[Brad00111]

Just wondering what everyone thinks about their 7100, mostly the 7100g. I want to get a good idea before i drop the money to buy one.

Since no one carries it in store yet, I was planning on going to a t-mo store to look at a floor model just to test it out and see if i like it. I know there are some differences between the 2, but i think from what i hear the only real hurtle I have to get past is the SureType.

Thanks

[kirson]

SureType is OK. The 7100g is the best implementation of the 7100 in my opinion -- keyboard is not as horrid as the 7100t. The 7100 line offers so many other improvements, that it's worth going with it, even though you lose QWERTY. Just my $0.02.

[NJBlackBerry]

I went from a voice-centric job to an e-mail centric job. 7100t keyboard was frustrating me. Switched to a 7290.

[Eric5273]

Originally Posted by Brad00111

Since no one carries it in store yet, I was planning on going to a t-mo store to look at a floor model just to test it out and see if i like it.

That's exactly what I did. Then I ordered my 7100g and just received it yesterday. What I can tell you is that it's much smaller in person that it appears in the pictures. And the screen is really bright and clear. I was very impressed after using the 7100t in the store.

[finch]

My wife really does love the size and phone first approach of her 7100 but the keyboad just isn't cutting it for her. This could explain her hanging onto her 7780...

[lmfalcon55]

I got the 7100g from Cingular this week. The clarity of the screen, pictures, messages, is astounding. Would never go back to the Blackberry 7510. The typing was a problem for the first day until I figured that is better not to look at the screen until you are done typing and resist the urge to correct. It works well and it does learn unusual words.

Luis

[Stinsonddog]

What about words like "free" or "deer"? I think it takes some time to get used too. I am still learning on day 5. I love the phone features. They did take away two of my favorite keyboard shortcuts -browser refresh and switching calendar views, but I will get over them. I learned to navigate the week view much quicker now.

All the good things made up for those losses for me. Screen clarity being one major one and phone easy another.

[MooseNYC]

Dont forget if you dont like the 'sure-type' you can easily change to the 'dual-tap' mode. I personally like the dual tap mode a lot more than the 'sure-type' as I just cant seem to pick it up.. I'm a lot faster with the dual tap.

Dave

[BeerFox]

Coming from being a Sidekick user (only keyboard on market that I think competes with the original BB Qwerty keyboard), I was leery at first, and it took some getting used to. But now, I'm really fond of the SureType, for a few reasons:
1. It seems to learn your typing habits. I find myself having to correct it less and less as time goes on.
2. With the 2-chars per key, the keys are large enough that I don't find myself slipping and hitting the wrong one often at all (whereas when I tried a friend's Treo 650, it was a nightmare)
3. Much easier to type with one thumb. With a full QWERTY keyboard, you usually need to use both hands, or it gets really awkward.

[ScOObydoo]

I tried it for a few weeks but simply could not get used to it. Reading email was fine, and I loved the form factor, but replying to an email, or logging into stuff on the web was a nightmare. I moved back to my trusty 7230 after that, and am now on a 7290, happier than ever.

[woyteg]

I don't have it but I voted knowing that it would my minus for 7100.
Minus for not having qwerty.

[savidon]

I've had my 7100g for a few weeks now, and I love it.

I never had a BB before, so I don't have a frame of reference for the old keyboard, but I've not had any problems with the SureType.

I am very impressed as to how little I have to correct it. The hardest thing to do is to resist adjusting the letters before your are finished typing. By the time you are finished with a word, it has more than likely corrected itself.

[maxspeed]

I've had my 7100t for 2 months now and I LOVE SureType. My first blackberry/anything close to a phone with a full keyboard. I suppose if you are already used to full qwerty it may be hard to get used to but if you are used to tapping "1" 3 times to get a "C" you will love it. And for gawds sake get Berry-411, it's free and will pay for your phone in saved 411 costs.

And give a BIG thanks to Mark Rejohn (sp?) for all his work and help here and on howardforums.com. What I wanted to learn and what I didn't even know I could learn, I learned from Mark's posts!

[Skiwhack]

I'm developing a dictionary of cool misspelled words, I call it Sure(miss)typed.

Congratulations came out as Congesta, I like it actually, sounds Italian.

Congesta! everyone.

Ski

[briandor]

I originally got the Cingular 7100g and now I have the 7100t with T-Mobile. Liked the 7100g but hated Cingular's pricing model. Would have paid $100/mo for unlimited data and 600 voice minutes vs. $60/mo for unlimited data and 1000 voice minutes with T-Mobile. I've got better coverage with the T-Mobile to boot which was a little suprising.

[jbairdjr]

I went from the 7280 and 7780 to the 7100g.
For about the first day, I was having difficulty learning the keyboard, but now its second nature (Had it for a week now).
We also bought 3 more for work, and all of the users are more than pleased.

[harleyxlc]

I went from a Motorola a630 (with qwerty keyboard) to the 7100t. I find I am not as fast, but I am still getting used to it.

[garettdoyle]

I have had my 7100t since the holidays (almost 3 months, hard to believe!). No regrets. Just to be fair, this is my first Blackberry. Never liked the form of the traditional brickberries, so never would carry one. Here are my primary uses of 7100t:

1) Read e-mail. I receive between 50-150 e-mails per day (record is 300).
2) Mobile phone. I use about 800-1000 minutes per month.
3) Respond or send e-mails. Somedays I do no e-mail (when I am on line with my laptop), but when I am traveling I respond/send 15-20 e-mails per day but varies).
4) PIM - Calendar & Contacts. Love how it syncs with desktop and BES.
5) Web surfing. I use it to check my yahoo e-mail account. My company blocks all access to webmail, so this is a nice way to check personal e-mail. I use Yahoo alerts to notify me of important personal e-mail.


Like many who have already pointed this out, give the sure type a little time to "learn" and for you to learn sure type. I find this option to be a significant improvement over "dual-tap". It is only slightly slower than a traditional qwerty system (i.e. traditonal Brickberry). I have spoken to other co-workers that have switched from a Brickberry to a 7100 and it took a bit more getting use to.

The advantages beat out the disadvantages. I have a Dell Axim (Pocket PC) that is collecting dust most of the time. I still use it when I travel as my MP3 player. Add a SD card reader and a few more applications (ebook & MP3 player), and I would be thrilled!

[vbuckjr]

I have had my 7100t for two weeks switched from my 6230. Pros: Love the formfactor, if I had another person say I look like I am talking to a calculator.. Love the speaker phone (main reason for switching) Love the screen (I was on a monochrome granted) but a coworker has a 7230 and says the 7100 screen is much crisper. Love SureType works better than expected, the friend with the 7230 tried and was impressed with first time use. Cons: 7100t keys are a bigger (good)than a treo but are a little close together. Getting usee to the send key (green phone) Disconnecet key (red phone) also those two keys are pretty small.
Overall I am quite pleased with the 7100 and think that people who don't use email would enjoy the 7100 as a smart phone nice sync with Outlook contacts, calendar, tasks, and memopad. SMS users would get more mileage out of the modified QWERTY keyboard with suretype. If you use email more than the phone piece it would be a personal preference choice. Also T-Mobile gives you 14 days to try before the sale is final. What do you have to lose?

[brewberry]

First, am truly impressed with the keyboard...love it.

Am less than impressed with icon placement. Two questions:
1) Can I change the location of icons
2) Can I make it so I can scroll through the beginning/end

Thanks,