BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220

Print | Close this window

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/0,39030107,49300293,00.htm

Reviewed 12 December 2008

Reviewed by Andrew Lim

RIM is guilty of sticking a little too closely to its guns when it comes to design, but every now and then it does something a little different -- this time it's plumped for a clamshell. The BlackBerry Flip does what it says on the tin, but we wanted to see if it still worked well as a BlackBerry device and if the clamshell design takes away from the user experience. You can currently pick up a BlackBerry Flip for free on a monthly contract.

Design
If you're a BlackBerry veteran, the Pearl Flip might strike you as a rather unusual phone. Unlike any other BlackBerry to date, the Flip uses the clamshell format. We found the design rather chunky at first, but it's sturdy and houses a large, bright colour screen and a sizeable, easy-to-press keypad.

One of the main advantages of the Flip's design over the conventional BlackBerry candybar is that you can answer calls simply by opening the Flip up, and there's no chance of pressing the keypad by mistake when it's closed.

On the front of the BlackBerry Flip you'll find a 2-megapixel camera and small colour screen

Like the original Pearl, the Flip's keypad features two letters per key and typing long emails on it is easy, particularly if you use the SureType predictive-text system -- there's even a spell checker if you want to check your messages once you've finished. Above the keypad there's the Pearl's characteristic navigation ball, which allows you to scroll through menus by rolling it around. Some users may find it takes time to get used to using the trackball system, but once you do it's a great way of looking through emails.

On the top left of the Flip you'll find a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can plug standard headphones straight in. Next to that you'll find a micro-USB port for charging and connecting the Flip to a computer. Finally, on the front outside section there's a 2-megapixel camera nestled at the top. On one side of it there's an LED photo light and on the other an LED indicator that lets you know when you're low on battery, or charging is complete.

Underneath the camera on the front is a small colour screen that displays incoming calls, tells you when you've received a text message or email and what music is playing, among other information. Annoyingly, you can't control the music player when the phone is shut -- all you can do is put the volume up and down. We also think it's a shame that the Pearl isn't thinner, as we think it would make it look more attractive and fit better in a pocket.

Features
The Flip's interface uses similar icons to the BlackBerry Bold and is relatively easy to get to grips with, but users who have never used a BlackBerry before may struggle at first. The menu system responds quickly, although at times we found it fiddly to navigate to the section we wanted quickly, such as getting to the 'compose SMS' option. Setting up work or personal emails (POP3 and IMAP4) is easily done via the BlackBerry Web-based service and up to ten different accounts can be set up.

You can receive emails and browse the Internet via GPRS, EDGE or Wi-Fi, which is reasonably fast, but it's a shame there's no 3G, which becomes noticeable when there's no Wi-Fi and you're out and about. The BlackBerry Flip's browser renders full Web pages, but doesn't support Flash. We recommend browsing the Internet using Opera Mini, which you can download by visiting mini.opera.com on the Flip's browser. Opera Mini lets you see full Web pages and zoom in and out very easily and quickly.

The advantage of a clamshell design is that you can't press any keys by mistake when it's shut

There's no on-board GPS, but you do get BlackBerry Maps pre-installed. This lets you get directions as you would on Google Maps, which you can download too. If you want GPS services, the Flip does allow you to connect an external GPS receiver via Bluetooth, but you'll need to buy it separately. As with 3G, the lack of GPS is a shame and we hope to see it on future BlackBerry clamshell phones.

We were really glad to see a 3.5mm headphone jack on the Flip. It may be a small feature, but it's lacking on so many other phones and means listening to music is that little bit more convenient. Having said that, the music and video player aren't the best on offer -- you get a simple interface and there are no dedicated media keys, but it does the basics well enough and supports various formats, which you'll find in the specs section of this review. There's no FM radio.

We were disappointed by the Flip's 2-megapixel camera. It takes acceptable shots for MMS messages and small prints, but it doesn't produce the level of quality we're becoming accustomed to from today's camera phones. Its options are limited too -- you can adjust picture size and quality, but there's no face-detection mode and only an LED photo light, which doesn't produce the same level of illumination a xenon flash would.

On the left side of the BlackBerry Flip you'll find the handy 3.5mm headphone jack

If you fancy playing some games, don't expect anything too fancy. There are a few simple BlackBerry classics, such as BrickBreaker, that will keep you entertained on the train. Other noteworthy features include the ability to download IM clients for Yahoo, Windows Live and Google Talk, so you can stay in touch with friends and colleagues over IM. There's also a Facebook app you can download to give you quick access to all your Facebook updates.

Performance
Audio during calls isn't the best we've ever heard, but it's acceptable and loud enough. You may find it distorts every now and then, but that could have just been our review model. Battery life is quoted at 14 days standby and 4 hours talk time and we found that the Flip lasted for over two days of use. Of course, it depends on how many features you use throughout the day, and for how long.

Conclusion
We started out thinking the BlackBerry Flip was just another chunky clamshell, and to some extent it is, but it's redeemed by its large screen and easy-to-press keypad. The 3.5mm headphone jack is always a bonus, and the interface is snappy. We don't prefer it to the BlackBerry Bold and think its lack of 3G or GPS is a real handicap. It works well for emails, however, and using services over Wi-Fi, such as browsing the Web.

If you want something with a little more oomph, we would recommend checking out the BlackBerry Bold, which comes with a large colour screen and full Qwerty keypad. It isn't a clamshell, but it is much easier to email with. If you have a penchant for touchscreens, but need to stick with a BlackBerry, you could always give the BlackBerry Storm a go -- you may not like its clickable screen, so try before you buy.

Edited by Nick Hide