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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #67431 in Cell Phone Accessories
• Color: Red
• Brand: BlackBerry
• Model: 8830 Red
• Released on: 2008-05-30

Features

• Dual-network BlackBerry for access to Verizon's CDMA network in the US, and GSM networks when travelling abroad
• Fast 3G access using Verizon's EV-DO data network; GPS for VZ Navigator turn-by-turn direction service
• Bluetooth for communication headsets, MicroSD memory expansion up to 4 GB, integrated digital audio player
• Up to 220 minutes (3.7 hours) of talk time, up to 216 hours (9 days) of standby time; measures 4.5 x 2.6 x 0.55 inches (HxWxD)
• Includes: handset, rechargeable battery, travel charger, international travel charger adapters, USB cable, VZAccess Manager CD, printed documentation, quick start guide

Amazon.com Product Description
With the BlackBerry 8830 World Edition smartphone, you'll enjoy fast, clear communication from Verizon here in the United States as well as seamless voice connectivity as you roam the globe. It's the first CDMA BlackBerry smartphone capable of roaming globally on GSM/GPRS networks, so you can travel the world with full mobile voice and data coverage without having to change smartphones, phone numbers or email addresses.

This sleek and performance–driven smartphone has been redesigned with trackball navigation and a new backlit QWERTY keyboard. It also offers support for Verizon's high-speed EV-DO data network and built-in GPS so you can take advantage of Verizon's optional VZ Navigator turn-by-turn direction service. And it continues to offer all the communication features that you've come to expect from BlackBerry smartphones, including email served up by the BlackBerry Internet Service and a full menu of messaging options (SMS, MMS, and IM). Other features include Bluetooth for communication headsets, MicroSD memory expansion up to 4 GB, and an integrated digital audio player.

Switch seamlessly between CDMA (in the US) and GSM (when abroad) to make calls and access email with the BlackBerry 8830.

Dual Connectivity
Perfect for the fashionable world-traveling professional, the BlackBerry 8830 World Edition and Verizon Wireless' Global BlackBerry service allow customers to access e-mail and place and receive domestic and international calls in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and parts of Africa. When used at home here in the U.S., you'll connect to Verizon's 800/1900 MHz CDMA network, as well as its 1xEV-DO 3G high-speed data network--which offers download speeds ranging from 400 to 700 Kbps and peak rates up to 2 Mbps. (Learn more about where EV-DO coverage is offered.)

But when you're traveling within a GSM network coverage area (900/1800 MHz) outside of the U.S. provided by Verizon Wireless' global roaming partners, the 8830 provides easy voice connectivity while roaming the globe. To use the 8830 outside of the U.S., customers should dial *611 from their Verizon Wireless phones to add global service to their calling plans before they leave home. You will also need a SIM card to use the phone on a foreign GSM network. (Note that you won't be able to access GSM here in the United States, as U.S. networks use the 850/1900 MHz GSM spectrum.)

Verizon Service Options
Getting on the Internet is easy using Verizon's Mobile Web 2.0 package, which allows you to read and send e-mails, exchange instant messages and view your favorite web content on your phone. Verizon's Get It Now wireless download service is also fully compatible with this phone. This pay-per-download service features application downloads, games and productivity tools. You can also personalize your handset with ringtone downloads using the Get It Now service.

With this GPS-enabled phone, you'll be able to access Verizon's VZ Navigator service (additional charges applicable) for voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, heads-up alerts, local search of nearly 14 million points of interest in the US (such as landmarks, restaurants and ATMs), and detailed color maps.

With BroadbandAccess Connect (subscription required), you can use your smartphone as a modem for your notebook when you connect the two using a USB cable--or open a Bluetooth connection--enabling you to access the Internet or your company intranet. The tethered modem capability is ideal when you're traveling and need to use your notebook to check email, access corporate networks, or download large files like presentations and reports. And with BroadbandAccess Connect, you won't have to buy an extra PC Card or other devices.

Scroll and click through functions easily with the handy trackball navigation control, and quickly type email with the QWERTY keyboard.

Phone Features
The BlackBerry 8830 World Edition features a large high-resolution color display and intuitive trackball navigation to help you easily view e-mails, attachments, videos, and Web sites, and a back-lit QWERTY keyboard that makes it easy to send e-mail responses or instant messages with Mobile IM. The improved BlackBerry Browserhas a new "Page View" option that displays a full web page on the screen along with a magnifying glass that allows the user to quickly and accurately point and zoom in on a specific area of the web page.

The large screen has a 320 x 240-pixel resolution with support for up to 65K colors--plenty of real estate to view your e-mails, Web browser content, messaging sessions, and attachments. It comes with a 64 MB internal memory that can be expanded via optional MicroSD memory cards (up to 4 GB).

With a BlackBerry data plans from Verizon, you can receive e-mails instantaneously from up to 10 e-mail accounts (personal and enterprise). And with BlackBerry push technology, you don't need to retrieve your e-mail. BlackBerry devices are designed to remain on and continuously connected to the wireless network, allowing you to be discreetly notified as new e-mail arrives. Support is also built-in for viewing e-mail attachments (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, WordPerfect, and PDF formats).

The digital audio player lets you listen to your favorite tunes stored on optional MicroSD cards, as well as play video files in vivid color. Shuffle your songs or enjoy your favorite playlist while you reply to messages. It supports MP3, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, and WMA file formats. The Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity enables you to talk handsfree with a communication headset as well as use the phone wirelessly as a modem.

