Simplify your laptop buyingRIM BlackBerry 8830 - silver (Verizon Wireless)
Manufacturer: Research In Motion Ltd. Part number: 8830 (Silver) (Verizon Wireless)
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- For the globe-trotting executive, the RIM BlackBerry 8830 is a powerful voice and messaging tool that offers world roaming and solid performance.
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CNET editors' review
RIM BlackBerry 8830 - silver (Verizon Wireless) price range: $19.99
- Reviewed by: Bonnie Cha
- Edited by: Kent German
- Reviewed on: 05/22/2007
- Updated on:07/01/2008
The good: The RIM BlackBerry 8830 offers dual-mode functionality so you can use the phone globally. It's also EV-DO capable, has a built-in music and video player, and offers solid performance.
The bad: The BlackBerry 8830 doesn't support Verizon's V Cast services at the moment, and the handset is on the larger side. There is no camera option and the phone doesn't support stereo Bluetooth headsets.
The bottom line: For the globe-trotting executive, the RIM BlackBerry 8830 is a powerful voice and messaging tool that offers world roaming and solid performance.
Up until now, globe-trotting Verizon Wireless customers may have felt a bit stymied by the limited world-roaming capabilities of the CDMA network. Sure, you can use CDMA in other countries but if your itinerary includes Europe, you're out of luck. But with the new RIM BlackBerry 8830 all of that changes as the dual-mode CDMA/GSM smart phone gives you freedom to make calls and receive e-mail around of the world. In addition, it offers EV-DO support, multimedia capabilities, and solid performance. The BlackBerry 8830 is available now through direct sales channels and will be widely available in retail stores starting May 28. Pricing starts at $299.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate, and data plans start at $64.99 for unlimited global e-mail with a U.S. voice plan (beginning at $39.99) and $69.99 for unlimited global e-mail without a voice plan.
Design
The RIM BlackBerry 8830 shares the same body style as its GSM-only cousin, the BlackBerry 8800, but trades in the all-black casing for an equally sleek silver. At 4.4 inches high by 2.6 inches wide by 0.5 inches deep and 4.7 ounces, the 8830 is certainly slim but it's also one of the larger BlackBerrys we've seen of late. The wider and taller body makes it a tad awkward to use the 8830 as a phone, but as we noted in our BlackBerry 8800 review, this is typical of full-QWERTY BlackBerrys as well as Pocket PC phones and Treos.
The BlackBerry 8830 features a 2.5-inch (diagonal), 65,000-color display with a 320x240 pixel resolution. Below the display you'll find the trackball navigator, the Talk and End keys, and the Menu and Escape buttons. The 8830 also includes a light-sensing technology that automatically adjusts the backlighting of the screen, the keyboard, and the trackball, depending on whether you're indoors or outdoors.
Unfortunately, the BlackBerry 8830 is hobbled by the same full-QWERTY keyboard that bothered us on the BlackBerry 8800. The buttons are on the slippery side, and there's no spacing in between the keys, which we missed. It's not so bad we couldn't use the keyboard; we just much prefer the ones found the BlackBerry Curve and BlackBerry 8703e.
There are volume keys on the right spine, while the left spine has a 2.5mm headset jack, a mini USB port, and a user-programmable convenience key (assigned to launch voice dialing by default). There is a microSD expansion slot behind the battery cover, as well as the SIM card slot. Finally, the power on/off and mute buttons are on the top of the unit.
Verizon packages the RIM BlackBerry 8830 with a travel charger, a USB cable, a SIM card, desktop software, and reference material. For additional add-ons and help, please check out our cell phone accessories, ringtones, and help page.
Features
The big draw of the RIM BlackBerry 8830 is its dual-mode functionality. With this capability, the phone switches automatically between CDMA and GSM networks to offer seamless international roaming--all while keeping the same phone number. (Note that the phone does not support domestic GSM bands.) In all, you get voice coverage in 157 countries (22 of those on CDMA) and e-mail coverage in 62 countries. Just be aware that you'll still incur roaming rates, which range from 69 cents to $2.49 a minute. Verizon also offers technical support if you need help while overseas. First, there's a 24-hour Global Help Desk that's open seven days a week. In addition, you get a calling card for free support calls while traveling outside of the United States from any landline phone to technical support if the BlackBerry 8830 is lost, broken, or stolen.
