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I’m a big cell phone user, but I don’t make many calls at all. I use cell phones for the features that go beyond making calls. Of course I am planning on getting an iPhone once it launches in June, but I’m sick of my BlackBerry Pearl. Mainly, I hate the SureType keyboard on it. Next Tuesday, T-Mobile is launching the BlackBerry 8800 with GPS and a full QWERTY keyboard. I’m switching to that for sure.

The Sidekick ID, a slimmed down version of the Sidekick 3 comes out Wednesday.A BlackBerry is great for email, but I’ve always preferred to SMS and IM through the Sidekick. With the Sidekick ID coming out next weeks, it seems like a cheap way to get back into the Sidekick world of IM’ing. The Sidekick service by itself runs $30/month. BlackBerry service from T-Mobile also runs $30/month with no voice plan. I’m already paying $60/month for 1,000 minutes and unlimited BlackBerry usage on my Pearl.

I am also testing the Samsung UpStage for Sprint with unlimited usage for 6 months. I can use this phone as my primary “phone call” phone for that time.

Is it worth it to have 2 data phones? I would use the BB 8800 for Google Talk, GPS, and Email, while the Sidekick ID would be for AIM, MSN, Yahoo, and SMS. I just really liked the ease of use on the Sidekick. Thoughts?

Recently Rogers, released the Blackberry 8800 into the Canadian wilds. Expect to pay $499.99 with a 3 year service agreement after rebates. For those not expecting to stay up where hockey is a religion and health care is free for three years, you can expect to pay $649.99 for a 2 year agreement or $599.99 with one year contract. The 8800, similar to the Cingular model, includes GPS for easily finding your way around when a Mountie isn’t around to ask directions.Read

Over at The Boy Genius Report, they’ve got the scoop on the new Blackberry OS used in the upcoming 8300. Not a ton of new items, but spell check is finally included. Full screen video playback and wireless upgrades are also some of the new features. Can’t wait to see when this model is going to hit the stores. The keyboard is simply better looking then what is being offered on the 8800.

Check out all the pics

Today AT&T released a Red Blackberry Pearl (8100). As far as I can tell by browsing over the press release, this is not a part of Bono’s Product(Red) campaign to raise money for AIDS in Africa.

The color on this Blackberry is pretty cool, it is a maroon type red, and I certainly like it better then the White Pearl from T-Mobile.

As most of Cingular’s releases, they tend to botch it up a bit, and this phone while pictures and details are available on MarketWire, there is no sign of it anywhere on Cingular/AT&T’s website at all.

For once, like say with an Apple event, it would be nice to see the product on the website the day that it is announced. Is that too much to ask?

Amazon has the Blackberry 8800 for only $99 (after $25 mail in rebate). Even if you forget to do the rebate, the price of $125 is a savings of around 65% off the original price.

The only problem with buying from Amazon, is if you are need of a deposit on a new Cingular AT&T account, they don’t support ordering through Amazon, thus making this awesome deal something that you can’t have. Just goes to prove hat the rich get richer and the poor get … I think you get the idea.

Buy it on Amazon

Okay, if this keeps up I will have 3 separate cell phones. I REALLY want the iPhone, but I don’t know that I could give up my CrackBerry, and guess who might be throwing their hat into the ring? Well I’ll give you a guess, its one of my favorite companies in the world, and the title of this post might of given it away as well.

The rumored Google phone is code-named Switch, and it’s either a joint partnership with Samsung or their own phone. What makes me think that if they do release a phone that it is going to be amazing, is that they hired the guy (Andy Rubin) who created Danger.

You might not know what Danger is, since the company name isn’t that widely talked about, but I’m sure you know the main device they produce, the Sidekick. Personally, I’ve owned every version of the Sidekick since the first black & white screen stage with the external camera. It was one of the best user experiences I’ve had on a phone device.

Will we be seeing a Google phone? I hope so, but until there is something more concrete, this gets filed under rumors.

There are some pictures of a new Blackberry 8300 on the interwebs. Looks like the style of the 8700, but with a trackball, GPS, WiFi, and a 2.0 Megapixel camera. It looks pretty thin, not sure if it is as thin as the 8800 though.

This looks like the mac daddy of all blackberries with all of it’s features, and the keyboard style of the 8700 (the 8800’s not the favorite style of keyboard for many online). I wonder if/when we will see this launch in America.

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Update: A video has been posted showing the clip from the 8800 on this new Blackberry.