I'm still on my original 8100 Pearl over three years later.
A great device
Likes- Fast operating system with logical structure and interface
- The original battery still lasts well
- The form factor is perfect; thin, small planform, but still properly usable
- With the good predictive text (one caveat below) text entry is fast and for me the larger models with full qwerty keyboard add no benefit
- Does everything I need; act as a phone (now there's a thing
) and e-mail platform (Exchange Server Sync)
- Good (truly useful) customization and configurability options
- Neat idea with a magnet in the leather case automatically taking the device in to and out of standby and also locking the device (not unlocking of course) if you wish
Dislikes- Only GPRS in the UK whereas abroad I normally get a faster EDGE service. Not the fault of the Pearl, but the web browsing speed difference is very significant
- Crappy camera; RIM shouldn't have even bothered if this was all they could do
- The 8100 has a 2.5mm audio jack so I can't use my nice headphones when I travel, only the ho-hum Blackberry ones. Later models in the 81nn series do have 3.5mm jacks
Caveat- I often type in Czech language but since updating to the latest firmware that can be used on an old 8100 the handset locks for 30secs or so if it can't find suitable predictive spelling rather than ignoring and acknowledging that on this occasion the User knows best. Solution is to switch to multi-tap entry.
Thanks to this thread I just realised that I am as attached to this old Pearl as I am to my old Ericsson T39m that I still use with care and appropriateness on the motorbike (via Autocom intercom).
Blackberry Pearl page on Wikipedia