BlackBerry Torch 9800 Phone (AT&T)

Pretty good but not in love... August 16, 2010

Reviewer:  7 of 9 "Locutis"  (NJ USA) -

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.

Apples to apples... August 17, 2010

Reviewer:  Roland Muts 

Reading the reviews online, some nothing more than a rehashed press release from RIM, i was excited: finally a good replacement for my 8310 Curve. I ignored the references to the iPhone 4: screen too small, not as crisp, processor speed too low, in short, bound to fail. Instead I started thinking about what I want in a new phone.

I think what people reviewing this phone tend to forget, is that it's more of a business-oriented phone, not so much 'let's download the latest fart app and show it to all my friends'. This phone has got excellent messaging capabilities, proper mailboxes for as many as 10 accounts, 3G speed (when AT&Ts network plays along nicely on the West Coast) and now a proper web browser (same as iPhone).

And, guess what: to me it doesn't fail at all. Why?
* it has got the trusty Blackberry keyboard. Why would you need an on-screen one, when you have the real deal? Tried all kinds of phones, such as the iPhone4, Samsung Galaxy, Tilt2. Still, the Torch had the best feel.
* it has the best messaging; I like the ease of use of setting up new accounts to monitor, and how easy it was to move from my old phone onto the new one. all inboxes into one, or show them on-screen as separate inboxes, one for each account.
* the browser is amazing; not a distinguishing factor between iPhone and Torch, but definitely better than the old RIM browser

About the processor speed:
* how fast does it have to go? You don't need the fastest possible to browse, I hope? Your 3G speed is probably more important than how fast you can get a web page to show up, rather than the processor. I did some tests with streaming YouTube videos, I did not see any lag or stutter, other than when the phone starts buffering. This happened more when in California than at home in Chicago, where I consistently got 5 bars.

What I simply don't care about: social media, social feeds, and all that. You know, you can either delete these icons, or move them into a folder and hide them. If you don't want them, you don't have to see them.

So maybe when people say 'the Torch is failing', they need to be a bit more specific about what for they're using the phone. It's time for reviewers to be more upfront, saying what they were looking for in a new phone.

If this phone needs to be the latest and greatest YouTube video viewer? Might still work. If this needs to be the fastest phone on paper? No, look for other phones instead. If you need a solid messaging phone, for both business and maybe after hours? Definitely look into any Blackberry.

I like mine, don't want to trade it in for anything else.

About the price reduction: where are the terms and conditions? Is this for a totally new subscriber, or also for renewing your plan? Kinda bummed out that this is happening already within 7 days of launch, but I'm sure I'll find a solution.

Amazing phone. No better phone out there for doing phone stuff August 16, 2010

Reviewer:  Cory Crawford "C-Dizzle"  (Seatte, WA) -

I am so sick of arguing with people about iPhones. The name should be changed to iFun because thats really all they are made for. They can barely handle any of the tasks that a "phone" should so why have the word "phone" in the name. With that said, this new Blackberry is a phones phone. No nonsense. Its not gonna win any fashion awards at the 2010 Phony awards. It wont be breakout phone of the year. It probably wont ever outsell droid or iPhone. Your kids and their friends wont be talking about how excited they are to get the new Torch. But when it comes to making and receiving PHONE calls, emailing, texting, surfing the web, updating status's or blogs, viewing documents, there is no better phone out there then this one.

The main thing that I knew I would love is the physical keyboard combined with touchscreen. I really dont think physical keyboards will ever be phased out because they are faster and more accurate than any touchscreen could ever be. And I think RIM is betting on that fact with this phone cause there is not one phone on the market that combines a big screen with a kick a** keyboard. I had a Bold 9000 and upgraded to this phone (via amazon wireless for only 99 bucks!) and besides the speakers not being as loud, this phone is better in every way then an already amazing phone in the Bold 9000. Contrary to what all the reviews around the web are saying, the screen is amazing. Who would want to watch HD movies on their phone anyway? Thats dumb. I have a tv and/or a laptop for that. Not to mention on 3G networks you cant stream any higher resolution than this phone can view anyway.

