[BoogieNYC]

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~
I hope so...VZW wasn't that generous with regard to the 87xx. I have to dance around e-mailing wallpapers and posting d/lable ringtones now, so any improvement over that would/will be highly welcome...

[akosnitzky]

No chance for a VZW 8300? 8800 is a bit large in size and the keys are a bit of an issue for someone accustomed to the 7250.

[Jeff NYC]

HTC Kid at Engadget Mobile is reporting 8830 release on VZW to Business Channel on May 14 and Consumer Channel on May 29. I am new to BB and eagerly awaiting the 8830;, but his previous intel on Win Mobile & Treo devices has usually proved to be reliable. Check it out at: engadgetmobile.com.

[Jeff NYC]

Sorry... I see someone posted it in a new thread. Got a little overeager.

[SpiceMan]

From rumor to reality in six months! Congratulations to Verizon and to all of us VZW users who have been eagerly awaiting this release. Finally, there's no need to put our international travelers on GSM carriers!

http://news.vzw.com/news/2007/04/pr2007-04-25.html


...and to think that I started this thread nearly five months ago.

[SpiceMan]

Received the 8830 today and it's a true work of art. Wonderfully thin, yet with enough weight to give it substance and a keyboard that's reasonable to type on, though still a bit cramped. What's funny is that it arrived quite by accident. We ordered another model for a user and they shipped the 8830 instead. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to play with this one since the rep hasn't come through with our evaluation unit yet.

Anyway, the only oddity so far is that the device won't charge from the USB port. The message on the screen seems to indicate that the output wattage isn't sufficient, so it's plugged into the AC right now.

I'm currently a 7130 user and I absolutely LOVE the device and the SureType software. I'm a firm believer that anyone who doesn't like SureType never gave it a real chance to begin with. I've also got about 70 of them deployed to remote salespeople and, aside from an occasional lost unit, the 7130 has been very reliable and extremely durable.

The 8830 is pretty, but I have some concerns about how well it will fare when dropped. Also, I'm not crazy about the feel of the trackball. It's too light and moves too easily. I'd prefer if it felt more like a marble with a little resistance to it.

Don't get me wrong. I think the 8830 brings a lot to the table that could make people switch over to it (voice dialing, media player, memory card, GSM, etc.), but I'm interested to see what other users think before embracing it.

If you've got one, please share your experience here.

Regards.

[cwax]

So far so good; pretty much reminds me of the 8800 from Cingular; too big; but it functions very nicely; I'll be more pumped when they release they're pearl sized BB in the fall