1. blue_and_bold's Avatar
    I was interested in some feedback from some BB users that went from a normal bb 8703,8130(any nonflip) to the flip. How do you like it? Is it just as functional?
    07-24-09 02:26 PM
  2. xtrmcheeze's Avatar
    I've had mine a few days so far and I can at least give you the following feedback.

    Had a curve (8330) for over a year and my thumbs started hurting real bad the last couple of months because I bent them too far back to type with the tip of my thumb or my thumb nail so I needed something else with bigger keys. Realizing there weren't really any other BBs with bigger buttons (atleast not big enough for me), I reluctantly looked at the flip because VZW had released it recently, after messing with it in the store for a few minutes I quickly realized how much I actually liked it.

    After some research and a conversation with my doctor (yes I asked my doctor about my thumbs because I type for a living), it was clear I needed something I could type on quickly without hurting my thumbs, the flip was definitely the right choice. It is still very compact but the keys are plenty big and easy to type on.

    To make this shorter, here are a list of pros and cons...

    pros:
    - Easy to type on for fat thumb people, no more blackberry thumb!
    - Faster than the Curve (8330), I've tried most of the OS releases for the 8330 and none of them see to be as fast as the current 8230 with the 4.6.1.234 OS, it might just be that 4.6 is more efficient than 4.5
    - OS 4.6 is a delight and seems flawless so far, gets a little bogged down when you're running a lot of stuff, but seems better than my old curve
    - External door for micro sdhc card, SO much better than pulling that damn battery out for the curve
    - 2nd mini screen on the outside lets you do many things, preview messages, see currently playing music, I'm sure developers could find all kinds of fun stuff for this thing
    - clamshell design, love it
    - SureType - clever way to use 20 keys instead of 40 or whatever the curve had (no quick reference), it guesses what I want 90% of the time correctly, there are cons with this though

    Cons:
    - SureType - No easy way to use short-type... 'U' and 'I' being on the same key is a headache because 'U' requires the key press and then a scroll down, typing "lol" constantly results in "loll"... there are a number of issues with this, you can swap to multi-tap but that takes longer to type... quite possibly I just need to adjust suretype, maybe I should RTFM
    - You can preview messages on the outside screen but you can't "Mark as Read", however when you open the phone when you're previewing, it goes right to the message
    - Vibrate is weak and unnoticeable unless you're completely still and nothing is bothering you
    - Lack of software, themes, etc. It's simply just not as popular as the curve or the other newer phones
    - Wish they called it simply the flip and left "pearl" off of it, I think it might get a better reception
    - I'm gonna say it, battery life is horrid, only minor use throughout the day (from 7 AM to 11 PM) results in around 1/2 - 3/4 battery by the end of day, I hope seidio comes out with an extended battery (one that doesn't stick out)
    - Lack of special characters on the keyboard using simply 'Alt' key, characters like (- / & " $, etc) have all been moved into the "sym" key menu which is now 3 pages deep on a normal text message.

    Some items you might or might not care about (I dont):
    - Portrait vs landscape screen - I dont really care
    - 2.0 megapixel camera - it's a phone, not a camera
    - Recessed trackball - seems fine for my fat thumb

    I welcome all comments in reply to my post, like I said maybe I need to RTFM about some things, but these are my observations of the past few days.
    07-24-09 04:30 PM
  3. sig220's Avatar
    This is my first smartphone, and i will say, that I am sold on it by far, I never wanted a brick to carry around like all the other blackberrys look like, and i live in the dust so I was worried about that, the flip fits perfectly. The one thing that gets annoying is using the browser i spend a lot of time zooming in and out dont know if that an issue on the other bbs but I love it and wont go back to a dumbphone and i dont want an iphone or brick either.
    07-24-09 06:29 PM
  4. jaydizzle2.0's Avatar
    yo it looks pretty dope but its gotta have many probs!
    07-24-09 06:30 PM
  5. david9962000's Avatar
    I tried one and it was comfortable to talk on, it has a wide open angle but I noticed a loose battery door on the one that I used. Also the keys are wide enough to use 2 thumbs.
    07-24-09 07:20 PM
  6. jamieownsu's Avatar
    I wouldn't recommend it at all, to be honest. I like mine, but I wish the 8900 was out when I got mine, as I would have gone with that instead.

    The 8220 is too slow, it uses the same processor as the original Pearl, and it's not enough.

    Don't bother with it.
    07-24-09 10:21 PM
  7. Jsolts's Avatar
    You gotta take into account what you need it for. If you are a power user who needs to be able to remote connect to a pc, and run multiple programs at once then it is not the phone for you.