I really do love the screen and how responsive it is. Its just a smart intuitive screen and combined with the optical touchpad (which makes clicking links or selecting text so easy when you have big fingers like me) theres really nothing you cant do with it. The Universal Search feature is great too and makes you wonder "why havent I always had this as an option". Thats how all my blackberrys have been though. World phone to the Curve to the Bold and now to the Torch and every time I'm thinking why cant all phones be made like this. They make sense. They enhance your life because life is about people and relationships and this one communicates with those relationships better than anything. I hate that Blackberrys arent as cool to own even though Kanye West Obama Justin Timberlake Lady Gaga Jay-Z T.I. etc all own blackberrys. (no A-list celeb needs to feel cooler by having a phone hence why most dont have iPhones.) But thats something I'm more than happy to give up in exchange for reliability and practicality.

If you own a Blackberry right now you will LOVE this phone. If you have ever owned and liked a Blackberry in the past, you will love this phone. If you are thinking about getting a Blackberry, you will love this phone. If you really like the iPhone or new Droid then go get one of those. They are good devices in their own right as well but as for all the aforementioned things, NOTHING will beat a Blackberry. Its just like anything else, cars women music sports its all just personal preference and theres no judgement for choosing whats best for you. But as for me, I prefer a phone that does what phones do.

The Lexus of Smartphones, not flashy or sexy but solid and efficient. August 25, 2010

Reviewer:  JAinLA 

Pros:
* Peerless messaging support
* Exquisite construction
* Vastly improved web browsing and media support
* Physical keyboard
Cons:
* Not as sexy as iPhone or Android
* App support ok but not great
* Sluggish touchscreen response.

I had been eagerly awaiting this phone's release, and then was prepared to be disappointed after reading the less than stellar reviews.
Although I was planning to wait and see if Verizon would finally get the iPhone, my phone recently had a near death experience, which sent me to the AT&T store.

The Torch is my 5th Blackberry over the last 7 years. I've had a Blueberry (7230), two 8700's and a Curve 8300. Nearly all of my friends and family have the iPhone so I've used them a lot. It's a fantastic device but I've felt that for how I use my phone (messaging and phone calls) the Blackberry is more efficient and easier to use. After an hour in the AT&T store trying pretty much every phone they had I went on Amazon and ordered the Torch the next day.

The construction is gorgeous. The combination of the soft touch rubber back, chrome finish front and glass screen makes it feel like it should come in a box that says Bulgari rather than Blackberry. The slider action is rock solid and the general weighting makes it very satisfying to hold in the hand; unlike the iPhone4 which feels like a piece of high grade medical equipment. It feels expensive, unlike the more lightweight (and slightly plasticy) 8700 and 8300. Its heft and solidity recall the 7230 and the Motorola Razr as far as build quality.

After loading a typical selection of apps onto it performance feels fine; except for the touch screen. I think many complaints about sluggish performance may be people using the touch screen; it feels slower to respond to taps and less decisive when you swipe than the iPhone or Android screens I've used. Using the touchpad, the phone feels zippy. Hopefully RIM will address this with a software update; and I expect I just need to get used to it. But occasionally missed presses or swipes aside it seems far faster than the 8300 or the 8700 (or the Storm) ever were. I'm sure if you have a gazillion apps open it slows down, but now thanks to iOS4 so does the iPhone.

There has been much moaning and groaning about the `low' resolution screen. While the screen on the Torch is no Retina Display I put it side by side with my iPod Touch and was hard pressed to tell the difference. Text and graphics look good; although at times it seems the OS doesn't take full advantage of the color depth of the display. For those of us who do not aim jeweler's loupes at our phones it's a perfectly nice screen.

I'm not a fan of touchscreen keyboards; and many people I know who have switched miss the physical keyboard. The Torch keyboard is similar in design to recent Curves and the Bolds, but smaller, flatter, and set deep in the device (thanks to the slider) so it takes a little getting used to; but after an hour spent typing emails on the Motorola Backflip, Palm and Samsung phones I think it's still the best slider keyboard out there. The onscreen keyboard (especially in Suretype mode) is usable for quick replies.

