A cross between a Torch and a Storm, this all-touch Torch ditches the keyboard in exchange for a thinner, lighter body and larger display. Other features are similar to the Torch 9810, including BlackBerry 7 OS, 5-megapixel camera, HD video capture, WiFi, memory card slot, and 3.5mm audio jack.
I have to say I am thoroughly, thoroughly enjoying using the trial BlackBerry Torch that RIM sent me the other week. I wasn’t sure if I’d take to the double-UI (i.e. the touchscreen along with the physical keyboard) but I have to say, I’m finding it something of a revelation.
Initial reactions:
- I like flipping the keyboard up to use — it feels very satisfying
- I like the fact the keyboard is much thinner than on my Bold 9700 — it feels easier to grip
- I rarely use the touchscreen to enter text
- I like using the touchscreen in combination with the keyboard — e.g. I’ve found it quicker to delete messages using the touchscreen ‘X’ rather than using the physical keys
- BlackBerry OS 6.0 is a lot nicer — I like the nice transitions and I like what they’ve done to the browser and the email system (brought it into the 21st Century)
- I love the one-touch access from the home screen to the WiFi/Bluetooth/Operator status — very convenient
- The message summary page (that lists the latest emails, appointments, chat messages, twitter messages and so on) is brilliant, really brilliant
- I really do feel like a connected mobile warrior with the Torch
- The super-app integration is simply brilliant (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) — so much so that I’ve actually been using the native apps more
- It’s hugely satisfying when using a phone … because of it’s size — I always like a phone that at least meets my mouth rather than looking like I’m talking into my hand
I’ll do more on it soon.
(Meanwhile you can pick one up from Vodafone UK today.)
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I had a note in from the team at free navigation service, Waze, to let me know that they’ve launched an early beta version of Waze for BlackBerry. If you haven’t come across Waze before, it’s a simply fantastic community mapping service that quite a lot of people are going nuts over. The service enables you to swiftly identify the best and most usable map routes — like a ‘path well trodden’ for the connected age. This means that, generally speaking, you’ll get phenomenally accurate traffic indicators and really useful navigation knowledge parsed from the wisdom of the crowds.
Users have been flocking to the service which offers free navigation and quite a lot more. Indeed the Waze team have been working on making the service informative and fun to use. Which is why they’re offering an iPad for each of the top two users who much (i.e. drive over) the most BlackBerry road goodies during their daily commutes. (As you drive, you earn ‘goodies’ — a bit like pac man — and you can garner substantial points if you drive a different route thus populating the Waze map with more useful information for everyone else). There’s more information on the Waze blog.
Waze is available for the BlackBerry 8900, 9000, 9630 and 9700 devices (not the Storms, yet). Plus chances are it’ll work on whatever device you’re currently sporting too (e.g. Android, Nokia, iPhone).
Give it a shot, especially if you drive regularly!
Download at: http://m.waze.com.
The 9650 is follow-up to the 9630 (Tour), adding Wi-Fi and switching to an optical pad for navigation. This CDMA messaging phone is otherwise similar to its predecessor, including 3.2-megapixel auto-focus camera with video capture, Rev. A data domestically, GSM and 3G overseas, 3.5mm audio jack, memory card slot, push email, QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth, and GPS navigation.
This update to the Pearl series adds 3G data, combines WiFi and GPS in one model, and steps up to a 3-megapixel camera. It also switches to an optical trackpad and the 9105 offers a traditional 12-key phone keypad. Other features are similar to past Pearls, including 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth, memory card slot, voice dialing and push email.