Mobile Phone Reviews

The Blackaberry Pearl 8130 is an updated CDMA version of the Pearl 8100. Dubbed the Pearl 2 by Verizon the 8130 features an identical form factor along with a new OS, better font rendering software, 2.0 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth and a 3.5mm headset jack.

The Pearl is a solid voice phone on the GSM side, and I’m happy to report that it also sounds good over CDMA networks. When pressed, I’d give the slight edge in voice quality to the Verizon version. But both phones exhibited strong reception, solid external noise rejection, and punchy earpiece volume. Callers on the other end thought I sounded natural and slightly less muffled than on an otherwise good-sounding Motorola Q. An overhead train made it difficult for the other party to hear me but said I was still intelligible even though the train was deafeningly loud on my end. The Pearl’s speakerphone is also strong and clear, given the handset’s small size.

The 8130’s 2-megapixel camera with 5X zoom and flash did okay with snapshots and landscapes but had difficulty focusing sharply on objects at close range. I found pictures a little dark, too. The 8130 also takes video at the 240 by 180 and 176 by 144 resolutions; you’ll need a microSD card to shoot and store clips. To take a picture you must go into the camera application and press the trackball, since the device has no dedicated shutter button.

And then there’s the SureType keyboard. I’ve made it no secret that I’m not a fan of the modified keyboard. For those who are unfamiliar with SureType, there are two letters assigned to one key. As you start to enter the letters of a word, the SureType software will present you with a list of possible letter combinations or words, based on context.

The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 offers many convenient phone features including Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD), Bluetooth® 2.0 support for hands-free use with headsets, car kits and Bluetooth peripherals, dedicated ’send’, ‘end’, and ‘mute’ keys, smart dialing, speed dialing, conference calling, call forwarding, a low-distortion speakerphone for hands-free conversations and support for polyphonic, mp3 and MIDI ring tones.

RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8130 - silver  reviews from cnet

The good: The RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8130 keeps the same sleek design of its predecessor but adds built-in GPS, EV-DO support, and video-recording capabilities. The smartphone’s Web browser is also improved, and it has a 2-megapixel camera. The device’s messaging functions remain strong.

The bad: The SureType keyboard takes some acclimation, and call quality could be slightly better.

The bottom line: The RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8130 improves on an already-impressive smartphone with the addition of GPS, video recording, and 3G support.

RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8130 - silver  reviews from  mobiletechreview

Pro: Great looking device that’s not just flashy by BlackBerry standards but good looking compared to any other phone on the market. The bright display is impressive. The email setup wizard enhances the tried and true BlackBerry push email experience, especially for new users and those whose devices aren’t configured by an IT department. The security updates in the server to work with the Pearl will put IT managers at ease. We’re glad that RIM included an IM client for popular IM accounts. VoiceDialing software works on the phone and via Bluetooth headset. BlackBerry Maps application does a good job of mapping routes and giving turn-by-turn directions.

Con: MicroSD slot is under the battery. Camera can’t shoot video. Bluetooth profiles are limited. The video player supports a small set of formats.