DESIGN & BUILD

Six years ago the RAZR was on the cutting edge of design (no pun intended), and since then there hasn’t been a single clamshell on the market I’d want… until now.

When it’s closed, the Style is about 2/3 the size of a Storm or iPhone and just a little thicker.

The device feels solid and secure in the hand and I wouldn’t think twice about dropping it. The phone fits and feels well in my palm but I found myself wishing a few times that it was thinner.

It is adorned with a smooth plastic back, black polished finish accented with a pewter bezel. This generally looks good, but one major annoyance I found throughout my test period was that the Style attracts and retains finger prints in the worst way. The high gloss finish means the smudges are extra noticeable as well.

Because of its slick finish and convenient form factor it slides effortlessly in and out of my pocket.

Screen
There is a large 2-inch external color display complete with the status information you want in a hurry — message counter, battery life, signal strength, clock, and even previews of messages via the side convenience keys.

Cracking open the device continues to reveal a treasure trove of delights. The internal 2.7-inch QVGA display looks nicer than its specs would lead you to believe. Screen contrast, brightness, and clarity were all better than I was expecting.

This smartphone opens at an angle and is weighted towards the base. As such, I found myself able to flip it open on a desk and comfortably read from it.

This relative angle between the screen and the base causes problems when taking pictures, though, as straight-on camera shots have to be taken while angling the phone towards yourself.

Keyboard & Trackpad
The Style opts for the same fast-typing keyboard found on the Tour and other models rather than the chicklet-style board found on the iconic Curve. This design has proven easy to use and accurate on several models from RIM’s 9000 family.

The optical trackpad just above the keyboard is a necessity because like many BlackBerrys, the main display isn’t a touchscreen. It’s responsive though it occasionally required a little more pressure than I prefer, even after changing the settings.

Other Buttons and Controls
On the bottom part of the clamshell are your standard Call, Menu, Back, and Disconnect/Power buttons. There is an oddly large amount of dead space between the keyboard and the four function buttons that should have been put to better use.

The Style offers contact charging points on the bottom part of its bezel, which fit in specially-designed cradles.

PERFORMANCE

The BlackBerry Style comes loaded with RIM’s latest and greatest operating system, BlackBerry OS 6.0. This includes a beefier browser compared to older models, a revamped user interface, and the ability to type and auto-search through the entire device.

Part of the new UI is a multi-pane homescreen, which allow you to organize your software into different pages that slide up from the bottom of the display. I found this useful, though I ended up using the automatically-generated “Frequent” list almost exclusively.

OS 6.0 includes the latest versions of the communication, social networking, and entertainment software you’re used to from a BlackBerry, as well as the DataViz Documents To Go suite of Office apps.

The Style’s performance is among the best of recent offerings from RIM. It is generally snappy, and although OS 6.0 has a learning curve, once I got used to it I found a lot of features that I liked.

I did find some lag when quickly switching screens, switching from typing to scrolling and switching apps. It’s a livable amount of lag but, but any lag is bad lag.

Call Quality
Call quality is excellent with the Style, both from a carrier and device standpoint.

Where this device did lose some points is with its speakerphone. BlackBerrys have long had impeccable speakerphones — a reputation to which the Style falls somewhat short. The outputting speaker on the Style is too easily covered resulting in muffled sound.

The Style doesn’t disappoint in its connectivity options. It has Wi-Fi (b/g), Bluetooth with streaming profiles, and the Sprint’s 3G CDMA Network (EV-DO). Of course GPS and Blackberry maps are standard.

Communication
BlackBerry Messenger is a critical part of any BlackBerry, and BBM 6.0 comes standard on the Style.

Email functionality remains unchanged, but is still one of the most robust mobile clients I’ve used. It incorporates many advanced desktop client features such as marking messages as important, flags, adding attachments from messages in an intuitive way. Email functionality with push synchronization is available for everyone, not just business users with BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

Like other OS 6.0 devices the Style also offers visual voicemail which puts traditional voicemail systems to shame.

Another new feature of the new operating system is a consolidated Social Feed.

Productivity
The Style offers the standard DataViz Documents To Go as a mobile Office suite. This allows you to view but not edit files. You can enable additional functionality by paying to upgrade to the premium edition, but this is probably unnecessary in most cases.

There is also an RSS aggregator which offers a quick way to see what’s new on your favorite sites.

BlackBerry OS 6.0 features a new WebKit browser complete with tabs that makes accessing websites on the Style… bearable.

