RIM BlackBerry 7130 review

In Shopper July 2006, we reviewed RIM's latest full-size BlackBerry, the 8700g. RIM's BlackBerry 7130 is the latest model in the company's compact range.

Unlike the 8700g, the 7130 has been designed to fit more easily in a pocket. It is still large for a mobile phone, but it feels much more natural when you hold it to your ear to make voice calls. The handset's reduced size means there is no room for a full QWERTY keyboard. Instead, the 7130 makes a compromise between a full keyboard and a number pad, with nine number and letter keys and an additional five keys just for letters. This means there is a maximum of two letters on each key, so you're less likely to make mistakes when using predictive text.

Typing messages with the keypad is not as quick as using a full keyboard, but it's faster than using a standard phone's number pad. Sadly, the keypad is one of the handset's weaker aspects. The keys are wobbly and made of hard plastic, making them quite unpleasant to use for long periods.

The BlackBerry 7130 uses the same interface as the 8700g, so you use a scroll wheel to navigate the icons on the main screen. This works well when scrolling through messages and documents, but it's not as versatile as a directional keypad, especially when surfing the internet. The 7130's integrated web browser does a reasonable job of fitting pages to its screen, but most of the formatting is lost and all fonts revert to the handset's ugly default. Extras such as JavaScript and frames are disabled by default, which gives the impression that the handset is not intended for internet use.

BlackBerries are designed for messaging and the 7130 is excellent for email. It comes with an email address as standard, but you can add up to 10 different POP3 email accounts to check, and any mail delivered to those accounts is forwarded to your BlackBerry. The 7130 also supports a comprehensive range of attachments, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files. It displays Excel spreadsheets in a clear table format, but Word documents lose any special formatting and the device often makes a mess of PDFs. The BlackBerry can also synchronise your contacts and calendar with Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes or GroupWise through its own desktop management software.

RIM's BlackBerry 7130 is a good messaging handset that is reasonably compact compared with the 8700g. However, it has a nasty keypad, and its web browser and attachment support are primitive compared with those of T-Mobile's MDA Vario and Nokia's E61. Unless you're desperate for more space in your pocket, we'd recommend the cheaper and more advanced Nokia E61, which is reviewed in our Labs on page 104.

Author: Chris Finnamore