New Pearl model?

[mmaestro]

Hi all. We've been looking at getting my wife her first smartphone, and have mostly settled with a Blackberry. We're on T-Mobile (USA), and aren't moving (I'm originally from the UK, and we use their extremely good international roaming and international call rates, which makes shifting to another carrier an impossibility for us). We were thinking probably a Pearl, but noticed that the original came out fall 2006. The 8120 was fall 2007.... so are we due for another model? Most of the reason for asking is we'd assume the new model would have Docs to Go on there, whereas the current Pearl doesn't. GPS would be nice, although I expect 3G on T-Mobile might be a bit much to hope for.

Have there been any rumors of a new version, or is the current Pearl going to remain the newest model for a while, still?

[Stryker]

Technically, the latest Pearl just dropped a few months ago... the Flip 8220.

[mmaestro]

I was kind of hoping for another candybar. The flip seems too bulky. Of course, the ideal would be for T-Mobile to just upgrade the firmware of the current Pearl, but they're showing no inclination to do so, unfortunately.

[Stryker]

I was kind of hoping for another candybar. The flip seems too bulky. Of course, the ideal would be for T-Mobile to just upgrade the firmware of the current Pearl, but they're showing no inclination to do so, unfortunately.

I agree with you... I am thinking of getting my wife a newer Pearl. She owns the basic T-Mo 8100; I think she'd like a wi-fi phone. I use a Bluetooth GPS puck for mine; she would do the same...

[Lasermn]

My Verizon 8130 Pearl has docs to go once I upgraded the software to 4.5. You can find updated software for your T mobile Pearl as well.

[tuffdeal]

I've had a Pearl for 2 years [not the Flip Pearl] and the screen is so small that its practically impossible to see any detail. It appears that the Flip is about the same, if not the same. 1.5" x 1.5" screen. A two line email seems pages long. The browser is terrible. Yes, its easy to one hand text but overall I cannot wait for my contract to end next month. If you've got excellent eyesight and are under 40 it might work for you but the Pearl is just so frustrating.