Just got a note from a BBHub reader who attended last night's Cingular BlackBerry 8700c debut party in NYC.

He writes that gift hampers were being given out, but staffers ran out of them for the last 100 or so people. Sounds like more attended than were expected, which has to be a good sign for excitement levels in the wireless community.

As others noted, only a few BlackBerrys were given out. Those that were available seemed to be used by Cingular and BlackBerry execs scattered throughout the crowd. The point is, they engage you in conversation and then talked up the device's specific features.

Most attendees got notes promising that a sales executive would contact them and hand deliver a new BlackBerry 8700.
 
 They also gave me a note saying that a sales exec. will contact me and hand deliver a  new 8700.

Although my source didn't get to go home with one, he played with one while at the reception. (I can relate, but here, I am talking about the BlackBerry 8700c. What were you thinking, anyway)?

"The 8700 looks really nice and has a great feel to it. Loved the screen and the speed," he writes. " Love the lighting on the screen, but not sure how comfortable is the typing going to be. Seems a bit heavier than I thought it would be, but overall a must have."