The introduction of the touch-screen BlackBerry Storm, business-savvy Bold 9000 and consumer-geared Pearl Flip 8220 might not have come a moment too soon for RIM, which has long dominated the market for high-end cellphones that double as email devices.
But while RIM's latest offerings are packed with features like stereo Bluetooth, standard headphone jacks, video recording, multiple email options and, in the case of the Storm, a unique touch screen, the multifront attack may not be enough to unseat the mighty iPhone.
- AP
BlackBerry Storm
The much-anticipated Storm - RIM's first touch-screen smart phone - has slick looks and tons of features. But while the device gets some things right, a number of issues make it difficult to use.
The Storm, released yesterday through Verizon Wireless, is similar in size to larger BlackBerry models but eschews the standard QWERTY keyboard for a high-resolution 3.25-inch (8.25cm) touch screen that covers most of its face.
The screen smartly marries the tactile feedback you'd get from a physical keyboard or mouse button with the finger-swiping convenience of a touch screen. So you can scroll around with your finger but nothing should happen - no words typed, no links clicked - until you physically push on the screen.
It's much easier to type messages with the Storm's keyboard than with the iPhone's. This could make a big difference to business users who have been lusting after touch-screen smart phones but are hesitant to make the switch. Sometimes, though, clicking on icons is difficult: At times, the browser zooms in on the icon rather than activating it, or activating an adjacent link.
storage
High-definition videos looked pretty good on the Storm, and its big screen is great for showing large photos, or album art when you're listening to songs. There's plenty of storage for your multimedia goodies, as the device includes one gigabyte of memory and an eight-gigabyte microSD card.
One neat feature is the Storm's ability to take videos in two different resolutions, the lower of which is meant for sending clips in messages. You can also take still photos with the Storm's 3.2 megapixel camera.
The visual voicemail feature - also available on the iPhone - is 'sweet', displaying a list of your voice messages and allowing you to hear them in any order you'd like.
But the Storm seems to labour at processing requests if one tries to do too many things too quickly, such as scrolling through photos while listening to music. And while the screen should easily change from portrait to landscape mode when you turn the Storm on its side, it's quite slow to react.
The Storm includes GPS. But its lack of Wi-Fi capabilities means you can't get online in the absence of Verizon's data network.
BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220
Though its Razr-like design looks somewhat quaint, the Flip is easy to use and might appeal if you're making the switch from a traditional handset.
Like other devices in the Pearl family, the Flip includes a condensed QWERTY keyboard that puts two letters on most keys - a set-up that makes it easier to slip the phone into your back pocket, but can take some getting used to when you're tapping out messages.
The Flip's 2.5-inch (6.35cm) main screen is clear and bright, but not as sharp as the other new BlackBerrys'. There's also a 1.75-inch (4.45cm) outer screen on the Flip that can give you information like message previews.
Given the small size of the main screen, it may take you a little more time to navigate the Web on this device, but it can be useful for looking up news and will let you stream video from some sites, including YouTube's mobile site.
I wouldn't use the Flip as my go-to portable video player though. A few clips I watched, including one that came with the device, looked choppy or pixelated.
microSD card
Don't count on the included memory for storing videos, songs or photos because the Flip has hardly any. You'll need to shell out for a microSD card instead.
But if you're interested in keeping up with your friends, the Flip comes loaded with several instant messaging services in addition to the standard BlackBerry Messenger, including AOL Instant Messenger and Google Talk.
The device doesn't include GPS, but you can enter your location in the included BlackBerry Maps application to find nearby businesses or obtain driving directions.
One potentially big drawback: the Flip works over T-Mobile's more widespread EDGE network, but not its speedier 3G network. It does have Wi-Fi capability, though, which may help you if you're out of network range, but have access to a Wi-Fi hot spot.
BlackBerry Bold 9000
With its full QWERTY keyboard, crystal-clear 2.75-inch (7cm) screen and bevy of wireless options, the Bold is suited for business and extra-curricular pursuits.
The device can use Wi-Fi, which made it easy to check email and stream videos.
Like the Storm, the Bold has GPS capabilities. It includes an application that can give driving directions.
Typing messages with the keyboard is super simple - the keys are not too small and right away you feel comfortable enough not to be continually fixated on what buttons your fingers are pressing.
Navigating the touch screen with the traditional BlackBerry trackball is straightforward and quick. Unlike with the Storm, one rarely notices a slowdown in completing operations on the Bold.
news videos
The screen, which sports the same resolution as the one on the BlackBerry Storm, is great for surfing the Web and watching videos. The Bold also comes with an application that lets you stream news videos allowing you to watch them in segments, such as episodes of shows like The Office and Ugly Betty.
There's a two-megapixel camera included that takes fair photos, and, as with the other new BlackBerrys, you can take videos on the Bold and listen to your music too.
But if you want to store lots of your own media on the device, you'll need to get a memory card for its microSD slot - the handset only includes one gigabyte of built-in memory.