[BBGregPearl]

I have 2Gb running on my 8100.

Works perfectly.

[zero7404]

the music player on the pearl is almost like the one on ipods as it is....it'll play AACs as well as MP3s and happily display artwork too. I would be more than happy with 2GB of storage for music, but if 4GB was supported that would just make the iphone decompose in it's shrink-wrapped box....

this small a storage won't compare to a 30 or 80GB ipod, but it comes in handy for short flights & stuff like that....only thing i hate is the small headphone jack.

[Hemiolia]

Wirelessly posted (8100: BlackBerry8100/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Isn't there some type of a hardware limitation that prevents the 4 gigger to be used on the 8100?

[Hemiolia]

Wirelessly posted (8100: BlackBerry8100/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

BTW, I've never had any problem with my 2 gigger as well.

[musiclee@verizon.net]

4gb does work on some Pearls
but not on T-Mobile

i called Blackberry at least 12 times on this,
why is everybody so clueless when it comes to such basic knowledge?

why does the "user" have to find out the hard way?

one blackberry rep, said yep, for sure, 4gb cards work,
went on to say" there's even a guy here with a Pearl with 4gb

can't Blackberry state on their site CLEARLY what max memory is ON EACH CARRIER that has PEARL?

something like: (example)
Rogers 4gb
ATT - 2gb
T-MOB 2 GB

is that too much to ask for?

and T-Mob too, need to inform , ALL their employees of this.

sometimes it seems that i know more than the reps,

what do you guys think?

[BBGregPearl]

So then how do us T-MO users get the 4GB to work?

[nuopus]

Originally Posted by musiclee@verizon.net

4gb does work on some Pearls
but not on T-Mobile

i called Blackberry at least 12 times on this,
why is everybody so clueless when it comes to such basic knowledge?

why does the "user" have to find out the hard way?

one blackberry rep, said yep, for sure, 4gb cards work,
went on to say" there's even a guy here with a Pearl with 4gb

can't Blackberry state on their site CLEARLY what max memory is ON EACH CARRIER that has PEARL?

something like: (example)
Rogers 4gb
ATT - 2gb
T-MOB 2 GB

is that too much to ask for?

and T-Mob too, need to inform , ALL their employees of this.

sometimes it seems that i know more than the reps,

what do you guys think?

From what I understand the 4gb cards work on certain Pearls depending on when they were manufactured because a chip on the unit was upgraded. Someone told me that Pearls manufactured since sometime this year can read the 4gb cards. I don't think it has anything to do with Tmobile. It just shows they bought more phones in bulk and therefor have lots of the old batches in stock. Maybe Rogers buys in smaller bulk and therefor have the newer units.

[JSanders]

musiclee--Why start a whole new thread on this same subject you have been posting elsewhere about?

***I've merged the two threads.

[zero7404]

why don't we find out here: i'm sure someone in these forums is fairly tight with RIM. Call them and ask for which Pearl builds have updated chips. in that way, ppl can look up thier hardware build using the IMEI or something and know for sure.

[musiclee@verizon.net]

that would be great to know...
cuz i can still return swap out my pearl,
don't want to be limited to 2gb forever...
how can we find out manufac. date easily?

or maybe it's just a firmware thing?

any Blackberry experts here?

[SanFrancisco]

Originally Posted by musiclee@verizon.net

4gb does work on some Pearls but not on T-Mobile. I called Blackberry at least 12 times on this.

Why is everybody so clueless when it comes to such basic knowledge?

Why does the "user" have to find out the hard way? One blackberry rep, said yep, for sure, 4gb cards work...

If this is all accurate, I too have to wonder what the heck is going on over at RIM.

First, why not have come out with a commercial or ad trumpeting that the Pearl and other BB's are 4GB capable. That would be significant news for consumers to consider, that is, people considering the Pearl/other BlackBerry over the iPhone. Imagine how some of the iPhone hype would have been toned down if all the discussions could have included the point that some BlackBerries can use a 4GB chip [and just a matter of time before they can use the 8GB chip SanDisk has in beta].

Second, if this is true, that later model Pearls work with 4GB chips, what's the deal with not keeping us updated about such a significant event.

If RIM does not think that such is a significant event, then the marketing heads at RIM are lame for not thinking so. And they ought to fire the person who is leaking info on the Pearl 2 for not including the leak that a Pearl 2 will support 4GB chips.

