BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 - unlocked Smartphone - GSM - folder (flip) - BlackBerry OS

by BlackBerry

Product Details

• Item Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B002VYBB2Y
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,109 in Cell Phones & Accessories (See Top 100 in Cell Phones & Accessories)

Product Description

Blackberry Pearl Flip 8220 GSM Cell Phone The BlackBerry Smartphone You'll Flip For! Open up a world of possibilities! With the BlackBerry® Pearl™ Flip 8220 smartphone tucked in your pocket, you’re always just a flip away from the people, fun and facts that matter. Pop it open to see how fun and functionality can work together in a whole new way! Smart, Sleek, Stylish The BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone puts you in charge of how, when and where you communicate. Screen calls and preview messages on the external screen Use the internal display for messaging, maps, and more. Type with one or two thumbs on the large keyboard. Socially Connected Take online communities along. Stay in touch with your instant messaging. Add pictures to your online photo collections. Pocket-sized Entertainment Center The BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone is fun in a life-friendly package. Media player - turn it on its side to enjoy videos in widescreen. Camera and video recordin

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars BlackBerry primer, September 17, 2010

By 

Tomasa Tomasa - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 - unlocked Smartphone - GSM - folder (flip) - BlackBerry OS (Electronics)

Background: If you do your research on this phone (and other BlackBerry's) you will note that many people talk about the bugs/problems, etc. Many of these complaints are hardware based (bad chips, etc) NOT software based (although it may seem so).
Make sure that if you buy it, you can return it (if bad) with no hassles/restocking fees (example: Amazon and sold by Amazon).

Condition: Mines was like new (with covered screens), original box, USB cable, power cable, original CD (there's and update online), headset and small instruction booklet (does not look original). Mines had no software/hardware issues (no rebooting, no Bluetooth issues, no slowdowns, etc).

The advantages in general of the blackberry's are the great screen (geared for text readers) and the keyboard.
The bad is the Blackberry "WiFi situation": they want you to buy the "blackberry internet plan" which is a hookup with your cell phone provider. Cell phone providers will have different names for this plan but note that it will cost you in the US around $15-$20. If you have a prepaid plan they will tell you the plan is not available (unless you have a monthly plan). I don't recommend this plan (if you can get it) because I consider it a ripoff. That will probably be the biggest issue with this phone (and all blackberry's).

The workaround: If you want to use Wi-Fi they will use a combination of WiFi and GPRS/EDGE. For example when you try to use the BlackBerry GMail app from Google you will be able to install it halfway but when it tries to connect it will tell you, you need a connection. If you disable your data connection (GPRS/EDGE) you will get the same result and so on and so forth with different applications.

To get around this BlackBerry Wi-Fi situation you have to get applications that are not exactly BlueBerry approved (and you will probably not see in their new store) that allow you to use Wi-Fi ONLY and not a combination Wi-Fi/GRPS/EDGE (again they use EDGE/GPRS to check if you have the BlackBerry Plan if you don't they don't give you access). For example for GMail I use LogicMail (uses Wi-Fi only), UberTwitter, Opera Mini, Yahoo Mail (you have to use their website) with the Opera Mini browser because you won't be able to use it with the BlackBerry browser (these are the only ones I found that I installed).

Final review: Great phone, almost perfect form factor and screen (recommended 7 point font), almost perfect for SMS/MMS/emailing. Wi-Fi, Keyboard is better than a standard number keyboard but NOT better than a full keyboard (of course). If you can deal with the Wi-Fi issue (and sub par and very limited apps compared to the IPhone or even Windows Mobile phone) then this is a GREAT phone!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Problem Child, September 17, 2011

By 

M. Ross "mick" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 - unlocked Smartphone - GSM - folder (flip) - BlackBerry OS (Electronics)

I purchased my Blackberry Pearl (BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220) seventeen months ago from an Amazon vendor on May 3, 2010. One month ago, the Bluetooth stopped working. Another BIG problem: The unit has a bad habit of rebooting at the most inopportune times, such as while making a Bluetooth call when driving - My Pearl's reboot is slower than the rear-end of a south-bound snail. This problem, coupled with the loss of the Bluetooth, discourages me from ever buying another Blackberry. One might think a sub-two hundred dollar phone would last longer than seventeen months and RIM OS a bit faster with better reliability.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worse phone ever!, February 5, 2011

By 

Ms.Monroe - See all my reviews

This review is from: BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 - unlocked Smartphone - GSM - folder (flip) - BlackBerry OS (Electronics)

I have had my Blackberry Pearl Flip 8220 for a little over a year now. I have to say I do not like this phone at all. The screen is too small, the camera is the worst I have ever seen & it's just not a user friendly phone. I wish I would of did my research before buying this phone. I cannot wait til my upgrade with T-Mobile so I can get rid of this thing!