Other phone features include a speakerphone, voice-activated dialing, smart dialing, conference calling, speed dial, and world roaming. The phone book is only limited by the available memory with room in each entry for eight phone numbers, e-mail addresses, work and home address, job title, and more. For caller ID purposes, you can assign a photo to a contact as well as a group category--business or personal.
Wireless options on the 8830 definitely trump those on the BlackBerry 8800. First, there's integrated Bluetooth 2.0 for use with wireless headsets and hands-free kits. Unfortunately, there is no A2DP support for Bluetooth stereo headphones, but you can use the BlackBerry 8830 as a wireless modem for your laptop--particularly handy since the 8830 supports Verizon's EV-DO network. This means you can enjoy data speeds of up to 2.4Mbps in bursts, but in reality they'll average more around 300Kbps to 600Kbps. Currently, the BlackBerry 8830 does not support Verizon's V Cast services or VZ Navigator, but the carrier said it is planning to add this functionality in the future.
The RIM BlackBerry 8830 continues to offer the tried-and-true push technology and can sync with your company's BlackBerry Enterprise server with support for Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino, or Novell GroupWise to deliver corporate e-mail in real time. All in all, the device can support up to 10 accounts, including POP3 or IMAP4 e-mail accounts, and there is an e-mail wizard on the device to guide you through the setup process. An attachment viewer is also onboard to open popular file formats, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Corel WordPerfect, PDFs, JPEG, GIF, and more. Other messaging options include text, multimedia, and instant messaging, although the latter is once again limited to the proprietary BlackBerry Messenger client.
The 8830 also is Verizon's first multimedia BlackBerry. You can use the built-in media player to listen to music (MP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, and MIDI formats) and watch video (MPEG4, WMV, and H.263 files). We should note that there's about 64MB of flash memory available, but we suggest using a microSD card to store such larger media files.
The music player is pretty basic. Aside from standard stop and play functions, you can create playlists as "folders" and shuffle and repeat songs within a certain folder. It also displays some track information, such as title, artist, and album art if available. There's also an option to set a song as your ringtone. What's more, you can continue to play music as you use the device's other apps, and if you happen to get an incoming call, the BlackBerry 8830 will pause the music and pick up where you left off after you hang up.
For videos, the player has play and stop buttons, and you can fast forward and rewind clips by clicking the trackball and scrolling right or left. There is also a full-screen mode. In addition to moving pictures, the BlackBerry 8830 has an image viewer that lets you peruse your favorite photos. However, as a business-centric device, there is no camera on the 8830, so you'll have to get your images onto your device another way, whether it be via USB, multimedia message, or such.
Finally, the RIM BlackBerry 8830 World Edition includes a number of PIM tools for the business users, including a calendar, a tasks list, a memo pad, an alarm, and a calculator. Of course, you can always download more applications; check out CNET Download.com for some ideas.
Performance
We tested the dual-mode (CDMA 850/1900; GSM 900/1800) RIM BlackBerry 8830 in San Francisco on Verizon Wireless CDMA network, and call quality was excellent. Voices sounded rich and we enjoyed clear sound with very little background hiss or noise as we talked to friends, and they reported similar results. We also called a bank's automated voice response system, and it had no problems understanding our voice commands. Speakerphone quality was also good, although the audio wasn't quite as crisp. Still, it wasn't anything that prevented us from having a conversation. We were able to pair the 8830 with the Logitech Mobile Traveller Bluetooth headset with no problems. Unfortunately, we were not able to test the world-roaming capabilities of this phone.
General performance on the BlackBerry 8830 was snappy. We didn't experience any noticeable delays when opening or working in various apps. With the boost of EV-DO speeds, browsing the Web on the 8830 was a much more pleasurable experience than on the EDGE-only BlackBerry 8800. Even graphics-intensive pages like CNET.com and CNN.com loaded quickly. We were also impressed with the multimedia performance. Music playback sounded decent over the phone's speakers, producing a richer sound than other smart phones we've tested. We do wish, however, the 8830 was equipped with a 3.5mm headphone jack like the BlackBerry Curve. Watching video clips in short, few-minute spurts is fine.
The RIM BlackBerry 8830's battery is rated for 3.6 hours of talk time and up to 9 days of standby time. In our battery tests, we were able to get 4.3 hours of talk time on a single charge. According to FCC radiation tests, the BlackBerry 8830 has a digital SAR rating of 1.46 watts per kilogram.
