A comment heard in RIM: the Blackberry Torch 9800 Reviews “has the same template as the 9700 Bold.” He like it and keep a physical keyboard, the preferred interface for BlackBerry users. But RIM has added to its new smartphone (capacitive) touch screen, another interface to success now has the majority of smartphones.
There could be BlackBerry Torch 9800 price and specifications as a cross between the Bold and the Storm. Nokia and HTC are not in their first smartphone with dual entry interface, but it is the first time for RIM with this Torch.
To open it, or drag the screen to the top and discover the physical keyboard, it must be the helping hand, or rather the coup de pouce. There is no stop or small roughness for stalling the finger and facilitate the thrust. Does using that hand, simple handling is begin to move the two plateaus of the apparatus by introducing his nail in the interstitium. A habit rather quickly found. But the habitués of the Bold keyboard may find that a little less comfortable Torch: indeed, this one, because of its design, is “caught” by the upper and lower edges.
BlackBerry Torch 9800 Themes is facilitated by 626 Mhz processor supported by 512 MB of RAM, a rather light configuration compared to monsters of power such as the Samsung Galaxy S or HTC Desire (see our benchmark), but sufficient to run without too many slowdowns BlackBerry OS 6.
For data storage, is a 4 GB internal memory expandable via microSD (up to 32 GB card) slot. To change the Blackberry Torch, kiosk applications App World version 2.0 download is pre installed.
Easy customization
The graphical interface of the BlackBerry Torch 9800 apps is very pleasant. The home screen icons are clean, everything is clear. Well ordered. It passes laterally a screen to the other by slight movements of the finger on the screen or the small touch pad placed under it.
One could say that it is the same on iOS (Apple) and Android. But in fact, RIM bias is different. It divides the different functions of the phone through screens according to another logic. There is indeed a screen all (which includes all functions), a common screen, a download screen (which indicates the applications downloaded from the App World store), a multimedia display (for viewing videos, photos)(,…) and Favorites screen. Specifically, the screen is a Fund of screen on which arises a “branch”, which concerns the applications. This pane opens, slider and attaches to the desired height. After closure (via the command “Close window” menu), it can be reopened at the same height.
This has the air of nothing but it is another way to customize her phone.
These applications, the screen, can be manipulated in different ways. Long pressure on one of them reveals a shortcut menu chart. It contains eight small icons to run these commands: Mark as favorite, move, move to a folder, hide, delete,… To move the application concerned for example, it is sufficient just to touch the desired on the screen location. Easily. Of course there is way to go through the text menu, but this graphical approach is really successful.
Like the last iPhone OS users, those of the Torch can consolidate their applications in folders. Folders that they create, shall appoint as desired. And change (displacement, sous-brillance,…) also at will. Note also: navigating quickly through records by using the touchpad. Is reactive and does step regret all the small ball (and even less the scroll wheel) of the old BlackBerry.
Managed email
And management of e-mails, is still the privileged area of the BlackBerry? Even if the iPhone and smartphones under Android made considerable progress in the management of the mails (such as the ability to associate them with an enterprise messaging server), it remains margin to RIM which provides multiple commands to process a message. We were surprised by a particular feature.
A few details first. To test the management of e-mail of a smartphone, we usually indicate, in addition to the user name (e-mail address) and password, the e-mail settings (the famous addresses of servers receiving and shipping, pop or imap, and smtp). This operation is generally useless with known email such as Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail addresses…: smartphones systems find their servers settings. However, we have made the test with messaging accounts related to domain names purchased. So to speak, it is not obvious, a priori, to find the mail server associated with a purchased domain name.
Well, with the Torch, it is the first time that, in our tests, a smartphone found alone (pop or imap and smtp) settings of an e-mail account using a domain name purchased, and this in not having given that the user name and password. Not bad. Because it saves time and avoids errors. But we still wonder how it is “unraveled” the BlackBerry system. What is he had registered in a database of settings same email accounts in previous tests on other BlackBerry phones? Or has it or consults another database (of type Who is) to know what hosting is associated with a domain name? We will respond to this answer as soon as possible.
