BlackBerry 9800 Torch Phone (AT&T) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just purchased the Torch to replace my heavily abused Bold 9000 (still one of the best blackberry devices ever created). I also have a Curve 2 (Verizon) for work. I have been using Blackberry devices for over 4 years now and upgrade regularly when new devices become available. First the good:
The web browser has been improved by leaps and bounds. It was without a doubt Blackberry's weakest feature and although it isn't as good as say the iphone's or andoid's browser...it is still darn good. My friends with Blackberry Bolds and Curves can't help but drool with envy every time I pinch to zoom and scroll my web pages...all with a nice refresh rate.
The multitouch screen is a great addition. Again..not as pretty or nearly intuitive as the iphone's or the droid's...but a great feature to add to a blackberry. It's fairly responsive and not like that garbage that RIM/Verizon released in the Storm. Actually sometimes it's too responsive. Regardless, it's nice having the extra screen real estate to work with.
Media management - it's great to not have to wait 2 weeks for a half dozen of your photo thumbnails to pop up. Enough said!
Solid Design - it feels like a tank (unfortunately weighs as much too). I dropped the phone from about 4 feet (it was actually flung out of my hand by my very inebriated friend) and it survived without a scratch or a hiccup. This fall was incurred with no case or protection on the phone mind you. The screen was still in sms mode where it was right before it was ejected from my hands. The slider feels very solid as well. I hope it stays that way.
SMS Messaging now uses the same bubble format as BB messenger. This is a very welcome change. It's nice not having to scroll three pages to make sense of what somebody was responding to. In addition you can actually preview attachments such as photos in SMS mode. The same applies for emails. No having to download an attachment to see a preview.
The camera is a great improvement as well. It takes some nice pictures and the flash is actually semi-usable. To be honest I think this LED is the brightest flash I've seen on a phone. Now I just need to find a flashlight app.
A keyboard! I know it's small and a slider but it's so nice to be able to type with one hand and not have to rely on a touch screen QWERTY all the time. The phone feels very natural in your hand even with the slider open. The on screen keyboard is acceptable in horizontal mode and no more difficult to use than the iphone's or android's but it's very tough to type in vertical mode since it's ridiculously narrow. You are still able to easily get out simple sentences without having to slide the phone open though. The darn auto correct is handy but sure makes a mess of sentences at times.
There are a slew of other improvements but these were the ones I thought made the most of an impression.
The Bad:
The Torch is snappy but it's disappointing Blackberry didn't bump up its processor. If I'm not mistaken it still uses the same proc that's in my Bold 9000. Don't get me wrong...the phone feels quicker than most Blackberry devices but why not join the 1ghz party like the rest of the big boys?
Apps - if you're looking for apps this is the wrong phone. The app store is mediocre at best. Plus why do I have to pay 2-5 times as much for an app on my blackberry than what I paid to get it on my iphone? Hopefully the apps will improve with time.
Learning curve - the phone has a little bit of a learning curve and OS Six feels...well not complete. I wonder some time how engineers and testers miss the easy stuff. For example...to move an icon you can actually press and hold it to select options (a la iphone)...but you need to use the trackball to move it instead of just moving it on the screen with your finger. That to me feels half-@ssed. I actually ran into that issue with another item on the phone but it escapes me. Maybe I'm just being picky. Also selecting missed calls bring up a menu when you use the command button. Up pops up delete - email - text - view contact - forward - add notes - switch application - help and full menu. Unfortunately 'call back' was not one of the options. It confused me for a little while but all you have to do is to press the green call button to call back. (Thank you for all the input from my fellow Amazon reviewers!)
The menu options are vast and sometimes require several strokes to get to what you want to do. I like having a million options believe me...just not at the "touch screen" level. Also the application icon menu is nice but very busy and difficult to navigate at times. I will probably get used to it...but they could have made it a bit more intuitive.
In addition, I've noticed that some program options don't work. For example, when I try and change my contacts to sort by last name it reverts back to first name. I've noticed the same with the option to view my calendar by month instead of day. I change it but it reverts back to default. I don't know whether or not it's just my phone or all the 9800's but hopefully the issue will be corrected with the next OS update.
I have also discovered a slight glitch which may be isolated to my phone. Highlighting and selecting a text message sometimes brings you to the wrong text conversation. It takes a try or two to get it right. Be very careful or you may suffer from sent-the-wrong-message-to-the-wrong-person-insert-foot-in-mouth syndrome! (Update: Corrects with soft reset ALT-Right SHIFT-DEL)
Overall...it's a really good phone - i just don't LOVE it. Yet. Good call quality. You tube videos don't stutter like they used to. I have a web browser I can actually USE. Touch screen. So I'm a little disappointed the menu is not more like my iphone. Then again I'm a Blackbery kind of guy. And that's why my iphone is next to my night stand for a late night bejeweled session and not in my pocket.
Anyway...sorry for the long winded review but I just wanted to give everybody an honest idea of what the phone is like. I rely on Amazon a great deal for reviews and I hope this helps you.
UPDATE: The latest software update/build has corrected most if not all the quirks and glitches mentioned above. If your phone doesn't have the latest software you should update it immediately. The new build not only corrects many issues but it also makes the phone somewhat smoother/faster. The slider spring eventually gave out. Even though it's tougher to open and close now I can't believe the phone has actually survived some of the drops it has endured. Still wish it had a faster processor. I have discovered that the mute button is poorly placed on the touch screen since it activates almost every time I answer the phone and bring it to my face. Regardless, the phone has spoiled me...I can barely stand using my Curve at work.