User reviews
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Almost ready for Prime Time
by dlathem on May 17, 2007
Pros: Great screen, EV-DO data tether works, good audio quality
Cons: Horrible keyboard, battery cover almost impossible to get off, browser does not play well with sites expecting IE
Summary: There are so many things to like about this phone. I don't mind the silver color except for the keyboard. The combination of the highly reflective silver and the ...
Summary: There are so many things to like about this phone. I don't mind the silver color except for the keyboard. The combination of the highly reflective silver and the silly blue back light makes this keyboard almost impossible to read under some lighting conditions.
Make sure you save the small piece of white foam in the box because you will need it to get the battery cover off the back. I thought I was going to crack the screen trying to get the battery cover off. Place the phone face down on on the foam as you fight to get the cover off. Be careful you don't rip off a fingernail because you might. It took me an average of 10 minutes each the two times I had to take it off. (once to put the battery in and once to take the battery out when the phone would not work..see info below)
If you are a Verizon customer know that the GPS has been castrated on this phone. Don't be surprised if you have porting and data set-up problems. The problem is if you do, very few folks at Verizon have even heard of this phone much less actually been trained on it. There accounts and billing folks aren't much better. When I called about the phone not working I was told I did not have an account.
No user manual is included in the box. The user manual on the CD is not actually on the CD but links to an on line manual that does not exist yet. Verizon sells and is delivering this phone, but had not yet seen fit to put any support information up on their website.
Yes, I am hammering Verizon. They should have been more prepared to roll out this phone than they were. It took me almost 6 hours to get mine working. The salesperson I bought it from has not seen fit to return my call from yesterday. I guess once the sale is made don't worry about the customer.
Otherwise, the screen on this phone is slightly larger than the G5 iPODS and just as nice. The thumb track ball is very easy to get used to. The unit has great volume (unlike my two previous BBs).
One of the main reasons I wanted this phone was the multimedia features and the ability to tether the phone to a PC as a Broadband modem. The media features are, so far, less than impressive, but the tethering operation is absolutely wonderful! The BB browser just does not work well displaying many websites and one site I need to use streams mono low bit rate audio which the 8830 would not play.
Despite what the sales folks at Verizon may tell you, this phone DOES come with a nice leather swivel case. If you buy the essentials kit understand the case that you are getting has no swivel and looks like it is made of hand-me-down fishnet hose. However, the plantronics wired headset works very well and you get a car charger.
I will be using the 30 day trial period for sure on this one. It is a great improvement over the BB 7290 I had, but for all the hype it is a disappointment in some areas. A poor first performance from Verizon customer and technical support does not help matters either. I was hoping to get away from that mess when I left Cingular.29 out of 31 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Dont listen to the nay-sayers
by wags3813 on June 17, 2007
Pros: Voice Acitvated Dialing, Media Player/Memory Card, Size
Cons: Keyboard and Backlighting
Summary: I have had this phone since the day it came out. To weigh in, this phone might be the most complete PDA on the market, and definately in VZs lineup. ...
Summary: I have had this phone since the day it came out. To weigh in, this phone might be the most complete PDA on the market, and definately in VZs lineup.
I think it is safe to say that I have used ever feature it has available, and they all work flawlessly and seemlessly. The only problem I had with the device was opening a certain webpage, but a call to that bank solved that problem.
As far as email goes, RIM is second to none. Email setup is supersimple, and delivery is instantaneous.
The phone is much improved over the last gen Blackberries, such as the 8703 and other PDAs. The addition of voice activated dialing, especially through bluetooth is a major plus. This is currently the ONLY PDA you can get this on, even with aftermarket programs.
The media player is great, and supports up to 2GB. I know litterally have everything in one device. (Who really uses the 1.3mp camera on phones anyways)
Tethering this device is again, super simple and is as fast as cable. No battery life problems or heating up here. Only complaint is you cant tether out of U.S.
Speaking of out of U.S.: for the customers complaining of the phone not working overseas, I just have two things to say to you. First, dont buy a PDA if you dont know how to use it, and be sure to ask the right questions. The phone doesnt support data everywhere, there is a list right on VZWs website. If you are in an are where it works, it works great, just like in the U.S. As far as international voice goes, VZ has doesnt have a great footprint as of yet (Currently you can only roam on the Vodaphone network), but it has the best rates.
A couple of great things that are hard to catergorize: You cant be a Blackberry for the engineering that goes into the device. The menus, once you know how to use them, are so user friendly and increase productivity 10 fold. The contact management and calender are superb, I couldnt ask for anything more. VZW is rumored to be coming out with a new program for this and all PDAs that will enable you to keep track of aps and get Navigation on it. Right now, Google maps works just fine for me.
