Product Review

BlackBerry 7100i


I like this unit.

It is a sturdy, reliable and functional unit. I have service through NexTel/Sprint, and while I have been in a few places that did not get much reception, they are few and far between for me. This does not mean that it will work the same for everyone, but hey... we cannot all get what we want.

The Good:
* Nice design, feels good in the hand
* Clear and Loud speakerphone
* Easy to fine that "Sweet Spot" when you use the unit against your ear.
* Easy to use buttons.
* Easy to understand menu system, as is the case with all Blackberry devices.
* Cannot get enough of the PTT (Push to Talk) feature... aka Walkie Talkie.
* Provider is not half bad either.

The "OK"
* Built-in GPS support - This is a feature you have to request to have added, and is not standard. It only tracks to 4 sattelites and has no built in maps. This feature works great if you are in areas that have good coverage for cell service, but if you go into the mountains or desert, where service is sparse, to say the least, the GPS feature will not work.
* Typing messages - This unit come default with the SmartType feature turned on, and I usually turn this off and go to the "Multi-Tap" keyboard.


The Bad"
* The Antenna on this unit sucks. I have played around with a couple now, and the antenna sticks, and sometimes has to be forced down.
* Battery life is weak on this unit. I attribute this to the added features of needing to track GPS and the brighter screen. But do not expect much more than three days on the stock battery, and 4 to 5 days if you spend the extra $80 for the extended battery (Requires a new battery door.)

In all this is a nice unit. I have learned that with these devices you really cannot seem to get everything you want in one unit, so you have to look for the most features (that you will actually use) in a single item. For me, this one is it... at least until something else comes along.