BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 Maroon
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The Blackberry Flip 8220 Maroon Cell Phone for T-Mobile
Blackberrys are generally bought for their functionality, rather than their glamour. With the 8220, RIM labs and T-Mobile ensure that you can have the best of both worlds at the same time. At a slim 4X2 inches, the Blackberry Flip still manages to pack in everything its larger cousins have; Wi-Fi ready, Bluetooth enabled and with preloaded instant messengers, this is the phone to have if connectivity is what you seek. And, it goes without saying mobile/real-time email that is synonymous with BlackBerry is supported too.
Technical Details
- Quad band, is functional on the following GSM networks: 850, 900, 1800, 1900
- Bluetooth compatible (version 2.0)
- Wi-Fi enabled, with network speeds of up to 24 Mb/s; EDGE network speed is 144 Kbps
- Operating system is the Blackberry OS 4.6; Java platform for applications.
- Internationally compatible
- Supports MIDI and MP3 ringtones
- Can be used as a Modem.
- PC synchronization for emails, calendar entries etc
Product Details
- Dimensions: 4.0 inches X 2.0 inches X 0.7 inches, 3.6 ounces weight
- Battery life: 14 days standby time, 4 hours talk time
- Built-in memory of 128 MB which is expandable using microSD cards (up to 16GB)
- SureType text typing (predictive)
- Bluetooth profiles available include stereo head sets, hands free kits, device to device connectivity, among others
- 2.0 megapixel camera, mini USB port also built in
- Comes with Wall Charger, USB Cable, Battery, Hands Free Headset, Memory Card.
Product Description
Design
The 8220 is one of the few phones from RIM labs to sport dual screens. The outer, a 1.6 inch, 65,000 color screen has the standard display of a clock, the power and signal strength of the phone, and notifications such as missed calls, and the rest. Flipped open, the 8220 has a 2.25 inch crisp, 240X320 pixel display that also supports 65,000 colors.
The inside of the phone houses the expected controls, namely a trackball, a pair of Send/End buttons, a menu button and an escape button, and the numeric keypad. The expected QWERTY keypad is built into this; and with SureType software preloaded, the phone has a learning predictive text entry feature built in.
Connectivity Features
The best thing about any Blackberry has always been the fact that this is a phone that is designed to connect to the world in a variety of ways. With the 8220, this is more than true, especially given the tie-up with T-Mobile.
Wi-Fi enabled, the 8220 is capable of logging into any wireless network within range, whether it is a private home network or even a corporate one. Being a smart phone, the Blackberry Flip comes fully loaded with all the software necessary to interface with a network, including an intuitive web browser, and also preloaded instant messaging software. Data transfer is in the region of 24 Mb/s, which provides a zippy and crisp web browsing experience. The preloaded messengers include Windows Live and Yahoo! Instant messenger, among others.
The advantage of having the internet on your cellular phone is the increased potential for communication, and T-Mobile has kept this in mind while planning their services around the Blackberry. Their HotSpot@Home feature is possibly the best example of this; this service allows you to make GSM calls over the internet while in range of a Wi-Fi network. This essentially means you get an unlimited number of minutes while logged into that network. Think Skype for phones, and you have an idea of just how convenient this feature is.
Text messaging, Multimedia messaging, group messaging are all supported as useful features. Moreover, the mobile email provides integration capability with 10 email accounts. Supports POP3, IMAP and SMTP protocols.
Bluetooth Ready
The 8220 is also Bluetooth ready, and at present, can run version 2.0. There are a variety of profiles available as well, allowing the Flip to connect to wireless headsets, hands free kits, and even to act as a modem for a linked computer (dial up networking). Many other applications for Bluetooth are also available, such as navigation widgets, and others that personalize the phone such as weather and news updaters. However, these are user added software, and a much better option is to contact T-Mobile directly for updates and applications.
Additional Functions and Features
Keeping in mind that this is a communications device, RIM labs have taken the next logical step to increase functionality - the Blackberry Flip incorporates some recent advances in technology such as a noise cancellation. Also built in is an automatic volume leveler, which boosts or decreases the call volume depending on ambient noise levels. This phone can also make conference calls, and has voice activated dialing software as well.
The SIM card can hold up to 250 contacts, each with the space for eight phone numbers, email addresses, home and work details, and also a job title and a picture ID. Being a smart phone, the memory is limited only by the SD card you choose, so in theory the phonebook can hold any number of contact details you choose. Since this phone also comes with a built in micro USB port, PC synchronization also becomes available, which is a useful feature for those with detailed or vast phonebooks. The phone also has caller ID, which is basically represented by a picture and a unique ringtone (if selected).
Being a Blackberry, the phone also comes loaded with its distinctive software; an attachment viewer compatible with most standard document formats (Microsoft Office and Corel, for example), and then, there’s also Blackberry Maps. Of course, you also get the usual features like alarm, calendar, calculator, voice dialing, vibrate mode, ringer profiles etc.
Usability
As far as functionality goes, the Flip is just like any other Blackberry – it’s fantastic. Capable of supporting almost any media file you choose, be it a video or music file, this phone also has an attachment viewer to browse and edit most standard documents. Microsoft Office and Corel files, for example, are supported, and with the Wi-Fi link, more attachment codecs can also be downloaded.
The usual disadvantage of having a smart phone is that being more of a computer than a phone, they inevitably wind up being a little chunkier than one would prefer. With the Flip, this is an almost nonexistent problem, as it’s a mere 2 inches wide and curved as well. The screen resolution is clear and crisp, and sound levels and quality are more than acceptable.
Camera
The 2.0 megapixel camera is well integrated into the phone, and comes with an inbuilt flash as well. There are three image sizes and three image quality levels to choose from, and also a number of filter settings. The white balance and image colors can be edited, and the pictures taken can be cropped and resized as well.
The Blackberry Flip 8220 is one of the rarer phones on the market; born as a workhorse, and then trained to be a show horse, this phone has it all. Packing every bit of technological advancement out there, supporting almost any sort of media, and Wi-Fi enabled to boot, make no mistake, this is a Blackberry. The change is look is appealing, and the phone carries off its dual screen nature with flair.
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