Reviews BlackBerry Bold 9700 Phone (T-Mobile) For Great pocket computer and communication device

This is my second Blackberry, T-Mobile to get a refresher course (now available through Amazon). My first BlackBerry was the T-Mobile offers Curve (on my 8320 may be useful to provide a context for the evaluation) for early buyers Smartphone. The last time I bought a phone, I was just looking for a real high quality telephone, and the 8320 certainly delivered. But with time I gradually becoming more used smartphone features, in the year 2009, I was totally hooked. During the 8320 to use as a phone, big, their limited memory and processor is painfully slow for certain applications – and not for the use of more than a handful of applications.

So this time, my goal was to make a smartphone that will be useful for my current work to use. Here were my requirements:

• To reduce costs
• Great Phone (sound quality, sound, speed, coverage, vibrate options, international usage, etc.)
• Alternative busy when necessary (UMA femtocell or WiFi)
• Great e-mail (Gmail need to agree)
• Syncing contacts / calendar with Google and otherwise valid work seamlessly with Google
• Works seamlessly with other applications, cloud, I strongly (Evernote, box, etc.)
• Media player with 3.5mm jack
• Camera is high enough to be read in conjunction with OCR Evernote
• (Simple setup, use the speed of the device, abbreviations, etc.)
• Popular model with lots of accessories available
• Long battery life
• Enough memory, so I did not succeed
• Feels good in hand
• Being able to calculate by integrating them into a cradle
• Attach as possible (preferably bluetooth)

Optional but nice:

Great Browser
Maps
Turn-by-Turn Navigation (preferably free)

The 9700 with T-Mobile offers highly on most of my requirements and outperforms the 8320 in almost every sense by far. One after another

Cost of war : the situation, my grandfather, T-Mobile Blackberry contract 40/month for voice-keeping (1000 anytime, nights / weekends unlimited) and 20/month for unlimited data (but no text / SMS). Our family has the hotspot-home service for an additional $ 10/month for an unlimited domestic calling line home care. And a 12% discount on AAA-Bill – it is much cheaper than we could for these services than any other carrier. On the other hand, could be used for users who need only a few minutes the voice data heavy, no ties, and no home phone, iPhone with AT & T only slightly higher cost.

Phone: Terrific – as good as 8320, which was also great. I think the quality phone I experience better than average phone with a landline (wireless) with or without wires. The speaker and an internal telephone is of better quality but lower volume – can be so difficult to hear in noisy conditions, even if earphones or headphones can be used in such cases. The alternative UMA works just as well received as 9700 was the 8320th quality speaker is so good that I have so often in music, unless I’m within range of my ear – which is obviously not as good as what you will get a high-quality headphones, it is better to high-quality speakers I “ve heard from a mobile phone – and I thought the 8320 was good.

E-mail, Google Apps : Built according to e-mail is great, but not suitable for IMAP Gmail, so I downloaded the Google Mobile App, then the individual components of Gmail, Maps, and Sync. Mail and Google Maps are excellent, sync is correct. Research by the voice of Google Mobile App is extremely useful in many ways that I could write a few pages only to train for it (see what happens when you vote the search for “Phillies” or “Black Widow” or ’3 11 “…). By using Gmail, I give up push e-mail checks (every 20 minutes or so I’ll be forced to resume “), but if not better – including the ability to seek G-mail very quickly. Nothing all this is any different from 8320 – except that everything is much faster – and I can count cards without the phone again using the memory will again. icon Google Reader retrieves only the BlackBerry Browser with Google RSS reader – and it is so small it is unusable. I wanted to know that I can use Google Reader relatively well with the bolt-browser (which I downloaded and set the font rendering 3x Large). I use Google Voice to replace T-Mobile voice mail and it works great if you have a couple of minutes for voice messages and their transcripts are eager to show on your mobile phone. Of course, all these things work much better on Android and the ‘iPhone, but with the exception of Google Reader, they are quite good, much to the BlackBerry.