    I work in radio, I get over 100 emails a day and I love the flip. Its so nice to be able to get all the functionality of a bb in a small compact unit that I can just slip into my pocket.

    As for the screen, yes it is in portrait vs landscape, but its same size as the screen on a curve, just vertical.

    The browser sucks. No gonna deny that. Download opera mini and you are good to go.

    SureType takes some getting used to, and it can be annoying when you ask someone if you want to go holding, when you really meant to say golfing. But it does work quite well. Plus it makes for easy 1 handed typing.

    Bottom line is this phone is not for everyone.

    But if it fits your style, then its fantastic.

    If it dosent, then there's a whole line of blackberries that might.

    Hope this helps.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    07-25-09 12:40 AM
  8. clitrenta's Avatar
    Seems we're always having this conversation. There is no perfect or crappy phone. It's all a matter of what you like and your needs. Some people hate touch screens and will say bad things about the storm for that reason while others hate "bricks" and will diss those types of phones. I think the only productive comments are those which simply state the pro's and cons of a particular phone (your own observance). That way, each person can decide if it has what they like and need.
    07-26-09 03:01 PM
  9. gvdw's Avatar
    I really like my Flip after using it for a month and a half but had to go back to my Curve. My preference is flip phones and the typing and dialing is much easier on the Flip than the Curve. I had to quit using it because I often work in a noisy environment and the vibration feature on the Flip is very very weak. If someone could find a way to improve that I would definately go back to it.
    07-26-09 05:38 PM
  10. huskerp0wer's Avatar
    Honestly you just need to decide if the pearl flip is the right one for your specific needs, as there is almost certainly a bb for everyone. I don't especially care for the flip but a friend of mine absolutely loves his. Go into the store, play around with all of them and it should make things easier.
    07-26-09 05:57 PM
  11. Dave12308's Avatar
    Seems we're always having this conversation. There is no perfect or crappy phone. It's all a matter of what you like and your needs. Some people hate touch screens and will say bad things about the storm for that reason while others hate "bricks" and will diss those types of phones. I think the only productive comments are those which simply state the pro's and cons of a particular phone (your own observance). That way, each person can decide if it has what they like and need.
    Best post on Crackberry.........
    07-26-09 06:06 PM
  12. LooHoo1's Avatar
    Best post on Crackberry.........
    Absolutely! Some of these comments would lead one to believe that one car, computer, bicycle, running shoe, style of underwear, etc. is best for everyone. BB choices are highly individual. That's half the fun!
    07-26-09 08:59 PM
  13. DaPhoneking's Avatar
    I wouldn't recommend it at all, to be honest. I like mine, but I wish the 8900 was out when I got mine, as I would have gone with that instead.

    The 8220 is too slow, it uses the same processor as the original Pearl, and it's not enough.

    Don't bother with it.
    Why does everyone say the 8220 is slow? Mine was fine.
    07-27-09 08:06 AM
  14. DaPhoneking's Avatar
    Seems we're always having this conversation. There is no perfect or crappy phone. It's all a matter of what you like and your needs. Some people hate touch screens and will say bad things about the storm for that reason while others hate "bricks" and will diss those types of phones. I think the only productive comments are those which simply state the pro's and cons of a particular phone (your own observance). That way, each person can decide if it has what they like and need.
    Hey Connie why don't you try telling Apple that?
    07-27-09 08:07 AM
  15. clitrenta's Avatar
    Hey Connie why don't you try telling Apple that?
    Well, Apple is paid to sell their product but again, I won't even say negative things about the iPhone. My co-worker has one of these and he loves it. I don't consider him a dumb guy by any means (we're all IT Pro's) so I'm sure it simply meets his needs just as mine meets mine. The only time you will hear me make negative comments is if a phone simply has a BAD record of reliability. I will never comment negatively on a phone because of it's form factor or features. To each his own. There are a number of phones (non-BB) I wouldn't mind trying out (iPhone, Storm, Samsung Behold, MyTouch, etc.). That doesn't mean I'd ditch my BB, just that there are some very interesting choices out there and I'm sure there are a number of them that will meet the needs of someone perfectly. We BB users hang out here to exchange info and maybe learn some more about our devices. It shouldn't be about proclaiming which is the best or worst, just determining which one is the right one for you. Right now, the Flip suits me just fine but things change all the time.
    07-27-09 08:20 AM
  16. Flip_Mode_Squad's Avatar
    Despite it not being an Apple I-phone or
    Storm type unit, it's decent for "true internet"
    browsing. I think with the Flip (T-Mobile),
    you're only restricted to youtube vids?

