[mizberry]

This is the deal...if you prefer multitap over suretype, the Blackberry Pearl is NOT the phone for you.

I bought my Pearl in November 2007 and immediately had problems with multitap reverting to suretype automatically, sometimes two or three times in one day. I took the phone to a Verizon Wireless store, showed them the problem, and was told this was the first they had ever heard of the problem.

Of course I figured I must have gotten a bad phone. They were kind enough to exchange the handset for a new one, but within a few days, the new handset was doing the same thing. I took it back to the store, and they exchanged the handset again. But a few days later, the problem had come back.

At this point, I knew it wasn't just me. And by now, I had spent hours and hours on the phone with VZW's tech support and customer service, and also tried contacting RIM directly for their tech support, all with no luck.

While I was on the phone with VZW explaining the problem yet again, and once again being told that they had never heard of the problem before, and that they could find nothing on it on the web, I decided to do a quick search on my own to see what came up. Thank heavens for crackberry.com and the other users who were having the same problem!!

I emailed the tech rep a PDF of the threads I had read here, showing him that I was NOT the only one having the problem and that per some of the other user's comments, Verizon and RIM were both aware of the issue! That was when Verizon finally admitted that they and Blackberry have NO plans to fix this bug.

Even though I was out of warranty by 3 months, Verizon caved and allowed me to upgrade at the discounted price to the 8830, which has a full keyboard, thus eliminating the suretype/multitap issue. The only sacrifice was the camera, which I really don't need.

So the bottom line is this, if you hate suretype as I did, better take that phone back with a printed copy of the threads from this forum. Perhaps if a few more people stand up to Goliath, they'll be forced to upgrade their software at some point. If not, you can always try to get a refund or an upgrade, citing the lemon law. Or, you can follow the recommendation of those who have adopted suretype and give it another try. But if you keep your Pearl, beware that it will NEVER stay set to multitap.

I wish everybody well and I absolutely LOVE my new (red) 8830!

Mizberry

[zerog46]

I have had the Pearl since it came out and love the sure type, this was the whole reason for getting it.

[grim64131]

I never have had any problems, had my phone for about 4 months now, do alot of texting....I switch back and forth between the 2 depending on what I am doing....I prefer suretype because it is so much faster but multitap is great for some things also.

sorry you had some many problems, I like that 8830 though also, I love the size of the screen

[McCrackin]

I love my Pearl and Suretype is perfect for me. Sorry you had the headache. Hope you enjoy your new BB.

[Rhon228]

Good thing you made Verizon accountable for this issue. Hope you enjoy your 8830.

[Click]

Had the same issue, and with a quick OS upgrade solved all my problems. I swap back and forth from sure to multi. My next question is how is your ringtone volume on your 8830?

[Kebero]

Without meaning to denigrate the OP, why would a person get a SureType BB if they dislike SureType?

[garbagefairy1967]

Sorry to hear about all your trouble, I love the pearl, and quickly adapted to the typing change.

[greystealth]

Sure type is awesome IMO. Learn to use it right and you can type faster than any qwerty keyboard out there. I only use multi tap when inputting any information into a small field. Anything longer, sure type all the way.

[boomerbsg]

only time i find myself needing multitap is when i want to quickly add in someones name into my phone book, and they spell it funky, switch on multitap, and plug it in, and then switch back to sure type.

but FWIW, i once left it set on multitap for a couple days and it never reverted back, until i changed it back myself.

[yogi]

I like mine very much.

[cate]

only time i find myself needing multitap is when i want to quickly add in someones name into my phone book, and they spell it funky, switch on multitap, and plug it in, and then switch back to sure type.

same.

there are days where SureType & i don't get along but for the most part, i really like it.

[negriljerry]

Please tell me HOW to change to Multitap? I know it can be done within a messaging application (email etc) via Menu, but that doesn't help me when trying to fill login fields or use Navigation, both of which defeat Suretype completly.

[Emtronics]

Suretype is one of the reasons I got the Pearl. Multitap is a pain for me but once I got the hang of Suretype, I can send texts faster than a jacked up teenager at the mall.

[bigkahuna]

same here i don't even look at my message until im all done typing it out. Yes sometimes you need to make corrections, but its defiantly a way faster way that multi !
aloha
D