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BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 Review

The RIM blackberry has significantly grown in popularity in the last year among the youth market. Now a days, it is not uncommon to see what was once the preserve of the business user being handled by the teenagers, as they take advantage of the hi-tech messaging services of BlackBerry, just to keep in touch with their friends. And, the two models that did a great deal to kick start this trend were the BlackBerry Curve 8250 and the Blackberry Curve 8900. The Curve series has always been the most accessible of all the BlackBerry models because of its affordable price tag and the popular form factor. The latest model of this series is the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300, which seems to fit quite well into this series, as it has everything that you would expect from a typical Curve, but with a bit of enhancement in specifications to allow it face the fierce competition of 2010. RIM says that the BlackBerry Curve 3G is “designed the growing mass of smartphone purchasers with a distinctly powerful, approachable and affordable choice”.

Design: A typical blackberry:

Design wise, the BlackBerry Curve 3G  9300 Smartphone looks no different than just another BlackBerry handset. It sports a full QWERTY keyboard that sits below a 2.4" display, with the 2 megapixel camera on the rear. There is nothing much new to see on the BlackBerry Curve 3G. The famous physical Qwerty keyboard sits in a very sensible looking chassis with curvy corners in textured back. The chrome effect border panel houses the 480 x 360 pixels resolution LCD screen and a series of flush buttons alongside the optical track pad. The top panel features the Curve 3G's media controls including play or pause, skip forwards and skip back. Sporting  BlackBerry's distinctive QWERTY keyboard and optical track pad, the Curve 3G 9300 has the same mould of its predecessor Curve handsets like the BlackBerry Curve 8900, as well as posing as the younger sibling of the popular BlackBerry Bold 9700.

The keyboard:

The BlackBerry Curve 9300 3G's physical QWERTY keyboard is good, but it is not the best. Although its raised buttons are preferable to the flat slide out keyboards found on the phones like the Motorola Milestone and Samsung Genio Slide, it is more spacious than the slider on the new BlackBerry 9800 and the Curve 3G lacks the sharply angled keys of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and is a little easier to fudge. We found you have to be quite careful to hit the right keys, although in time this will become easier as you get accustomed to it. Automatic text correction are generally intuitive, saving you the frustration garnered by the iPhone, for instance, which militantly corrects intentional mistakes and does not allow for context when correcting punctuation. Potty mouths will be glad to hear you can swear away to your heart's content on the BlackBerry Curve 3G.

The Optical Trackpad:

The optical track pad gives you more freedom to move the cursor around the web page than a D pad would, although it did tend to be overly responsive, making selecting a little link a real hassle. It also comes in handy when you want to select text to copy and paste on the BlackBerry Curve 3G, as you can grab massive chunks of text in one quick swipe.

Connectivity:

It is often a little easier on the headphone connection if it is located on the top or bottom of the handset; particularly if you will be storing the handset in a pocket. You might think, given the location of the media playback controls on the top pane of the BlackBerry Curve 3G, this might have been a sensible place for the headphone jack too. Since it is a 3.5mm connector, you will have the freedom to use a wide range of headphones.

Moving on to the name game of connectivity, the BlackBerry Curve 9300 phone offers Wi-Fi and GPS along with 3G network that RIM has included for namesake.

User Interface:

If you had used the BlackBerry OS 5 handset previously, then you will be right at home on the BlackBerry Curve 3G’s interface. The home screen icons can be customised to be made entirely of your most uses apps, functions and web shortcuts. Additionally, the entire main menu is easy to organise into folders. This user interface shares numerous similarities to Windows desktop PC software. Though, the menu is made up of rows of icons, there are webs of text based menus to navigate through within the applications. They are made up of options to adjust settings, carry out functions and kill applications. These menus can be intimidating for those who are new to the whole BlackBerry experience, as it can be quite confusing to be faced with an endless list of options when all you want to do is, for instance, write a new text message.

Ease of use:

Because of these menu webs, it is not as easy an interface to get to grips with as those of iOS devices like the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3G, but there are comparisons to be drawn with the Android handsets like the HTC Wildfire. The good news is that, the level of customisation is lower, but the basic principle of easy access to your favourite applications is the same. And, it is worth noting that the OS will be updated in the near future, so you will be able to have a greater home screen customisation to fiddle with. While the multiple home screens will give you more space, you will be able to assign widgets as opposed to the app launching shortcuts.

Calling:

Many of the standard functions of the Curve 9300 phone are extremely easy to launch. To make a call you can either hit the call button, or simply start typing a number or name of a contact from the home screen, and then it is just a case of selecting the one you are after and hitting 'Call' or the BlackBerry button to bring up the menu of options including SMS, MMS and email. Yet another handy option for the time strapped super caller is to assign speed-dial keys. With a full QWERTY keyboard at your disposal, you have over twenty six buttons to play with, although A, Q and W are already assigned to the other essential handset functions  like lock keys, change profile to vibrate and call voicemail respectively.

Messaging difficulty:

The only thing that seems to be overly complicated on most BlackBerry handsets, though, is when you have launch a new email or SMS message. Instead of just going into your inbox and being presented with an obvious option to compose a new message, you have to launch the internal menu by hitting the BlackBerry button, then scroll down through the list of options until you find an option reading 'Compose SMS'. This just seems like a couple of steps too many, especially for such a straightforward task. We should note that you could also launch an SMS to a specific contact from within the address book although this might not come as naturally to anyone making the leap from a 90’s phone to a smart one.

Features: BlackBerry App World:

By offering 3G connectivity as well as Wi-Fi, the handset promises fast internet browsing while apps and themes can be easily downloaded from the BlackBerry App World. You will be able to launch the BlackBerry App World, from within the phone's menu or by finding it in the browser. This gives you access to hundreds of downloadable apps. You will also be able to find BlackBerry themes, which can be customised with the BlackBerry Curve 3G even further. You can also purchase themes from designers or build your own, using different fonts, background images, ringtones and the ilk. For social butterflies, there are solid Facebook and Twitter apps on the Curve 3G, with a decent choice of more from the BlackBerry App World store. BlackBerry apps tend to be more expensive than similar apps on the iPhone or on Android platforms, but there are plenty of free ones too, and they tend to be reliable, however, and there are a lot of rubbish apps too. Downloading applications and themes is very straightforward. Once you have found an app you like the look of, just simply select it in the App World and hit download. You would be wise to do so over Wi-Fi rather than relying on the 3G network, which can be a little slow and unreliable, particularly when downloading large files.

On-board Apps:

The RIM BlackBerry Curve 3G Smartphone does come well-stocked with on-board apps though. Along with the traditional calendar, notebook, clock and calculator apps, you will be able to get going with Windows Live Messenger straight away. There is also a suite of office-based apps – Word To Go for reading and editing word processed documents, Sheet To Go for spreadsheets and Slide To Go which, unsurprisingly deals in slideshows. If you are sentimental about your text messages, then you may appreciate a handy little app called ''Saved Messages" to which you can, save messages that matter to you separately from your inbox. Of course, you will also get an array of BlackBerry games on board the BlackBerry Curve 3G. From the illustrious BrickBreaker to the frustrating WordMole, they will keep you busy on the commute if you forget your book.