The keyboard is oddly shaped, and the blue backlighting along with the sliver face makes for a hard combo sometimes.
As far as the battery back goes, the bottom half just slides off... dont know what the big deal is.
The manual is too large for print, so its on the CD included with the phone.
Genuises some of you are I tell ya.... Great job RIM and VZW for such a great product. Keep up the work. You have a lifer for a customer here18 out of 20 users found this user opinion helpful.
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moved from blackberry pearl and am very impressed
by jolly_aj on May 30, 2007
Pros: unrivalled email, EVDO availabiltity, CDMA/GSM switch for global travel, screen resolution, sleek design, tethered as a modem with EVDO speed,best sound quality of all the phones i have had
Cons: removing battery cover needs practice, no camera
Summary: I exchanged my Pearl for 8830. Love the full size QWERTY keyboard which is missed in the Pearl. The keyboard can take a day for getting used to it as ...
Summary: I exchanged my Pearl for 8830. Love the full size QWERTY keyboard which is missed in the Pearl. The keyboard can take a day for getting used to it as the keys are small and curved. I've used Palm and pocket PCs and switch to Blackberry is a relief. Apps really work the way they are suppose to. The apps layout is cool, unrivalled email delivery. This phone has verizon 3G EVDO which is much faster than EDGE and GPRS. The EVDO is great if you are going to tether th2 8830 and use it as a speed modem.
The phone seemlessly switches from CDMA/GSM when you cross borders, availing best of both worlds.
Screen resolution is great.
Did i say, I got this for 149 USD after the corporate discount !!
It can be challenging to remove a battery cover, but then you are not going to fiddle with it once you slip in the batteries and the SD card.
I'm syncing it to my macbook pro and blackberry does provide you a free PocketMac application for syncing 8830 to Mac for free.12 out of 13 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Not nearly as nice as the Curve.
by kath00 on June 22, 2007
Pros: Great call quality, good interface
Cons: Keyboard, huge size, lots of bugs in software, ringer not loud enough....
Summary: I just sent back my Blackberry Curve to ATT after eagerly buying it when it first came out with hopes of switching wireless carriers. Well, that phone is AWESOME. But ...
Summary: I just sent back my Blackberry Curve to ATT after eagerly buying it when it first came out with hopes of switching wireless carriers. Well, that phone is AWESOME. But the ATT network is terrible and I had about 5 dropped calls a day. I live in suburban SoCal, so this is really surprising.
In any case, I went back to Verizon and upgraded my old flip phone to the 8830. The differences were striking. The Curve is a FAR BETTER phone. It's much smaller, lighter and more "ergonomic" feeling in your hand. The screen is actually bigger and brighter too. The keyboard on the Curve is wonderful and easy to use compared to the 8830. It's the same OS but it didn't have all the bugs that I am getting with the 8830 (calendar synch issues, duplicate entries in the calendar and contacts for no good reason, etc). So I am ever grateful that I only signed up for a 1 year contract with this 8830. I hope that VZW will have the Curve out by next year and I can switch.
The GOOD things about the 8830 over the Curve are that it's a world phone (not important to me, really). And it has GPS (for an additional $10/mo though!). Otherwise, I really think this phone is far inferior to the Curve and will be obsolete by the holidays if VZW decides to carry the Curve by then.
Overall though, the call quality is far superior to the Curve, although I believe this is likely from the MUCH BETTER VZW network. My friends say the "ocean waves" and "tin" sounds of the ATT Curve are now replaced by clear, crisp sound on the 8830.
Anyway, I hope this little comparison helped. If you have a choice, I would recommend staying with VZW for the network and waiting until the Curve comes out in about 6 months (I hope). Or even the new Pearl if you don't mind SureType! The 8830 has a limited market for those business folks who jetset around the world a lot and don't mind carrying a BIG phone that doesn't fit in any pockets.10 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great Business Device - Not for the Consumer (Verizon)
by ALAPIES on July 3, 2007
Pros: Call Clarity; Design; Batt Life; Very Fast EVDO Speeds; User Interface; Tactile Keyboard; Auto-Lighting; Attachment Handling; Conversational/Threaded TXT Msgs; Security; Visual Themes; Call Management
Cons: Non-BES Limitations for Wireless Sync; No PIX or FLIX messaging (send or receive); No GPS use; Poorly backlit keyboard; No ability to set sync intervals; Ring/Alarm/Call Volume not very loud at max
Summary: I've had a hosted Exchange/Outlook account for years, and have been using the MotoQ for about 6 months - I love it. Before that, I had been using ...