For those of you chiming in, thanks, this is very interesting.

[JSanders]

It makes me wonder if this is one those coming enhancements RIM spoke of last week?

[theBorg]

For anyone that's curious, here's a light engineering breakdown of MicroSD memory at one of the trade rags.

Mobile Handset DesignLine | Untangle the web of removable storage

[musiclee@verizon.net]

i've called lots of times.

perhaps some others here can call Blackberry/RIM and ask for clarification on tmob and PEARL with 4gb

ask to actually speak to someone in tech/marketing, not a salesperson...

and post any new info.

i really hope it's a firmware issue, that will be addressed and not a hardware limitation on most PEARLS...

Anyone at Blackberry/RIM read these forums? please respond...

[theBorg]

Based on the tech specs and FAQs at SanDisk:

Yes, the 4GB cards are based on a different standard than the 2GB cards, microSDHC vs. microSD. The difference is in hardware. Unless a device manufacturer has taken the big leap and implemented an SD controller in a reprogrammable chip (FPGA), a firmware upgrade will not enable 4GB cards.

Reference: SanDisk | Products | Memory Cards | microSD Cards

[laurentio]

have 2 bberries. one bougth last year one bought last week.
Have upgraded both to the latest OS.
have then tried the 4gb on both. It works only on the new one.
i'm in UK, O2 network.

hope this helps.

[theBorg]

Ah! Found some more specific info in a SanDisk white paper, SDHC1.pdf. In short, 4GB cards won't work in a 2GB slot.

There is a file system incompatibility - specifically microSD uses a FAT 16 file system while microSDHC uses an SD FAT 32 file system.

Further, "4GB SDHC/miniSDHC/microSDHC cards can only work wiht SDHC/miniSDHC/microSDHC compatible host devices." That means the controller chip has to be microSDHC specific.

To further complicate the issue there are some non-compliant 4GB cards on the market - will not work with a true microHDSC device and may not work with a legacy microSD device.

Here's a link to the white paper and a FAQ, not for the non-techie:
http://www.sandisk.com/Assets/File/pdf/retail/SDHC1.pdf

That all being said, there must be by now a controller (host) that can translate between both standards. But it's not an issue of a firmware upgrade.

For the Pearls that supposedly do support 4GB, they are probably only getting access to 2GB.

[SanFrancisco]

Originally Posted by theBorg

Based on the tech specs and FAQs at SanDisk:

Yes, the 4GB cards are based on a different standard than the 2GB cards, microSDHC vs. microSD. The difference is in hardware. Unless a device manufacturer has taken the big leap and implemented an SD controller in a reprogrammable chip (FPGA), a firmware upgrade will not enable 4GB cards.

Reference: SanDisk | Products | Memory Cards | microSD Cards

So my OP was accurate, that the MicroSD circuitry and controller have to be SDHC compliant. If not, then our "older" Pearls cannot be firmware upgraded to accept 4GB chips?

[SanFrancisco]

Originally Posted by theBorg

Ah! Found some more specific info in a SanDisk white paper, SDHC1.pdf. In short, 4GB cards won't work in a 2GB slot.

There is a file system incompatibility - specifically microSD uses a FAT 16 file system while microSDHC uses an SD FAT 32 file system.

Further, "4GB SDHC/miniSDHC/microSDHC cards can only work wiht SDHC/miniSDHC/microSDHC compatible host devices." That means the controller chip has to be microSDHC specific.

To further complicate the issue there are some non-compliant 4GB cards on the market - will not work with a true microHDSC device and may not work with a legacy microSD device.

Here's a link to the white paper and a FAQ, not for the non-techie:
http://www.sandisk.com/Assets/File/pdf/retail/SDHC1.pdf

That all being said, there must be by now a controller (host) that can translate between both standards. But it's not an issue of a firmware upgrade.

For the Pearls that supposedly do support 4GB, they are probably only getting access to 2GB.

Great stuff. Thanks for the post.


And interesting point, are those who say that the 4GB is working only getting 2GB use? The drama and plot thickens.

Laurentio... thanks for chiming in. Is your one Pearl getting 4GB use or is it limited to 2GB?

[zero7404]

i'm surprised no 3rd party has come out with a bolt-on 80GB drive for berries.

that would probably make apple cry.