The phonebook:

The phone book is a very serious affair. Although you can assign photos to contacts, these don't show up in the phonebook's list view, so it's very text-heavy. We are not able to find an easy way to sync our Facebook contacts with our BlackBerry contacts, which is a little remiss in this day and age; particularly for a youth orientated handset. To compensate it, you will approximately have thousand contact options when setting up new contacts, from nicknames, job titles and home and work addresses, to birthdays and even relevant web pages. As you can imagine, this might be information overkill for the casual user, but if you are syncing the handset with your Outlook account, then much of this data may be automatically saved by the BlackBerry Curve 3G. Grouping contacts into relevant groups is an easy enough job too, one of which can be your favourite contacts if you like. However, it does not make them any easier to access, but if you regularly email or text the same group of people, it could save you a bit of fiddling about. There is no need to enter the contact book at all if you do not fancy it.

Camera:

The camera on the BlackBerry Curve 3G is poor. The two megapixel camera has nothing special about it, and even lacks the flash and auto focus functions that are found on the higher-spec BlackBerry Bold 9700. When you launch the camera app, the only options that you are offered onscreen are to zoom in or out, and take the picture. In order to fiddle around with the limited options, you have to click the BlackBerry button and enter another of those text heavy menus. Here, you will be able to play around with the white balance, picture size and its quality, as well as opt for monochrome or sepia options if you are feeling a bit old school. It is really nice to have the sepia and monochrome options, we suppose, but they do smack of being token options, and almost highlight the limited amount of features the camera offers. To zoom in and out, just roll a finger across the optical track pad.

If you decide to take a snap in a landscape position, then you can use the shutter button on the side of the handset, but if you are after a portrait shot then click the optical trackpad. Unless you are really quite firm with the button, you will find yourself zooming when you already had the shot nicely framed up; this is a real annoyance on several occasions. It is not rocket science to know that the zoomed in images lose a lot of quality. This camera is not too bad at handling colours. While the camera struggles with the close-up shots it handles long shots much better. The images are not massively crisp, either, which is no more than we would expect from a 2-megapixel camera. It is suffice to say, this is not the ideal handset for shutterbugs. The BlackBerry Curve 3G does not do too badly handling a lot of light. As you might expect, it seeps into the whole image, but the dark areas do retain a suitable amount of contrast. It is also worth noting that the 2 megapixel camera lacks the flash, and so, the low-light photography is very much miss and not a whole lot of hit.

Video recording:

Similar to the still camera mode, video recording on the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 offers the most basic customisation. The only options provided are between two sizes including normal or a smaller MMS size, and colour effects like normal, black and white or sepia. One of the features we did appreciate, however, is its ability to pause recording then continue. Rather than leaving us with a bunch of little video files needing editing together on a PC. Like the still camera, the video camera's ability to handle bright colours is not bad, but you do still get that unreal gloss over objects like flowers. Differentiating between similar colours is a bit of a struggle for the BlackBerry Curve 3G. It is a shame that you cannot zoom while filming. You have to decide on your zoom before hitting record, otherwise you will be forced to manually move closer to your subject. Mailing of the videos works fine as long as the file size is not too big, and any video clip over about 30 seconds will need to be transferred by USB instead.

The browser:

The browser on BlackBerry OS 5, which will be running on the BlackBerry Curve 3G at launch, is notoriously rubbish. It is quite slow to open the web pages, even slower to render images, only offers one tab at a time and is generally a bit of a pest to use. Even though the screen puts in a valiant effort to display as much of the webpage as possible on non mobile sites, it ends up offering you a birds' eye view. By which we mean a view of a load of coloured blobs on a screen. You really have to make good use of the zoom function in order to see smaller images and read any text. Zooming in to get a better view of text tends to be quite smooth, although we were often left with extremely jaggedy pixellated images after a zoom-in. In fact, some websites rendered very pixellated, and even dedicated mobile sites suffer this same fate. Sharing of links is quite easy, and you are given an option for this in the browser's menu. RIM has also given you the option to send the link in an email, via SMS, MMS or BlackBerry Messenger. The other standard feature is the inclusion of bookmarks, and you can sort these by named folders to keep things tidy.

Messaging:

Moving on to the all important messaging, the Curve 3G has its bases covered. As you might from any handset in the BlackBerry family, the Curve 3G features enviable email capabilities and BlackBerry Messenger for instant messaging other BlackBerry users for next to nothing. All the messaging options including the traditional SMS, MMS and email is very easy to set up, having it integrated into the handset at every opportunity. You also have the option to set the default option for each contact to be email rather than calling, if you wish to do so. We do not have to remind you that the BlackBerry handsets have always excelled at email. Setting up a webmail account is as easy as inputting your address and password. The options include Gmail, Yahoo and Windows Live addresses. As and when you set up your email addresses, you will be able to opt to have your contacts for each synced with your address book. As with most of the other BlackBerry handsets, including the Bold 9700, you have the option for your SMS and MMS messages to be routed to a universal inbox that also receives emails from each of your accounts. This makes it easy to check all your accounts at once, although it can be a little annoying if you are not sure which account has received which messages.

Some of the other killer messaging functions in the Curve 3G are the ones that all other BlackBerry handsets offer, including the BlackBerry Messenger or, as the kids call it, BBM. This is a real boon, especially for the cash strapped user; you will be able to save your text messaging pennies for the friend who do not own a Blackberry and BBM other BlackBerry users for no charge if you are on a BlackBerry plan. If you have plans of moving to the BlackBerry Curve 3G from another BlackBerry handset using the same SIM, the Curve 3G will set up your existing account and disable the one on the old handset.

Backup:

Gone are the days when you will not be able to use BlackBerry Desktop Manager with Apple Mac computers, now you can quite happily back-up, restore and sync your BlackBerry Curve 3G, even if you are completely without any PC. The software is pretty straightforward to use, much easier than the complicated, non-intuitive efforts from the likes of LG and Samsung. You can pick what playlists to sync to your BlackBerry Curve 3G in an iTunes-like interface likewise with calendar events, contacts, notes and tasks. Creating a backup file is just a process of two clicks, and if you are in the secret service or just a bit paranoid, then you can encrypt your essential data from within the Manager. It is really disappointing that the Desktop Manager does not include a quick and easy way to import your images and videos, though, and there is no overview of your applications already stored on the handset.

Music playback:

BlackBerry OS 5 is not known for its brilliance in the media arena. While the BlackBerry Curve 3G does display track information and album artwork, the music player is very basic. It does offer you the option to shuffle or continuously play albums, artists and tracks, however. The other notable features in the field of multimedia are the ability to either build your own playlists or command the BlackBerry Curve 3G to create an automatic playlist featuring artists of your choosing. There is no FM radio available, so have to make sure you have plenty of music tracks to listen to. The music quality is average even through the high quality Sennheiser in-ear headphones; but be happy that it is at least than the BlackBerry Curve 3G's built-in speaker, which is tinny and awful. You can also control the media player by using the buttons on the top of the handset. This controls both the audio and video players.The audio files are supported include MP3, AMR-NB, AAC-LC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, Flac, Ogg Vorbis.