Summary: I've had a hosted Exchange/Outlook account for years, and have been using the MotoQ for about 6 months - I love it. Before that, I had been using BlackBerries for about six years, but it was as part of my last job which had a BES.
I decided to give this new BlackBerry a go because I spilled soy sauce on my MotoQ and needed a new phone. The first thing that struck me was the design and how slim this BB was; very unlike previous BB's I've had.
The lack of a trackwheel and escape key on the right side took some getting used to, but I was pleased with the clean user interface and the more advanced integration features and use of 'Themes'.
Trying to get product use or setup guide info was a nightmare. The Verizon website had next to nothing and the discoverblackberry.com website was a navigation nightmare, and would leave any sane Information Architect committing suicide after five minutes - and I would consider myself an advanced user.
While the device did find my Outlook Web Access information, and is able to send/receive email; I'm disappointed to see the additional lack of integration for wireless syncing my contacts, calendar items, etc. While I know that this syncing is possible with a Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES), it's disappointing to see that my Q could perform more tasks without the need for a $5000 piece of server software. From my research, there are hosted BES accounts you can sign-up for; but this is an additional monthly cost.
My second greatest disappointment is with MMS/Picture messaging. While I love how the device threads and organizes/sorts your SMS messages (by day, conversation by person, etc) I'm very disappointed to see that when someone sends a picture message, all you receive is a message teling you to go to the Verizon website to get it. Also, other than emailing it, there's no way to send video or pictures and additionally, there's no included camera (which is actually very typical for BlackBerry - they're primarily government devices)
Contrary to the reviews from CNET; I love the keyboard. I was a little worries at first after reading several complaints, but compared to the MotoQ it's great. The tactile click and the curved design of the keys have not caused me any difficulties; while the keys are close together with little spacing I've not found any difficulties with use - I have average male sized hands/fingers.
As would be expected with this device; the email management is hands-down the best. If you have a work, mixed with personal and other email accounts, the BB will show them all in one box, or break them out into individual accounts that you can show or hide on the 'desktop' or menu page - handled very well.
Other Pros: The convenience keys, voice dialing feature, mute key, power/light key are welcome additions. I also love (like all previous models) that the device knows when it's holstered and can automaticaly change call and sounds configurations. Call clarity is GREAT, even when using speakerphone - this is a huge win. Also, the web-browser can be placed in 'desktop' mode; which allows a true browsing experience including a mouse that's controlled by the trackball - very nice. The Verizon EV-DO speed on this device IS GREAT. I tethered by MotoQ to my laptop a lot and loved the speed, but I have noticed a SIGNIFICANT improvement on both my laptop (tethered) and on the device. The battery lasts significantly longer than on the MotoQ, and has been a consistent experience with my previous BB use. The auto-correct features while typing (such as automatically inserting apostrophes, periods, etc) is great - no motoQ lost in this department. I also love the Yahoo! Messenger integration; it's free and it works GREAT.
Other Cons: PIX/FLIX messaging - again, I'm so not over this issue. The inability to control sync control (from either device or web-console) is a big negative in addition to the poor 'BlackBerry' experience as compared to using a full BES setup (you could always get a hosted BES account though). Also, there's a lack of software for this device when compared against a Windows Smartphone or Windows Mobile device - many of the application sets for BB are focused toward productivity/business function.
OVERALL - If you're a consumer who has basic email needs (or you've got an MSN account, simple POP3/IMAP compatible email) but love to text, MMS and video msg, the MotoQ is for you.
Ultimately I believe I will keep the BB 8830 - the battery is MUCH better, design far superior, and keyboard is much more friendly.9 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Pretty darn good
by Januss331 on May 30, 2007
Pros: Multimedia+Organizer+World Capabilities=Great!
Cons: PIX Messaging is absent-Verizon's fault
Summary: I just purchased this phone a few days ago and I'm loving it. This is my first smartphone and I'm quite pleased with my choice-it was between this ...
Summary: I just purchased this phone a few days ago and I'm loving it. This is my first smartphone and I'm quite pleased with my choice-it was between this or a Palm. As a student who works, I have a very hectic schedule and I needed a good functional phone that would keep me on top of everything that goes on my life. Preferably, this device would be a little customizable to suit my needs (ringtones, backgrounds, little things like that). Well, the 8830 does the trick just fine. Going from a T9 to a QWERTY keyboard has been a little rough-but that would be the same for any smartphone with a similar keyboard. That being said, I am adjusting quite nicely, despite the keys being on the smaller side.
