Although badged as a Bold, the styling dimensions and feel of the device point more to a revamped BlackBerry Tour than a CDMA-based version of Bold 9700, which is offered by the GSM-based carriers AT&T and T-Mobile.

The Bold 9650 currentlyretails through Sprint for $200 and Verizon Wireless for $150.

BUILD & DESIGN

The Bold 9650 is nearly identical to the Tour — the only discernible design update is the addition of the optical trackpad.

This modelis heavier and bulkier than the Bold 9700 though still manageable in a pocket or purse.

Screen
RIM has been doing a great job in the display department as of late. The 2.4-inch 480×360 screen is crisp, bright, and manages browsing sessions well.

Like all BlackBerrys, the display will adjust to ambient light.

Keyboard
The Bold 9650 sports the better of the two keyboards RIM currently produces.It is accurate, responsive and quick.

Its rubbery keys are row-separated by a depressed chrome bezel.

Trackpad
When RIM first introduced the trackpad, I was blown away. There was almost no learning curve and I found the experience to be intuitive and accurate.

This isn’t true with the Bold 9650 trackpad. I found it to be jumpy and hard to manage. Despite tweaking settings and adjusting pressure the experience simply wasn’t as flawless as I’ve seen in the past. It’s not a deal breaker but will take some getting used to your trackpad’s unique attitude.

Etcetera
Sadly, the Bold 9650 sports the worst design feature of the Tour: a micro-USB charging port located on the right side of the keyboard. This makes it nearly impossible to type on the phone while you’re charging it, a flaw which is not present on the Bold 9700.

The 9650 sports a rocker key in its top edgeto lock and mute the phone. Strangely, the rocker lock initiates a different lock than the keyboard lock — users can’t unlock the device with the keyboard after locking it with the rocker key. It would have been nice to see rocker key customization options, like the convenience keys on the side of the phone.

PERFORMANCE

The BlackBerry Bold 9650 is a solid performer in almost every category. As a messaging-centric device its web browsing capabilities are weak, but for most uses the 9650 is a smooth operator.

I did experience some glitches requiring the device to be powered on and off. Resets were relatively quick and occurred without any data loss.

Wireless Data
The Bold 9650 boasts 802.11b/g, GPS, Bluetooth with profiles for streaming music, and support for UMTS/HSPA, CDMA/EV-DO and GSM based networks. In layman’s terms, this means that this smartphone is one of the few offered by Sprint and Verizon that can be used outside of the United States.

The addition of Wi-Fi is a welcome improvement over the Tour, and is probably the biggest reason to choose this model over its predecessor.

The streaming audio profiles work wonderfully; I was able to stream high-quality Pandora radio over my car’s audio system after initial pairing.

Call Quality
Call quality is spot-on with this version of theBold. From low to high volume the speaker supports a range of sound from deep to high. The speakerphone is sufficiently loud as well.

Messaging
The strongest point of the BlackBerry is its messaging.Connections to Gmail accounts sync messages and contacts seamlessly. A message sent from a computer will show up as a sent message on the device, which creates an incredibly useful completely current email record at all times.

SMS conversations are bubbled to seem like instant messenger chats, and instant messaging clients (AIM, GTalk, Y-Messenger, ICQ, MSN)all integrate well into the BlackBerry message indication system.

A neat feature I recently discovered in the newest version of the BlackBerry OS is the ability to port SMS contacts into the BlackBerry Messenger interface. This feature combined with the ability to placeBlackBerry Messenger contact icons on the home screen mean that users can place messaging icons for any of their contacts on the home screen for even quicker access. A job well done, RIM!

Entertainment
The entertainment options on the Bold 9650 come from the BlackBerry OS and from prepackaged Sprint apps. Offerings include the standard slew of games, (Brickbreaker, Word Mole, Texas Hold Em, Sudoku, Klondike) , Sprint apps for NASCAR mobile, Football, SprintTV, an upcoming Sprint Music Store, Pocket Express aggregator, and others. Social networking apps are also included.

The web browser is the same standard one on most BlackBerry OS 5.0 devices come with, with minor cosmetic changes.As I mentioned earlier, thisapp is one of the weakest features on the phone, and isn’t even in the same league as thebrowsers offered bytheiPhone or Android OS devices.