Entertainment
RIM is making a conscious effort to incorporate more entertainment features into its devices. Mostly this charge revolves around becoming more media centric. This effort is manifested through Bluetooth that enables wireless stereo streaming to capable players (e.g. newer care entertainment systems), a media home screen to easily navigate through your pictures, videos, music and more.

When the Pandora radio app (not standard, but a free) is installed, every menu screen has a shortcut to it. This shows just how seriously RIM is taking entertainment.

App World, BlackBerry’s equivalent of the Apple’s App Store, comes standard on the device, in addition to the games Brick Breaker and Word Mole, both of which offer minor slight UI updates.

Camera
The Style has a 5.0 Megapixel auto-focusing camera with flash and video. This type of camera has become pretty standard-issue for RIM, which is good news. For a long time RIM was falling behind the crowd with its sub-par cameras, though now I fear simply equipping their devices with 5 megapixel won’t keep them competitive for much longer.

I already mentioned my only problem with the Style’s camera. As it is positioned behind the keyboard, and the clamshell can’t be opened a complete 180 degrees, taking pictures requires you to cock screen toward yourself awkwardly.

The camera does offer several pre-configured picture taking modes such as snow, sunlight, indoor etc. The different settings do make a difference but won’t negate the need for a pocket point-and-shoot digital camera.

Battery Life
The BlackBerry Style’s battery life is fairly decent — in my testing, it would last more than one day on a single charge with moderate use.

Like all new BlackBerrys, the Style charges via a micro-USB port.

CONCLUSION

The BlackBerry Style 9670 is an impressive little device. It proved useful, reliable, and even has — dare I say it — style.

The clamshell form factor grew on me very quickly, especially given the usefulness of the external screen.

RIM proves with the this smartphone that it still can deliver an innovative new device rather than just a refresh of a proven model. Seasoned pros and BlackBerry newbies alike will both find a lot to like about the Style.

Pros:

• Stylish clamshell design
• External display very useful
• BlackBerry OS 6.0 brings refreshed apps

Cons:

• Occasional lags in performance
• Casing collects enough fingerprints to provide a permanent record
• Awkward angle when taking head-on pictures, so-so camera.

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BUILD & DESIGN

The Curve 3G retains approximately the same dimensions as the previous Curves (8530, 8900, 8300). Compared to other current generation BlackBerrys, the Curve 3G feels remarkably light. This is due in part to the C-S2 battery that has been regularly featured in several BlackBerry models. This means that users upgrading from the 8xxx may be able to continue to use their battery as a spare.

Screen
Staying true to form in terms of being an update of the previous Curve, the screen on the new model is a step up over previous generations, but only just on par with its current generation competitors.

Its contrast and crispness will draw no complaints. However, I do have an odd complaint with the screen brightness – though having a bright screen is usually great, it doesn’t dim as much as I’d prefer. If you’re a heavy screen-as-flashlight user (but really, who isn’t?), you’ll be happy here.

Another complaint is the size and brightness of the LED message indicator, which is approximately the size of a ball point pen tip. Not a new complaint for current generation BlackBerrys.

Keyboard
The Curve 8900 was the wild child of the Curve family and boasted the rubbery keys found on other BlackBerry lines (read: 8800, Bold, Torch, Tour). The Curve 3G, on the other hand, remains steeped in family tradition and retains the chicklet style keyboard.

There is nearly no difference between the Curve 3G and previous generation keyboards.

Buttons & Other Controls
Current generation styling rules are in play for the Curve 3G. The Talk, BlackBerry, Return, and End call keys are integrated to appear to be part of the screen rather than the keyboard, there are hints of chrome, and a softer plastic bezel wrapping the phone, from beneath which the convenience keys seem to protrude.

RIM has included media keys (forward, back, play/pause/mute) on top of the phone in place of the mute/lock rocker found on some other models. A welcome addition in my opinion.

The company has integrated its now-standard optical trackpad into the Curve 3G. It works as expected, and horizontal and vertical scroll sensitivity controls work well.

RIM has continued its foray into interesting battery compartment covers with a textured plastic cover that somehow reminds me of carbon fiber. Compared to metal covers found on other models, this cover won’t scratch or become excessively hot or cold. It looks good too, well done RIM! Unfortunately it’s not the easiest to securely snap back on after removing it.

The Curve 3G uses a micro-USB charger, and also includes a 3.5 mm headset jack.

PERFORMANCE

The BlackBerry Curve 3G is debuting with BlackBerry OS 5, rather than the newly introduced OS 6.0. OS 5.0 is definitely an improvement on previous generations, but it feels outdated compared to the newer version.

A system software upgrade for this device is expected to be released next year, which will bring in a greatly improved web browser, better email apps, and other enhancements.