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The first BlackBerry smartphone to feature the highly anticipated BlackBerry 6 OS, the BlackBerry Torch offers a unique design that features a hi-resolution touchscreen display, slide-down full QWERTY keyboard, and optical trackpad. Packed with business tools as well as socially connected apps, the Torch also provides a desktop-like browsing experience via its 3.2-inch touchscreen, which enables you to navigate quickly through full-page views, multitask with tabbed browsing, and see the details with Pinch to Zoom.

The intuitive new BlackBerry 6 OS includes a rich graphical interface and new touch menus for quick access to your next action or needed application (learn more below). It includes a set of pre-loaded apps to get you started, including Bloomberg, ESPN, The Weather Channel, and Slacker Radio content in addition to Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and more. It also includes Universal Search, group messaging for collaboration, and AT&T's Web Video Search--a unique new app that searches video content from over 70 major Internet video Web sites.

Enabled for use on AT&T's lightning quick HSPDA 3G network, you'll be able to easily access the Internet as well as quickly download video, music, and more. Additionally, with AT&T's 3G network, you can make a call while simultaneously receiving picture/text messages and email, or viewing Web pages. This GPS-enabled phone can access the AT&T Navigator service for turn-by-turn directions. See more details on optional AT&T services below.

And with its built-in Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11 b/g/n), you'll be able to access home and business networks, as well as enjoy seamless connectivity at over 20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots, for no additional cost (with qualifying AT&T smartphone plan).

In addition to its advanced messaging capabilities and access to business and productivity applications, the BlackBerry Torch also includes a 5-megapixel camera/camcorder with continuous auto focus and image stabilization. It comes with 4 GB of internal storage plus an included 4 GB microSD memory card for 8 GB of storage right out of the box. Other features include Bluetooth for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, media sync capabilities with iTunes and Windows Media Player desktop software, and up to 5.8 hours of talk time.