I have an iPod, so I don't rely on my phone for music. However, I do like the fact that I can use mp3's as ringtones (and with the appropriate program, you can cut clips from your favorite songs-I use Audacity). You'll definitely want to get a Micro SD card to go with it. Uploading photos, music, synching with my Mac is no problem at all-I'm using Mark/Space, not the PocketMac program that comes with the Blackberry software.
I have yet to try the global functionality of it. Also, something that I realized after purchasing the phone is that since it doesn't have a camera, you CANNOT recieve a PIX/FLIX message directly. Instead, you'll get a text saying to go to a website to look at it from a computer. From there you can email it to yourself and then you can download it to your device. Convoluted, I know. But this is a fault of Verizon, not the device itself. If you look in the manual, you'd actually be able to get the MMS itself had Verizon allowed it. C'est la vie.
The 8830 is fast and responsive and pretty accurate at providing directions when using the Maps application-I've only used it a couple of times though.
I really like the fact that this phone is SMALL. Yes, the Palms aren't as wide, but the 8830 is a hell of a lot thinner, and slides easily into my jeans without having the, "Is that a Blackberry in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" look.
Sound quality is very good, both on the device itself and on a Bluetooth headset. I'm using an LG HBM-730 headset which is great (nice, small, Chocolate design). The speakerphone is also quite good. When testing out the sound quality for music, I was also quite pleased. Ringtones that I have cut using Audacity sound clear with very little distortion-and are loud enough.
All in all, I like this phone and the only reason I don't give it a 10 is because of a fault of Verizon combined with the smallish keys.9 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Buyer beware!
by kadl7 on June 8, 2007
Pros: Excellent screen, great voice quality and useful case included.
Cons: Service issues which Verizon cannot solve.
Summary: I have tried 4 devices with various problems. I have been trying to upgrade from an 8703. I like the one phone number for US and non-US voice and data ...
Summary: I have tried 4 devices with various problems. I have been trying to upgrade from an 8703. I like the one phone number for US and non-US voice and data services. The first device would not synchronize with Microsoft Outlook Calander. The second device got very hot when used as a modem tethered to a computer. The third device worked great in voice mode overseas but data mode would not work in the UK. The fourth device would not work in data mode in the US.
I do not mean to post a rant. In the past, Verizon Wireless has been terrific to me. Their organization has bungled the launch of this device. The retail store staff is clueless and their technical support is not much better.
If international data is important to you, go to another carrier for now. Wait until Verizon fixes problems with this device before buying.Updated
It turns out that successive Verizon store reps who activated my service inserted the SIM card wrong. The cut corner has to be on the outside as shown on the small icon where the card is to be inserted. The problem arises from Verizon reps being unfamiliar with SIM cards. A member of their technical support staff pointed this out and since then the phone works exceptionally well in voice and data mode within and outside the United States. This device works as advertized. Great product for the business minded! Helpful service from VZW. Highly recommended.10 out of 12 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Switched from the Q and will never look back
by marshw on May 24, 2007
Pros: Fast with lookup, great sound and thin
Cons: Keys are too close together, opening the battery compartment is a pain in the butt
Summary: My second Blackberry and I'm hooked...
I tried the 9100 series when Verizon first introduced and was so disappointed I figured I'd never try one again.
I have ...Summary: My second Blackberry and I'm hooked...
I tried the 9100 series when Verizon first introduced and was so disappointed I figured I'd never try one again.
I have an extremely large address book and sync it with Salesforce.com, as a result the Q was slow and very quirky looking up addresses and even just dialing sometimes. This was the single biggest reason I was willing to give BB a shot again. I am not disappointed.
The sound quality is superior to any other phone I've ever had and its a good size for me to slip in my jacket or pants pocket. Having access to email is always handy.
The downsides...
The person that designed the latch for the battery compartment should be forced to open one all day. Its just bad design. For me the keys took some getting used to. They are very close together but afteer a few days became much more comfortable and easy to use.
