Overview BlackBerry Torch 9800: the opinion of an experienced businessman

Let's say that you spend a lot of time on the road and at the same time would like to stay in touch and have constant access to your business information, and instant messaging applications. In this sense, the most practical in terms of confidentiality and the use of simple new smartphone seems BlackBerry Torch 9800. It is already known worldwide slider with a touchscreen, operating system BlackBerry OS 6 and a QWERTY-keyboard, which replaced the technology SurePress. In this review, we consider the new Torch from the viewpoint of an experienced business user. I share the views of other people, not just personal first impression, also I will try to explain in more detail how Torch handles applications for instant messaging, with the implementation of telephone calls and other important applications. Let's get started ...

First impression

I am very confident. Often my excessive trust fails me. Nice to see more and more users who choose BlackBerry for quick e-mail, instant messaging, and with excellent quality phone calls, but, alas, this is not true of this smartphone.

Well, put aside personal preferences. Weight and size are identical Torch smartphone smartphone Storm 2. Storm Series is not my preference, despite the fact that it is still BlackBerry. And, you know, if one day you make your choice about the device brand you forever remain a supporter of the given brand. A few days away only to have to get used to working in Torch, but after making great efforts for this, gradually begin to realize that things are not so bad. Let's take a closer look with your smartphone.

The hardware part

Keyboard (physical) — keyboard seems at first glance a bit cramped and sunken, as if forced back into the body, compared to the keyboard series Bold or Curve. Immediately evident that it is located in a lower plane than the touchscreen. It takes a lot of effort to stretch the tendons and adapt the fingers to achieve optimal printing speed. In addition, the required doubly greater agility to print using Torch keyboard when connected to a smartphone USB cable (see photo below).

Trackpad - The trackpad is ideal for the implementation of the various operations that require precision, such as copy and paste, as well as the text of the control when editing. The lack of support mechanism (trepada) on the touchscreen to other smartphones is one of the reasons why I prefer not to use them. I can not control things on a professional level, if I'm constantly messing with the characters in the highlighted box on the screen.

Keyboard (on-screen) — This style keyboard SureType FTW. If you want to use the onscreen keyboard in "portrait" mode format, elongated vertically, be prepared to feel some discomfort at work. In this case, I think you need to switch to keyboard mode SureType. To access this option, go to Options> Typing and Input> Keyboard> and change the vertical type keyboard (Portrait Keyboard Type) with a full (Full) on the reduced size (Reduced). Using the onscreen keyboard is, above all, a good alternative during various meetings and group meetings, when there should be as little extraneous sound different, and, accordingly, no keyboard Clicking.

The slider mechanism is full enough quality and seems sturdy. You actually get two styles BlackBerry in one! In the sense that I talk about smartphone as Torch Storm model with a "surprise» — slide-out keyboard. The reverse side of this form factor that will require quite some time to get used to it, as I discovered for myself that often inadvertently click on the screen.

The accelerometer (rotating the screen sensor) — not recommend even trying to use Torch while driving, or lying down. The accelerometer is sensitive to the positioning, especially when compared to Storm model. Nevertheless, the presence of this level of sensitivity will not hurt your smartphone, and it is a pity that while there is the wonderful 3D games that have supported them. As noted in other reviews, when the slider is opened by extension keyboard, the display is set to "portrait" mode format, vertically stretched.

Software

BB6 (BlackBerry OS 6) — It is unfortunate that in the smart phone to have to use the default display style. Who really needs another page style that still implies folder Media-data or load? The ability to create icons for a particular contact, group of contacts in applications for instant messaging or any other application on the screen "Favorites» (Favorites) can be useful, but the automatic creation of icons for applications Frequently Used ( «often used") - hardly. In this case, it is wise to bring all the icons in the order and put those on the desktop icon, which you really always need.

Maybe it's all about design, but I find the new operating system version 6 is really quite slow and malfunctioning, especially when working with a touchscreen. Sometimes it was enough for me to work with a speed dial hotkeys, another time I needed to use the touchscreen. And, it should be noted, it was not the best experience. "RIM" Companies should fix it, though, is this bug system is present only in the smartphone Torch.

