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Bradleyo · 03-27-2010, 12:26 PM

I did a lot of comparison... and I went with the Tour.

If you really examine the specs closely... the ONLY thing the 8530 has over the Tour is trackpad and wifi.

The 8530 has EVDO-0 3G speed, whereas the Tour offers EVDO-A. The Tour has a slightly bigger and more comfortable keyboard IMO, bigger and brighter screen, a better camera WITH flash, sturdier feel, better battery life, and a SIM card slot for GSM world-wide roaming.

When I went to the Sprint store, I tried both of them, but the 8530 felt cheaper and awkward in my hand... but the Tour felt 'just right'.

I asked the sales rep if they were having returns because of the trackball on the Tour, and she held up her personal phone- a Tour- and said, "The first batch that were released last year had problems, but they fixed that. I have had my phone for several months and never had a problem with the trackball. They key is that you have to clean it periodically, I just use a bit of alcohol to clean it."

I've also heard that the trackpad's give off a high amount of radiation- which is not something I care to have next to my head when I'm talking on the phone.

For me it came down to wifi. Since I don't need it- that solved the dilemma right there. If I want wifi, I have my netbook.

I can clean the trackball, that's no biggie. It is easy to see how stuff can get under the trackball; dried skin, dust, smoke, hair, pet fur, etc. But, if you clean it using alcohol or the 'strip of paper' technique- it shouldn't be a problem.

I've had my Tour for about three days now and absolutely love it. I've gotten so I can type pretty quick, and the download speeds are pretty fast thanks to the EVDO-A speeds.

I asked a similar question in the 9530 forum, when I was comparing the 9330 vs 9530... but then opted for the 9630. One person commented that my decision was the best out of the group- and now having the Tour in my possession- I couldn't agree more.

What I'd suggest is going to a Sprint store and playing with each phone to see how it feels in your hand and how things look when comparing the screens. Hope that helps.

03-27-2010, 12:26 PM	#5
Bradleyo Knows Where the Search Button Is Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Delray Beach, FL Model: 9630 OS: 5.0.0.484 PIN: N/A Carrier: Sprint Posts: 27	I did a lot of comparison... and I went with the Tour. If you really examine the specs closely... the ONLY thing the 8530 has over the Tour is trackpad and wifi. The 8530 has EVDO-0 3G speed, whereas the Tour offers EVDO-A. The Tour has a slightly bigger and more comfortable keyboard IMO, bigger and brighter screen, a better camera WITH flash, sturdier feel, better battery life, and a SIM card slot for GSM world-wide roaming. When I went to the Sprint store, I tried both of them, but the 8530 felt cheaper and awkward in my hand... but the Tour felt 'just right'. I asked the sales rep if they were having returns because of the trackball on the Tour, and she held up her personal phone- a Tour- and said, "The first batch that were released last year had problems, but they fixed that. I have had my phone for several months and never had a problem with the trackball. They key is that you have to clean it periodically, I just use a bit of alcohol to clean it." I've also heard that the trackpad's give off a high amount of radiation- which is not something I care to have next to my head when I'm talking on the phone. For me it came down to wifi. Since I don't need it- that solved the dilemma right there. If I want wifi, I have my netbook. I can clean the trackball, that's no biggie. It is easy to see how stuff can get under the trackball; dried skin, dust, smoke, hair, pet fur, etc. But, if you clean it using alcohol or the 'strip of paper' technique- it shouldn't be a problem. I've had my Tour for about three days now and absolutely love it. I've gotten so I can type pretty quick, and the download speeds are pretty fast thanks to the EVDO-A speeds. I asked a similar question in the 9530 forum, when I was comparing the 9330 vs 9530... but then opted for the 9630. One person commented that my decision was the best out of the group- and now having the Tour in my possession- I couldn't agree more. What I'd suggest is going to a Sprint store and playing with each phone to see how it feels in your hand and how things look when comparing the screens. Hope that helps.
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