Almost 3 years ago to date RIM launched their first entry into the all-touch smartphone world with the BlackBerry Storm 9500 series phone. It was set to be RIM’s much needed and anticipated response to Apple’s iPhone and was rumored for a while before finally seeing the light of day (as are all devices conceived in Waterloo). Needless to say it launched, finally, despite being packaged with less than stellar hardware, a buggy OS, and a plethora of functionality issues (their proprietary SurePress touchscreen). Less than 6 months later, RIM threw in the towel on this version and quietly announced their attempt at the Storm series with the Storm 2 9550: a sexier, “better functioning” version of the previous failure - again, it didn’t quite stack-up. Capacitive touchscreens were, and are, what people want, regardless of whatever RIM was trying to do. Alas, RIM threw in the towel on their Storm series of devices and went back to the proverbial drawing board, determined not to lose the touchscreen-only fight with their opponents.

Now fast forward three years. For the first time ever, RIM simultaneously launches 3 new devices: the BlackBerry Bold 9900, Torch 2 9810, and Torch 9860; two of which have physical keyboards attached, one - the Torch 9860 - doesn’t (and also bares a striking resemblance to the 9500 series of devices). But, unlike its supposed predecessor the 9500, it features a Capacitive touchscreen and comes in the HSPA+ variety. RIM has fully marketed it as a Torch despite all the similarities - though all the OG bloggers know it’s simply the Storm 3 - and whether it sells or not is irrelevant, RIM needed to show they could indeed pull-off the all touch phone.

Now on to the nitty-gritty, I only received this phone 5 days ago. While historically it has taken me weeks - even months - to really review and get my thoughts down on paper, this one felt different. Why? I have no idea. I knew almost instantly what I wanted to say and how to say it. So without further ado, read on for my thoughts on the BlackBerry Torch 9860.

First Impressions:

Thin, light, and extremely welcoming. When you first open the box - as with most phones - the excitement is there in full-force, offering a welcome change from the often standard BlackBerry full-QWERTY norm. The screen, the screen, the 3.7-inch screen; this bad boy is not only vibrant, but with a pixel density of 253 ppi, it’s a positive contrast from the dark/gloomy looking Storm series of the past. The size and form factor make this device great for media and web consumption, but that’s really it. People who rely on BlackBerry as their main driver for communication need not even bother; stick to QWERTY - trust me, I’ll delve further later on into why.

Hardware:

To be honest, it seems like this phone is comprised of plastic and screen. Almost like RIM took hints from the Pearl 9100 series of devices when remodeling the Storm; it’s a trip and at first glance barely even looks like a BlackBerry (good observation, Zeis). I felt scared using the phone without a case solely based on the in-hand feel. Despite the lack of keyboard, I am glad that RIM changed the positioning of the micro-USB charging port, moving it up to the center of the phone, making it easier to hold and type while charging. As for the screen? What can I say, RIM did well on it and it does exactly what it’s supposed to: play media and show websites flawlessly - but that’s really it. Being a QWERTY man, I couldn’t quite grasp using the onscreen keyboard; whether on full mode or reduced (Suretype). I tried to even test myself, making both of my phones all-touch, but said test only lasted about 4 days before I threw in the towel and accepted what everyone expected: I need at least one physical keyboard in my life to function properly, preferably of the BlackBerry variety. As for the now standard Talk, BlackBerry button, Trackpad, Back and End buttons: they’re all there, in all there glory; not quite flush with the bottom part of phone so it’s hard to feel them, but also not raised so much that they become intrusive to the overall feel of the phone. Simply put they’re placed perfectly.

Battery Life:

Is it bad if I just say “Meh”? Because that is how I feel about this. BlackBerry’s are generally workhorses in their own right, but when you throw in HSPA+ connectivity, that vibrant screen, and of course, general usage, I barely got a half days usage out of the sucker; this doesn’t forget using WiFi and Bluetooth throughout the day when needed. While I empathize that it’s hard to expect so much from the battery when so many actions are happening at once, it just seems like the battery’s just aren’t enough anymore to handle what they’re being forced to do. The short: a spare battery in your pocket is a must.

BlackBerry 7:

During BlackBerry7Fan Night this past summer, we did a great interview with Annu Dawar , Project Manager for BlackBerry 7 and went into great detail about what to expect, look for and enjoy from the famed new OS. Yes, I was a bit skeptical, but to be honest, this is the OS fan-people should switch to. It’s an improved UI, faster experience, and overall huge overhaul from what you’ve grown to know, love and maybe hate from that BlackBerry you adore so much. Combine that all with the 3.7-inch screen and a Qualcomm Scorpion MSM 8655 processor, and whammo, you’ve a whole new experience, while still enjoying your BBM, email, and, of course BrickBreaker.

Overall:

Case in point: for those of you who aren’t the best communicators, but prefer to consume media-a-plenty and watch endless hours of video, this phone is ALL you. I for one am not one of those people, I like to text/BBM, email excessively, which forces me to place this device squarely into my drawer with my old Storm series devices. Like most touch-only phones it has its market of die-hards who couldn’t envision using a physical keyboard even if you offered to pay them. So if you’re reading this and consider yourself part of that niché, go out and grab this phone, you’ll adore it; however, if you’re like me and need - I mean NEED - QWERTY in your life, save the frustration and pick up a 9360 or 9900 - both will do the job and then some.

Rating:

7.5/10