rogers has been one of RIM's most loyal partners over the years, often being among the first carriers around the world to launch new BlackBerry models, so it'd certainly make sense that Canada's old GSM giant would be gearing up to offer this bad boy on the double -- and the fact that dummies exist suggests that the phone should be launching any week now. What do you want to bet we see it at WES next week? [Thanks, John]
BlackBerry Pearl 9100 surfaces yet again, this time with specs
Rumors of a low-end BlackBerry Pearl 9100 have been swirling (or at least slightly agitating) as far back as November of last year, but it looks like we're now finally starting to get a clearer picture of some of the phone's actual specs. As we'd heard previously, this one comes equipped with a SureType keypad (no QWERTY version to be seen yet), and a trackpad instead of a trackball. According to Tech Digest, it will also boast 3G connectivity, along with a 3-megapixel camera, and a design that's said to be a "fair sight sleeker" than current BlackBerry Pearls. Still no indication of pricing or availability, unfortunately, but it seems like this one is getting about due for a release.
BlackBerry Pearl 9100 to come in SureType and QWERTY flavors?
Remember Nokia's E52 and E55? Espoo took an interesting tactic with these two: start with the same basic phone and operating system, but offer it with two different keypad layouts (in fact, HTC did the same with its Touch Dual). It's not a bad idea -- different strokes for different folks, right? Indeed, not everyone can really get into RIM's SureType layout, but the Pearls that usually underpin it have a distinct opportunity to appeal to a wider audience. To that end, an OEM full QWERTY module for the unannounced Pearl 9100 has made an appearance on Chinese accessory reseller TrueSupplier's site that suggests RIM's learned this lesson and might be prepping to offer the newest model in two different versions. What'd be tragic here is if only one flavor was offered on each carrier that picked it up -- and given RIM's history, that wouldn't surprise us -- but for now, we sticking with the "choice is a good thing" line.
