BlackBerry 7100t Balances Portability, Extensive Features

Research In Motion (RIM) hopes to put an end to that practice by basing the design of its latest BlackBerry, the 7100T, on the user-friendly size and shape of a typical cell phone. The 7100t measures 4.7 x 2.3 x .7 inches and weighs less than 5 ounces, making it one of the most portable smart phone devices on the market. Of course, functionality does not end with just e-mail and basic cell phone capability. The 7100t offers a quad-band GSM.GPRS cell phone, making the unit ideal for international travelers. Scheduling, instant messaging and Web-browsing capabilities are also included.

There are some design trade-offs, though. The diminutive size of the 7100t prevents the inclusion of a standard QWERTY keyboard, forcing users to rely on RIM's Sure Type technology since the keyboard layout groups multiple letters together on each numeric button on the keyboard. Sure Type predicts which letters are needed when typing out a message based on context with mostly accurate results. However, it is not as user-friendly as the larger form-factor BlackBerry's keyboard.

Other notable features include Bluetooth support, speakerphone functionality and USB connectivity for synchronization and charging. Battery life is a little on the low side for a smart phone, allowing just four hours of talk time due to the bright, ultra-sharp color display, which for some is worth the reduced battery life.

The BlackBerry 7100t is an exercise in compromise, precariously balancing cell phone portability with e-mail flexibility. For the most part, the 7100t manages to pull off this balancing act, but even with the enhanced features it probably won't convince longtime BlackBerry users to abandon their existing units.