Blackberry 8350i Review

Specifications

OS: Blackberry 4.6.1.83

Memory: 128 MB

Processor: A phoenix I ???

Weight: 135g

Network: iDEN/WiFi

Frequency: iDEN 800/900 Mhz

Size: 111cm/62cm/18mm

TT: 240 min

SBT:7 Days

 

 

Pro's (New Cool Stuff)

• Browser is really cool, in that is views normal pages and allows you to zoom in and out on a page, similar to how Opera mini works. But keeps the mouse feel. Added mouse hand icons let you know when you hover over click-able links. 
  
• MMS is very cool. 500 character text messages with the ability to send pictures, audio, video and animations embedded in the message. No more having to send pictures as email attachments. Just click a pic, type a phone number and send
  
• WiFi web browsing. Fast. The browser is extremely fast when utilizing the HotSpot browser in conjunction with a WiFi connection. YouTube streamed videos smoothly and quickly on WiFi
  
• 4.6 comes with docs to go including PDF. Also the font and screen resolution seem better. Also the menu options withing the OS seem more intuitive. for example to cancel a push service just high lite, menu, delete channel. Done |
  
• Walkie Talkie. AWESOME! so glad to have the True Nextel Direct connect back. Under half a second connection to one or multiple Nextel direct connect users. Awesome. So cool
  
• Groups. I can set up email, distribution groups, MMS text groups and Nextel Group connect groups. All accessible from main address book. 
  

 

Same (Items that where cool, still cool and still work)

• Facebook
  
• Myspace 
  
• Google Sync 0.5.13 works better than 0.5.12 on 4.5. Much better. 
  

 

Con's

• Browser issues. One would think that as you moved from WiFi to iDEN the device would automatically detect the connection and move from system to system speed to slower automatically. Not so. Every time I move from iDEN to WiFi I have to manually switch my browser default from "Internet" to "hot spot". But first must go in and find the connection. If if it did not automatically assign DNS (Which it only did before I loaded my BES service books on the device) I have to disconnect then reconnect the connection. If that does not work then I must reset my WiFi router then re-establish the connection. After all that, It usually drops the connection after about 45 min. If I leave my house. I start getting "Page Cannot Be rendered" errors on all Internet connections. I must go into settings, change my default browser back to "Internet"  and turn off my WiFi connection. 
  
• iDEN Internet is SLOOOOOOOOW Like 19.2kbps to 60 kbps. Slow enough that a lot of sites render "Server timed out" errors. 
  
• Push Web Services. Ok, I love the Web push services. specifically the push weather. I noticed that none of my push icons that where reloaded after the BES reinstalled my service books, where updating. I could click on the icons and get directed to the sites, but  the device info was not correct. I attempted to install over and unsubscribe. On attempting to re-subscribe, I received several miscellaneous errors.  I then went to the mobile.blackberry.com support page to modify my push settings. At this point i received the warning that "Your device does not support push service". If this is true, this sucks!
  
• Text Lag. There seems to be a lag when typing. The spell check is active while typing, which I like, but there seems to be a delay that is noticeable on the screen. 
  
• Lack of software support. Very few at Nextel have had experience with the device so finding Blackberry 4.6 and Direct connect support. Either they know Blackberry or they know Direct connect. My first attempt at activating the device was unsuccessfully due to the fact that the care rep stuck me on the wrong rate plan. The Blackberry support had to research the plan and then discuss it with a care rep then applied the correct plan. Blackberry is not much better. They have NO postings on the processor speed. When I plug my device to my Desktop manager and have it check for updates it wont allow me to. When I go to the Blackberry HHUP site, it gives me a warning that my OS isnt supported by my carrier and sends me to a form to be notified with 4.5 becomes available. Realy, Like I'm using a 8330 curve on CDMA. This is the manufacture of the device! 
  

 

BUG LIST

This is a list of know and discovered issues, outside of original design of RIM that I have gathered from my own experience and from various forums. 

• Bluetooth - 
  
  • In a call the audio will be transferred randomly from the headset to the handset speaker phone. Then the only way to get it off of speaker phone is to end call or pull battery
    
  • Static and crackle in earpiece in Blue-tooth ear piece whenever any audio transmission occurs through the handset, phone call or DC
    
• SMS/MMS - will not send receive sms or mms. will not consistently send mms. This is partly due to a Network Capacity issue. Has also been resolved in some handsets by deleting the mms service book then going to host routing table and re-registering the device. Also resending service books from the BIS can aid in rectifying this. This issue is effecting approximately 50% of all 8350i users
  
• Audio issues. The following issues tend to occur after handset is registered with a BES or as a result of Network capacity. After experiencing these issues, i conducted a series of call tests during peak holiday traffic on New Years Eve at 6:00 PM. Note these issues where experienced on two separate brand new devices over two weeks over Christmas and New Years eve 2008.
  
  • Network busy-20% of calls experienced this
    
  • No Sound. This is where the call connects but the 8350i does not transmit or receive  audio transmission. This occurs 30% of the time
    
  • Taking into consideration when the Blue-tooth transfers audio, which was about 10% of the time. The handset connects voice calls successfully only 50% of the time. 
    

 

UPDATE

12/22/08 - WiFi issue has seemed to resolve itself. I Changed BT headsets from the Plantronics Discovery 925 to a Motorola H-12. Now my device seamlessly switches between Multiple Wifi locations and gives me great connections speeds via regular browser. 

 

12/26/08 - Just saw a post that AccutWeather is having issues, especially with BB os 4.6. some Bold users are also posting issues. Therefore the push issue is most likely not due specificaly to this handset. 

 

12/27/08 - Twitter issue is rectified. I just redid, what I had done multiple times. I sent my activation code to 40404 but included the code in BOTH the subject and body.