Video playback:

The Video playback is not particularly brilliant quality on that 320 x 240 pixel screen, but the video player is quite nippy, and it skips happily between clips. If you do not have much stored on the handset, you can visit YouTube within the mobile browser; we would recommend sticking to the Wi-Fi to do this. The video formats supported on the BlackBerry Curve 9300 3G Phone include MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV9. The image gallery displays all your photos in a pleasing thumbnail layout, but viewing them on such a small, low-quality screen is not exactly satisfying. Uploading images to Facebook and other social networking apps is very simple, there is an option in the internal menu for that. However, there is no such option for sending videos to social networks though. You have to share them via the traditional way of email or Bluetooth. It is true that this is not the best handset for anyone looking to video blog on the go. If that is the case, we would point you in the direction of the iPhone 4 for its front-facing camera, or the Sony Ericsson Vivaz which records in HD and makes sharing videos super easy.

Maps:

The native Google Maps app on board the BlackBerry Curve 3G is not the worst we have seen. A recent update has vastly improved matters. Getting directions between locations has suddenly become much easier; it is just a matter of simply filling in clearly marked boxes with your destination and locations. Although the maps are accurate and much easier to use  after the all important update, the maps could still be a little slow to load when you are out and about and relying on the 3G network. The compass, however, is brilliant; it is quick, accurate and easy to navigate by. It is just as well that Google Maps come pre-loaded, given the monstrousness of BlackBerry's own native maps app, which is clunky, confusing, slow and generally makes life difficult for the user.

Performance: Call quality:

The sound quality is quite impressive with the BlackBerry Curve 9300 Smartphone. The voices are quite clear and easily audible to both parties. The handsets of mid and lower price range suffers a lot on sound quality ; the Nokia X6, for example, is atrocious, and even high end handsets like the iPhone 4, as we know, can suffer on mobile-to-mobile calls. So it is great to see that RIM has not skimped on the BlackBerry Curve 3G. The reason for the good sound quality might have been down to great reception. The 3G reception has full bars most of the time.

Connectivity:

Using the 3G in areas of good reception is a breeze. When the signal is full, downloading is a quick and easy matter, browsing the web was not too painful, social networking apps updated quickly and emails were in and out of our inboxes like hipsters to a Starbucks. Too bad, that as soon as signal drops a notch, the handset becomes a little unstable; it becomes very frustrating and unreliable. Luckily the Wi-Fi fares much better, there are no problems maintaining a signal, and web based services are notably quicker. The Bluetooth connection is also fine, and the BlackBerry Curve 3G does offer A2DP connectivity, so you should be able to use wireless headphones with no problems.

Battery:

The Blackberry Curve 9300 3G Phone lasts two full days on one full battery charge, and it gets very touch-and-go towards the end of day two. It is just about in line with what RIM has stated for the handset's battery life; it offers 4.5 hours of talk time, 29 hours of music playback or 19 days of standby time. Speaking physically, the battery is tiny, which no doubt helps the BlackBerry Curve 3G retain its low weight.

Box contents:

The box and accessories are pure RIM. A charger with UK/EU adaptors, stereo headset, data cable and a user guide.

Warranty: The BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 comes with 1 year warranty for parts and labour. Verdict:

Like its fellow Curve handsets, the BlackBerry Curve 3G is one of RIM's highly capable handsets aimed at a more youthful, fun-loving consumer than the traditional business customer. It is quite similar to the rest of the Curve range, including the BlackBerry Curve 8500 with which it shares its external media controls. The design is slightly updated, though, and the 3G connectivity gives it an edge. The BlackBerry OS 6 update, on its way to the handset in the coming months, will set it apart from older models like the rest of the BlackBerry Curve range. You can find the Curve 3G online for free on a £20-a-month, 24-month contract. You can also pick it up for around £280 SIM-free.

The BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 is quite a decent smart phone. Its new QWERTY keyboard is likable, though it is not as good as the Bold 7000. Without any questions, the messaging and email tools of this BlackBerry are top notch. The call quality and reception is just top notch. With the BlackBerry OS 6 upgrade imminent, the interface can only get better, and we are looking forward to advanced media features, meaning we can take full advantage of the physical media buttons atop the Curve 3G. On the other hand, the screen has a comparatively low resolution is one of the ways that RIM is able to keep the cost of the handset down, but for media fanatics it just will not cut it. The 2 megapixel camera is woefully restrictive. Similarly, the clunkiness of the menu system and the onboard browser will frustrate until you can upgrade the software. For a mid range handset, the BlackBerry Curve 3G stands up well. If you are after an email machine with occasional web browsing and a spot of media playback, then it will suit you down to the ground without costing you a fortune and with BlackBerry OS 6 just around the corner, things can only get better.

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BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 Smartphone - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	RIM
Model Name	BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300
Announced	2010
3G Network	Yes
Form factor	Candy bar
Dimensions (H x W x D)	4.29 x 2.36 x 0.55 inches
Weight	104 grams
Display Type	Transmissive TFT LCD
Display Resolution	320x240 pixel colour display
Colours supported	Over 65,000 colours
Input and Navigation	Trackpad located on front face of device, ESC key to the right, Menu to the left, Full QWERTY keyboard with backlighting
Voice input and output	3.5mm stereo headset capable, Integrated speaker and microphone, Hands-free headset capable, Bluetooth® headset capable, Integrated Hands-free speakerphone and M3, T3 Rating for hearing aids
Speakerphone	Yes - 3.5 mm audio jack
Phonebook Memory	Yes
Call records	Yes
Memory	256 MB flash memory/256 MB SDRAM
Card Slot	Expandable memory - Support for microSD card
Tri-band UMTS networks	(800/850)/1900/2100MHz and 900/1700/2100 MHz
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks	850/900/1800/1900MHz
3G	HSDPA
Wi-Fi	802.11 b/g WPA / WPA2 Personal and Enterprise Cisco CCX certified Wi-Fi® access to BlackBerry Enterprise Server Wi-Fi access to BlackBerry Internet Service Support for UMA
Infrared	No
Bluetooth	Bluetooth® v2.1; Mono/Stereo Headset, Hands free, Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP) and Serial Port Profile Supported. Bluetooth Stereo Audio (A2DP/AVCRP)
Camera	2MP camera, Fixed focus and Video recording
Features	3G network support, Optical trackpad, Full QWERTY keyboard, Simultaneous voice and data, Email and text messaging, BlackBerry® Messenger, Instant Messaging, Phone, Browser, Camera and video recording, Wi-Fi, GPS, Media player, Organiser, Bluetooth, and Tethered modem
Video Format	MPEG4, H.263, H.264 and WMV9
Audio Format	MP3, AMR-NB, AAC-LC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, Flac, Ogg Vorbis
Ringtones and Notifications	Tone, vibrate, on-screen or LED indicator, Notification options are user configurable and 32 Polyphonic Ringtones - MIDI, MP3
OS	Blackberry OS6
Messaging	SMS, MMS, Email and Instant Messaging
Browser	HTML
Radio	No
Games	Yes + downloadable
Colours available	Black
GPS	Built-in GPS functionality Includes BlackBerry® Maps
Device Security	Password protection Keyboard lock
Battery Type	1150 mAHr removable/rechargeable lithium-ion cell
Battery Standby	up to 19 days, UMTS - up to 14.5 days
Talk time	up to 4.5 hours, UMTS - up to 5.5 hours
Warranty	One year

Blackberry Pearl 3G 9105 Review

The first model of Pearl 8100 was released, way back in the year 2006, and unlike the company’s who release smartphones with slight tweaks every year, Research In Motion has waited before unleashing the Pearl 9105 3G. Though we just loved the design and build of the Pearl 8100 model, the lack of 3G and WiFi simply seemed to be unforgivable. RIM has not only rectified the connectivity issues, but it has also added some new features in order to make this pearl much more enticing, now offering the connectivity of a business phone in a compact and consumer friendly body.

