Blackberry 7230 T-Mobile

Overview

The 7230 was my second Blackberry after a 950. The one thing I liked about the 950 was its ability to receive emails and send responses even in flight at 38,000 feet. Emails were fast and very reliable. I needed to replace the battery about once a week (sometimes 2 weeks). However, it fell short in two areas, 1) it had no phone so I needed to carry two devices and 2) no email attachment support so it was good for instant messaging but not for full emails with attachments.

I purchased the 7230 to resolve those two issues and I selected T-Mobile as the carrier because of price and the ability to use the device in Europe where I travel occasionally. The U.S. versions such as AT&T’s lacked the 900 MHz band used in much of Europe .

My initial impression was very favorable with only two major complaints. The first was the inability to see and read the screen in moderate darkness and the second was lack of a speakerphone. I was really impressed with the battery life as it seemed to never need a charge. I could use the phone for a week and only have the battery down by one bar. The size was a little awkward but it fits so close to the body that carrying it was comfortable and convenient. At first, I put up with the poor signal quality at my home and office because it worked so well in Europe and it was ok in other places I traveled. However, after a while the dropped calls, the poor reception at my home and office began to wear on me. Calls to T-Mobile promised to improve the coverage in those areas within 6 months. The improvements never came.

BlackBerry 7230™ provides a secure, encrypted solution for sending and receiving corporate e-mail. This tri-band handheld uses the world’s largest all-GSM/GPRS network covering more than 9,000 cities in North America and over 100 countries around the globe. This vast network gets you the information relevant to you and your business at speeds up to 56kbps.

Designed for corporate environments using Microsoft® Exchange or Lotus® Domino™, the BlackBerry from T-Mobile is what you need for a complete, end-to-end wireless e-mail solution.

BlackBerry offers two different e-mail solutions, BlackBerry Web Client and BlackBerry Enterprise Server. See Technical Specifications for more information.

Basic info:

Size: 4.4 x 2.9 x 0.8 inches
Weight: 4.8 ounces
Included battery: Removable/rechargeable Lithium cell
Talk time: Up to 4 hours
Standby time: Up to 10 days
International phone: Tri-band (900, 1800, 1900 MHz)

Included accessories:

Battery

BlackBerry Desktop Software

Charger

Hands-Free Headset

Handeld Stand

Plastic Swivel Holster

SIM Card

Travel Charger

USB Cable

T-Mobile BlackBerry 7230 Features:
Color display Manage email accounts Organizer and Web Browser International phone for travel in over 130 countries Organizer with PC synchronization Integrated speaker and microphone		Full-color screen with easy-to-use icons WorldClass international handheld (tri-band: 900, 1800, & 1900 MHz) for travel in over 100 countries Easy-to-use keyboard and backlit screen Wireless calendar synchronization for easy access to your address book, task list, and memo pad Tri-band frequencies to access e-mail and make calls overseas Easily exchange text messages Integrates with existing e-mail mailboxes and addresses

Results

I really loved the battery life as it was unbeatable. However, the screen illumination was just not what a modern phone should have. Colors looked washed out and it was very hard to read in anything other than bright light. No Bluetooth, small memory and a bezel paint that rubbed off where the unit slid into the holster were all aspects that made it a no go. Reception using the 900 MHz band is not very good in Southern California where the 850 band has taken over.

Conclusion

I sold the unit to someone that said he could live with the limitations so that should give you some idea of my conclusion. If you can live with the limitations I have outlined then it may be a phone for you. It wasn't for me.