BlackBerry Bold 9700 Review

My Renewed "Engagement Ring"

While this review is rather delayed, better late than never. Especially since this phone is now free with promos.

Why upgrade to the BlackBerry Bold 9700?

Initial Needs: 3G phone FINALLY! Send/receive emails and talk on the phone at the same time (thank you AT&T network!), and a sleeker /more compact size.

The link for all the nitty-gritty details is at the bottom.



Here Is My Review:

Ease-of-Use:

Buttons: Moving from the 8820 to the Bold was a welcomed change. The QWERTY keyboard is smaller and more compact. At first, it is a little difficult, but I quickly adapted to the change. The buttons on the Bold are precise even with no spaces between them, but are easy to hit. My larger hands do not have problems with the keys.

Call Quality: Much better than my 8820. No complaints. The occasional dropped call, but no different than any other network.

Scroll Track Ball Pad: The TRACK pad is awesome. This is probably my favorite upgrade on the phone. No more ball! It occasionally doesn't respond immediately (less than the scroll ball), but it is very fluid most of the time.

Battery Life: It does a great job. On my three to four day trips, I was never worried. But, I do not talk all day on the phone.

Extra Features: The phone has a stop watch, timer, and many more games. It also has applications to work with Microsoft Excel (read, edit, etc) and Word. The back of the phone is leather which helps prevent it from sliding around too much. The trim is metal, which continues to make the phone look sleek.

Access: 3G is amazing. Being on the AT&T network allows me to talk and text at the same time. I rarely have issues with dropped calls. This is vital when on a conference call and I need to reply to emails during. This phone is Wi-Fi capable. It is nice to be able to access the internet faster when in a hot spot.

Screen: It is pretty sweet. No complaints on the resolution. The colors are very rich and sharp.

Camera: Pretty good camera for a camera phone. However, I never really use it. If you want to shoot video, you need to buy a memory card.

Accessories: The two ear phone head set is great. It is weird listening to a phone call with 'surround' sound.

A Couple Notes:
-The phone would occasionally load while on.... meaning that a pesky hour glass would show itself and not let me use my phone for a few minutes. I do not know why it did it, but it was frustrating at times.
-While using the track pad, sometimes when I scroll up, my fingers go off the pad and rub the screen, slowing my scroll. It could just be me, but it happened every so often.
-The phone may feel cheaper to some people, but I assure you, it is not. It is just a lot lighter than other phones.
-The 9700 is on AT&T's network.

Overall:

Pros:
*Easy to use
*AMAZING screen resolution / colorful
*Visual voice mail
*Light
*Compact for a full QWERTY keyboard
*3G Internet Access
*Wi-FI
*Email / Voice simultaneously
*Track Pad
*Small and compact

Cons:
*Phone has to load -- annoying hour glass
*Track Pad is slightly too close to screen

In closing:

Upgrading to this phone was great. The aesthetics on the phone are superior to my previous phones. The track pad and 3G service is fantastic . The amazing screen resolution allows you to see documents and websites clearly. Despite the occasional need for the phone to load while on is not a deal breaker. I would highly recommend this smart phone.

9.3/10

Here is the Link to BlackBerry's Official Page

~ the GURU