Other applications Cloud :  Unfortunately, the BlackBerry is more difficult to develop for the iPhone (and possibly Android), and partly because the BlackBerry has so many models (too many, IMHO). The result is that Evernote for iPhone is fantastic, while the 9700 and downright primitive fair on the 8320th The screen is bigger and the browser is better and faster on the 9700 (OS 5) than in 8320 (OS 4.5), which explains why I’m really starting to use Evernote in APP and open the scores with this term in the browser – you must wait for 5-10 seconds, but it works. At the 8320 was too slow to be feasible. The selection was not a client for the BlackBerry, but it is expected to publish before the end of 2010. RoboForm is a primitive BlackBerry client that is not wireless sync – I have to manually copy my passport cards from time to time. BlackBerry is an important platform, I am assuming that these applications more efficient, with time, but it gets the trace of the iPhone.

Media Player – The multimedia features (MP3, images, video, voice notes, etc.) works as well as they did with the 8320 – there are probably some changes, but I have not noticed. However, the Pandora application works much better than 9700 when the 8320 is probably due to a combination of 3G and faster processor. In 8320, which has also been applied to areas with low coverage, and had a tendency to stop in the middle of a song and the next opportunity.

Quality of camera – I am a big fan of Evernote, but the aircraft was 8320 is not able to picture normal size text as the text may be recognized by OCR Evernote. The 9700-data from the camera are better, and this is demonstrated with Evernote put in my initial tests. I thought it was in full light and a distance of at least 11 inches away, I transfer images from menus and Evernote index was the most words in the image. I will therefore have access to the menus of our favorite restaurants with Evernote, when I take pictures of them. This could be done with business cards, bottles of wine, white boards. . .

Ease of use – is where the BlackBerry falls flat. It took me many hours of violins, the use of the 8320 Masters. While most of this knowledge transfer, which lasted more than 9700, there are still many hours to configure the phone because I have downloaded applications, preferences, etc. The iPhone of course much better in this respect and for a heavy user like me, Google services, it is Android, of everything that I read. Menus preferences were slightly better than 8320, some of which have helped to create. But here are some topics:

1. Experience Apps Store is frustrating (ie Quickpull was an application that worked for 8320 and about 9700 appeared on the store, so I installed, but it froze my system – why it appears at all, if you have not already been updated for the 9700?). Installing applications is slow and requires a restart. Some applications are bolts in the SAP App Store (Google Mobile App, etc..)
2. The profile system for determining alarm settings is powerful, and use a little easier than 8320, but still complex.
3. The original layout of icons on the screen was so complicated (including links to many unnecessary applications of T-Mobile support) that I have for some time, they rearrange so that I can easily find what I was looking spent.

On the positive side, there are many useful links on the blackberries. What particularly pleased me with each letter assigned to a speed dial button, so I use the first letter of surname for speed dial phone at home and the first letter of name for dials cell phone speed. How can you learn the shortcuts, use the phone very quickly, much faster than a computer for certain things.

Popularity – Blackberries in general are among the most popular brands and Smartphone 9700 in particular, seem to be a great success. Within months, it will be a flood of accessories, but the phone is so new it is not too much. Many applications are not ready for 9700 or the update 5.0.0.330 OS powers the phone. However, it is difficult to write BlackBerry applications, so I expect the iPhone to get better and have-to-date applications, Android, and perhaps maturity as a platform.

Battery / Memory – Battery life is surprisingly good – I use it in spite of not more than 30% using the battery in a day of great difficulty to synchronize in the background, Pandora, etc. There enough memory for applications that I no longer do so. This is a great improvement over 8320, to operate a handheld, in theory, but was limited in practice memory is less than ten applications and demanding violin constant reminder, if you want to use. But how to start application developers increase the size of applications, it is easy for me to get 256 MB of RAM at a problem, imagine one or two years from now. . .

Phone in hand – The 9700 is the ideal size for my larger than the average adult human hands. The 8320 was very slippery and I kept falling until I bought a protective cover Seido. It was thick and the cover tight, so I do not like it for long calls. The 9700 is thinner by a few mm, but is much less stressful, and it is not smooth, so I’ll probably not use a protective cover. There are a number of minor things I like less than 8320, however: it is necessary to achieve the right button convenience is so low on the phone that I touch my fingers crossed it. This is particularly problematic when the autofocus function of the device at a certain distance focus – the key used. The battery compartment and micro-SD cards are both a pain to take off. Both require two fingers away from your body forward with great pressure. The manual does not explain – have tried many things and error and googling online to find out.

