RIM (Research in Motion) officially unveiled 5 BlackBerry handsets earlier this month and one of those giants is the BlackBerry Torch 9810 – more commonly known as the Torch 2. It is the predecessor of the Torch 9800 with roughly the same look and feel, with newer and better hardware packed in.
I must admit, BlackBerries make people go gaga. Almost everywhere I look I see someone using one, including my friends from college. It’s usually because of BBM or BlackBerry messenger – which will make it easier for them to contact me. I was always hesitant to change into it because of the addictive nature of the service – I can see the reason why they call it a Crackberry. They updated their Facebook and Twitter all the time and don’t even go swimming on the beach because they’d rather stay in the cottage to use their BlackBerries. Is it true that you go black, you’ll never go back? Let’s find out.
While the Torch 2 was in my possession, I received a lot of praise about how beautiful the phone looks. Though there were not not a lot of change on the design of the Torch 2 from its earlier incarnation, it still maintains the classic look and design aesthetics of BlackBerry phones.
The phone’s overall dimension is still 111 x 62 x 14.6mm and weights 161g which, by the way, is exactly the same size as the Torch 9800. The back cover has a checkered silver finish to it, making it easier to distinguish the device as the new Torch. There is a black strip that starts from the front to the column of the camera and flash. Below the display is the call button, menu, trackpad, back and power/end call. There are a few ports and buttons on the side; On the left side is the micro-USB port, top is the lock and mute key while on the right is the volume rocker, 3.5mm jack and the convenience key which you can personalize depending on the shortcut you want to assign to it.
One of the improvements made to the BlackBerry Torch is the better display on the 3.2-inch 116M-color TFT touchscreen. It now has a display resolution of 640×480 pixels at 246 DPI (dots per inch) which can do a good job for your applications and video playbacks but the major turnout here is the liquid graphics technology which helps for a higher response touch interface and smoother graphics.
The keyboard is also the same as the old one, but it is actually a good thing because most of the BlackBerry users I know love the QWERTY keys that are easy to press. There is also a virtual keyboard on tap that allows you to type even if the physical keys are hidden.
Also under the hood is a 5-megapixel camera with HD video recording, face detection and image stabilization. The 5-megapixel camera is not too impressive for a phone; I think they could’ve done better with a higher resolution camera. Though there is a flash along with the camera, the pictures suffer in low light and other harsh conditions.
The BlackBerry Torch 9810 now runs on a 1.2GHz processor and is powered by BlackBerry OS7, making it significantly faster than the previous device. Internet will be a breeze with the handset’s 14.4Mbps HSPA+ radio capable of 14.4 Mbps to 2Mbps.
I have been an Android user for more than a year now, so I found it a bit hard to adjust to the Torch 2 when I used it. Compared to Google’s offering, the apps available on the BlackBerry App world pales in comparison when it comes to sheer number, and there’s plenty of apps that I want that are available on Android that’s missing from BlackBerry’s app world. Luckily, some of the apps available for BlackBerry are to die for. One is Wikitude, an augmented reality browser which helps you find shops, maps and other BlackBerry users nearby. I haven’t tried this application on my phone that runs on Android and so far, my BlackBerry review unit is doing a pretty good job handling it.Internet connection for BlackBerry handsets is available on all networks for a very reasonable price. I used my personal Globe SIM for my review unit, and for 599 for 30 days unlimited internet and BBM, it’s a good deal.
BlackBerry definitely raised the bar when it comes to being connected all the time, whether through the internet, e-mail and social networking or staying in touch through BBM with family and friends.
Now I understand why everyone wants to get a BlackBerry – besides being “in-the-circle” and cool, it is practical and reasonable in the age of digital media and technology. The downside? My BlackBerry review unit doesn’t have a whole lot of legs. Most of the time when I’m away from my computer, I use my BlackBerry to check my mail, tweet and update my Facebook – all of which contribute to draining the battery quickly. I found myself charging the 2 every night to be able to be used the next day.
BlackBerry is all this and that and though it’s good thing to go Black just make sure you don’t forget to bring your battery with you.
What’s hot:
Being connected all the time with BBM
Liquid Graphics
Better OS with the BlackBerry 7
Faster processor than previous model
What’s not:
Not-so-awesome battery life
Unimproved design
Bottomline:
If being connected all the time is a main concern, then the BlackBerry Torch 9810 is the perfect companion. It is a better version of the 9800 and will give you better performance along with a swift and smooth navigation all throughout.
Buy Meter:
4/5
Tech Specs
- OS : BlackBerry 7
- CPU : 1.2 GHz
- LCD size : 3.2 inches TFT capacitive touchscreen with liquid graphics
- Dimensions : 111 x 62 x 14.6 mm
- Weight : 161 g
- Band : GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100