If you travel outside the US and need this type of power, I'd go for it in a minute.8 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good phone that unfortunately is from Verizon
by techlawyer on June 11, 2007
Pros: Dual band (CDMA & GSM) capability; messaging and e-mail
Cons: Small keyboard; Disabled GPS; Verizon sales and support
Summary: I've had service from other wireless providers and in my opinion Verizon's coverage in the U.S. is the best. So right now, I have a Verizon phone ...
Summary: I've had service from other wireless providers and in my opinion Verizon's coverage in the U.S. is the best. So right now, I have a Verizon phone for the U.S. and a T-mobile phone for my international travel (which I do fairly often). The idea of one number and one phone that I can use both in the U.S. and overseas is appealing. I thought that the Blackberry 8830 might be the perfect solution -- and it still may be the right answer -- but it's far from perfect -- and one of the big reasons for that is that it's from Verizon.
I recently returned from some international travel -- so I have had the chance to use the phone in several countries outside the U.S. -- Germany, Israel, Jordan, and Azerbaijan. Ultimately I was able to get voice service in all of those countries -- with an initial problem that I will describe soon. E-mail service was available only in Germany and Israel -- in spite of the fact that both Jordan and Azerbaijan have GPRS (the GSM data service). I assume that the problem in those two countries is not lack of technical capability but simply the lack of a data roaming agreement with Verizon.
Because of some problems with Verizon sales (which, among other things, failed to send me the phone in the time frame that was originally promised and then had it delivered to the wrong address on the day that I was leaving the country), I was not able to fully set up the phone before leaving the U.S. When I arrived in Frankfurt (where I was changing planes), I was looking forward to making a few calls from the airport. But the phone kept cycling from one carrier to the other -- first going to "SOS" mode, then showing three bars -- then on to the next carrier. I tried calling the toll-free nnumber for Germany that was listed on the wallet guide that I received for the Verizon Global Roaming Service -- and found that it didn't work. So instead, I had to call the U.S. number listed on the global roaming card that came with the 8830 -- I believe that I will be charged international rates for those calls, although I can't confirm that since I haven't yet received the bill for that time period.
The tech. support folks at Verizon were able to come up with the right remedy for that initial problem (removing and reinstalling the battery and the SIM card)-- although when I came back through Frankfurt on my return trip -- they weren't able to solve the problem I experienced in which my e-mail messages kept "looping" -- the 8830 would first download some messages, then delete them, then redownload them, etc. in an endless loop that didn't permit me to actually read the messages. The customer service rep. took a message and promised to have the tech. support folks call back -- but almost 4 hours later when I had to shut my phone off on the plane, I still hadn't heard from them. So on that layover, my Blackberry did me little good because I wasn't able to use it to access my e-mail.
Then there is the issue with the GPS capability -- which Verizon has disabled. Before trying the 8830, I was using the LG 9800 -- and I got accustomed to having the VZ Navigator avaiable. The 8830 is being marketed for business people on the go and you would think that it would be sold with the GPS capability enabled -- but then again, this is Verizon. In contrast, Sprint, which I have read will start offering the 8830 in July, already is advertising the GPS capability of this device -- and apparently does not intend to disable it as Verizon has done. I've read a variety of things about when -- or if -- Verizon will enable this capability but it really irritates me that they would start selling the phone without this capability.
Although the keys are a bit on the small side -- and I don't particularly like the blue backlighting -- in general I like the phone. But I don't like what Verizon has done with it -- or how Verizon has sold and supported it.
So my choice is stay with the 8830 on Verizon -- and believe that at some point in the future, they may offer a GPS navigation service (undoubtedly for some additional charge) -- or turn the phone in and try the Sprint version when it comes out. At this point, I'm not sure which way I'll go.8 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Total Device Failure
by submarine2 on June 4, 2007
Pros: Form factor; combo device
Cons: Device failure
Summary: Got my 8830 a few weeks ago from VZ. Switched from T corporate 8700 and had my IT dept configure teh 8830. Already had Verizon cel. Configured both phone and ...
Summary: Got my 8830 a few weeks ago from VZ. Switched from T corporate 8700 and had my IT dept configure teh 8830. Already had Verizon cel. Configured both phone and corp email on the new 8830. Both phone and email worked well in the US. Keyboard clearly subpar though. Went to France after 2 weeks. Made one cel phone call after I landed, but couldnt send emails. Popped out Sim card and battery in attempt to reset. After I put them back in and powered up the device, it completely failed. Black screen! Had 2 fully charged batteries with me. Tried everything. Total disaster to be in France without either a phone or corp email. Called VZ Global support #. Nothing they could do, other than offer to send a replacement to my IT dept. Thats the plan we're working on right now. Again, total disaster. It seems like the problem is in the device, but no idea. I would strongly advise you to wait to purchase or make sure a significant number of users have tested and make sure the device and service works. Imagine if Verizon sold several hundred of these to a corporation and problems like this occurred. No CIO or IT mgr would tolerate it! I'm contemplating switching everything back to T. Buyer beware.