Productivity
The productivity apps, like the entertainment apps, are standard issue. The most useful apps are the Documents To Go suite by DataViz, which let you work with Microsoft Office files on your smartphone.

Other useful tools include multiple calendar support, contact grouping and Sprint navigation.

The biggest productivity asset of this device however is the BlackBerry OS 5.0 interface, which is an improvement over previous versions.

Camera
The 3.2 megapixel camera on the Bold 9650features auto-focus, video recording and flash.

Using the camera has been made easier with this model. Previous auto-focus BlackBerrys required users to first focus and then completely press the key to capture an image. With the Bold the process has been simplified to a simple point and click – the device will focus itself.

Battery Life
With casual phone, messaging, and browsing use I observed just less than 18 hours of usable time from fully charge to battery-induced radio off. So you can probably expect to charge this device every night.

CONCLUSION

It’s true that RIM hit the mark with the BlackBerry Bold 9650. Unfortunately, that mark wasn’t very high. As a messaging-centric device, the Bold is great. However, being a great messaging device isn’t enough anymore to capture the consumer end of the market. As competition from Android and other platforms becomes stronger, RIM needs to innovate and add something truly unique to the experience in order to stay relevant.

The 9650 is an improvement over previous generations, but it’s only a marginal improvement over the Tour and no improvement over the Bold 9700.

It’s hard to look at the Bold 9650 and the competition and make an unreserved recommendation for the Bold. If you’re a business user it’s a different story, but for consumers, I’d say check out the competition before jumping aboard the BlackBerry bandwagon.

Pros:

• Feature-laden CDMA equivalent to Bold 9700
• Strong Gmail integration
• Can roam outside of the U.S.

Cons:

• Tired styling
• Jumpy trackpad
• Awkward charging port placement

The original Bold 9000 set the bar in terms of delivering a reliable, high performing device that sported the best feature set RIM had to offer. Just a year later, the Bold2 offers an enhanced feature set and an improved design that instantly leaves the original Bold feeling, well, old.

BUILD & DESIGN

The Bold2 may be the best looking BlackBerry yet. The most notable contrast with the first-generation Bold is its overall size. It’s thinner, shorter, and less wide than the Bold. It’s also less wide than the BlackBerry Tour, though not by much.

Its distinguishing features include subdued chrome accents around the bezel, a faux-leather backed battery compartment, black matte convenience keys on the sides, and of course, a track pad where users have become accustomed to seeing the iconic but sometimes finicky BlackBerry Ball.

Also changed in this version is the layout of the camera and flash on the back of the device –they’re now side by side rather than above one another. The Bold2 also has charging contacts on the side of the device that are discussed more below. The most practical change in styling is a redesign of the battery compartment which now feels more secure and in solid.

Screen
The screen is simply amazing. The iPhone’s screen was great, then the Bold took the same resolution and packed it into a smaller, richer screen. The Bold2 has done the same thing, but more so. Graphics are detailed, and smooth and pictures and web pages render sharply.

Of course, the screen itself is smaller than its predecessor, and is on par with a Curve 8900 or Tour so you’ll want to think twice if you’re primarily concerned with browsing. If this is your primary concern you might want to think twice.

The screen is bright enough, but does seem less bright than the Bold… though that device was almost too bright.

Track pad & Keyboard
To fit the smaller form factor the keyboard had to be scaled down, though not at the cost of usability. The keys maintain the rubbery, responsive feeling from the Bold, albeit smaller. If you are used to a BlackBerryCurve or even a Tour, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with this keyboard. If you’re coming from a Bold, you’ll notice only a slight difference, and if you’re coming from a Storm you’ll be thankful (for more reasons than just the keyboard) that you made the switch.

The trackpad is a delight to use, and has almost no learning curve. I liked it on the Curve 8520, and I love it on the Bold2. It’s responsive, accurate, doesn’t stick, is less likely to be damaged. Moreover, it simply looks better than the ball. I did notice that BrickBreaker was a little more difficult with the pad, perhaps its biggest flaw. In the future the pad could be improved if it scrolled when the user rested his/her finger on the edge of the pad.

The9700 sports two programmable convenience keys — one on each side –as well as volume rockers, and a top mute/lock rocker. I did notice that the volume keys were sometimes slow to respond, or required me to hit them more than once before they responded.