If we were playing the game of word association, it would not be rocket science to determine that the word Blackberry will be closely followed by the words QWERTY and business. It has been like that since RIM had entered the market, rarely erring from the QWERTY keyboard, the functional design mode; except for the Storm range, that has not really changed the game. This is the stereotype that RIM has finally broken with the latest consumer friendly Pearl 3G 9105. To be crisp, it is a lean, mean email machine of Blackberry family.

Design: A Slim and Sleek Blackberry!

The Blackberry Pearl 3G 9105 is really ‘models of this era’ like slim. For the sake of comparison, let us say that the Blackberry Bold 9000 will easily swallow it up whole and still have a lot of room for an old fashioned stodgy dessert. Or, if you want the specifics, that will be (H x W x D) 108 x 50 x 13.3 mm and weighs just 93 grams, so this is the rare Blackberry that will slip into any pocket or bag with ease. This model is not short of style or clever design touches either. The device sits comfortably in hands, thanks to its slightly curved profile.

Tiny miny display:

The Pearl 3G 9105 has a rather small 2.2" display of resolution 360 x 400 pixels. As you can see, it is not the greatest in terms of space, especially in this era of mammoth touchscreens, but it is not necessarily a hindrance. It all depends on how you are using the phone; you will see more on this point as we go.

Track Pad:

The trackpad has a flat surface and responds to your touch like a trackpad on a laptop. Its insane sensitivity makes up for its tiny size. It also makes the phone easier to pop into a pocket, since it does not stick out from the body and get gunged up with dirt and crud.

Ports and Connectivity:

The 3G 9105 smartphone has a flush keyboard just below the on/off buttons, menu controls and optical trackpad. There are the shortcut buttons on the side as raised lumps for quick access to the voice controls and camera functions. Also housed on the side is the mini USB slot and headphone connector, while the top hosts direct controls for the media player, blending into the design so much that you just might miss them if you were not forewarned. On the downside, there is no quick access to the microSD card slot; that involves flipping the back off and squeezing it in above the battery. With the flimsy construction of the rear, it is just something that you will not want to be doing often, or in hurry. You will find the camera of this Blackberry at the side of the Pearl logo on the rear.

User Interface:

The BlackBerry user interface is starting to look rather dated. It also takes some getting used to if you have never used a BlackBerry before, because it is packed with thousands of options. But, once you have had some practice, it is easy to navigate around, especially with the very responsive optical trackpad that has replaced the traditional BlackBerry trackball. With the Blackberry OS 5.0 employed, the interface of the Pearl 3G is pretty much everything that you can expect from a Blackberry of you have used one before, with just a bit more of added speed. If you were not a Blackberry consumer, let us explain.

Menu System:

The Pearl 3G 9105 Phone from RIM has an icon driven menu system that can be accessed using the optional trackpad. You will be able to quickly flick through the icons on the screen, and select the one that you are looking for. This is a method that has stood the test of time, and with the new trackpad, it is much improved from the temperamental ball. Around 20 icons will fit onto the Home screen without the need to scroll the page, but if scrolling is good with you, you can have as many as you require. Moving icons is quite simple, just click the Menu button for a range of options to move, delete or hide icons. For instance, if you download anything new online or from BlackBerry App World, icons for the app will appear in your ‘Downloads’ folder. Just move the new icon to the homepage via a selection from the Menu key and you can access it easily. Likewise, if you get tired of something or just do not need it, you have the options of moving it off the Homescreen, hiding it or deleting it.

Zen:

When the Pearl 3G is switched on, by default, offers access to your most used functions, and this feature is known as the Zen. The defaults include mail, SMS, contacts, Blackberry Messenger and Facebook. Of course, you also get the option to replace them; all that you have to do is, just hit the Menu button again and swap it around in your options. There are different profiles already preset, but you can spend time tinkering with the different tones for an individual fit. It might take you some time too; the Pearl 3G is packed with sounds and ringtones, with the option of using your own music too. If we have anything to complain about Blackberry’s interface, it is just that it lacks quick access via the screen to the media functions. The top controls on the case are fine once you are in, but getting in is a real pain. And, this is just not the issue with this Blackberry Pearl, it is a wider Blackberry issue. Perhaps, because for RIM, media has always been down the priority list for business devices; but, for the non-business devices like the Pearl 3G, it should have been better.

Speedy:

As we had mentioned earlier, this is a time served interface and is against some of the more whizzy 3D efforts in the market, we accept that the Blackberry OS looks a bit tired and dated. But, what it lacks in style, it makes up for in functionality. Just within minutes of booting it up, you will be flying around the menu like pro. Setting up the Pearl is quite simple; as with most devices of today, pretty much everything is wizard driven, from getting the WiFi connected to creating new email accounts. It is all a matter of following simple steps.

Features:

Does the small package mean fewer features? Forget it. This Blackberry Pearl 9105 3G Network supported Phone model almost creaks with features including GPS, a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus and video recording, a well featured media player and an optical trackpad too. The Pearl 3G has a lot in common with its bulkier sibling the Blackberry Bold 9700, that runs on Blackberry OS 5.0 and the same 642Mhz processor, which is again notably quicker. Of course, 3G is the most welcome addition along with a much faster browsing experience and finally, yes, finally it supports the most wanted WiFi. The model also supports multitasking, social networking for the likes of Facebook and Twitter as standard and, what is a Blackberry without its all-powerful Blackberry email and messaging. Overall, this Pearl 3G is RIM’s special kid just without the QWERTY, replaced by RIM’s SureType technology for inputting your text.

Blackberry App World:

All that is just the tip of the iceberg; the Blackberry App world has been growing very steadily over the past year. And, though it is not up there with Apple’s App Store, it offers a good range of apps and utilities, which in turn makes your Pearl 3G that little bit more flexible. So, if you have got your handset and want to grab some extra apps, including the ones that we have discussed in the review, Blackberry App World is the place where you have to land. This hanset based store mixes free and premium apps all that are available to browse and download with reviews from users. As we just mentioned, this store is not the biggest or the best app store around, but it certainly does the given job well, enabling you to customise your phone for next to nothing if you do clever shopping. We recommend you to check it out as soon as you have got your handset charged up.

Contacts:

Coming to adding contacts, the Pearl 3G has it all and more. It uses the same contacts system as your average business friendly Blackberry; you might be a little bit daunted while adding a friend. After all, does your best mate really have six phone numbers, two fax numbers, a pager, two emails, a company and a job title? Of course not! Just stick in a name, number and email, just those details will show on the completed page. But if your friends ever do take over the world, there's room to expand the entry. Google Sync has not been included as default, however, if you happen to be a Google user, you can always download the application. It will copy all of your friends and contacts into your BlackBerry contacts, keeping it updated as they change, and hence, save your fingers several weeks of typing duty.

Overall, when it comes to organising your contacts, this Blackberry 9105 is as good as any other blackberry. But, when it comes to call quality on this particular model, it could have been better.

