BLACKBERRY BOLD

  BLACKBERRY BOLD

 The Blackberry Bold marked somewhat of a sea change in design direction for RIM, towards a classier look for the high-end phone user.

The keys are bigger, more responsive, better defined and more tactile, meaning if you've struggled to type on a Blackberry Curve or 8800 series device, the Bold is certainly worth a second look.

The Bold features the usual suspects buttons-wise such as answer/end call, menu access, and moving backwards and exiting, in addition to camera and volume control and a navigation aid in the form of a mini trackball for navigating menus. The lightweight (136g) device boasts a sturdy build quality, with a reassuringly expensive feel that makes you want to hold it. It's also just 66mmxl5mmxll4mm (WDH). Other nice touches include a 3.5mm headphone socket and a loudspeaker that does not distort at maximum volume. In addition, the microSD card slot is accessible from the side of the device, which is very handy indeed.

In a big departure from previous models, the Bold was the first to introduce both 3G and HSDPA data support. While neither is strictly necessary for email downloading, they are important for web browsing. The Bold's platform has been rewritten to support full-page browsing. As with an iPhone, you zoom in on the area you want to read, the combination of cursor and trackball making this very easy to do.

The 3G and HSDPA support soon shows its worth, as does Wi-Fi support. The Bold can also be used as a USB 3G modem. Download speeds are good (dependent on network load) and the device is quick and responsive both in-application and when switching between apps.

GPS support is also present, coping well inside buildings by gaining a signal through a nearby window during our tests. The BlackBerry Maps application is straightforward and functional, while Google Maps makes use of the built-in GPS chip. Connection time is usually very quick - on average, about 10 seconds in areas without tall buildings that could obscure the GPS satellite signal.

There's an address book, To Do lists, a notepad and a calculator. There are also Facebook and Google Maps applications and a few games to keep users both productive and entertained.

The camera is on the back and, although just 2-megapixels, offers good image quality. The LED flash also works well in near-pitch-black environments.
 
Users can mate their Bold with an Exchange or Lotus Notes server running the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) plug-in, or buy it from a mobile operator that offers a prosumer service. The network provides the BES integration and you use a web interface to configure access to up to 10 of your P0P3/IMAP and Exchange mailboxes. If your Exchange mail server supports Outlook Web Access (OWA), you should be able to configure push email to your BlackBerry.

The Bold's battery life is not as strong as newer BlackBerrys, with a day of heavy usage requiring a top up.

However, this is a factor you'd expect from such a super-powered smartphone.

All in all, the Bold represents a distinct change in direction for RIM and the BlackBerry line-up as the handsets move away from being merely business information devices to being fully featured, high-end smartphones for ail users. That said, the core features of the BlackBerry - email, calendar and personal information management - have not been compromised by the inclusion of more consumer-focused applications.

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