    The bottom half of the phone itself, looks pretty cheap
    though. Not too bad for a free T-mobile upgrade

    And btw, the Wi-fi works great as I'm thrifty and
    would hate to pay the additonal 25 bones/month
    for a stupid data plan!
    07-28-09 06:07 AM
  17. Foreign84's Avatar
    I have to say depending on what you are looking for in a phone the pearl flip is very nice. I was extrememly hesitant before but i'm glad I got it
    07-28-09 09:14 AM
  18. Masahiro's Avatar
    It's definitely an entry-level blackberry. I had just a regular flip phone prior to this one, so switching over to the 8220 seemed like the logical thing to do at the time.
    It worked fine for the first couple months I had it. I didn't have a data plan yet, and so I just used it for calls, SMS, e-mail and music. I'd notice my phone slowed down significantly when I was multi-tasking with the music going, but it was tolerable.
    The problem came when I switched over to data about a month ago and started to realize why they call these things "Crackberries". To make matters worse, my 3.5mm headphone socket broke, so I had to switch over to a stereo bluetooth headset to continue to listen to music. Now it's barely useable when I have multiple things open, and not useable at all when I go overboard with the applications (it just stalls for 10 seconds at a time every couple seconds).

    In summary, it's good if you're a casual user. If you plan on going beyond that, however, you're better off with a faster phone. The processor on this phone is about half the speed of the bold, just to give you a bit of perspective.
    Last edited by Masahiro; 07-31-09 at 05:07 AM.
    07-31-09 05:05 AM
  19. TerpsJunky's Avatar
    I just broke my storm this past weekend and decided not to get another. I went with the flip over the Tour or Curve because I am not a power user and simply want it for basic email, some texting but mostly syncing to my contact list in outlook. If you need(or want) something to watch movies, play games, internet browsing or serious emailing, I wouldnt recommend. But for quick texts, easy phone dialing and comfort in the pocket and shoulder/head tucking, go with the flip.
    08-02-09 07:02 PM
  20. skyline247's Avatar
    I have had the Flip for a couple of weeks now, and i must say, on first impressions, it is not all that I would thought it would be. However, it is an entry level BlackBerry, and of course, this is my first foray into BB's. I had a Dash previously, and with a slower processor, the Dash still seemed to be faster than the flip. Yes, I had to reset the Dash every once in a while, but I didn't get as many freeze up's as I have encountered within just two weeks of using the Flip. I do know that the Dash had a completely diff OS (Windows Mobile 6), but I don't understand the freeze up's.
    All in all though, I am pleased with my Java based Flip. It generally does what I need it to do, and of course it was free, so who am I to complain. When the new OS comes out I will install, and maybe that will take care of some of the issues. I am still on .180, don't really want to upgrade the OS until 5.0 comes out, but I may have to try. I can always revert back right?
    08-02-09 09:33 PM
  21. jiholl5333's Avatar
    I just broke my storm this past weekend and decided not to get another. I went with the flip over the Tour or Curve because I am not a power user and simply want it for basic email, some texting but mostly syncing to my contact list in outlook. If you need(or want) something to watch movies, play games, internet browsing or serious emailing, I wouldnt recommend. But for quick texts, easy phone dialing and comfort in the pocket and shoulder/head tucking, go with the flip.
    Hi...I am considering flip for same reasons as you. How do you find it as a phone..i.e. the odd straight flip shape..can you get the earpiece close enough to your ear to hear in noisy environments? Seems like the angle is off some when I tried it quickly in the store. Some report volume as low. Thanks
    08-03-09 05:56 AM
  22. clitrenta's Avatar
    Hi...I am considering flip for same reasons as you. How do you find it as a phone..i.e. the odd straight flip shape..can you get the earpiece close enough to your ear to hear in noisy environments? Seems like the angle is off some when I tried it quickly in the store. Some report volume as low. Thanks
    I suppose you'll get different opinions here but I have never experienced any problems with volume. It can actually be quite loud at times. I don't even think its shape is odd. It's to hold with your head and shoulder if you need your hands for something. Other than occasionally wishing I had a bigger phone (for my tired old eyes), I find this phone suits my needs perfectly. I'm not what you'd call a power user but neither am I my husband who needs something just better than a regular phone. I actually made him get this so he'd stop expecting me to supply him with addresses, phone numbers, etc. If you want a good phone for basic functions, e-mail, and light internet stuff, this is the phone. I'm not even sure why some people say this is an entry level phone. It has as much as some of the other BB's and the screen is better also (bright and clear). Probably because it doesn't cost as much but that isn't always the best indicator. As is ALWAYS the case, you just need to ask yourself what you need and whether this phone has it. And to prove it..... UMA is more important to me than 3G. Screen resolution is more important than screen size. See what I mean. That's just my opinion though.
    08-03-09 02:17 PM
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