[bubbatex]

Hey folks - I just got a Storm a few weeks ago and overall love it except for one major flaw - the voice and earpiece quality is not up to par for me (muffled voice sound even with the tweaks and the earpiece suck$). My mobile phone is my business phone and overall call quality is important. I have held on to my Q9c because of this. So, instead of leaving Sprint for the VZW Storm, I am now looking at staying with Sprint but I am liking the Crackberry life! The Curve is too small for me, so I am looking at the 8830 to tide me over until Niagara gets here next year.

Two questions really - how is the phone quality overall - both outgoing and earpiece and does the kb light up pretty well? I love the onscreen kb of the Storm becasue it is so bright and my eyes are not always so clear.

[Heavy Fluid]

8830 has no camera, so that may be a downfall for you. I think that the earpiece and speaker volume is great. There are reported issues with the ringer volume, but there is a good fix posted right here on CB in this forum.

As for the keyboard, I don't think it lights up as good as the Curve. I prefer the 8830 to the Curve as I love the looks/keyboard/feel of the phone versus the Curve.

[bubbatex]

Nah - a camera is not that important. I like the fact that the Storm has a good one but it is not a deal killer for me.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Heavy Fluid]

I feel the same way. I hardly used the camera on any of my phones when I had it. The camera is a nice addition, but not a deal breaker for me. I have a nice Sony Cybershot camera that I use, not my phone.

[bubbatex]

Heavy - maybe a stupid question - but has anyone on the other side complained about you talking on the 8830? I did a series of tests yesterday with various phones and Skype calling to my company voicemail and then listening at the playback. The Storm was the looser, the iPhone sounded really loud and clear, Sprint Touch Pro was good (but too much treble) and my existing Moto Q9c was really good. The Storm sounded like I had a sock on the mic (and I have done the treble boost tweak).

[gtstang462002]

I think that the 8830 is a better built phone than the storm. My only complaint about this phone is the lack of memory that they didn't give it because it didn't have a camera. My wife has the curve and I am kinda wishing that I had went with that option just for having more memory. Other than that I love the 8830. Never had a single complaint about call quality.

[bubbatex]

Trying to figure out if I want to get one now while waiting for the new BB's to hit Sprint later next year or just wait with my tiring Q9c. Thanks for the input.

[chesterhound]

Bubba:

I've had the 8830 for over a year now. I am completely satisfied with it. The 8830 is a solid, time tested phone. The sound quality is excellent and brightness is good as well.
It seems as though the new BB's always have bugs when they first get released.

I will probably get the new Niagara, but will wait awhile for the bugs to be worked out. In the meantime, the 8830 is the right phone for me. I needed a BB that could roam worldwide, and this fits the bill!

[bubbatex]

Thanks chesterhound. I can pick one up on eBay for about $225. I currently have free data on Sprint, so I have sent eCare a note to see what they would charge me for BIS.

BTW - The 8830 is available online only at Sprint. None of the stores have them any longer. I take that to mean they are dwindling down the inventory for something new - hopefully soon!

[Heavy Fluid]

bubba - never had a complaint from the other end. My calls are pretty clear I guess. I get a few complaints when using a BT headset, that is it.

[gtstang462002]

bubba - never had a complaint from the other end. My calls are pretty clear I guess. I get a few complaints when using a BT headset, that is it.

I used to get complaints about a ton of background noise with my BT headsets. I recently started wearing glasses and found that the piece that wraps around my ear combined with the glasses was brutalizing my ear. So I bit the bullet and spent the $100 on the plantronics 925 that fits internal to my ear. Since that upgrade my wife can not ever tell if I am talking on the BT or the phone. I think that when it comes to BT headsets you get what you pay for there.

[Heavy Fluid]

gt - I completely agree. I have a pretty cheap Plantronics C330, and then I have a Nokia that costs about twice as much. There is a huge difference in sound quality, on my end and the other end also.

[gtstang462002]

gt - I completely agree. I have a pretty cheap Plantronics C330, and then I have a Nokia that costs about twice as much. There is a huge difference in sound quality, on my end and the other end also.

Until I bit the bullet on that plantronics I always figured a BT headset was a BT headset....

[Heavy Fluid]

Until I bit the bullet on that plantronics I always figured a BT headset was a BT headset....

Yeah, like a car is a car, until you realize that a Hyundai Excel is not a Dodge Viper.