Messaging:

SMS and MMS messaging on the Pearl 3G 9105 mobile phone is just straightforward. Though it lacks the iconic QWERTY keyboard, text messaging is easy enough on the minimal keypad. All that you have to do is, select your contact, type the message, add the smilies that we all fancy, and then just send it away. There are features available for checking the spelling if you are feeling pedantic and you can also see any messages that are sent or received in the email like SMS folder. Sending MMS is just as easy; take a photo, select a contact, select the size or quality you wish to send and it goes. What more can you ask?

Email:

Well, after all it is the Blackberry. If it does not do the email well, there is simply no hope for it. setting up an email account is just a breeze. Whether it is a webmail account or something PC-based, just head to the email wizard, enter your account details and the Pearl 3G will set it up and, when available, work with your inbox to push emails to your handset when they arrive, so you are free to view, delete, forward or reply as the mood takes you. Delete from your phone and it goes from your inbox elsewhere too. It is the reason why businessmen love a BlackBerry and if you lead a busy life, it should help you too. You can add as many email accounts as you like to the phone, which you can oversee from one message inbox or from each individual address folder. Indeed, if you do use multiple boxes, you can add different tones for each account, just like you can with people in your contacts directory.

SureType Technology:

The only issue that the Blackberry 3G had was the SureType technology. Most BlackBerry devices have a QWERTY keyboard, so banging out a long email is not much different to using a laptop. It is just smaller. With the Pearl 3G, the keyboard is more like a traditional phone to fit the profile of the handset, but it also means a different way of text input. SureType is a form of predictive text, constantly second guessing your word choice, as well as spell checking as you go. Like predictive text, it is both helpful and frustrating at the same time. Once you get the hang of it, you should be able to fire out emails at a fair rate of speed, but if you have not used it before, be prepared for some very frustrating days and emails taking longer than writing and posting a letter, especially if they are beyond a couple of lines of text. It might make you regret buying the handset, but stick with it the fact that it learns from your more commonly typed words really does add speed in the medium term.

Messaging:

One of the highlight selling features of the Blackberry is its messenger, but if it works for you totally depends on the number of friends you have with the same make of device. It is quite simple to use, just enter the email address of your other buddy with the Blackberry and, once they approve of you, there you are, instant messaging. Just type in a message to your contact or multiple group contacts like you would with any other messaging app, with BB Messenger informing you when the message lands. It is great if you have BlackBerry-based friends. If not, prepare to gaze at an empty screen. This is also where the BlackBerry App World comes in to play. Other messaging tools are also available to download, including Google Talk, so if you are the first to go down the BlackBerry route, you will not be all alone. And who knows? Your mates might be impressed enough with your handset to buy one too.

Browsing in Pearl 3G 9105:

The standard blackberry browser has never been everybody’s cup of tea, all too often having issues with rendering pages and in many cases, taking too much time to download content. RIM might just have started to deal with the problem, prior to actually bringing out a WebKit based browser. As you can see, we have tested and a number of Blackberry devices and they always had some pages that the device just does not like. Surprisingly, this time there were no websites in this list and all of our temperamental pages and some other reliable content passed out with flying colours. However, there are a couple of disadvantages too: first of all, the small screen of the Pearl 3G makes the zoom function on the browser your best friend when it comes to web content. It will zoom in on the detail, but when you have got a busy or text-heavy page, constantly having to zoom is a real pain. Secondly, that speedy loading is possible only when you have got a 3G or Wi-Fi connection. When you lose that, the page load times increase significantly. What took seconds suddenly takes minutes. We will look more at the connectivity of the Pearl 3G later on.

Social Networking:

The Blackberry range has always had some very decent apps for all of the main social networks. There are two included in the Pearl 9105 which are standard; there is no MySpace, but in 2010, are you really surprised? The Twitter app had recently gone official in the RIM Blackberry, and we also have to admit that it works like a dream, that integrates so well with the wider Blackberry messaging system. If you are Twitter freak, you must know well what you might expect: a box for your message, a screen to view your messages of those you follow, complete with avatars and a row of icons for everything from replies to people search. If someone sends you a direct message, it drops in your main inbox just like a mail; a nice touch. Overall, it is a well thought out app that is just a breeze to use on the Pearl 3G 9105.

The good old Facebook is also represented in the Pearl 3G and is a very decent app to be kept updated. Just log in and you will be greeted by your latest news feeds, along with options with comment or like an update, upload an image, send message or even write on a wall; it has pretty much everything you might expect. It is true that the app looks a little bit basic and a bit cramped on the small screen, but if you manage to deal with it or simply do not mind, this Facebook App in offer is more than adequate.

GPS:

GPS on a smart phone is always a welcome addition and the Blackberry Maps that has been included in the Pearl 3G 9105 is reasonable for finding your way around the city. It picks up a satellite in just seconds, pinpointing our location and also panning around the area. Please do keep in mind that it is just a basic mapping included and do not expect your in-car unit to give the boot and replace it with this one. That said, if you happen to be lost in a city, it will offer you a helping hand. The good news here is that, Google maps is available as a free download for the Blackberry. However, we insist again that it is not going to replace your car sat nav, but it does offer much more detail, and it should possibly one of your first downloads. Apart from that, geo tagging and location finding in apps is a welcome bonus with the GPS on board.

Camera:

Come on! We are in 2010 and a 3.2 megapixel camera is not much to shout about. However, this camera also offers up auto-focus, flash, 2.5x digital zoom and video recording, and this is more than adequate for the job and it is incredibly easy to use. The camera works well with some of the other tools on the handset, and also seems to be offering plenty of options for photo quality and effects, size and geo-tagging of the snaps. With the shortcut buttons available on the side of the handset, it makes it very easy to capture that exciting moment quickly and easily. Sharing the pictures has been made quite simple with apps for some of the major photo sites too the option to email or MMS your snaps, as well as transfer to social networks, all at various sizes and image qualities, dependent on your needs. Just a click of a button brings up a thumbnail gallery too. Shame the camera is not a little better in terms of pixels, but in terms of use, it is hard to fault.

Tools:

As a business handset, the Pearl 3G 9105 has a raft of productivity tools, some of which you might occasionally use like MemoPad, Tasks, Calculator and Password Keeper and there are others that you will seldom, especially with the display so small, like Word To Go, Sheet To Go and Slide-show To Go. The latter set of features are more like just tasters; you can open a Microsoft friendly document with them, but you will not be able to create one without buying the complete package. Yes, it kind of spoils the good name it created with the non-demo games package. There are Voice notes included too, so you will be able to record your ideas on the go. Said that, the playback is very decent too and you can use your voice notes as quirky ring tones too. We liked the alarm app too, as it was more than decent with a clock that fills the screen and offering a loud alarm to get you out of the bed.

Games in 9105 3G:

One feature that all of us secretly look forward in a handset are games; they are always available in handsets and Pearl 3G is no exception. In this set we have a mix of arcade, strategy and cards, including Brickbreaker, Word mole, Trooper Typing, Texas Hold ‘Em King 2, Sodoku and Klondike. Everything is a bit basic, but they are a good mix of games, and above all, they are all full games and not demos; we love that.

Applications:

As you would expect from a device that keeps business on the move, the calendar application included in the Blackberry Pearl 3G is quite an impressive tool. You can break down your tasks in days, weeks or months, view your wider schedule or agenda, organise appointments, set alarms for those appointments when due or in advance, schedule conference calls, invite people to meetings, change time zones. You have got all this in the device and more. Even better, you will be able to sync it up with external tools like Google Calendar, should you and your friends be reliant on that. The entire program is built for the busy businessman, so if you are buying the Pearl 3G as a 'social' phone, you can be sure it has all bases covered.

