It’s been a week since The Ideas Network sent me my Blackberry Bold 9900 to review and I can say that so far I’ve been impressed with this device, I have been dying to get my hands on a Bold 9900 since RIM announced it back in May of this year.
So sit back and relax and let me take you on a journey to explore this device.
Look & Feel
Gone is the chrome coloured plastic and in is the brushed metal rim almost iPhone like in feel (Yes I said iPhone!), RIM have also taken some of the original size and form factor from the original Bold 9000 incorporating a bigger keyboard and replacing the trackball with a sleek trackpad.
Weighing in at 130g and measuring 10.5mm thick, this by far is the most slender yet robust BlackBerry I have come across, but don’t let looks deceive you as under the brushed metal rim and composite battery door RIM have packed a punch.
Memory & Processor
This punch comes in the form of a 1.2 GHz processor, 768Mb RAM and 8GB of internal storage, Of course you also have the opportunity to expand that internal storage by a further 32GB of microSD.
However I have found that my 16GB memory card is ample enough and I have been unable to even use even 10% of the storage capacity on the device.
The 1.2 GHz QC 8655 processor makes the response time and snappiness of the device incredible, although it has not done away with the pesky hourglass if you try and do too many things at once.
Battery
The 9900 has done away with the original Bold MS-1 battery and now features the new JM-1 1230Mah battery.
Was the decision to lower the battery Mah a good one?
Well for the 1st few days I worried that the decision to lower the battery to a 1230Mah would have a detrimental effect over the way I use the device but I soon found out that the device settled in after a few charge cycles and I was getting around 13hrs out of the battery with moderate to heavy usage.
Keyboard / Screen & Audio
Featuring BlackBerry’s largest QWERTY keyboard ever and 1st HD quality display the Bold 9900 is a pleasure to use, Typing out emails or sending BBM’s is a breeze and the keys feel smooth and respond swiftly.
The 2.8” HD display is crystal clear and incorporating an enhanced graphics CPU RIM has brought us their best screen ever, watching videos and playing games on it is an awesome experience.
Alongside the new screen and improved keyboard is an improved back speaker located to the rear of the battery door, in previous devices I have found the on board speaker to be a bit tinny and lacking bass.
The Bold 9900 has totally changed my mind, the new speaker makes calls and music playback a much more enjoyable experience with the device working well to bring us crystal clear sound.
Camera & Video
The choice by RIM to ditch their previous 5MP auto focus camera found the in the Bold 9780 was not a good choice in my opinion.
Being a photographer I look for my device to have a certain level of quality in its imagery as I often snap possible locations / subjects when I am out and about with just my phone.
I have found the image quality to be excellent however the lack of auto focus to be a hindrance and I feel that the average user would take some time to get used to the depth of field focus technique.
However the device does support HD video recording and I have found that this feature provides again an excellent quality yet it still seems a little shaky at times.
Overall the image and video quality is good but has some room for improvement.
Near Field Communication (NFC)
With the NFC antenna located in the composite battery door, this is the first BlackBerry to support NFC technology that allows two devices to communicate.
Although at present NFC is not widely available in the real world you will soon able to make wireless payments and even scan posters to take you to certain links or event pages.
RIM is making a huge commitment to NFC so we can expect to see some exciting developments in the next coming months.
BlackBerry OS7 Features
The Bold 9900 was the 1st device to launch with RIM’s new OS7, Originally earmarked to be OS6.1 it brings a host of new features.
These include an optimised touch screen handling, webkit browser, better home screen experience, enhanced universal search and the implementation of “Liquid Graphics” that offer a smoother UI experience.
The enhanced universal search is great to use and I now only have to tell my device what I am looking for in order for it to locate that app or important email.
I have also found that the enhanced Gmail features have been a blessing and that way RIM has incorporated your BlackBerry ID into the OS is excellent, No more having to type in my password each time I want to access the my world in AppWorld or my BIS account settings.
The new webkit browser is by far the best browser featured in a BlackBerry, it is upto 40% faster than its predecessors and makes your browsing experience a walk in the park. I can happily load pages and download apps in the background and rarely have to wait for more than a few seconds before I have what I want in front of me.
Summary
Score
I have decided to score the Bold 9900 an overall 9.5 out of 10 with the camera and lack of NFC support being it’s only downfall.
Pros
- Excellent Build Quality
- Crystal Clear HD Touch screen
- Excellent OS Improvements
- Greater Processor Performance
- Improved Browser
- OS Improvements with OS7
Cons
- No Autofocus On The Camera.
- Shaky HD Video Even With IS On.
- Lack Of NFC Support At Launch
Specifications’ Overview
- Stunning 2.8″ high resolution capacitive touch screen display
- BlackBerry’s best ever QWERTY keyboard
- Super fast 1.2 GHz Processor
- New BlackBerry 7 OS
- 8 GB on-board memory, expandable up to 40GB (an additional 32GB)
- 5.0 MP camera, supports HD video recording
- NFC technology
- Accelerometer, Digital Compass and Proximity Sensor allowing for Augmented Reality
- Built-in GPS / aGPS
- Dual-Band Wi-Fi® – 802.11 b/g/n
- Wireless Network support: Tri-Band HSPA+, Quad-Band GSM/EDGE
- Superb 1230 mAh removable, rechargeable battery
Conclusion
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is by far the best device I have used to date, I have found the elegance of its design, the addition of a touch screen and new BlackBerry OS7 a pleasure to use.
Apart from the camera and lack of NFC support I have found it hard to find a bad word to say about the Bold 9900 and I have now gone out and bought my own on Vodafone.
I look forward to many months of use out of this device and expect to see some great enhancements with RIM’s devices in the years to come.
I would also like to thank The Ideas Network and Vodafone UK for providing me with the review device.
That’s all from me for now, But remember to follow @BBerryEmpire, @BBEmpire & me @just_j0e for all your device news & reviews