[Mark_Venture]

At about 4pm today my Verizon rep dropped off my Demo Pearl/8130 Unit... it is NOT active yet.. rep told me it will be in a day or two.. This came right from RIM to Verizon Rep to me... has Property of Research in Motion and Evaluation stickers on it...

RIM OS = v4.3.0.60 (Platform 3.1.0.32) Not sure if this is release version or not.

First impression... its slightly heavier than the GSM pearl but not enough to mind it....

Voice Notes Recorder, and Video Recorder on the home screen are new...

The MicroSD slot is on the side instead of under the battery the way the GSM is, but the cover looks like it might "break off" easy...

I do like the predictive typing a lot better than the GSM pearl... it works better, and the possible word list is a DROP DOWN list that shows more choices than the side by side of the GSM pearl.

Screen just as Clear and easy to read.

Not sure if this is "release firmware" as there is no VZNav on it... then again.. we'll have to see when its active if it comes down like the browser icons and setup personal email icons do...

keyboard is more "sculptured" than the GSM... but this is nice to type on.. keys are responsive, but slightly "loose" (i.e. the wiggle)...

Just got home from work...

I haven't taken pictures yet... Not allowed to use cameras or the camera in phones while on my work's campus...

On HoFo, I was asked about Browser differences?? I can't tell becuase the Browser icon is not there until the phone is activated and registered on Verizon's network and the service books come down...

I have been typing test messages and such on it... It is BETTER than my GSM pearl. Keyboard is more comfortable and the prediction is more accurate (and I even edit the custom word list on my GSM pearl to help it, this VZW pearl doesn't have a custom word list yet)...

WOW... they just keep making sure type better and better!!!! The 8100 was better than the 7100, and the 8130 is better than the 8100.

Themes are the same as the VZW 8830, PLUS there is a BB Dimension L theme... Think of it as the standard verizon theme from the 8830 with 5 icons along the bottom, but ALSO 5 icons down the left side...

Extra option under Screen/Keyboard... Menu Style... choices are Short Menu and Full Menu... When set to Short, pressing in on Ball gives "Short Menu"... when set to full... pressing Ball gives Full menu... NICE... Still a Force of habit has been press ball and get menu (because of using that thumb wheel for so long), so this helps

Using the Voice Notes Recorder Icon on home screen Records only... to play back, go into the Media application which gives you choices for Music, Video, Ring Tones, Pictures and Voice Notes.

File Total: 50462720
File Free: 12240104

New thing... Under Options -> Security Options... is Memory Cleaning... Not sure exactly what it does, since BB's have always had a built in memory manager. :befuddled

that is all I can say until I can activate this device...

PS: there are NO services books on this device except Verizon Wireless [WAP] so what I can do with it until I can activate it is limited. Sorry.

[jltx114]

gps?

[jeremyckitching]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry 8700g: BlackBerry8320/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

As for the keypad, does it feel more tactile, or do they keys still feel mushy? That is how I felt about the T-Mobile Pearl I had for a hot second.

[Ticman]

Mark,
thanks for the information.

Look forward to getting more of your impressions when phone is activated.

Mike

[Mark_Venture]

Originally Posted by jltx114

gps?

yes, but I can't test if its fully operational or VZNav Only until I can activate :(

Options -> Advanced Options -> GPS...

GPS Data Source: Device GPS (no other choice!)
GPS Services: Location On or 911 Only

[Mark_Venture]

Originally Posted by jeremyckitching

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry 8700g: BlackBerry8320/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

As for the keypad, does it feel more tactile, or do they keys still feel mushy? That is how I felt about the T-Mobile Pearl I had for a hot second.

Still feel mushy... not too much different than my T-Mo 8100. But I think I like the placement of the keys better.

[morrow95]

Probably a stupid question, but we cannot use these unlocked on tmo because of the gsm right?

[jeremyckitching]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry 8700g: BlackBerry8320/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Originally Posted by morrow95

Probably a stupid question, but we cannot use these unlocked on tmo because of the gsm right?

Not a stupid question. But you are correct. The Verizon 8130 uses a different technology and it won't work on T-Mobile.

[Mark_Venture]

Got my release version device today.. didn't get too much time to play with it.. but it is exactly like Demo unit...

same software level.

[canonbomb1987]

any pics?

[Mark_Venture]

Originally Posted by canonbomb1987

any pics?

When I get home i can take some... I'm still at work.. camera's not allowed here :(

[KeilwerthSX90R]

Unless I'm missing something GPS will not work with anything other than VZWNavigator which isn't available yet for the device.

Under GPS in BBMaps there is none showing.

[jseah]

Mark, does the 8130 support just microSD or microSDHC? I want to know whether I can get a 8 gig card for the phone.

[cblackberrynyc]

So gps has been verizoned? aka crippled and/or removed? What else has verizon crippled and removed? Guess another class action lawsuit is coming verizon's way. RIM gives, and verizon takes, thats so wrong.

Originally Posted by KeilwerthSX90R

Unless I'm missing something GPS will not work with anything other than VZWNavigator which isn't available yet for the device.

Under GPS in BBMaps there is none showing.

[Mark_Venture]

Originally Posted by jseah

Mark, does the 8130 support just microSD or microSDHC? I want to know whether I can get a 8 gig card for the phone.

Verizon has 6 and 8 gig MicroSDHC cards as "accessories"

Per the RIM press release -> BlackBerry - BlackBerry Press Releases

it supports up to 8gig.

[Mark_Venture]

Originally Posted by KeilwerthSX90R

Unless I'm missing something GPS will not work with anything other than VZWNavigator which isn't available yet for the device.

Under GPS in BBMaps there is none showing.

You're not missing anything... That is how mine is too...

I've got Google Maps installed, but it doesn't run... it errors...

[Mark_Venture]

I'm in the process of uploading pictures of the Verizon Pearl 8130 to -> Picasa Web Albums - Mark_Venture

Included are...

two pictures taken with the Pearl's camera (thru my sliding glass door)

Pictures of it in next to T-Mobile Pearl, T-Mobile Curve, Moto V3C, LG Chocolate VX8500...

Pictures of various screens of the Verizon Pearl.... including shots taken of the web browser...

[GeekNJ]

Originally Posted by Mark_Venture

Pictures of various screens of the Verizon Pearl.... including shots taken of the web browser...

Thanks for the pics! The 2 shots taken with the camera - what is the weather there? Is it overcast or a blue sky? Looks overcast - wanted to check.

Anything differences about the web browser worth noting?

[Mark_Venture]

Originally Posted by GeekNJ

Thanks for the pics! The 2 shots taken with the camera - what is the weather there? Is it overcast or a blue sky? Looks overcast - wanted to check.

Cloudy.. (I just added captions to the pix )

Originally Posted by GeekNJ

Anything differences about the web browser worth noting?

I can't really see any beyond the "arrow coursor" that moves around the screen by the track ball... kind of like a PC/Mouse/Windows... rather than a dotted outline box moving from link to link....

In some of the browser pictures you'll see it as a hand. others you'll see it as an arrow...

[allen2oo3]

heres a few more pics.