Media player:

As we had mentioned earlier, the media player on the RIM Blackberry 3G 9105 is not bad at all; but accessing it is a bit slow and inconvenient. We are not trying to say that it is dead slow, but it is just not instantly accessible as it should be. After a few clicks, and once you start listening to the music, you will realise that it is not bad at all. You will be able to transfer the music via drag and drop or RIM’s own software through PC or Mac and, if tagged, you should be able to drop nicely into the searchable interface and any album art provided will show it too. And, do not forget, those top controls we had mentioned earlier is very useful when you are out and about.

Performance: Call Quality:

Coming to the call quality, we found the voice calls to be on the quieter side and there was bit of background noise, a slight hiss. Still, we did not experience any complete drops in the network during calls. The Pearl 3G is a mid- to high-end handset and for the money you will be paying, it should be better in terms of making and taking calls. It is slightly frustrating, because everything else in that area is as good as, if not better, than expected. Ring-tones, for example, are loud and there is a number to choose from (with the option of adding your own too) and the ability to assign tones to various contacts is always a nice touch.

Connectivity:

Connectivity wise, the Pearl 3G struggles with 3G reception and to make sure that the problem was not ours; we tested some other models in the same area and found that it was apparently the issue of the model. This is not promising; though what we did is not a scientific test, we worry us slightly. This is something to perhaps check out at your local phone dealer if you are considering a purchase. The WiFi reception was excellent though. It was extremely simple to set up and the Pearl 3G was happy to hop on to the wireless connectivity as and when required. The entire factors put together makes browsing and downloading a much more pleasurable experience. The 9105 also comes with Bluetooth connectivity, which enables you to pair up with a notebook or any other Bluetooth enabled device without any issues, accepting the files quickly and without any issues. Else, if you want to go wired, there is also the mini USB to USB cable to transfer data and media or to just update the operating system.

Camera Performance of Pearl 3G 9105:

The outdoor shots are more than acceptable, capturing most details that you would not have expected out of the mobile camera. The indoors snap is not quite so sharp, even on a very bright day. However, the image is clear and there is no blurring and the colours are reasonably vibrant. As ever, effects will be able to hide a multitude of sins and, when Sephia filter is used, it does increase the quality of the indoor snap. Video is surprisingly good; impressing us in both fields of visual and audio expectations. Again, it can never be a substitute for a dedicated video camera, but for producing web clips, it is hard to complain.

Video Quality:

Video playback tends to suffer from the small screen. If you like the idea of squinting at a 2.2-inch screen for entertainment, it might be for you. It is also good for checking those mini movies you have just shot, but we prefer our video on a larger screen. Videos have a decent amount of clarity, but this is one area where the small and compact nature of the phone really falls down. Let us be honest, you will be on a one-way trip to eye strain if you spend your day watching Hollywood blockbusters on the Pearl's screen. Good for a short funny a mate has sent you or, indeed, checking out your own clips. For anything more, it really struggles.

Audio Quality:

For its size, the Pearl 3G has a very decent pair of speakers. At full volume, the sound is just beyond what you can expect along with a good deal of clarity; there is no breakup or distortion even at very high volume. Same is the case of the headphones that are more substantial than your average mobile earphones and, for us, offering up a fuller sound than much of the competition too.

Battery Life:

Battery life is one of the major features of any mobile; they can either be a selling point or a turn off. Fortunately, with the Pearl 3G, it has turned out to be a positive, with RIM promising about up to five hours of talk time and 18 days of standby. When compared to the Blackberry Bold 9000 that is literally light years ahead of the game. The claims are very promising and in our tests, after a full charge, we made calls with the Pearl 3G, browsed a few sites, played music and did some instant messaging. We did everything that a person with the Pearl 3G will do and we are happy to conclude that the battery performs really strong.

Warranty:

RIM offers Blackberry Pearl 3G 9105 one year warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

RIM has packed just about every high end Blackberry feature except QWERTY into this small and stylish device called as the Pearl 3G 9105. It offers just about every mobile essential and more, with almost everything functions as it should. And if SureType works for you, this is a very small and convenient way of keeping up with your email correspondence. Call quality is below what we would expect, network coverage was very disappointing for long periods and to be honest, the familiar look of the BlackBerry interface is perhaps an indication that the interface is just a little too long in the tooth. The BlackBerry Pearl 3G is a good quality smartphone that should serve you well, but with just a couple too many issues to make it a highly-recommended one.

An apt alternate to the Pearl 3G will be the Bold 9700, which is pretty much the same, but with a much bigger profile and a full QWERTY keyboard. If you want to check out some of the other smartphones that is not a Blackberry, the Palm Pre Plus has just hit the markets or, if you are looking for one of those revolutionary Androids and touchscreen appeal, we recommend the highly rated HTC Desire or HTC Legend. Of course, there is thing called iPhone, but if you fancy one of those, we recommend the 3GS and not 4.

RIM Blackberry Pearl 3G 9105 - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	RIM
Model Name	BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9105
3G Network	HSDPA 2100 CDMA2000 1x EV-DO
Announced	2010
Form factor	Candy bar
Dimensions (H x W x D)	4.25 x 1.97 x 0.52 inches
Weight	93 grams
Display Type	High resolution 360x400 pixel colour display
Display Size	2.2"
Display features	Backlighting Light sensing screen
Input and Navigation	Trackpad located on front face of device, ESC key to the right, Menu to the left 14-key traditional phone keyboard with SureType technology Keyboard backlighting
Voice input and output	3.5mm stereo headset capable Integrated speaker and microphone Hands-free headset capable Bluetooth® headset capable Integrated Hands-free speakerphone
Speakerphone	Yes - 3.5 mm audio jack
Phonebook Memory	Yes
Call records	Yes
Memory	256MB flash memory / 256MB SDRAM
Card Slot	Hot Swappable MicroSD
Tri-band UMTS networks	(800/850)/1900/2100MHz and 900/1700/2100 MHz
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks	850/900/1800/1900MHz
3G	HSDPA
Wi-Fi	802.11 b/g WPA / WPA2 Personal and Enterprise Cisco CCX certified Wi-Fi® access to BlackBerry Enterprise Server Wi-Fi access to BlackBerry Internet Service Support for UMA (carrier-dependent
Infrared	No
Bluetooth	Bluetooth® v2.1; Mono/Stereo Headset, Hands free, Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP) and Serial Port Profile Supported. Bluetooth Stereo Audio (A2DP/AVCRP)
USB	Yes, v2.0
Camera	3.2 MP camera Autofocus Flash 2.5X digital zoom Video recording
Features	Geo-tagging, image stabilization
Video Format	MPEG4 Simple and Advance Simple Profile, H.263, H.264, WMV3
Audio Format	MP3, AMR-NB, AAC-LC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, WMV, Flac, Ogg Vorbis
Ringtones and Notifications	AMR, AAC, WAV, MP3, MID, WMA, MP4, M4A, QCP ringtones Vibrate mode LED indicaton
OS	BlackBerry OS 5.0
CPU	624MHz processor
Messaging	SMS, MMS, Email and Instant Messaging
Browser	HTML
Radio	No
Games	Yes + downloadable
Colours available	Black, silver and blue
GPS	Built-in GPS functionality Includes BlackBerry® Maps
Java	Yes - BlackBerry maps - Media player MP3, WMA, WMA ProPlus, AAC, AAC+ and eAAC+ - Video player MPEG4/3gp/H.264/WMV - Organizer - Voice memo
Device Security	Password protection Screen lock
Battery Type	1150 mAHr removable/rechargeable lithium-ion cell
Battery Standby	18 days (GSM), 13 days (UMTS)
Talk time	5 hours (GSM), 5.5 hours (UMTS)
Warranty	One year