Like its forefathers, the Curve 3G offers generally reliable performance, but it is guaranteed not to wow anyone.  Though infrequent, I did notice some bouts of sluggishness when doing routine tasks, which is alarming — especially when I think about the OS 6.0 upgrade.

Wireless and Call Quality
The Curve 3G offers WiFi (a/b/g), Bluetooth, and Verizon’s flavor of 3G. Connectivity is predictably BlackBerry — reliable and without any drama.

Still, this phone excels in call quality. CDMA based calls seem to be clearer and offer less static than their GSM counterparts. The Curve 3G offered clear calling from the network side, and sound performance from the built-in speakers. Both handset and speakerphone volume and sound quality are more than adequate.

Standard BlackBerry Applications
The standard BlackBerry productivity and entertainment apps are preloaded onto the Curve 9330. Highlights among these include the Documents To Go suite for working with Microsoft Office files, and games such as BrickBreaker, Word Mole and others.

Additionally Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and other social networking apps are now standard issue.

If you want more, you can turn to BlackBerry App World, an on-device service for finding and buying third-party software.

Messaging
Email has always been one of BlackBerry’s strengths, and the Curve continues this well. It supports both consumer email services as well as enterprise messaging systems.

It also comes with BlackBerry Messenger 5.0, GoogleTalk, Yahoo Messenger, AIM, and MSN preloaded, giving you plenty of options for instant messaging.

Browser
The area where the Curve 3G suffers most from its lack of BlackBerry OS 6.0 is the browser. The same tired browser that has frustrated users for years continues its reign with this model.

Any speed advantages Verizon’s 3G network offer are negated by the browser. The browser renders mobile versions of pages fine, but doesn’t do so with any appreciable speed advantages because these pages are so small.

Verizon Specific Applications
Verizon has never been shy about loading up its phones with useful applications, and also bloatware. This trend hasn’t changed.

The only worthwhile apps are Visual Voicemail, and Bing Mobile. Other bundled apps include City ID, VCAST Music, V Case Song ID, Vzw Tones, and V Cast Video.

Being a Verizon BlackBerry, this Curve gets BlackBerry Maps (not usually offered on AT&T BlackBerrys). An interesting tweak for the Curve 3G is that Bing is the sole in-browser search provider.

Camera
The camera on this device underwhelms in every way. The disappointment of the mere 2.0 megapixel camera is surpassed only by the lack of flash and focus.

You’d be better off carrying a disposable camera in your pocket than using this one.

Battery Life
As welcome as the new features are, the Curve 3G’s battery life suffers due to the addition of Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities. You won’t fear about leaving the charger behind for the day, but the allure of previous generations’ potential for days-without-charging under moderate use is gone.

The decrease in battery life seems less pronounced than the difference between GSM based phones when moving from “2G” to 3G.

CONCLUSION

The BlackBerry Curve 3G not flashy or revolutionary, and doesn’t include top-of-the-line features, but it is a great refresher of a classic. The Curve has always been the smartphone equivalent of the Toyota Camry — reliable, durable, cheap, but decidedly boring.

The styling updates are welcome, as is the addition of Wi-Fi and 3G. The lack of BlackBerry OS 6.0 and camera flash are significant detractors. The BlackBerry Curve 9330 strikes me as more of a fit for corporate user who can upgrade their previous generation Curve. It’s unclear why a personal consumer would purchase this rather than say the Tour.

Pros:

• Wi-Fi added
• Updated styling
• Light form factor

Cons:

• Sluggish at times
• Sub-standard camera
• Touted as a 3G device, but really doesn’t take advantage of 3G network in any way

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RIM is at it again with the BlackBerry Bold 9650, the successor to the BlackBerry Tour. The smartphone successfully delivers the best of BlackBerry’s features: the latest operating system, the best keyboard, camera, Wi-Fi and more.

Despite its outdated looks, the Bold 9650 seems poised to take over the role of most-desirable BlackBerry for Sprint and Verizon users. It’s available now from Sprint for $200 with contract, and Verizon will release it soon.

I’ve only had the device for a short time, but that’s enough to offer my first impression.

BUILD & DESIGN

You won’t be blown away by the looks of the 9650. In fact, after the initial unboxing I had to look twice to make sure that this was actually a new device. It looks almost identical to the BlackBerry Tour 9630, with the exception of an optical trackpad and slightly smaller dimensions. It couldn’t be more obvious that the new model is the replacement for the Tour, despite the new name.

Screen/Keyboard/Trackpad
The screen is crisp, vivid, and bright. Happily, it seems RIM has resolved the issue we saw with the Tour where the screen would ripple from the corner when pushing a talk button.