Updated
The saga continues. Verizon support, on Mon, said they'd fedex phone to my assistant at work for delivery Tue. Called on Wed when phone not received and support said no record of ever sending. Still in Europe without phone or blackberry email. Support would not allow my assistant to track the package, since she was not authorized to access any information about my acct due to "privacy" restrictions. I fail to see how them tracking a package violates my privacy, but o well. Bottom line is I've experienced a disastrous loss of corporate and personal connectivity.Updated
Back in US now. Never did get the 8830 to work in France. VZ never sent one to my assistant, as promised. Went to VZ store to return dead 8830. They gave me a new one and had phone configured in 20 minutes. My IT dept set up corp email next morning, so now I'm up and running completely, again. VZ tech support said my email problem overseas may have been because my account wasnt correctly provisioned. (VZ, of course, provisioned the phone!) I'm not at all sure I'm going to stick with VZ or the 8830, but may try out for a while longer as long as I'm in 30 day window. I'm looking for an oppty to have device tested overseas and am going to test the tethered modem service as well. I'd love to hear from others who have used 8830 overseas or the tethered modem service, so I can determine if my experience is unique or more common. Will update after I try tethered modem service.8 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Research In Motion Ltd.
- Part number: 8830 (Silver) (Verizon Wireless)
- Description: The BlackBerry 8830 World Edition smartphone is the stylish way to get things done. It?s the first CDMA BlackBerry smartphone capable of roaming globally on GSM/GPRS networks. So you can travel the world with full mobile voice and data coverage, without having to change smartphones, phone numbers or email addresses. The BlackBerry 8830 World Edition gives you phone, email, organizer, web browsing and instant messaging. And then it goes a step further, providing GPS, BlackBerry Maps, a media player for your video clips and music, and expandable memory to ensure you?ve got the room you need for your media files.
General
- Product Type BlackBerry
- Service Provider Not specified
- Width 2.6 in
- Depth 0.6 in
- Height 4.5 in
- Weight 4.7 oz
Cellular
- Technology CDMA2000 1X / GSM
- Band CDMA2000 1X 1900/800 / GSM 900/1800
- Phone Design Candy bar
- Vibrating Alert Yes
- Phone Navigation Buttons Trackball
- Voice Dialing Yes
- Caller ID Yes
- Wireless Interface Bluetooth
- Application Software Calendar, Organizer, Address Book, Media Player
- Additional Features GPRS support, Memory card slot
Communicator Features
- Operating System BlackBerry Handheld Software
Messaging & Data Services
- Short Messaging Service (SMS) Yes
- Mobile Email Yes
- GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) Yes
- EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates For Global Evolution) Yes
- Internet Browser Yes
- EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) Yes
- Messaging / Data Features Text messages
GPS System
- GPS Navigation None
Display
- Type LCD display
- Technology TFT
- Display Resolution 320 x 240 pixels
- Color Depth 16-bit (65000 colors)
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Supported Digital Audio Standards AAC, AMR, MP3, WMA, MIDI, AAC +
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Headset jack, 1 x USB
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included USB cable
Power
- Type Power adapter
Battery
- Technology - Lithium ion
- Capacity 1400 mAh
- Talk Time Up to 300 min
- Standby Time Up to 384 h
Product series
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Manufacturer: Research In Motion Ltd.
Specs: GSM 850/1900, Up to 300 min, 0.3 lbs
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RIM BlackBerry 8830 - silver (Verizon Wireless)
Manufacturer: Research In Motion Ltd.
Specs: CDMA2000 1X 1900/800 / GSM 900/1800, Up to 300 min, 4.7 oz
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RIM BlackBerry 8830 - black (T-Mobile)
Manufacturer: Research In Motion Ltd.
Specs: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband), 300 min, 4.7 oz
Manufacturer info
- Research In Motion Ltd.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Research In Motion Ltd. products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.rim.net
- Address:
295 Phillip Street
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada N2L 3W8, Waterloo, ON - Phone: 519/888-7465
- Email: webinfo@rim.net
- Fax: 519-888-7884
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