BlackBerry Storm 2 9550 Review

RIM BlackBerry Storm 9550

Last Year when Research In Motion (RIM) launched the original BlackBerry Storm, it was their first handset to feature a touch screen (a clickable one at that). Theoretically, it had everything to be successful and was dubbed as the iPhone killer. But it became clear that this attempt fell short: An aging OS, lack of Wi-Fi and the utter failure of the SureType technology (yes, the one that made the screen even more cumbersome to use) .The bugs and other software issues that riddled the BlackBerry Storm were solved thanks to subsequent updates. But the damage was done.  Neither did it ‘kill’ the iPhone nor was able to please BlackBerry fans.

A year later, RIM decided to fix it by redoing the screen and introducing newer Piezo technology to prevent those accidental clicks. It does address most of those things we criticised about the earlier Storm. It is faster, more stable and more accurate while typing. Wi-Fi connectivity is present and the on-board memory has been doubled. In all, this certainly is an improvement over its predecessor. However, it still lags in the areas of Web browsing and faces stiff competition from Samsung Omnia and Motorola Droid. But more importantly will it manage to wash away the bad memories and gain back support from BlackBerry lovers, read the review to find out.

Design:
Resemblance:

When you first hold the Storm 2, you would mistake it for the earlier model. Visually, there is not much of a difference. The overall feel of the device is very much the same. Apart from the slightly sleeker design and the newer navigation buttons, it is identical to its predecessor.  That is a good thing, because the device feels well built. But what caught our attention is the weight of the device. The Storm2 9950 has dimensions of 112.5 x 62 x 13.9 mm and weighs 5 grams more than the predecessor Storm. Although by sheer dimensions it does not seem so, the Storm 2 is noticeably bulkier than many keyboards-less phones. Not the kind of phone you can carry in a tight jeans pocket. The battery door latch mechanism, similar to the one found on the 8520 is welcome. The speaker has moved from the back of the bottom, thus making it easier while you lay down the device.

Controls:

The physical controls are easy to reach and there are handy shortcuts for silent mode and volume. It is wide enough to avoid that cramped feeling one associates with touch screen keyboards. The keys are made of rubber instead of silver (another thing taken cue from the 8520). The largest design difference one would notice is the functional keys present below the screen.  The original Storm had four physical buttons each separated. This time, all these are incorporated right into the screen. The Piezo electric effect is working as we had no problems whatsoever this time. RIM has managed to combine Piezo and capacitive technology in a way that the screen responds only when touched with bare skin.  The BlackBerry storm 2 9550 has an upside when it comes to expansion as it has a removable battery and a microSDHC slot.

Display and the new SurePress technology:

The display, measuring at 3.25 inches with a half VGA (360 x 480) resolution is simply gorgeous. The touch screen also features a built in accelerometer and a proximity sensor that turns off the touch screen when on a phone call to prevent accidental mispresses. But did not the early Storm have the same dimensions? Yes.  The changes made here are pretty subtle; Subtle enough not to be noticeable.  While RIM still calls the touch screen technology of the Storm2 as SurePress, its implementation is entirely different from that of the Storm. The newer SurePress technology makes it easier to click and with multiple input sensors, typing is even more accurate. The screen actually gives an impulse that simulates the feel of a click. Thus, the Storm 9550 does a better job of replicating the feel of an actual keyboard.

Keyboard:

The full QWERTY Keyboard can be used in both portrait and landscape mode and the phone offer auto-correction. And also, the display does not move like it did earlier. The Piezo electric system works far more efficiently as it requires less conscious effort to use. It also allows for key rollover and faster typing. If you would want to capitalize a letter, all you need to do is press the Shift button while typing.  In a regular message, we had to manually type only a few words, which in a way, is better than the original.  While it does take time to get used to actually pushing down to invoke most actions, this necessity involves slowing down of every task on the phone. Typing is relatively slow as one still cannot truly move to the next key before the screen is back into position. This slowdown is a hindrance; it ruins the main advantage of a touch screen being intuitive.  One is always left guessing the phone’s response to one’s behaviour.  While this new technology sets BlackBerry apart, it would take some time to get used to it.

Interface:

An x.0 release indicates reworking of a program in a major way.  It signals a major shift in how things work.  The same can be held true about the new BlackBerry OS 5.0 in a few areas. Inertial (momentum based, that is) scrolling and threaded text messaging are finally supported. These were much necessary additions in a business centric phone such as the BlackBerry.  Auto-correction is also included. It does not work as well as Apple’s or HTC’s but is still an appreciative effort.  The Blackberry 9550 also supports multi touch gestures for copy and pasting by placing a finger at one end to cut/copy and the other at another end to paste. The menu animations are slick and the scrolling smooth. There was little time lag making it the zippiest interface ever.

Features:
Connectivity and Data:

The Storm 9550 is a global device having partners in Europe. The phone is CDMA focused but also supports GSM and EDGE.  The Storm2 also supports Wi-Fi which is welcome. But Wi-Fi does not help much; it only provides a more reliable connection and saves images on 3G fees.  Surfing over Wi-Fi is not really quick as the browser loads all the data and images before displaying unlike the iPhone or HTC Hero where one can start reading and scrolling before the page loads. It also supports Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR and the HSP, HSF, BAP, SPP, A2DP/AVCRP and DUN profiles.

Camera:

Recording video and Photography on the 9550 have remained virtually unchanged. The 3.2 mega pixel camera performed better than the original one. Photos taken by it looked sharp even on a 20 inch desktop monitor and that justifies the one second taken for the auto focus to kick in before the shutter is pressed. The level of detail was impressive even in indoor lighting. But occasionally, the images had some graining to them. One would have to wait for about 3 seconds to take another shot and that is a tolerable wait. The interface has been reworked slightly and the entire image is displayed on screen unlike the Storm when the bottom was cut off with some controls. There are BlackBerry applications that allow you to upload these pictures to Facebook, Flickr or other services.

Video clip footage looked good when played back to full screen on PC. Moving objects looked a bit blurry, but the overall 480 x 352 resolution footage was good enough.

BlackBerry App World:

BlackBerry App World gives users access to over four thousand applications for their phone. While they are more than enough, it is little when compared to over 10000 apps for the Android market and 85000 for the iPhone App store.  There are apps for Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, Docs to Go and even Brick Breaker. These apps need to be downloaded on first use and then they are available as shortcuts on the phone. The American Service Provider Verizon has applications such as VZ Navigator, City ID and Visual Voicemail pre- installed. All of these apps have a monthly fee if the user installs them.  Eerily, one needs to have a PayPal account to buy the premium apps.  The best part of the BlackBerry apps is how well they are integrated into the rest of the phone. For example, after downloading the Facebook app, there is an option to upload photos to your profile from the picture library.

