March 18, 2006 Review: Blackberry 8700c RIM's latest Blackberry, the 8700c, just may be the perfect single device for all your mobile communications. By Michael Brandenburg Courtesy of Page 1 of 2 On the surface, RIM's latest Blackberry, the 8700c, seems to be a simple evolution from previous Blackberry generations. But after spending some quality time testing the device, the significance of the changes becomes clear. This $349 Blackberry is a full step closer to the perfect single device for all your mobile communications. The most obvious change on the 8700c is the screen. It is, without a doubt, the sharpest screen I have ever seen on a Blackberry, and is better than most PDA screens I have worked with. The QVGA (320x240) screen is almost 50% larger than the 240x160 resolution of previous devices. One of new features I immediately liked is the automatic backlight function. A light sensor built into the device automatically adjusts the backlight to suit the environment. The system works well, but not exactly the way you would expect it to. For example, in a completely dark room, the 8700 will actually dim the screen, in the same way the lights on your car stereo are dimmed when you turn on your headlights. The effect actually works very well: The device is easy read in the dark without blinding you. The 8700c also got a slimming makeover. The keys have been straightened and also bunched a bit tighter together, allowing the overall width of the 8700 to be reduced. While it did take a little time to acclimate to the keyboard, the adjustment was worth it. The slimmer device, along with the addition of dedicated Send and End keys, make using it as a phone much nicer. The svelte 8700c even feels as comfortable in my hand as the 7100, a Blackberry designed primarily as a phone. Bluetooth options are unfortunately as dismal as previous devices with one significant difference: desktop sync via Bluetooth. Administrators managing Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES) 4.0 or higher can enable this option as part of the overall IT policy. Users of earlier versions of BES are limited to only using Bluetooth with headsets and hands free devices. Security concerns about Bluetooth are cited as the reason for this limited implementation, and considering Blackberry's heavy public sector market, it is a justified concern. While the exterior on the 8700c has been trimmed down, the internals have been beefed up. The processor has been upgraded an Intel chip running at 312 MHz. The bump in processing power makes both the operating system and applications alike respond quickly. Initial boot up, which could literately take minutes on previous Blackberries, now takes about 45 seconds to complete. The constant little pauses and hour glasses common on the old devices have all but disappeared. E-mail This Story Print This Story Page 2: Living On The EDGE Page 1 | 2 Get the latest Messaging news, product info, and trends every week.			PayPal To Offer Paying By Text Message Yahoo Expands VoIP Service In U.S. Novell Launches Linux 10, Mobile Server Bluetooth's Mobile Handshake Make Mine Mobile: When Your Laptop Is Your Main PC BlackBerry Maker RIM Calls For U.S. Patent Reform     Messaging Pipeline's Main RSS Feed     Messaging Pipeline's Blog RSS Feed Editorial and vendor perspectives The Six Flavors Of Windows Vista Microsoft plans to release a full six-pack of Vista versions, one for every taste. Which Vista will be right for you? Hope is Not Enough When It Comes To Compliance Three Ways To Authenticate E-Mail And Stop Spam Wikis In The Workplace Review: Google Desktop 3 Vendors are now talking about how collaboration can be improved by integrating video with messaging applications. They're even talking about adding live TV to mobile phones. How far do you go before it becomes a bandwidth and business productivity drain? Video is a great idea     13% Video is fine but there needs to be size limits     25% It's never used for anything really productive     38% I draw the line at live TV     25% In search of messaging products? Check out our brand new Product Finder for a directory of groupware and collaboration tools, security products, archiving solutions, and more.