BlackBerry 8820 Cell Phone Review - Intro
BlackBerry has come to be synonymous with business, thanks to its easy-to-learn operating system, great organizer software, and incredible e-mail client. The BlackBerry 8820 is basically an 8800 suited up with Wi-Fi capabilities. There are a few minor software upgrades, but for all intents and purposes the phones are identical. The 8820, therefore, inherits both good and bad traits. It has a track ball as opposed to a d-pad, a substitution more phones could benefit from.
The bad traits the 8820 inherits come in the form of suboptimal multimedia support. First of all, the device doesn't include a camera, which is rare on modern phones. However, this may be a benefit for some users (such as government employees) who frequent locations where cameras are barred. Also, the 8800's media player pales in comparison to today's slew of media-oriented handsets. The software was lackluster when the 8800 was released, but in a post-iPhone world, it's a bit embarrassing. Other business devices are realizing the business users like to listen to music too and are starting to come with very comprehensive music software, and gap between their software and BlackBerry's is growing rapidly.
The 8820 is carried by AT&T, and costs $499.99 for an unlocked phone and $299.99 with a two-year contract and a $50 mail-in rebate.
Tour & Design - Not much has changed from the 8800; The phone is still black and plastic, but it should stand up to heavy use.
Audio Quality - The 8820 has better-than-average audio quality, so your calls won't be distorted.
Imaging - As the BlackBerry 8820 has no camera, it doesn't do very well in this section.
Making/Receiving Calls - Making and receiving calls is easy on the 8820, provided you can hit the number keys accurately.
Messaging - The 8820 has excellent e-mail management, but doesn't do so well with MMS.
Organizer - The BlackBerry's organizer will have no problem scheduling all your appointments and tasks.
Multimedia - The 8820 has frightful multimedia software, and the excuse of "but it's a business device" doesn't hold water like it used to.
Software - The BlackBerry operating system is great for beginners, as it is the easiest platform to learn.
Battery Life - The battery on the 8820 is capable of some better-than-average performance when calling or playing back music, but its browsing time was phenominal.
Connectivity - This section houses the 8820's main upgrade: Wi-Fi connectivity.
Hardware - The 8820's hardware is essentially quite old, but stands up to the test of time better than its multimedia software (though technically the lack of a camera falls squarely on the hardware's shoulders).
Other Features - The 8820 has a few other great features, such as GSP and DUN capabilities.
Value & Comparisons - The 8820 isn't the best value out there today, but that doesn't mean it's not worth picking up.