GPS:

The Blackberry Storm2 9550 Smartphone is preloaded with the VZ Navigator that was able to create a route between London and Edinburgh in about 15 seconds. We liked the way it showed traffic along the way. Not only can the app perform local searches, but do them also along the way.  The turn to turn directions were loud and there was a significant difference in volume between the instructions and the specific street and locality names.

Messaging:

There have been upgrades in the SMS application; the most notable of those is the threaded text messaging.  So, it becomes easier to follow a conversation that was not conducted through e-mail. A greater sense of control is provided. You can set notifications to repeat for each type of message (SMS, email etc.) for individual contacts. There are more smileys too. The Storm2 9550 features all forms of messaging such as SMS, MMS, and personal email over BIS and BES, IM clients such as GoogleTalk and AIM. They have certainly made better to use thanks to the better keyboard.

Web Browser:

The Web Browser has been reworked to give faster loading times. The earlier Storm took about 50 seconds to load the site of the New York Times while the Storm2 took just 20 seconds. While it was decent enough in the earlier releases, the newer one is better at rendering sites that use AJAX. Even refinements in the touch screen benefits web browsing. Despite more RAM and a fast processor, some tasks feel slow. You still cannot use pinch gestures for zooming as on other phones neither can you open new tabs while browsing. While the overall surfing experience is good, it would be better if RIM integrates a WebKit based browser.

Multimedia:

Multimedia is a segment where the 9550 excels. It has its own media player that has now been broken up and is now visualized as a folder with each component as an independent application. There is 2GB built in memory and a 16GB micro SDHC slot for all its music, pictures and video.  The media player supports MP3, WMA, WMA ProPlus, AAC, AAC+ and eAAC+ formats. One can buy tunes online using V Cast Music with Rhapsody.  A cheaper alternative is transferring tracks from a PC. While downloading songs over Wi-Fi is slow, transferring non DRM tunes from a PC to the Storm2 with the BlackBerry Media Sync program is easy.  It is faster to scroll through photos on the Storm2 than its predecessor. The video looks great and the interface is clean. The storm 2 9550 phone supports MPEG4 and WMV video files for playback.

Software:

There is nothing new here. Like always, things are simple and straightforward. It has the capacity to store virtually unlimited amount of contacts and with each contact being able to hold 3 email addresses, 2 work phone numbers, 2 home numbers, a mobile, pager, fax and a BlackBerry PIN number. You can store home and work address as well as birthday dates. These contacts have user definable contacts and each entry can have a custom picture and a ringer.  Lives up to the expectations of a true Business phone, doesn’t it? Like its earlier version, the home screen contact search is missing. While the keyboard is accessible in the full menu, you cannot search the contacts by name or number.  Voice dialling is excellent and is handled by pre-programming the left soft key.

The Calendar is another robust feature. It can be managed either on the phone or a PC. Using the BlackBerry Enterprise Server you can remotely manage and sync it wirelessly.  You can also create appointments and options such as reminder and recurrence are present as well. One can also mark appointments private for extra security. Basic PIM tasks such as Memo Pad and Tasks along with a simple calculator are also available.

Performance:
Call Quality:

We tested the dual mode (CDMA and GSM) RIM BlackBerry Storm and the call quality was good. The audio and voice quality had minimal background noise.  Neither did we experience any dropped calls nor had a problem using an automated voice system. However our callers reported that the voice sounded distorted and activating speakerphone made our voice sound muffed. On the contrary, speakerphone calls sounded clear and loud.  Pairing up using Bluetooth was easy.

The 9550 uses the same processor as the Storm but with increased memory and better software, the phone felt better to use.  The accelerometer was able to change as soon as we rotated the phone. We had no problems whatsoever using applications as we did not encounter any of the performance issues that plagued the Storm.

Battery Life:

Because the Blackberry Storm 9550 is a world phone, the band that is being used affects battery life. We recommend charging once a day as moderate usage will drain most of its charge.  With light to moderate usage, you would likely charge it every other day.  While Talk time is 5 and half hours, it can last 11 days without usage. So, the battery life is pretty decent.

Package:

At first glance, the box that the Storm 9550 comes is of the same design as the earlier Storm, only slightly smaller. They are identical except for the picture of the phone and technical details. The box feels heavier thanks to the additional weight of the Storm 2. Well, whoever cares about the package, what is inside it matters.

What’s in the Box?

The Storm2 ships along with a 16 GB microSD memory card, rechargeable battery, microUSB international charger, USB cable, wired 3.5mm stereo headset, pre installed SIM card, quick reference guide, documentation kit and a global support kit.

Warranty:

There is a warranty of one year provided for the BlackBerry Storm 9550 from the date of purchase.

Verdict:

Despite the similar design and software, the RIM BlackBerry 9550 is not a really bad phone. In fact the phone easily can win the most improved award in the smart phone category.  Many improvements have been incorporated and all the previous problems (lack of Wi-Fi, unnatural scrolling and the screen mechanism) have been solved. The new touch screen is a pleasure to use than its predecessor. The phone is great when it comes to taking calls and viewing email. The increased onboard memory and the new OS make the phone snappier to use.  However, the web browser is poor compared to the one on iPhone and HTC Hero. RIM also has to do a lot of catching up in the application store segment. But the main thing that worries us is how the phone would perform in the market. Most improvements in the phone are to cover up all the faults of Storm2. Mean while, competitors of RIM such as Apple and Android have had superior upgrades, thus outpacing the BlackBerry. Do not get us wrong. The BlackBerry Storm is a great phone that appeals to BlackBerry lovers looking for a touch screen phone. If you want a solid keyboard, Palm Pre, Apple iPhone and HTC Hero are some feasible options.

BlackBerry Storm 9550 Mobile Phone - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	RIM
Model Name	BlackBerry Storm 9550
2 G Network	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3 G Network	HSDPA 2100   CDMA2000 1x EV-DO
Announced	2008 September
Dimensions	112.5 x 62 x 13.9
Weight	160 g
Display Type	TFT capacitive touch screen, 65K colors
Display Size	360 x 480 pixels, 3.25 inches - Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
Alert Types	Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3 ringtones
Speakerphone	Yes   - 3.5 mm audio jack
Phonebook Memory	Yes, Photocall
Call records	Yes
Internal	2GB storage
Card Slot	microSD (TransFlash), up to 32 GB
GPRS	Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
HSCSD	No
EDGE	Class 10, 236.8 kbps
3G	HSDPA
Wi-Fi	Yes
Infrared	No
Bluetooth	Yes, v2.0 with A2DP
USB	Yes, v2,0
Camera	3.2 MP, autofocus, LED flash
Features	Geo-tagging, image stabilization
Video	Yes, QVGA
Secondary	No
OS	BlackBerry OS 5.0
CPU	624MHz processor
Messaging	SMS, MMS, Email and Instant Messaging
Browser	HTML
Radio	No
Games	Yes + downloadable
Colour	Black
GPS	Yes, with A GPS support
Java	Yes - BlackBerry maps - Document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF) - Media player MP3, WMA, WMA ProPlus, AAC, AAC+ and eAAC+ - Video player MPEG4/3gp/H.264/WMV - Organizer - Voice dial - Voice memo
Battery Type	Standard battery, Li-Ion 1400 mAh
Battery Standby	11 days
Talk time	Up to 5 h 30 min
Warranty	One year