Cradle – I have the BlackBerry Charging Pod for BlackBerry Curve 2nd I think cell phone every night and during the loading process is in bed, is a customizable alarm clock (you can disable any type of warning if you want, including a ringing phone). Suppose you buy the dock, you do not need an alarm clock more.

Fasten – It is a little tricky to use, but I did on the 8320 was so aware. It works – and it is much faster than 8320, probably mainly due to the 3G. Can not speed tests, but few who are still entitled to speed 3G (the 10x-20x faster than the EDGE connection, what happened on the 8320). I have not used much for this feature – only during the trip and no wifi is near. Hopefully people do not use this feature heavily, because if so, he will have T-Mobile, which allows him to stop, or perhaps in a statement. But after he is) as a backup Internet connection (especially when traveling is a big plus for me.

Browser – the BlackBerry 9700 browser is much better than the 8320-browsers, partly to make more screen space (pixels) and the faster processor. Disabling images, it is even faster. I have not tried to analyze what all changes are but I know I am now Evernote, where, as far too complicated to be able to use Evernote 8320th Under occupied sites are now usable. But the browser is still far from being close to what you get on a device iPhone or Android. I downloaded Bolt and it seems preferable to the single column locations where I really need to reposition the text, such as Google Reader. But obviously something is more feasible. Opera Mini 5 is in beta and will always review, so that may be available in few months. But the jump may occur with the browser based on WebKit which was bought several months ago and is probably included in the mature until the end of 2010 will be. Following that I am in the week I played with my 9700, I’ll probably just avoid the browser for some things, like Evernote and Google Reader, or the results of a voice search Google – but General surfing as much as possible.

Tested maps and voice navigation – I have the maps app for a few minutes and he has the job quite well outside. Please note that GPS can be used not only in applications for the card, but also in many other applications, such as weather, search, geotagging photos, etc. and all this is useful. Navigation high voice quality, you usually need up to $ 10 per month which is much more than I’m willing to pay to pay. If I leave then dull pretty good browser, and when I drive, I would use my Garmin Nuvi – I in any case because it has a screen much bigger and much easier to use while driving. I would use such functionality, if I had – and I am sure that users of Android 2.0 devices such as Verizon Droid is greatly appreciated. But this was not an essential feature for me.

Abstract:

The BlackBerry 9700 with T-Mobile is a phone and a communication device, which is also a very good handheld, all in an attractive, easy to hold and use the form factor – all at a very reasonable cost monthly fee for heavy phone and data users. It is a remarkable improvement compared to the 83xx series in almost all respects. The only significant disadvantage compared to other smartphones have browsers barely viable facility for heavy third-party applications, as well as general complications of the modified device. For those who appreciate a browser and the usability and especially willing to pay for it, the iPhone is better – but for those who want a smart phone with a large budget – it is a good choice.

UPDATE 1/20/2010 :  After the owners or users of 9700 for a week, I wrote the post above. I deliberately so little on the keyboard, screen, trackpad, because I felt this kind of thing can get used to, I would not judge too hastily. I now have enough data to comment:

Screen :  The screen is high resolution, which means it is very easy to read text from 8pt type. Unfortunately, this is sometimes the browser or choose specific programs means that the text can be found at 5pt or 6pt type stuff that requires my reading glasses – those who can appreciate better than using my eyes more timpani text with a smaller Scripture. The images are clear and vibrant. The brightness is very bright – too bright for the night in fact. I enabled the option “Automatically Sun Backlight” function, the 9700 automatically dimmed at night, and I put the screen brightness to its lowest setting of 10. It is still too bright for me to use in a dark room. In addition, the device sometimes has a sudden change in brightness – the brightest times for a few seconds or just stay. It is impossible to know if my unit had a light sensor defective or there is an O / S problem – I read that others have similar problems so maybe it’s the / OS and is said a few days with the O / S updates. Another problem is that the brightness is the brightness difference between the maximum and minimum brightness fairly close. I never considered having problems even more beautiful in the sunlight, the lowest brightness, which I think is not deep enough.

