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RIM's BlackBerry 8800, a more advanced version of the BlackBerry Pearl, blends the newer features of the Pearl with the expected abilities of older BlackBerrys. The BlackBerry 8800 is a good looking device that also functions well, assuming that it is used more for reading than responding. The keyboard is more difficult to learn than the trackball provided, which is easy to learn and use instead of the scroll wheel. The cost of the BlackBerry 8800 includes a two-year AT&T contract, and the 8800 is also the thinnest of all BlackBerrys with the longest-lived battery. The keyboard, which is of utmost importance to users, is full-size, but the keys are crowded instead of spaced out. Each key also has a little ridge that was irritatingly limiting. Keys on older keyboards, in contrast, can be tapped from any direction or angle. The bright screen and dark blue color makes the BlackBerry handsome, and even though it was dropped several times, it seemed tough enough. The thin, rectangular BlackBerry 8800 is nicer than the older, bulkier devices. Testers describe such tasks as setup of personal e-mail accounts and using the trackball, and offer a wish list that includes a built-in camera and easy access memory card slot. The BlackBerry 8800 ships with a loaded global positioning system (GPS) system, but testers could not get a clear signal several times on different highways.
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