BlackBerry Torch 9850 Review – Specification, Features, Price

BlackBerry was being position three years ago as the iPhone killer, however, RIM has been struggling and gradually losing market share while trying to compete with better smartphone. After the Storm2 9550 RIM took and almost two year hiatus in announcing any full touch screen smartphones. Now with the introduction of the Torch 9850 for Sprint and Torch 9860 for AT&T, RIM is trying to turn around its last two attempts at a full touch smartphone. It could be a matter of too little too late. The Blackberry Torch 9850 is also called Monaco and Monza.

BlackBerry Torch 9850

Specifications

• Display:3.7 inch 16 Million Color WVGA (460×800) Capacitive TFT
• Operating System: Blackberry OS 7
• Processor: 1.2 GHz QC 8655
• RAM: 768 MB
• Storage Internal: 2GB
• Storage Removable: microSD, MicroSDHC 4GB Installed (32 GB Max)
• Network CDMA: Dual Band 800 and 1900 MHz
• Network GSM: Quad Band 950, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• Network UMTS: 2100
• EDGE: UMTS, HSPA, 1xEV-DO rev. A
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR
• Wireless: WiFi 802.11 b, g, n
• Wireless Tethering: WiFi HotSpot
• USB: microUSB 2.0 with USB Charging
• Geo Positioning: GPS
• Camera: 5 Megapixel Continuous Auto Focus
• Flash: LED
• Video Recording: 720p HD (1280 x 720)
• Battery: Li-Ion 1230 mAh

Features

The Blackberry Torch 9850 is the thinnest and lightest of its attempts at a full touch smartphone. The whole phone gives a shiny feel to it with the use of the glossy black plastic used. The overall performance of the Blackberry phone has improved with the power of the new processor and additional RAM. The interface perhaps is not as great as the Android or IOs however; there are some interesting areas where it differentiates from the competition. In the portrait mode you have a choice of three keyboard layout, a dedicated letter QWERTY, a paired letter QWERTY (bigger buttons but two letters per button), and lastly the classic layout we have been using for ages on the 3×4 key grid dialers. Cursor placement is an easy job with the optical track-pad that is a mainstay of all Blackberry devices. Email on Blackberry devices have always been a strong point for RIM, and minus features like threaded conversation view, the experience is straightforward and maintains its reputation. There are no major changes in the general applications on the smartphone. The 5 Megapixel camera on the Blackberry Torch 9850 is a respectable camera for the standard 4×6 prints, but most of the time the images are being shared through social networks, so that is not a big problem. Low light photography and video is prone to a lot of digital noise.

BlackBerry Torch 9850

Verdict

RIM should have put this device on the market as early as possible. The smartphone is an overall good competitive device; however, the competitors have made enough headway into the market that it might be difficult to RIM to regain its lost market share. The Blackberry Torch 9850 is a straight up smartphone without any gimmicks, which is something that the Storms had. The Android and iPhone are still ahead in the game in quality, features, specifications and pricing, however, if you are looking at BlackBerry for some of its proprietary features, then it is definitely something that you will go for, however, the Blackberry Bold 9930 is arguably the best smartphone from RIM.

Price

The Blackberry Torch 9850 is available for $149.99 with a contract.