It’s been more than a year since Research in Motion (TSX:RIM) released its last offering, the Torch 9800, a phone that combined a QWERTY keyboard with a sliding multi-touch screen display.
The Torch was slow out of the gate, but ultimately went on to become the sixth best selling smart phone in the US last year.
Released last week, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the most anticipated new RIM phone in years. The new Bold, which features a new operating system, the BlackBerry OS 7, boasts near-field-communication, Wi-Fi and micro-USB connectivity and an improved camera. Early reviews of the Bold 9900 are some of the most positive the company has received in years.
Richard Melville, Managing Editor of top UK mobile site FoneHome thinks the new Blackberry Bold is good. Good enough, in fact, to challenge the current heavyweight champ of the smartphone world, the iPhone 4. Melville sees five distinct reasons this could happen.
It’s clear the Apple iPhone 4 remains the benchmark for rival smartphones to reach and this year has seen some heavyweight handsets make the grade. RIM is hoping its new upcoming BlackBerry Bold 9900 can join this esteemed crowd but does it have the firepower and that something different to kick the iPhone 4 into touch?
Looking at the specs, the 9900 Bold ranks as the most powerful BlackBerry smartphone yet, sporting a 1.2GHz processor, a five megapixel snapper and NFC voodoo. But let’s see what its got to get one over on Apple’s Jesus phone.
1. QWERTY keyboard
Typing on the iPhone 4’s virtual keyboard isn’t a terrible experience by any stretch of the imagination but nothing matches the speed and accuracy of a physical keyboard. The QWERTYs on BlackBerry devices, especially the Bold models, have always been top notch, offering ridge buttons and a roomy design. Expect the same on the 9900 and, of course, the luxury of a touchscreen to augment the mechanised buttons.
2. Near Field Communications
NFC looks like this year’s mobile buzz technology. The iPhone 4 doesn’t have it and there’s even rumours flying around that its successor, the iPhone 5, won’t feature this contactless tech. The Bold 9900 however ships with an NFC chip already built-in, so its ready for a swiping and tagging and, of course, touchless payments from the off.
3. Social Networking
News that the next iOS 5 software update for iPhone better integrates Twitter into its UI got a cheer from Apple fans when it was announced but BlackBerry’s 7OS ties in your disparate social networking traffic far more efficiently. Facebook, Twitter, RSS feeds, BBM, emails and text are all gathered under one roof for easy access.
4. BlackBerry Messenger
RIM’s own IM service, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), has proved immensely popular and the de facto way for Berry devices to talk to each other. Yes, Apple is introducing its own service on the iOS 5 software upgrade due in the Autumn, but BBM is the original and proven and, apparently, down with the kids.
5. Storage
The iPhone 4 comes in 16GB and 32GB models which for most people is enough capacity to stockpile all your apps and multimedia gubbins. However there’s no option to increase the amount should you reach maximum capacity. The Bold 9900 may only pack 8GB but it features a microSD card slot so you can boost the storage beyond the iPhone 4. Slot home a 32GB card and you will have a whopping 40GB at your disposal. Bosh.
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This post originally appeared at FoneHome.co.uk. FoneHome is the mothership of the UK mobile scene, powered by a crack team of experts and enthusiasts dedicated to delivering only the very best daily mobile news, latest reviews, hottest hands-on videos, must-know tips, tricks and unique phone-flavoured stories. Click here to view the original.
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