— telephone calls using a slider mechanism can be operated by phone calls, at the opening of sliders - to answer calls, and vice versa, at the close - end calls. It was perfectly thought out, but for more than 10 years ago. As seen in the screenshot of the screen, shown below, the software of the new smartphone design BB6 (BlackBerry OS 6) is very similar in appearance to the design software into Storm models, one touch of a finger, you can access the numeric keypad dialing (Dialpad), notes, homepage, calendar and contacts during a call. Unfortunately, the lack of different smartphone speakerphone volume. It is necessary to set the volume to maximum, even when using hendseta (handset) — handset. If you are going to carry out business calls in the conference room, you will feel these inconveniences.

Instant messaging — Scrolling messages simple movement of the finger is carried out in the smartphone comfortable enough. However, I was not able to carry out the necessary copying and pasting when reading emails.

You must first send a message, then copy the selected text of the sent email. This is not very pleasant process, given that this is a full-fledged smartphone. Note that this is another serious bug that requires removal.

Corporate use

In a dynamic business environment, professionals should be able to make quick decisions in any place. In this sense, nothing can be better than the "RIM" of smartphones, with which you can get unlimited access to the necessary information. With constantly switched on and connected to the Internet with your smartphone BlackBerry Torch you do not spend time in vain. However, what was said above, is primarily related to the fulfillment of business objectives.

Did you know that if you are on a corporate server BlackBerry (BlackBerry Enterprise Server — BES), you can potentially have access to a private network of your company? You can move within the network, even to view the names in the address book server as if you were sitting at your desk in the office ... more 4 GB of internal memory - this is a serious bonus, especially if you want to edit documents on your device. I tested this using software DataViz Documents To Go, to remotely upload and view files stored on the internal intranet site. 3.2-inch touchscreen support really serious real volume. This fact enabled smartphone Torch, having a large touchscreen, trackpad and a QWERTY full keyboard, to shine in all its glory.

Opinions worldwide

Let's face it. Today, business people invited to a very rich and varied range of smart phones of different brands, however, I still advise choosing BlackBerry smart phones and not without reason.

• messaging speed — especially when your business depends on the Internet and e-mail address for a particular order.
• Calendar and Contacts — interaction with the staff or the staff, using the corporate network from BES "RIM" companies or free BES Express system.
• Additional applications are required — now iPhone and Android smart phones offer a much larger number of applications, but BlackBerry device - is, above all, an instant connection to your network.

Torch smartphone does not change the traditions BlackBerry; it actually may also offer more, but why? In terms of technical support does not matter how much you like your Torch, and I do not think that having many unwanted programs and applications, it will be considered more productive. And if the client needs help with Torch, I feel annoyed. For this reason, I have the impression that the smaller the additional features provided to the user, the better. After listening to the latest podcasts from BlackBerry (№ 057) it seemed to me that my experience with customers is in line with exactly what BlackBerry team wanted to convey to the user in relation to Torch smartphone. Regardless of whether you like Torch or not, based solely on personal preferences and expectations of certain users. The device is considered always from the perspective of the efficiency of the operating system in accordance with its practical use. The device, which seems too bulky or heavy for one person may be the perfect fit for another. And the way users access to e-mail in plain text and instant messaging, too often completely different from different users.

Personally, I would like to know how the operating system BB6 implemented in other models BlackBerry. And I support those enthusiasts who are still looking for the size of the device as the 9000 plus with touch screen. If you believe the rumors, the smartphone 9900-Pluto-Magnum is one of the most remarkable BlackBerry models. Or the new OS in the smartphone VV6 Bold 9700 — also quite impressive, and even without a touchscreen. This combination of the concepts of "operating system / device practicality" in terms of the use of the smartphone business gets its special professional value.

Summary of BlackBerry Torch 9800

I enjoyed Torch smartphone as the primary device for five days before being returned to the model of 9700. Two days ago I re-turned to Torch and realized that he was not as bad as it seemed to me when we first met, until I started to use it thoroughly. Of course, I find it somewhat hard, and OS in BB6 Torch works not stable and is malfunctioning. But if we do not take into account the new operating system VV6, Torch smartphone, in principle, can be considered sufficiently serious device BlackBerry, which confirms the fact that the company «RIM» capable of producing a unique of its kind full smartphones. I can safely say that from the point of view of the business user it can be used to carry out all operations required in many areas. Just on his account I have the impression that the company «RIM» too much in a single package and, at the same time, at once, but in reality it is not one that I use regularly and recommend each specific device used to perform certain tasks for a certain category of users.