BlackBerry Bold user reviews (black, AT&T)

Pros 1. Phone Quality is great
2. Email can't be beat
3. Nice User Interface
4. 3G and WIFI a plus+++

Cons 1. A little bulky reminds me of the old blueberry (7290)

Summary The people who bash this phone typically have not used it or seen it yet. The bold is great. The complaint from most people is that you need two browsers (one for 3G ; one for WIFI). The easy solution is to download Opera Mini (better browser anyways).

Picture quality is good ; email is the best ; phone quality is really, really good.

I used to have the iPhone and bold is a true business device where the iPhone is more of a consumer device.

Pros 1. Much better battery life than i expected
2. Beautiful screen
3. Fast 3g/wifi
4. Many useful apps that extend its usefulness (Viigo, WSJ reader, etc)
5. Incredible stereo speakers - spectacular!

Cons 1. Bulky
2. Screen size is small
3. Still has the thumbwheel (I break them often bcs of heavy use)
4. Despite big processor etc, still no true 3g skype client (unlike say fring for the Nokia N95) - hopefully this gets solved soon.

Summary Bottomline:
Still the best heavy business use smartphone.

I work in investment management and we are addicted to our crackberries but I have yet to come across any businessphone which comes remotely close to the bold in terms of its functionality and ease of use. I own an iphone and an N95 as well and while i like the iphone too as a personal phone, I tried to use it for business purposes and realized that for heavy business use (say 2-3 thousand emails a day of which you reply to 200-300), it was useless. Treos and other business phones are edged out decisively in my opinion. The battery life was a welcome positive surprise after seeing my iphone die mid day because of too many push emails. The bold lasts me a full day on an overnight charge. The keyboard is definitely better than earlier blackberry offerings too especially for people like me who use both thumbs to type fast.

I do not like the back cover that most other people seem to. It looks kind of wierd to me. However, it does help with the grip on the phone. The camera is crappy - somehow colours are dull and its hard to click a shot without the image looking blurry. Did not need a camera but since its there I want it to be better. The iphone wins hands down on this and other media aspects although the bold's video display is the best around and crystal clear - its too small to give it an edge over the iphone.

I have been waiting to get true Voip over 3g capability and a skype client along with that in a business phone - while this one has the right processor speed and other attributes - I have not come across apps that currently make skype work on the bold like it would on a pc or even an N95. The Truphone app does work but it requires wifi. I hv used fring and truphone on an N95 and while the call qualities were not great, true mobile voip is a must have thing for me. So I wait patiently.

Unlike most bluetooth phones, the bold supports rSAP bluetooth protocol (not a very well known fact) so for those of you who have volkswagen/audi/bentley cars which dont work with other bluetooth phones, this is one of the few good business phones out there which actually work with your car. While rSAP is the most secure bluetooth technology out there, its not as convenient as regular bluetooth so you have to copy numbers from your address book to the sim card to start with and the initial pairing process has to be done correctly (Have the bold "Listen" for your car, dont "search" for it). But it has worked like a charm in my car after that so that was a big plus.

Finally I would like Blackberries to support Spiralfrog / Rhapsody Windows Media DRM files like the N95 or Sony Walkman phones support. Free legal music and it works only on some phones? The built in media player is ok but it works only with non DRM files. Why pirate music when you can get it for free (even if its with DRM)?

Pros The screen quality is fantastic. Touch pad has a good feel and like the backlit keys when needed. Enjoy the mouse. Has the feel of durablility, looks classy.

Cons The vibrate feature is weaker than what I'm used to. The price is little steep, but do you want a Lexus or do you want a Kia.

Summary First I want to comment that I read over the negative reviews and noticed that all of them have one theme to promote the iphone (check it out). My point being is that the rating is much better than the cnet average is showing. The 9000 is simply a sturdy and well thought out instrument for both business and personal use. I'm going to be using mine for personal only. I'm on a steep learning curve with this being my first smartphone and am having a blast. It's only user friendly for those of us that have some background in advance cell phone and know their way around a computer enviroment. I played with all the different smartphones for about two months before finally deciding on the 9000.What sold me was the fabulous screen definition and clarity, the overall feel of the keypad for my touch. I do not mind it's size and actually like how it feels in my hand. To me it feels tough and durable. My poor wife is drooling over this phone but she will have to wait one more year.

Pros screen, keeps lots of messages, great video playback, GREAT keyboard, fun games, good applications

Cons battery lasts two days without charging

Summary I got this phone without a data plan, and i still love it! the keyboard is AMAZING!! i type on it probably 30 wpm and texting is a breeze. This phone has a GREAT messaging software that is the same as other blackberrys, but this being my first blackberry, i was blown away! the camera is adequate and features zoom and effects, with flash thankfully! The videos are crisp and clean and the pictures are great! VERY easy and stylish interface and GREAT phone! I love having the ability to plug it in to the computer and transfer my old files onto it-- which although small, makes a huge difference in phones! i LOVE the clock application and use bedside mode every night! the external speakers are the best i've ever seen on any phone, and it comes preloaded with all sorts of ringtones. brickbreaker is an addicting game so prepare to constantly be on your phone. Since I do not have data, I am unable to review GPS, the browser, and other third party applications. However, I find myslef frequently using the applications that, although basic, are very necessary, such as tasks, calendar, clock, word, excel, powerpoint, etc. One thing that i wish the phone had, however, is that i wish it would tell me the total amount of text message in my inbox. I find myself having to use the "search" to find out how many texts I have sent in a particular day. a very small detail, but still something that other phones have that i would like. the battery is adequate, and just using the phone, you can have it last you a long time. however, i send a lot of picture and video messages and take a lot of pictures and videos so my battery may not last as long as other peopl may experience with there phone. I also keep my phone in standby mode when it is not going to be in use for a whie. this phone charges SUPER fast though, charging from nothing to full in almost an hour! cases can be bought for about $10 depending on the kind, but i truthfully prefer it without the case. I LOVE the blinking LED light on the front that tells you if you have a missed call or new text message. This is a GREAT feature although after a while it stops blinking. The settings are almost endless! the possibilities you have blow me away! i have created profiles so that whenever certain people text me it will say their names. I also have figured out how to make seperate picture folders to divide your pictures, and then only show certain ones and keep the rest "hidden" so that only you can access them when you want to, otherwise no one else can see them. Its nice so that i can organize them better! im still trying to figure out how to do that with video though. Overall, this phone is great and i would definately reccommend it to anyone! I cannot stress enough how great the keyboard is and how easy it is to type, even with little experience.

If you are looking into getting a phone, definately take a look at the RIM Blackberry Bold, as it is simply the best, most advanced, fully featured phone today!