Key Features
Tri-band 3G connectivity via AT&T's HSDPA/UMTS network (850/1900/2100 MHz bands; 3.6/7.2 Mbps speeds with network availability) and quad-band EDGE support for the option of voice service in more than 220 countries; data service in more than 195 countries and 3G connectivity in more than 125 countries--including Japan and South Korea.
Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go. Connect for free using one of over 20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide (requires qualifying AT&T smartphone plan).
GPS navigation capabilities via AT&T Navigator service include audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates, and re-routing options.
3.2-inch touch-enabled display with 360 x 480-pixel resolution, 65K color depth, light sensor, proximity detection, and accelerometer
35-key full QWERTY backlit slide-out keyboard designed to feel optimally balanced when open for typing.
Optical trackpad makes navigation fast and smooth
BlackBerry 6 OS retains the familiar BlackBerry features while adding fresh, powerful new tools to your mobile communications arsenal.
Support for BlackBerry App World featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones. Categories include travel, productivity, entertainment, games, social networking and sharing, news and weather, and more.
Powerful 624 Mhz processor
5-megapixel camera with flash, continuous auto focus, image stabilization, scene modes, geo-tagging, and zoom
Video capture capabilities at up to 640 x 480-pixel resolution
Multi-format digital media player compatible with Windows Media DRM 10 for music and video plus MP3, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, FLAC, MPEG4, and H.264.
Wi-Fi Music Sync allows you to view your entire iTunes or Windows Media Player music libraries, create and edit playlists, and select music for download. When connected to the home Wi-Fi network (or via USB), the changes are synced with iTunes or Windows Media Player and the songs are automatically downloaded to the smartphone.
Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.1) includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and the A2DP Bluetooth profile--enabling you to wirelessly stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones or speaker dock.
4 GB internal storage
Memory expansion via microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 32 GB.
Integrated access to the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace
Text and multimedia messaging includes group messaging with "reply all" functionality for up to 10 contacts plus new Locations feature.
Rich WebKit-based browser renders HTML web pages (as well as HTML email) quickly and features tabs for accessing multiple sites simultaneously. You can also double-tap to zoom, intelligently wrapping text in a column while maintaining the placement of key elements.
Voice activated dialing
3.5mm stereo headset jack

Vital Statistics

The BlackBerry Torch weighs 5.68 ounces and measures 4.37 x 2.44 x 0.57 inches when closed (5.8 x 2.44 x 0.57 inches when open). Its 1300 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5.8 hours of talk time, and up to 432 hours (18 days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as AT&T's dual-band 3G network (850/1900 MHz; HSDPA/UMTS) plus 2100 MHz overseas 3G networks.

What's in the Box

BlackBerry Torch handset, rechargeable battery, charger, 4 GB microSD memory card, wired stereo hands-free headset, USB cable, polishing cloth, quick start guide, BlackBerry User Tools CD-ROM

BlackBerry 6 OS
The BlackBerry 6 OS features a redesigned interface that seamlessly works with both touchscreen and trackpad, includes expanded messaging capabilities with intuitive features to simplify the management of social networking and RSS feeds (Social Feeds), and provides integrated access to the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and a variety of instant messaging applications. And its enhanced multimedia experience includes a dedicated YouTube app and Podcasts app.

Advanced Messaging
Messaging has always been a core element of the BlackBerry smartphone experience. With BlackBerry's push email technology, your email will find you without having to initiate a connection. And with the new Text Messages application on the BlackBerry Torch, with support for AT&T's next-generation messaging experience, you'll enjoy group messaging with "reply all" functionality for up to 10 contacts and AT&T's Locations feature.

Locations lets you easily search for points of interest, businesses, and even the your own location, and insert this information directly into a message--all without leaving the messaging application. Using group messaging and locations together, you can arrange to meet a group of friends easily by sending one message to all of them, discussing together where to meet and then sending a map in one threaded conversation.

Rich PC-like Web Browsing
Enjoy a full-fidelity, desktop-like browsing experience with the revamped BlackBerry Web browser, which includes intuitive motions like pinching and zooming, and tabs that let you swap between multiple Web pages.

Universal Search
Looking for something? The new universal search feature scans your folders, apps, Internet, email, music, videos, and more all in one search and doesn't stop until it finds what you're looking for.

Multitasking Made Easy
Multitasking is just another one of those things BlackBerry has been doing right from the beginning. Now Research In Motion (RIM) has gone a step above with multi-connectivity, meaning your apps stay connected whether you're using them or not. Regardless of what you're doing, emails, messages, updates, and notifications keep coming through.

All Media, All The Time
With BlackBerry 6, the multimedia experience has been completely overhauled, enabling you to carry, watch and share your videos, pictures, files, and more. With Remote Media Sync you can now access your home music library right from your BlackBerry smartphone. Scrolling through your music is as easy as swiping through album art, and you can watch and subscribe to podcasts that are pushed to you as soon as they become available.

Corporate Connections
For corporate users, this BlackBerry device delivers all the enterprise email and messaging capabilities you've come to expect. It's supported on the BlackBerry Internet Service, giving you access to up to 10 work or personal email accounts (including most popular ISP email accounts), as well as BlackBerry Enterprise Server, enabling advanced security and IT administration within IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange, and Novell GroupWise environments.

AT&T Services

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