[rboy]

will the 8300 have built in gps?

[IanHummel]

did you read the forum?

[jungleland]

Originally Posted by IanHummel

did you read the forum?

apparently not...

[Stinsonddog]

I am betting no, but many others have promised it.

[Brad00111]

From the Boy Genius Report, still not 100% confirmed from what I have heard, but it looks like maybe GPS will still be in play on the "Papa Bear" model, *Fingers Crossed*:

*
8800 (No Camera, GPS)
*
8820 (No Camera but WiFi and GPS)
*
8300 (Camera, no WiFi, no GPS)
*
8320 (Camera, WiFi)
*
83xx (Camera, WiFi, GPS)
*
9xxx (Don't get me started)

[blakeatl]

So help me out here.....I'm very satisfied with my Pearl, but I'm seeing all these blackberry devices coming about with 3G, wifi, built-in gps and camera. Wifi I can do without, internal gps I can do without, video camera is a plus.....but what's with 3G? Is it something that will help with speeding up data services as well as data apps like Telenav? I'm just keeping my eyes open in case I have the urge to change.....which is unlikely for a while.

[jddphd]

none of the 88xx are 3G capable as far as I'm aware.

[blakeatl]

Originally Posted by jddphd

none of the 88xx are 3G capable as far as I'm aware.

Slip of the keyboard... What I meant to say was....mention of 3G in the near future.

[brucejr]

blakeatl, good article on Wikipedia which explains the whole 3G phenomenon in language that is understandable to the consumer.
Evolution to 3G - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[H3LLFIRE]

Originally Posted by blakeatl

Slip of the keyboard... What I meant to say was....mention of 3G in the near future.

3G would be perfect with GPS. No more slow map downloads over EDGE. But I still think the processor will be the bottleneck.

[Stinsonddog]

I still can't make sense of why they would have it and release it so close to the 8800?

[Brad00111]

Originally Posted by Stinsonddog

I still can't make sense of why they would have it and release it so close to the 8800?

I think this is next step in the "consumer line". The Government and certain Corporate Accounts who have camera-less phones as a security feature got the 8800, now the consumer gets the upgrade to the Pearl, the 8300. I think it makes sense if you look at it from that perspective.

[hailer]

Originally Posted by Brad00111

I think this is next step in the "consumer line". The Government and certain Corporate Accounts who have camera-less phones as a security feature got the 8800, now the consumer gets the upgrade to the Pearl, the 8300. I think it makes sense if you look at it from that perspective.

Doesn't it look like an upgrade (forget the numbers) to the 8700 rather than the Pearl which is not QWERTY?

Crave Blog
Crave: The gadget blog

This article states that reports say the 8300 will be AT&T/Cingular bound and the 8320 will be a T-Mo device. So if you take that into account I'd guess the 8300 would come out first later this year with T-Mo getting the 8320 by end of year or early next year. Just guessing.

[Stinsonddog]

How many would still buy it without the GPS as an upgrade?

[Fungineer]

Originally Posted by Brad00111

I think this is next step in the "consumer line". The Government and certain Corporate Accounts who have camera-less phones as a security feature got the 8800, now the consumer gets the upgrade to the Pearl, the 8300. I think it makes sense if you look at it from that perspective.

Kinda sorta - I think the 8300 is going to be targeted as a "QWERTY Pearl", and more specifically as a plausible upgrade to your Treo 650 or Sidekick - if you're migrating as a "prosumer" from a 7290 or 8700 it makes sense too.
If you're a corporate user who can't have a camera, then the 8800 provides the upgrade path to your existing QWERTY device.

[hailer]

Originally Posted by Stinsonddog

How many would still buy it without the GPS as an upgrade?

No GPS is not a major factor for me. I'd buy it if the other functions are upgrades I am looking for.

I thought about buying the 8800 but didn't. I think I'll wait it out until the 9xxx series is released which hopefully will finally become the true "All-In-One" device we all have been sugar plum dreaming about. HOPEFULLY it will run 3G.

[rambo47]

I'd buy it without GPS, but if they leave out any other features that are promised/dreamed of, then I might wait. Perhaps a future revision will have the omitted features.


Must have:
camera - still photos
wifi
GPS

Nice to have:
camera that takes video.


Any one of the "must haves" being omitted is not a deal breaker, but it will make me look longer and harder at alternatives, plus I will become much more price conscious. Drop 2 and I'm on the beach. I'll wait for the next revision and see if features are added.

[takeshi]

Originally Posted by H3LLFIRE

3G would be perfect with GPS. No more slow map downloads over EDGE. But I still think the processor will be the bottleneck.

Have you actually used Telenav? It's not lightning fast but I wouldn't call it slow either.

I wouldn't bother with a BB without GPS personally but its usefulness is going to vary greatly form one person to the next. I've found it incredibly useful and convenient when traveling (or even in town in unfamiliar areas). Infospace's app and othe LBS-type apps are also incredibly convenient though you could do pretty much the same thing without GPS.

Originally Posted by Stinsonddog

I still can't make sense of why they would have it and release it so close to the 8800?

They're different product lines. Non-camera corporate users will still buy the 8800. Somehow people keep forgetting that this is a significant portion of RIM's user base. The consumer market is still new to RIM.

[IanHummel]

I won't buy it without GPS. The camera isn't that important to me and neither is WiFi. If anything, I'll buy a Cingular 8800 and unlock it just for the better form factor and the GPS. I'm not going to get any T-Mobile branded blackberry unless the release the model with everything.

[blakeatl]

My wife is eyeing the blackberry after she sees all that I use my Pearl for. I actually let her use it this weekend and seeing her bumble through the suretype made me snicker. I might go ahead and get her the 8300 when it's available on T-mobile (hopefully).