The keypad is taken almost directly from the Tour, maintaining the same layout, color scheme, and the same great rubbery keyboard.

The trackpad seems a little finicky but hopefully that’s just part of the learning curve.

Other Design Elements
Unlike the Bold models offered by AT&T and T-Mobile, the 9650′s back plate doesn’t sport any faux-leather. Instead it has a simple textured plastic center piece on a standard black matte finish.

There is a rocker key across the top for the mute and lock keys, but no dedicated media keys like we’ve seen on other RIM models.

PERFORMANCE

In keeping with its mission of delivering a top-quality device, the 9650 comes loaded with BlackBerry OS 5.0, which includes a collection of useful apps including email, a web browser and a calendar.

With the recent updates to the OS, the line between basic BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) features and the consumer-oriented BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) features continues to be blurred, which is a great thing for BIS users. Features that were once available only to corporate users are becoming available to individuals.

There don’t seem to be any major improvements or changes to this specific flavor of the OS compared to the versions on other RIM offerings.

Other Features
The Bold 9650 offers 3G (EV-DO Rev. A) and support for UMTS/HSPA overseas, so it can be used in the U.S. and abroad.

Unlike its predecessor, the Tour 9630, the smartphone offers Wi-Fi.  It also has Bluetooth.

Call quality is good so far, though the speakerphone can be a little choppy at the highest volume settings.

RIM includes its nearly-standard 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash, and the lens is slightly offset from the center on the back of the device.

PRELIMINARY CONCLUSION

The BlackBerry Bold 9650 isn’t groundbreaking. Normally it would be a huge step for the CDMA crowd, envious of the 9700. However given how capable the Tour is, the only real improvements seem to be more connectivity and the trackpad.

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is a 3G, Wi-Fi enabled smartphone offered in the U.S. by T-Mobile and soon AT&T. It has a beautiful HVGA screen, track pad, full QWERTY keyboard, 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus, and expandable microSD memory card slot.

The original Bold 9000 set the bar in terms of delivering a reliable, high performing device that sported the best feature set RIM had to offer. Just a year later, the Bold2 offers an enhanced feature set and an improved design that instantly leaves the original Bold feeling, well, old.

BUILD & DESIGN

The Bold2 may be the best looking BlackBerry yet. The most notable contrast with the first-generation Bold is its overall size. It’s thinner, shorter, and less wide than the Bold. It’s also less wide than the BlackBerry Tour, though not by much.

Its distinguishing features include subdued chrome accents around the bezel, a faux-leather backed battery compartment, black matte convenience keys on the sides, and of course, a track pad where users have become accustomed to seeing the iconic but sometimes finicky BlackBerry Ball.

Also changed in this version is the layout of the camera and flash on the back of the device – they’re now side by side rather than above one another. The Bold2 also has charging contacts on the side of the device that are discussed more below. The most practical change in styling is a redesign of the battery compartment which now feels more secure and in solid.

Screen
The screen is simply amazing. The iPhone’s screen was great, then the Bold took the same resolution and packed it into a smaller, richer screen. The Bold2 has done the same thing, but more so. Graphics are detailed, and smooth and pictures and web pages render sharply.

Of course, the screen itself is smaller than its predecessor, and is on par with a Curve 8900 or Tour so you’ll want to think twice if you’re primarily concerned with browsing. If this is your primary concern you might want to think twice.

The screen is bright enough, but does seem less bright than the Bold… though that device was almost too bright.

Track pad & Keyboard
To fit the smaller form factor the keyboard had to be scaled down, though not at the cost of usability. The keys maintain the rubbery, responsive feeling from the Bold, albeit smaller. If you are used to a BlackBerry Curve or even a Tour, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with this keyboard. If you’re coming from a Bold, you’ll notice only a slight difference, and if you’re coming from a Storm you’ll be thankful (for more reasons than just the keyboard) that you made the switch.

The trackpad is a delight to use, and has almost no learning curve. I liked it on the Curve 8520, and I love it on the Bold2. It’s responsive, accurate, doesn’t stick, is less likely to be damaged. Moreover, it simply looks better than the ball. I did notice that BrickBreaker was a little more difficult with the pad, perhaps its biggest flaw. In the future the pad could be improved if it scrolled when the user rested his/her finger on the edge of the pad.

The 9700 sports two programmable convenience keys — one on each side – as well as volume rockers, and a top mute/lock rocker. I did notice that the volume keys were sometimes slow to respond, or required me to hit them more than once before they responded.

Accessories
Like the Bold, RIM has built in charging contacts into the sides of the Bold2, intending it to be used in a charging cradle. Though useful, it is annoying that due to the different size, the latest model won’t charge in the original one’s cradle.

