[AaaBaa]

Hello all, I'm a newbie here and to BBs. In fact I ordered a 8700G from 02 yesterday and it should arrive on Monday. But I was a little disturbed when I was browsing 8700 series phones on the UK BB website (blackberry.co.uk -> Devices -> BlackBerry 8700 Series -> Compare)

When you compare the four 8700 series phones, they are all largely the same except in two categories: "Memory" and "Voice Input/Output".

In the 8700G it seems you only get 64MB RAM (whereas the others get 16MB more SRAM or SDRAM). Fristly, is this right - is the memory expandable? Will it be enough? (I have about 850 contacts that'll need to be stored, plus I'll start using email on the BB.)

Much more alarmingly, in the "Voice Input/Output" category, it seems that all other models in the 8700 range have a Headset Jack and Integrated earpiece / microphone, but the 8700G...DOES NOT? Surely this is a mistake!

I would appreciate if someone who has experience of the 8700G could clarify these points, as I've started to think I've made the wrong choice!!

Thanks

[NJBlackBerry]

Welcome to BB Forums.

An 8700 is an 8700 is an 8700.

They all have the exact amount of memory. 64mb.

They all have the exact features.

There is a new version of the handheld operating system - v4.2 - which has not been released officially yet. It may provide some additional functionality. But it will work the same on every 8700.

The 8707 and 8703 are different devices, but an 8700 is an 8700...

[AaaBaa]

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

Welcome to BB Forums.

An 8700 is an 8700 is an 8700.

They all have the exact amount of memory. 64mb.

They all have the exact features.

There is a new version of the handheld operating system - v4.2 - which has not been released officially yet. It may provide some additional functionality. But it will work the same on every 8700.

The 8707 and 8703 are different devices, but an 8700 is an 8700...

Thanks for the reply.

But from what I gather the memory isn't expandable is it? In that case, how far does 64MB go? I know it's difficult to answer in concrete terms, but for example, how many contacts of average size do you think 64MB will hold?

[NJBlackBerry]

I don't have a number. 64mb is the largest amount to date for any BlackBerry. Generally people don't fill it up with contacts. They fill it up with ringtones, pictures and support for languages they don't need!

[John Clark]

I've heard of people with thousands of contacts....I just don't have that many friends ....but I hear it'll do that.

[tsac]

I have 230 thousand but they all reside on a BES server. Maybe you can do the same if your connected to a corporate system. We do a lookup and retrieve the name and have the option of storing on the BB or not.

[NJBlackBerry]

Since you don't have 230,000 on the BB, it really doesn't apply to the poster's question, does it?

He asked how many could be stored on the BB; not how many can be looked up, right?

[pinhead]

Haha...ya'll are funny!

With heavy emailing, thousands of contacts and calendar appointment, and other PIM uses, you will not use up the 64mb of space. It ain't gonna happen. However, if you add mp3 ringtones, pictures, huge attachment (that can't be viewed on the device anyways), and other large files you might have a problem with memory. If you remember that the device is a handheld email device and phone and not a pocket sized computer you will be fine for sure.

[NJBlackBerry]

Well said.
Exactly...

[AaaBaa]

Thanks guys, very helpful indeed. I was worried because my Nokia phone has 32MB memory and about 80% is already gone with about 850 contacts - not all friends, unfortunately! And I have very very little or indeed no images, tones, MP3s on the phone. Perhaps Nokia's OS generates and stores contact files in a more space-taking fashion...

In fact the BB community was one of the reason I went for a BB and didn't consider anything else...why re-invent the wheel? Surprised, though, that RIM have been rather shoddy with the specs on the website, if as all you guys say that a 8700 is...a 8700. They are clearly listed as different there, enough for me anyway to get pangs of doubt...look forward to receiving it on Monday...

[takeshi]

It's just inconsistencies in the way that the specs were typed up. They're the same and interchangeable (you can load one's OS on the other because they're really the same inside). We use 8700g's and 8700c's and once they're unlocked they're fully interchangeable.

[drewdinardo]

They are all the same but I believe the sprint version 8703e I think has built in gps....

[takeshi]

Sorry, the 8700's (not the same as "87XX's") are the same. The 8703's and 8707 are definitely different devices.

[Jack T. Chance]

Here's a question that I have not yet found an answer to: What class is the EDGE transmitter in the 8700g?

Phone Scoop usually has that info, but for some reason, all they say is that it's an EDGE transmitter, no other info is given.

I'm curious because I know the EDGE class determines the top speed of your connection. I've heard that Class 10 EDGE is the best, at least if I've been given accurate info.

Anyone know what the spec is there?