Other features include:

• Phone as Modem Capable: Use the included USB cable to connect to laptops for a wireless modem, or choose to run this capability via Bluetooth with no USB cable requirement.
• Bluetooth version 2.0 with the following profiles: HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), DUN (dial-up networking), OPP (object push for business cards, calendar items, and pictures), PBA (transfer contacts)
• Dual–band 800/1900 Mhz 1xEV–DO networks
• Dual–band 900/1800 Mhz GSM/GPRS (outside North America)
• 64 MB Flash Memory/32 MB RAM
• BlackBerry 4.2 Desktop Software
• Ringtones: Polyphonic (MP3, MIDI) + vibrate
• Password protection and keyboard lock
• 2.5mm headset jack
• Hearing Aid Compatibility = M4/T4

Vital Statistics
The BlackBerry 8830 weighs 4.6 ounces and measures 4.5 x 2.6 x 0.55 inches. Its 1400 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 220 minutes of talk time, and up to 216 hours of standby time on CDMA networks. When on international GSM networks, the phone provides up to 300 minutes of talk time and up to 384 hours of standby time. It runs on the 800/1900 MHz CDMA frequencies and is compatible with the EV-DO data network when on the Verizon network in the US; in international territories, it's compatible with 900/1800 MHz GSM/GPRS networks.

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Customer Reviews

Sleeker looking than the Silver Version
The Verizon 8830 comes in silver, black and this red version. Note that the red is not a bright cherry red, it's darker and richer - closer to a ruby than the picture might depict. The 8830 is slimmer than earlier generations and very easy to manipulate with one hand. And bless RIM for introducing a trackball rather than continuing to use that carpal tunnel-inducing scroll wheel. The other differences from earlier models are the ability to swap in a MicroSD card for more storage, GPS mapping, GSM/GPRS roaming capability, and media playback like the BB Pearl (MP3, unsecure AAC, unsecure WMA, MP4, & H.263). Battery life is fine - all-day phone usage will require a recharge like most phones but web browsing and email management all day hardly nudges the meter.

The cons? The keys are smaller than earlier generations so if you have big hands, you'll have trouble texting long messages. The default function of the left side button is voice-activated calling which is annoying because it's easy to accidentally press it. Fortunately, it can be switched to a different function. The silver version of this model has a blue backlight, which makes the keys difficult to see in the dark. This red and the black model from Verizon have a white backlight.

If you are an experienced BB user, you won't have any trouble transitioning to this model and if your company will pay for it, add broadband service so that you can use the BB as a broadband modem as well as a phone/data device. If you're new to BlackBerrys, you may prefer a Curve, which has a built-in camera and is thus closer to the feature set of other non-PDA phones. Highly recommend for corporate customers and consumers who have a high volume of email to manage.

A mother's favorite smartphone-reliable, easy to use, fast browsing.
This phone is so user friendly it's ridiculous. My adult sons have IPhones and love them, but I didn't need all the extra media features so I stayed with Verizon and chose this model. First of all, it's larger than the curve so it sits well in your palm; secondly, the keyboard has a white light behind it for those of us with failing eyes and it's very easy to type txt and emails; thirdly, web browsing is very good with this larger model screen and when you upgrade to the latest software ( which I just did with a Verizon tech who walked me through the entire process) 4.5, it becomes even more user friendly to browse.
Finally, all the global features which the phone offers can be activated when you need them, or set up at purchase time.
I am so pleased with this phone that when I went into the store to buy headphones ( I forgot to say I use this phone as a version of an IPod by logging onto [...] and listening to my own music and the speaker is crystal clear)and the clerk said I was entitled to a $100 credit and could upgrade to "the Storm" I said,"No thanks."
The only feature missing- a camera- I would love that and I hope RIM is working on that right now. Otherwise, a perfect phone.

I bought this as an altrernative to carrying a laptop
I bought this phone about a year ago right after my trusty old Thinkpad bit the dust. I thought about replacing the computer but I'd heard so many good things about the BlackBerry that I decided to give it a look. I travel for my job and need to have email access throughout the day. In addition I use a CRM called Maximizer Enterprise that keeps track of all my appointments, notes and customer information. The BlackBerry is one of the devices that will run a mobile version, Max Mobile, of this software.

The biggest objection that I had to getting a BlackBerry was that the screen and fonts would be too small for these 60 year old eyes. (59 at the time). But when a co-worker bought one and I looked at his and saw that the fonts were adjustable and that I could indeed read the screen easily, I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did! It's so nice not to have to lug a laptop around and pull it out of my briefcase (along with taking off shoes, jacket, earrings, belts and all) every time I go through airport security. I can view all recent customer notes on my CRM and it's as simple as connecting a cable to my desktop and hitting "Synchronize with MaxMobile" to download or sync all my latest info to the BlackBerry. I can check email all day as it comes in instead of having to wait until I get back to the hotel at night or am in a location with WiFi like I did with the laptop, and it will even give me a signal when email arrives.

Surfing the net is a bit difficult for some sites because of the small screen, but it can definitely be done. Going to my favorite forums in the evening or checking out Amazon's Gold Box deals is easy enough. One click works from anywhere! This has not slowed down my shopping online. :)

The battery life is good and I carry a car charger so that I can keep it ready to go all day. Since I am not a big "texter" it took me a while to get used to the keyboard, but I can reply to an email when I need to although they're a lot shorter and to the point than when I use a desktop. It has all the bells and whistles you could want as far as applications and you can download still more if you need to.

The BlackBerry makes my life a lot easier and I don't think I'll ever go back to a laptop for traveling.