Like some of its contemporaries, and unlike the Bold, the Bold2 charges using a micro-USB port, so depending on what you’re trading up from, you may have to invest in some new accessories.

PERFORMANCE

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 overall offers solid performance in every area I’ve looked. The hardware and software combination work well together, and I haven’t experienced any major glitches.

Wireless
T-Mobile users will be happy to know that the Bold2 has better wireless access than their current BlackBerry, thanks to the 3G coverage. Though the coverage is increased, it’s still not on par with AT&T or Verizon in my test area.

This issue is somewhat overcome by being able to call over Wi-Fi (T-Mobile only). Wi-Fi calling is not always flawless; if your signal is weak there is noticeable quality degradation. On more than one occasion, my call was dropped when switching from Wi-Fi to cell tower.

Call Quality
Though the coverage isn’t always stellar, the call quality is consistently good. Calls are loud, and the sound is well balanced.

When using the speakerphone at the loudest volume, calls were tinny as compared to the Bold. This was a problem I noticed on the Storm2 as well; hopefully it isn’t indicative of things to come from RIM!

When making calls using the 3G signal on the Bold, the device can get uncomfortably hot. This problem seems to have been addressed in the new offering.

Like is its predecessor, the 9700 offers visual voicemail, another feature that will likely become standard on all ‘Berries in time.

Software
This BlackBerry sports the newest 5.0 operating system, and there are some notable improvements over the previous generation. Menus are easier to navigate and better looking. RIM borrows from the iPhone OS in areas such as time/date selection, which are now offered as a rolling wheel. My favorite feature of the 5.0 is the ability to more easily customize ringing profile settings. There are some features that were previously unoffered as well, such as the ability to set vibration to short, medium, or long sessions.

Another major improvement over previous versions is the ability to wirelessly sync contacts with Google accounts. The option to auto-sync is given after setting up an eligible email account, and it’s a great way to consolidate your address books.

Browsing
The smaller screen size is noticeable when browsing, and not in a good way. If no mobile version is available, pages that load are more zoomed out than the Bold, and from there you have to zoom in to the section you want. This process is manageable, but can easily be frustrating if you plan on doing a lot of browsing.

Additionally there are some media types and some pages that don’t play well with the BlackBerry; again, if browsing is your main concern this probably isn’t the device for you.

Messaging & Productivity
This is a BlackBerry, so of course messaging is quick and reliable, and RIM packs in plenty of options including threaded text messaging, email, and instant messaging options including BlackBerry Messenger, Google Talk, AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo.

The 9700 also offers the DataViz Documents To Go Office Suite that allows you to view and edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, and even send as attachments.

Media & Camera
The Bold2 can play basic media: audio files, movie files, etc. There is a standard headphone jack on the side. Due to the smaller form factor your headphones will not plug completely into the slot — some of the stem will be exposed). It doesn’t affect the audio but it does bother me.

This phone ships with the same ugly headphone/mic combination as other BlackBerrys. This is unfortunate because the headphones that came with the original Bold are far superior in comparison.

This BlackBerry comes with 256 MB of internal memory, and it has an microSD slot. It is bundle with a 2 GB card and is expandable up to 32 GB, giving you plenty of room for MP3s and video. The slot is accessible by removing the battery cover (but not the battery). It was located on the side of the Bold 9000, but given that most users don’t switch cards very often it won’t be a big annoyance.

The camera is vastly improved.  It boasts 3.2 megapixels, auto-focus, flash, and video recording. The downside the camera is that you can only auto-focus by using the right convenience key. I’ve had experiences of these keys failing over time. If that were to happen here the user would be unable to take advantage of this great feature.

Battery Life
The Bold 9700 uses the same huge battery as the Bold, but it seems to last a little longer, I’ve been getting as much as two days, depending on use.

CONCLUSION

In just a little more than a year RIM has proved that it can improve on a design that was already great. If you can afford it, there are very few reasons not to get the BlackBerry Bold 9700.

The browsing experience isn’t on par with some competitors, but that’s not why you buy a BlackBerry. There is a decent number of apps available, but again that’s not RIM’s core competency. The Bold2 has a great track pad, excellent form factor with a very solid feel, an improved OS, and I’ve experienced nearly no glitches. I can’t wait to pick mine up.

Pros:

• Smaller form factor
• Trackpad not a trackball
• Better camera
• 3G and Wi-Fi calling (T-Mobile)

Cons:

• Accessories not backward compatible,
• Poor browsing experience
• Speakerphone quality degrades at high volumes