Messaging support is, as to be expected, peerless. The unified inbox and notifications rock; it's nice to be able to see everything in one place and not have to go digging around in separate apps for different kinds of messages and the latest calls and appointments. You can Compose Emails, SMS, MMS, and IMs from the inbox, and if you enable social feeds Twitter, Facebook and MySpace as well. If you use BIS to connect to your Gmail or Google Apps accounts contacts and calendar syncing are now supported(removing the need for Google Sync); and the excellent Exchange support remains for Enterprise users who need that functionality.

App support is spotty; if your idea of smartphone nirvana is having pages and pages of apps, get thee to an iPhone (or Android device). But the basic OS is very richly featured; and I'm always surprised at the number of apps that are available. I sometimes see people downloading Android apps to get basic functionality; it's all seems built in here. The App world however, could be better. It's no ITunes App Store but hopefully that will improve and the apps themselves seem to be getting better and better.

Media support is much improved; I was able to sync 3gb of music from my iTunes Library onto the Torch with nary a hiccup; and albums, playlists and cover art were all recognized. The media player isn't quite as slick as the iPhone but it's pleasant to use now; as opposed to the previous version which felt like Windows Media Player circa 1995.

The Webkit browser is 10,000 times better than the old Blackberry browser; if you use the mobile web at all on a current Blackberry the improvement alone is worth the upgrade. HTML Email is also rendered wonderfully. Thank you RIM for hearing our cries.

The voice dialing seems improved over the Curve; especially in my car. I haven't had to repeat myself once and there is a training program to make it even more accurate. Also it's nice to be able to get to the phone app with a single touch of a physical button from anywhere.

I've used the Curve on the AT&T network in LA and NY for three years; and while it's not perfect it seems that Blackberries perform vastly better than iPhones on the same network. I've had many friends on iPhones in NY and San Francisco get no signal while the Curve worked; so far the Torch seems to perform similarly. Who knows maybe the iPhone will take down Verizon's network if they ever get it.

I've always said, if you use your phone for media and apps, get an iPhone. If you use it for phone calls and messaging, get a Blackberry. I think that's still true; but the gap is narrowing a bit. The Torch and the new OS 6 bring vastly improved web browsing, social networking and media support to the table. It's not the new hot kid on the block (Android), or a BMW-like app machine (iPhone) but it's very good at many things.

This phone is a good value at $199 for a two year contract; but if bought online at a significant discount it's an absolute steal. You can buy the Torch, a nice case and a 32gb SD card and still spend less than the Iphone 32gb. I can see people wanting the Bold for the better battery life and slightly larger keyboard or the Curve for the smaller size, but almost anybody else who uses their phone as a tool to get stuff done would be hard pressed to find a nicer phone than the Blackberry Torch.

Good job, RIM! August 15, 2010

Reviewer:  J. Ehrlich "music addict"  (Santa Monica, CA) -

So far so good! I've owned it for a couple of days and am amazed at all of the capabilities it's got. My firm has an Enterprise server, and the integration is really cool. The Universal Search function integrates with Enterprise, and that's extremely helpful. Social networking has been totally built into the phone, so if you like Facebook/Twitter/MySpace/etc., it's all there. With the new browser, the Internet and maps are about 1000 times better. Phone calls are loud and clear -- for the first time, my sister didn't bitch at me about sound quality when I was talking to her from my living room!

My biggest issue with the Bold was the 1/2 screen -- I wanted a full screen, and boy did I get it. The screen is huge and everything is serious big and readable.

So far it's been really smooth, and the things I had issues with (screen not dimming, touch screen TOO sensitive), I was able to adjust to my liking in Options. You can really personalize this phone. I have no issue with the keyboard -- it's not as bouncy as the 9700, but it's basically the same size and easy to use. Having a keyboard is a dealbreaker for me, so I was excited about this phone coming out.

I appreciate that RIM cut down on the "goodies" (the leather case, the good earphones) to keep the cost down, but I missed them anyway -- they're part of what makes owning a BlackBerry a cut above. And my main critique of the phone would be its heft -- it feels HUGE. I keep comparing it to the 9700. Appearance-wise, they're almost the same, but the Torch feels like a brick in comparison. I still love it, though.