I just used a live model of the 7100 at the T-Mobile store and I was very impressed with it.
The obvious: The keyboard will take some getting used to. I spend about 30 min with the device, mailing typing notes and emails to get a feel for the keyboard. I was able to type at about 3/4 of the speed that I can on the 7750, but there was a HUGE slow down in typing in a USE ONCE email address on the device. I had to type a letter, then use the NAV button to scroll across to the correct combination. It took me a bit to type in one simple address, but in fairness, it was the first time that I used the device and I'm confident that with a little practice, and perhaps figuring out some "shortcut's" to the SureType, it won't be a problem.
The only other complaint, which is VERY minor, was the font used by the text. It was the same Comic font that is the default on Outlook Notes. However, I noticed a Themes setting in the Options menu so I'm hopeful that the screen font can be changed. Those are the only two things I can pick at thus far and they are really very minor.
I was VERY impressed with both the form factor and the screen of this device. The screen is very sharp and has excellent color depth. This felt VERY good in my hand and the voice calls on both the handset and speaker phone were clear and the volume was loud and crystal clear. Wow and I impressed.
The weight is also great. It's light but without the "cheap" feel. The curved sides feel very good in the hand and using this as a phone doesn't feel akward in the least. I had full signal bars inside the TMO store even without an external antenna. Last time I was in the same store with my 6315, I actually had no signal until I moved near the windows. As a man with a small spare tire around the middle (a spare TRUCK tire) I'm not going to be missing those antenna stubs. The price on this baby is amazing. As low as $149 with new service is a bargain. I expected to be disapointed in a converged device that can be gotten for $149 but trust me, this is a steal.
Based on just the 30 minutes of use on this phone, I would highly recommend it. It's an excellent combination of fashion and function. My only hesitation at this point is giving up the vast coverage of VZW and going back to the good but spotty coverage of TMO.
Oh, and so far, no surprise pricing plans for this device. The BB service is still only $29.95 per month for unlimted data. Oh, and it will send attachments via the GPRS.
