Overview Compatible with AT&T cell phone service, the BlackBerry 7280 combines a full-featured mobile phone and BlackBerry organizer with a backlit QWERTY keyboard and a host of communication options, including wireless email, text messaging, and Web browsing, all displayed on a 240 x 160 screen supporting over 65,000 colors.
Calling Features
Used simply as a phone, the BlackBerry 7280 fits comfortably in the user's hand, and can send and receive calls worldwide. Its flexible PDA format provides users with a nifty thumb-operated track wheel for extra-easy dialing and menu navigation. The 7280 also includes an integrated speaker and microphone and a hands-free headset, as well as vibrate, icons, and LED icon alert options (in addition to a conventional ring tone) as indicators of incoming calls or data.
Messaging and Internet
The BlackBerry 7280's embedded RIM wireless modem makes available a variety of wireless Internet services, including email with integrated attachment viewing, SMS, Mobile Data Service, and a calendar. Email can be also integrated with existing business email accounts, existing personal email accounts, or a new handheld email account. The 7280's SMS capability enables users to send and receive short text messages independent of an email inbox, and to use the phone's handy keyboard to very quickly exchange messages with other SMS-enabled devices.
Organizer
Organizer features are predictably robust. The 7280's BlackBerry Desktop software (3.6 or higher) works with BlackBerry Enterprise Servers, which are supported by Version 2.1 or higher for Microsoft Exchange or Version 2.0 with Service Pack 2 or higher for Lotus Domino. It also supports Java development platform based on open standards. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server's Mobile Data Service (MDS) enables always-on/push-based access to enterprise applications and information for users running a BlackBerry handheld, browser, and software development tools. Security features include password protection and keyboard lock.
Vital Statistics
The BlackBerry 7280 is loaded with 16 MB flash memory plus 2 MB SRAM, weighs 4.8 ounces, and measures 4.4 x 2.9 x 0.8 inches. Its removable Lithium Ion batteries are rated at up to 4 hours digital talk time, and up to 10 days digital standby time. It comes with a USB cable for charging and PC synchronization, an international travel charger, and a swivel holster.
1 Root canal is more fun
Wow - hours of frustration trying to get Amazon, AT&T and Cingular to work together! The 1st Blackberry 7280 I received from Amazon was defective - it kept typing Q & A (ironic, isn't it?) whenever I was trying to compose email, dial phone numbers, etc. So I returned it.
The second device has been fine, although the quality of phone calls is much worse than my previous AT&T cell phone (lots of background noise and you have to align the ear speaker exactly perfectly with your ear). Email & battery are great.
But then the real fun started. Shortly after receiving the 2nd Blackberry, Cingular called me & asked if I wanted to migrate to Cingular at no cost. Since I'll probably have to migrate eventually because of the merger, I agreed. Then I found out that to complete the migration, I cannot use my new device, I will have to buy a Cingular device! After talking to about 20 people at Cingular (50% of whom didn't know, and 50% of whom said I would need to purchase a new Blackberry), and talking to AT&T (customer support and retail store), I'm giving up. I have to make another return and reprogram another device. Wish the companies would get together on customer service & the migration.
2 Do I need this hunk of garbage?
I tried to steer clear of using this PDA/phone/email client because I don't like firm attachments to big geeky items. It's just another ball and chain for your company to use.
Actually when I did get this phone I became glued on the email capabilities. Now I don't have to actually call a person I can just drop them an email. If you're in a theater for example you can message them that you're busy. A great thing about the phone is the QWERTY keyboard, I can't type like a regular keyboard but I know the keys well enough to say I can type with my eyes closed.
As for the phone portion, the sound is really clear but the drawback is you have to align your ear to the hole in the phone which can prove annoying. Also the service for AT&T is really bad in some areas which make you struggle on having a decent conversation, another good reason to have email capabilities. The battery life is great, I've managed to talk 2 hours a day for a week and the phone was just half used.
A note in style, the geekier phones tend to be more bulkier and you can feel the weight on your belt or sticking out. What I've come to do is where the clip outside my pocket and just slide the flat phone easily out when I need to make a call. I don't even notice the phone most the time which is a big plus for me. I can be a geek without looking like one.
3 Service
5 Battery Life
5 Features
3 Great device. Makes email crunching really easy
I work in silicon valley and get about 150 work related emails and hundreds of SPAM messages every day. My company gave me this blackberry, I call it blueberry bcoz of its color some months back. I forward all my work related emails and filter out SPAM messsages using the online filters provided on the web + my company's SPAM filters. Now when I am travelling, I just keep track of all emails using this. No need to find a wifi location etc. Once you get used to the size, you will love the email + voice convergence. Also the internet access is also quite useful. I can check yahoo email, stock quotes etc from my blueberry.
4 Near perfect, lack of service if breaks irritating
I've had two. The first broke in the warranty period. The connection between the phone and the hands-free broke at the internal connection. It wasn't the hands free headset or hands-free headset connector - it was the phone. I returned it and got a new one. The connection on this one seemed as fragile as the first. Since I work for a construction company I duct-taped the hands-free to the phone, to help avoid the tugging that seemed to destroy the connection within the phone. The second one broke after about 1.5 months. I simply managed to prolong its life with the duct tape, thereby missing out on the warranty period. Since I spend a lot of time on my cell phone for work I really need and appreciate a good hands-free unit. Now I just have to hold the phone to my ear when I talk. Very inconvenient, so I lose those free hands that help me out during work. Anyway, Blackberry has nothing on its site about service for phones that weren't purchased thru the RIM site, and Amazon has no info on reputable service, or any service plans that I noticed. So I guess I'm out of luck. If the hands-free worked it would be the perfect phone/pda. If I could get service it would be almost perfect. But with the fragile hands-free connection, it falls into the almost great, maybe I should have gotten a disposable Nokia instead, category. Phone voice quality is great, and the PDA is good also. I was able to transfer contacts from ACT, and appointments from ACT, but not perform a true sync. I really wish the hands-free connection on the phone was functional.
5 Don't count on 24 hour shipment
This is a fine phone, but there may be delays before you get it. Amazon's shipment depends on AT