Another test with emails: we compared the quality of display of an attachment, namely a pdf document, between the Torch and the iPhone. Interesting result. You know surely the BlackBerry technology is based in part on the compression data and on the use of servers hosting and duplicating data. Document received, once loaded into the two devices Torch and iPhone 4, takes longer time to appear on the first than the second, especially after having zoomed with the fingers on the screen. In addition, on BlackBerry Torch, compression is really visible, the definition of characters far less good than on the iPhone 4. But the latter does not show everything! In our case, he cornered, among other things, on a normally positioned along the document left logo. Although this logo on the Torch hand.
For the Web, the best remains the same
By using the Web pages with the BlackBerry, we enjoyed a greater fluidity of display. But even a finger zoom effect fois(mais_cela_doit_commencer_à_vous_lasser,_non?) is more fluid with the iPhone 4: indeed the magnification of the page follows more quickly and almost without delay the movement of the finger. Without a doubt. We have seen, the new version of the system, BlackBerry 6, not yet accepted (such as the iPhone 4) Flash animation technology.
However, he is able to ensure a Web navigation by Windows. A number of Windows high indeed. As far as memory permits, was we the understanding. We stopped to count 13 Windows. In any event, it is good enough in most cases.
More music lover as cameraman
The quality of the photos (at 5 megapixels, level become reference for several competing smartphones), if it is satisfactory, does not equal that of the iPhone 4. However we appreciated the ergonomics and the AFN mode interface. The zoom is done with the same volume control buttons. Choose scenes modes are explained clearly to the novice: for example the day mode described as “ideal to capture people in dark environments inside” or even the Whiteboard mode, “ideal for capturing text on a table white or on white paper; enhances detail and sharpness of the text on white Fund. “All of this works easily, without the possibility to make the basic settings such as ISO sensitivity (like the iPhone).
The video recorded by the Blackberry Torch 9800 smartphone, although quality honest, is back with some competitors (iPhone 4 and of course Nokia N8). And Moreover, it did not reach the HD resolution. However the screen “3.2 480 x 360 pixels provides a beautiful view.
We enjoyed the Walkman function. Audio rendition is dynamic. The interface is a model. When a piece is played, the name of the artist as well as the title of the album are clickable. And they refer directly to the other content of the same artist or album. Very functional. Damage still, jack (unlike competing smartphones) is misplaced: on the right slice. In the Pocket, this would require the use of an elbow connector.
More Messenger that guide
Put forward in its advertising, BlackBerry Messenger is a chat service dedicated to users of smartphones of the mark. Easy to use, simply send an invitation email to contact (or introduce identifiers defined by BlackBerry). Then any new message is indicated in the flow of its social networks. As on Skype, during the conversation, it is notified when the same is in writing of his message.
There is however a service BlackBerry could greatly improve: his GPS. It is merely to locate (rapidly further when it is outside) and display its route. But what about the GPS navigation. Google Navigation or Ovi maps, it is light…
And, in our view, the boutique of applications that propose RIM, namely its App World is perfectible. For the amount of applications available for the proposed prices (often expensive) or research. For example, we did not find application Flickr (a network of photo sharing community leaders), whose various versions are available for iPhone and Android smartphones. We have made a search with the word travel and have received as results that only eleven applications, including much are (Brussels, Berlin…) travel guides to €6.49. Other research with the word in English gave a better result, but always without convincing. The App World is small.
Autonomy, it is more. Better than many competitors. After more than a week of testing, we found that BlackBerry Torch can easily take a day. We appreciated globally operate this Torch. Curiously, very satisfied with the interface graphics and touch of the telephone, we often chose through the touch keyboard when it took to write. RIM has been good work in this direction. It is clear. However he left, as competitors, improve Web navigation. In this field, so far, with the exception perhaps of the HTC Desire, is the iPhone that takes the torch!
More : General management and easy addition of e-mail accounts. Touch and graphic interface. Web navigation by (many of) Windows. The presence of the physical keyboard in addition to the touch screen. Effectiveness of the virtual keyboard and predictive writing. Effectiveness of the touchpad. BlackBerry Messenger. Universal search. Ergonomics and interface of the AFN. Modem function.
Less : Quality display attachments in pdf. Lack of support of Flash animation technology. Shop App World just provided and often expensive. Absence of GPS navigation. Voice dialing is not effective. The position of taking jack. Resolution non-HD videos recorded.
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