BlackBerry Torch 9850 user reviews (Verizon Wireless)

Pros Sleek & curvy!
TONS of improvements in OS 7-phone, email, text, calendar INTEGRATION!
Excellent signal & voice quality
REAL browser
World phone
VZ Navigator+BING
Media player+
Tethering
Better app store functionality
Nifty compass hardware/softwa

Cons 3G vs. 4G
Verizon's limitation of talk or browse web, but not both at the same time
Limited speaker phone volume

Summary Just as RIM is sliding into single digit shares, they introduce arguably the best touch-only smart phone to date, one that actually competes very well with iPhone and best Androids in terms of both STYLE (Subtle curves and pleasing textures abound, super thin) and Functionality (nobody INTEGRATES voice, email, text and calendar as well as BB, especially with OS 7 and all it's cool new features).

Add in a fully functional browser (finally) and the speed of the new processor, and you get one very nice smart phone that can more than hold it's own against the new market leaders.

In terms of Apps, you get far fewer, but still PLENTY of high quality options that cover my needs: e.g., Kindle, Rhapsody, PodTrapper, VZ Navigator + BING, Google Mobile, BB + Google Maps, and full range of social media.

So, finally a great modern smart phone from RIM, and I'm just sad thinking how few people will consider the Torch and it's great combination of outstanding style + superior communication/organization experience, having already written off BlackBerry.

My hope is that RIM will build on the Style+Functionality success of the Torch 9850 and stop their slide in the market. Come on guys! You have a unique combination of benefits vs. the market leaders, and finally the OS and Style to compete, so go! Don't force us to join the iPhone Drones with their crappy voice quality and slavish devotion to Apple's rigid world view, or the wild wild (and unsophisticated) west that is Android right now!

Keep giving us a sane but fun alternative that actually works better! Make it easier for folks to create or port quality apps! Keep the focus on quality! Create even sleeker integration among core communication/organization capabilities. Beef up support for streaming media. And maybe, just maybe, we'll continue to have unique and useful alternatives like the Torch.

Pros IPhone or Droid "like". If you are a loyal Blackberry customer....you were excited about this phone being released.

Cons I have had 3 BRAND NEW phones in 3 months. The first two phones were replaced the FIRST DAY OUT OF THE BOX!!! The third phone completely shut down after 88 days. Wouldn't turn on. Verizon confirmed this was yet a third DEFECTIVE phone.

Summary Having been a loyal blackberry customer for many years, I was so excited to hear that they were coming out with a newer, updated, almost I-phone like touchscreen. I pre-ordered it 2 weeks before it even came out! I guess that was my first mistake...I probably should have waited to see what people said after it was out for a while. Here is my horrific experience with this phone:

My preordered phone came to my home on the opening day date! Yay! I brought the phone to the Verizon headquarters to have them set me up. They got my phone all transferred and I was on my way. About an hour into having the phone I noticed the programs weren't working and most applications weren't opening up. I then brought the phone back to the headquarters store and they promptly exchanged me with a new phone. An hour later, I was walking out of the store happy as a pig in you know what. As soon as I got to my truck IN THE PARKING LOT I noticed the buttons were not working. I played around with it to make sure I was not crazy. I wasn't. I brought the phone in 5 minutes after I had walked out and customer service could NOT believe it! They felt so bad for me. I toyed around with the idea of just going with a completely new phone (Driod, Iphone) and decided to give it ONE MORE TRY since I had 14 days STILL to change my mind. Another 30 minutes later I walked out again and had a new phone (the third one) and was happy again.

That was 88 days ago. Today I woke up and the phone just completely would not turn on. I was so angry. The battery was not dead it was completely fine the night before. I proceeded to call customer service who said I would have to take it back to the store I got it from. The store said all they could do was replace it with the same exact phone (new...which was nice since usually they make you get a refurbished one). The problem is I didn't want a NEW TORCH. It sucks. It is garbage. This is coming from a LOYAL blackberry customer. I had the old curve, the new curve, the bold, etc. This is garbage and definitely the END of RIM.

So now I am out the $130 I paid to "upgrade" and I am stuck with a CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED Droid Incredible 2. This wouldn't be a problem except for the fact that I paid $130 88 days ago to have a USED phone.

I heard great things about all of the Droid products so I am excited for the switch (I am not quite ready for the Iphone....must....not....give....in).

Wish me luck, but please....do NOT bother getting this phone. Blackberry is going down the tube. It's a sad day for me. Goodbye Blackberry.

Updated on Dec 12, 2011

And FYI all three phones were confirmed to be defective brand new. Phone number 1 = operating system was not installed fully/properly. Phone number 2 = Keys were broken out of box. Phone number 3 = defective due to the same problem others have been reporting to verizon...the phone turns off and only flashes a red light never to be turned on again. Others have reviewed the same problem on verizonwireless.com.

Pros Usability, snappy performance, customized setup, size and looks, battery life

Cons Still quirky, no 4G

Summary I am simply baffled by all the negative reviews this terrific phone gets. After years of struggling with Storms (1 and 2), the Torch addresses just about everything deficient there, and brings smile after smile with SO much more. Not knowing the Torch was on its way, I tried to live with a couple Androids including the new, super-fast Bionic, but they feel so disjointed for everyday use, and I couldn't wait to return both.

This Black&blueberry on the other hand is so intuitive, elegant and fast in handling communications, which to me, is what a phone is for. As a bonus, it overcomes the Storm's dysfunction in working the web, and unlike the larger Droids or iPhone, is truly a pocket-sized device.

Everyday I discover new usability to love about this phone, particularly the little touchpad that adds a new functional dimension to touchscreen use. The Torch is still a quirky BB, but hopefully the inevitable soft/firmware updates will help.

Thank you RIM for creating this refreshingly different and usable, mostly smart phone.

Pros Screen is great, really like the touch features, new OS 7 is so much better. Been waiting for a long time for these features!

Cons Battery life sucks! Some apps aren't available yet that were on old Curve. Big fingers will have problems with holding vertically to type on small keyboard.

Summary Good for blackberry...as long as you have a charger nearby.