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Since 1999, Research In Motion has produced their uber-popular BlackBerry smartphone, the industry standard in its field. While people gushed about their BBs — some even becoming “addicted” — there were just a few complaints, mainly coming from the consumer sector. The devices were great, but they were bulky and aimed almost completely at business users. Something this neat, many thought, just had to be adapted for the casual user.

So, responding to demand, RIM introduced the Pearl (8100) in the third quarter of 2006. It was a quad-band GSM device, and the demand grew so much over the next few months that RIM went back to the drawing board and introduced a CDMA version of the Pearl (8130) in November 2007. Now that we have an offering for both major networks in the U.S., it’s time to answer a haranguing question: Why do you want the Pearl?

The first Pearl offering, the 8100, is still available on GSM providers AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S., and on Rogers in Canada. Its most noticeable feature is that it’s far slimmer than a traditional BlackBerry offering. That’s because it features a half-QWERTY (two letters per button), rather than the normal full-QWERTY. This appeals to the consumer sector because it’s far easier to lug around, especially for those who prefer to carry their cell phone in their pocket.

The dimensions, in millimeters, are 107 x 50 x 14.5, and weighs in at 3.1 oz. This contrasts nicely with the BlackBerry 8800, which measures 114 x 66 x 14, and weighs 4.73 oz. Basically, the Pearl cuts the fat and delivers a similar product without all the bulk of the business model.

The best part is that the Pearl offers almost all of the same features as the 8800. Wireless email, organizer, browser, phone, BlackBerry Maps, media player, corporate data access, SMS, and MMS are available on both phones. The trade-off, though, is a camera — finally available with the Pearl — for a GPS, which is featured on the 8800 but not on the Pearl 8100.

The Pearl 8100 offers a strong battery, with 15 days of standby time and 3.5 hours of talk time. In this case, though, bigger is better, as the 8800 battery can last 22 days on standby and five hours of talking. However, as we’ll soon see, the 8100 offers better battery life than it’s newer cousin, the 8130. For a device its size, the 15 days of standby time and 3.5 hours of talk time are plenty fine.

All three models we’re talking about (8100, 8130, 8800) have 64 MB of flash memory and a microSD slot. They’re all Bluetooth-capable, and come with the latest compatible version of BlackBerry OS.

At the time of its release, the Pearl’s major upgrades over the then-available BB models (the 8700 was the standard at the time) was the camera — 1.3 megapixels — and microSD expansion. However, once the 8800 was released, it was also time for a Pearl upgrade. So along came the Pearl 8130. This time, it was a CDMA device.

There weren’t widespread changes from the 8100 to the 8130, but there are a few small things that make it a superior device. Though the 8130 is a half-millimeter shallower than the 8100 (14 mm), it weighs in at three-tenths of an ounce heavier (3.4 oz.). So what causes it to be smaller, yet heavier?

First is the superior camera. While the 8100 had a for-its-time quality 1.3 MP camera (quality as in cellphone camera quality, not digital camera quality), the 8130 upgrades to the now-standard 2 MP. It also is video-capable, a feature absent from the 8100. The major internal upgrade, though, is a built-in GPS. This is the aspect that gives the 8130 an immense advantage over the 8100 — though it is tough to compare the two, since they work on different networks.

In this case, bigger (in terms of weight) is not better in terms of battery life. The 8130, while providing superior service, is susceptible to the CDMA battery-eating ways. The standby time is a paltry nine days, but talk time is between 200 and 220 minutes, which is right on pace with the 8100.

So now that you know all about the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 and 8130 models, the question remains: Why do you want one? The simple answer is that it provides all of the features of the BlackBerry, but is more easily toted around. Plus, it has the camera, a feature many BB users have been clamoring for since…well, since cameras became standard on phones.

Some might find the half-keyboard a bit daunting at first, but as with many devices with unfamiliar input methods — like the Apple iPhone and it’s touch-screen keyboard — users will find that it won’t take long to adapt to this system.

The trackball is another strange aspect if you’re coming from a BlackBerry model below the 8800. There were complaints from older BB users when the 8800 was released, saying that they far preferred the side-scroller to the new trackball. However, now that we’re over six months into the device’s existence, most of those complaints have been quelled.

For those transitioning from an 8700 or below, fret not. The trackball on the Pearl is actually easier to use than the one on the 8800. This is where the Pearl’s slimness (16 mm less than the 8800) comes in handy. It’s far easier to wrap your hand around the handset and get a firm control over the trackball. After a week or so with the Pearl, you’ll notice that the trackball is superior to the side-scroller.

But in the end, it’s all about size. Would you rather lug around a big, bulky device, or a slimmer version of the same? Clearly the slimmer one would win out in a consumer survey.

Of course, it really depends on your take on the half-keyboard. If you’re one who taps away endlessly at your BlackBerry, perhaps the Pearl isn’t the best fit. If, however, you’re light on the messaging but big on the syncing capabilities, this might be a perfect fit.

If you’re in the market for a consumer smartphone, the BlackBerry Pearl, whether the 8100 or 8300, should be near or at the top of your list. It has all the features of your standard BlackBerry, but at a fraction of the size.

The 8100 is available on: AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S.; Orange and T-Mobile in the UK, and Rogers in Canada.

The 8130 is available on Verizon and Sprint in the U.S., with Alltel reportedly set for a holiday release.

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