The build of the Bold 9700 is chock full of plastics, but that was to be expected. On the other hand, I do like the compact form factor of this qwerty bar handset and its many visual and tactile textures. As I hold this in my hands and write this memo while listening to a library of over 1300 songs via headphones, I get the feeling that this exudes a balance of work and play. In comparison to the Nokia E71, the 9700 can at least hold its own in lightweight size if not build quality. I am tempted to be swayed by the larger 9000 model for a better typing experience, but I don't think the potential cons could be worth it. For more internal storage, better battery life, and a new trackpad, it could be more sensible to accept the 9700 and leave the 9000 be.
I do like the high resolution of the screen that gives a polished appearance to graphics, and colors are extremely vivid. Trackpad navigation of the interface is snappy and may prove to be more durable, but I still wonder if I would prefer the 9000's trackball. I really cannot stress how terrific it feels to type on this qwerty keypad! The tactile feedback is perfect and can certainly be addictive for endless rounds of writing for me! The physical layout and feel of the buttons really lends itself to providing a most efficient typing experience for my thumbs...more so than the E71!
I've heard the battery life to be practically legendary on this 9700, and I have no doubt about this. The battery seemed well below 50 when the device was powered on at around midday and finally reached the last bar at around 3AM as I played music and typed this memo.
Google Maps works just fine upon being downloaded from the mobile site, and GPS has no trouble in the open air. I do miss the Navigator feature with turn-by-turn directions spoken aloud, but it's only a matter of time before I return to Android again.
The web browser is lackluster and a step below what is offered on the ESeries with Symbian 3rd edition. Other than that, it gets basic browsing done if one wants to read text on mobile sites.
Multitasking by holding down the menu key is extremely convenient and turns out to be one of the most appreciated features.
There is a word document editor available, but it is not free and I'm not looking to pay at the moment. I've been informed by a friend of a loophole to be able to edit docs on the BlackBerry, and it indeed works. Either way, the basic MemoPad text editor is proving to be sufficient in allowing me to write this article.
Speaking of writing, the spell checker function is a welcomed surprise from this 9700. The highlighting of questionable words is subtle and can be addressed with either a provided listing of suggestions or additional choices in a menu. The convenience of being able to add words to a built-in dictionary is also another favorite function. At this point, I'm not sure if there is word completion available or not, but I will look into it. There are apparently a number of qwerty shortcuts for the BlackBerry line, but I will have to take some time to study and commit them to memory.
I haven't used the camera for video yet, and only have three snapshots taken from a pier in late evening. Like with any mobile camera with a LED flash, end results are a bit grainy. I'm just happy to see the camera have a flash, although I have been told by a Twitter contact that it can tend to wash out pictures.
Call quality isn't bad at all and seems on par with my former Nexus One, but signal reception is a different story now that I'm back with AT&T for a family plan. While being outside in 3G country is good, I am suffering from the same minor dead zones that still plague my home. All for the sake of saving money on household finances.
Sound from the speaker is pretty good in its own right for media playback, and the earpiece is sufficient for voice calls after increasing the volume. There is little distortion in the upper levels with music being played aloud, and I was pleased to have a worthwhile listening experience on the player with my Klipsch in-ear headphones. The volume controls are useless, but thankfully the microphone works for voice calls along with limited play/pause functionality for music.
Speaking of media playback, I am THOROUGHLY surprised by how effortlessly this 9700 plays the same video files from the microSD of my previous Nexus One! Despite the smaller screen, video playback is smooth with vibrant colors that pop onscreen. Video watching will not be a main use for this unit, but it is good to see that it is possible nonetheless.
The interface for media playback is simple and reminds me of the stock Android UI. Album art reproduction of my MP3 and AAC files is flawless, onscreen graphics for controls are intuitive and there's even an equalizer! However, BB is indeed a step below the web integrated services available on the Android player. Overall, this simplicity is refreshing and makes the BB OS experience less intimidating.
Yes, I did mention the word intimidating for the BB OS. Honestly, leaving the Nexus One touch UI to adopt a hardware qwerty again has been daunting so far. There's no more swiping of homescreen panels and tapping of text fields, and this indeed brings about some apprehension in taking on a non-touch interface again. Not knowing all the intricacies of OS5 on this 9700 is indeed uncomfortable, but nonetheless exciting. This is a new opportunity for me to learn the most recent RIM technology on a phone that is compact and relevant to the current mobile market (or the business market if not the consumer one).
As I type on this welcoming qwerty with much assurance from its tactile feedback, I am reminded of what makes a smartphone work for me from a fundamental perspective. At the end of the day, the advancing of features on high-end and mid-range units alike can seem endless and verge on sheer indulgence. As a consumer who still likes his fair share of tech magic from touch screens, graphical interfaces, and cloud computing, this 9700 did appear to be a downgrade...especially from its OS aesthetic being so plain even when compared to Symbian 3rd edition. But after I overlook my initial discomfort and open my mind to this stable simplicity of the Bold, I realize that it is actually a refreshing departure from the touch-dominated age of flashy interfaces, fast processors, and high-definition displays. From rampant confusion that can plague me in searching for the perfect convergence device, this BlackBerry offers what it can and nothing more. There is no need to compete with the likes of the iPhone 4, EVO 4G, Nexus One, and N900, for there will always be a market for business consumers and messaging connoisseurs alike. I believe that providing comfort in a hardware qwerty with a stable software environment to at least execute standard mobile communication tasks is what BlackBerry is meant to do. Any additional features are simply welcomed luxuries that can shed the brand of its corporate 9-to-5 persona and make it more accessible to the general public. With all that said, in a strange way I do feel like a mature adult when using this 9700 in comparison to my former Nexus One. The form factor may not have the heft, metallic elements or weight of competing models, but this helps it all the more in being a daily companion. I like that this unassuming unit can grant me the basics in a most comfortable and refined manner from its superb qwerty and professional design. Provided that Google Sync support continues to help me remain connected to my PIM data in the cloud, the Bold 9700 may certainly be considered a backup keeper to my dream Android device. As long as I keep in the back of my mind that this is not meant to replace touch models, but complement them, I will be just fine.
TRENT
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
