BlackBerry 8703e or BlackBerry Pearl 8130

[nauifins73]

First things first - I know nothing about cell phones. I am about as un-techno as you can get. That is why I am coming here for your opinions.

I want something that is an organizer (calendar, addressbook etc), ability to check my Yahoo email, texting would be nice, not concerned with camera or MP3 player and a phone. I don't want 2 different items as in PDA and phone.

I use Alltel as my service and they offer the 2 phones listed above. What do you guys think?

Thanks

[MgicTwnger]

I just replaced my phone, my carrier is AT&T.

I got the cheapest one they had. I has everything you mention, however you have to type with the numeric keyboard and they all have cameras now.

[DeepDiverBob]

I got the Palm Treo 350 a few months ago. It has the full keyboard. It has a lot more functions that I will ever use.

[MgicTwnger]

It has a lot more functions that I will ever use.

That's a key thing to think about: are you paying for stuff you won't use.

[nauifins73]

Everything offers more functions that I will use. :) I mainly want my phone, calendar and address book in one device. Alltel only offers the 2 I listed in the title. I'm curious if anyone had an experience with either of them.

[divbum]

Blackberry is a really good device. There is a forum, crackberry.com You can find a lot of info on these model there. I use a different one. A couple of my friends have the Pearl - not sure how many Pearl models there are but they like them.
Greg

[ppo2_diver]

I have the Motorola Q (from AT&T). I can access my Yahoo! mail as well as any SNMP type email services. It also syncs up with my Outlook calendar (via Bluetooth or wired USB connections). It is also a GSM/UMTS phone so it will work in Europe and Asia (where GSM is more popular).

I'm also biased for MOT phones as I work there.

[nauifins73]

I ordered the MotoQ today. :)

[Laser]

Everything offers more functions that I will use. :) I mainly want my phone, calendar and address book in one device. Alltel only offers the 2 I listed in the title. I'm curious if anyone had an experience with either of them.

I had the 8703e for around a year. I dropped it in the lake and it worked again two days later. Nice device. I have the 8830 now and like it much more because it has the track ball rather than the wheel and it thinner.
The difference between the 8703 and the pearl is the full keyboard on the 8703. If you don't need the full keyboard, I'd go with the pearl.