Keyboard : I do not use the BlackBerry extensively for writing – the rare e-mail or write the answer is usually less than 10 words, and I do not use text messaging in any form. He therefore took a while for me to conclude that the keyboard is slower for me was when the 83xx keyboard, the spacing between the keys. I myself have the time and actually found that I had about 30 WPM (words per minute) with the 83xx and 25 WPM with the 9700th When I try to type faster (say, 30 WPM), I met several key twice per minute, the correction ends and needs less than 25 WPM. The result is, I avoid deliberately slow and cautious way to kill two buttons simultaneously. For how I use a BlackBerry, not a major problem is – I use the keyboard, especially for things like the speed dial to quickly find a contact, navigate menus, etc., and n ‘ there are no speed limit that I can be used for this listing. But for those who have large hands, you give a lot, the Bold 9000 will be faster, and probably the 83xx series as well. Note that my fingers are easy / Hands above normal for an adult male.

Trackpad : Most people on the trackpad Rave significantly on Blackberries, but for me it’s a mixed bag. I think sometimes too nervous with applications that often need to move – especially with the game Ka-Glom, I tried both the 8320 and 9700th I have a better mastery of the 8320 and can score significantly high salaries. Also, all forms of moisture on his fingers – the sweat, water, lotion, etc. may affect the reactivity. However, I think it is easier than the old style trackball that my thumb should be used dry, and I am having a typical application – it is easier to use a light touch to move a little bit, and it is very easy to slide the drive is on one side or up / down. The trackpad is harder to press accidentally as a trackball. And it is quiet. Overall, I prefer the trackpad, because it’s a little more, which reduces the weight / bulk of the unit and is much less likely to go wrong, as the trackball oldest on all devices.

Update 2/14/10 : The battery life is possible, kill if you’re too adventurous with the phone. I shot 4 different ways to try to date: Topics, tethered bass and improve synchronization found the O / S. The subject that I have one weeks causing sluggish performance and battery twice as rapid degradation. Bluetooth connectivity has me go all the way through to the battery in less than 6 hours in an Eee PC permanently attached during this period. Sync is not a big deal if you have only two or three applications to sync every 2 hours or so, but some applications to synchronize every few minutes if you can accept it and if you have a couple of these flow quickly and leaving the battery on the phone becomes slow during synchronized. And while I will not come with a different OS yet tried, I read that the BlackBerry OS 5.0.0.330 with the T-Mobile, which is 9700 times more efficient battery with the OS – all versions following are less efficient battery. If you’re the kind of things on your phone, you will find a great battery life – you simply use one of the themes pre-installed, not a lot of rope, used sparingly synchronized, and I can not a path to upgrade to OS 5.0.0.330 from T-Mobile ships with the model 9700.

Update 2/26/10 : In mid-February (after 2 months i) 9700 bought and began to walk my external speakers. First I (wrongly) thought it would be fatal to the profile settings, but went along for 20 hours. After careful examination I found that the internal speakers and headsets for mobile phones still worked well – but the phone does not ring for incoming calls and I could not play music without headphones. I called T-Mobile. After 15 minutes of troubleshooting, and verification that the phone has not been damaged by water, a replacement phone has been authorized. Have had to pay $ 9.95 for shipping, but otherwise, no cost to me. I have the replacement phone yesterday, made sure it worked and sent my old phone back today. T-Mobile customer service has been terrible for this incident and in any case, I have contacted over the last 2 years.

Amended Summary / Conclusion :  Overall, my conclusion about this unit is easier to change over time, so I write here is a summary of the re-recording of my numerous tests of physical properties:

Abstract : The BlackBerry 9700 with T-Mobile is a phone and a communication device, which is also a very good handheld, all in a flat, lightweight, attractive and easy to hold and use the form factor – the all at a very reasonable monthly plan cost for the heavy phone and data users. It is a remarkable improvement compared to the 83xx series in terms of speed, memory, connectivity options. However, the keyboard is to use slower for me than the 8320 too. To me, this compromise is logical because it is more noticeable lump in my shirt pocket or pants and no hand fatigue on a long telephone conversation.

The only significant disadvantages (compared to other brands smartphone) browser is barely usable all that heavy for third party applications, as well as general complications of the modified device. For those who appreciate a browser and user-friendliness and above all willing to pay for it, the iPhone and may be based on Android phones (like Nexus are better Google-One) – but for those who want a smartphone large budget – always the BlackBerry Bold 9700 T-Mobile service is a good choice.