Accessories
Like the Bold, RIM has built in charging contacts into the sides of the Bold2, intending it to be used in a charging cradle. Though useful, it is annoying that due to the different size, thelatest modelwon’t charge in the originalone’s cradle.

Like some of its contemporaries, and unlike the Bold, the Bold2 charges using a micro-USB port, so depending on what you’re trading up from, you may have to invest in some new accessories.

PERFORMANCE

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 overall offers solid performance in every area I’ve looked. The hardware and software combination work well together, and I haven’t experienced any major glitches.

Wireless
T-Mobile users will be happy to know that the Bold2 has betterwireless accessthan their current BlackBerry, thanks to the 3G coverage. Though the coverage is increased, it’s still not on par with AT&T or Verizon in my test area.

This issue is somewhat overcome by being able to call over Wi-Fi (T-Mobile only). Wi-Fi calling is not always flawless; if your signal is weak there is noticeable quality degradation. On more than one occasion, my call was dropped when switching from Wi-Fi to cell tower.

Call Quality
Though the coverageisn’t always stellar, the call quality is consistently good. Calls are loud, and the sound is well balanced.

When using the speakerphone at the loudest volume, calls were tinny as compared to the Bold. This was a problem I noticed on the Storm2 as well; hopefully it isn’t indicative of things to come from RIM!

When making calls using the 3G signal on the Bold, the device can get uncomfortably hot. This problem seems to have been addressed in the new offering.

Like is its predecessor, the 9700offers visual voicemail, another feature that will likely become standard on all Berries in time.

Software
This BlackBerrysports the newest 5.0 operating system, and there are some notable improvements over theprevious generation. Menus are easier to navigate and better looking. RIM borrows from the iPhone OS in areas such as time/date selection, which are now offered as a rolling wheel. My favorite feature of the 5.0 is the ability to more easily customize ringing profile settings. There are some features thatwere previously unoffered as well, such as the ability to set vibration to short, medium, or long sessions.

Another major improvement over previous versions is the ability to wirelessly sync contacts with Google accounts. The option to auto-sync is given after setting up an eligible email account, and it’s a great way to consolidate your address books.

Browsing
The smaller screen size is noticeable when browsing, and not in a good way. If no mobile version is available, pages that loadare more zoomed out than the Bold, and from there you have to zoom in to the section you want. This process is manageable, but can easily be frustrating if you plan on doing a lot of browsing.

Additionally there are some media types and some pages that don’t play well with the BlackBerry; again, if browsing is your main concern this probably isn’t the device for you.

Messaging & Productivity
This is a BlackBerry, so of course messaging is quick and reliable, and RIM packs in plenty of options including threaded text messaging, email, and instant messaging options including BlackBerry Messenger, Google Talk, AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo.

The9700 also offers the DataViz Documents To Go Office Suite that allows you to view and edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPointfiles, and even send as attachments.

Media & Camera
The Bold2 can play basic media: audio files, movie files, etc. There is a standard headphone jack on the side. Due to the smaller form factor your headphones will not plug completely into the slot — some of the stem will be exposed). It doesn’t affect the audio but it does bother me.

This phone ships with the same ugly headphone/mic combination as other BlackBerrys. This is unfortunate because the headphones that came with the original Bold are far superior in comparison.

This BlackBerry comes with 256 MB of internal memory, and ithas an microSD slot. It is bundle with a 2 GB card and is expandable up to 32 GB, giving you plenty of room for MP3s and video. The slot is accessible by removing the battery cover (but not the battery).It was located on the side of the Bold 9000, but given that most users don’t switch cardsvery often it won’t be a big annoyance.

The camera is vastly improved. It boasts 3.2 megapixels, auto-focus, flash, and video recording. The downside the camera is thatyou can only auto-focus by using the right convenience key. I’ve had experiences of these keys failing over time. If that were to happen here the user would be unable to take advantage of this great feature.

Battery Life
TheBold 9700uses the same huge battery as the Bold, but it seems to last a little longer, I’ve been getting as much as two days, depending on use.

CONCLUSION

In just a little more than a year RIM has proved that it can improve on a design that was already great. If you can afford it, there are very few reasons not to get the BlackBerry Bold 9700.

The browsing experience isn’t on par with some competitors, but that’s not why you buy a BlackBerry. There is a decent number of apps available, but again that’s not RIM’s core competency. The Bold2 has a great track pad, excellent form factor with a very solid feel, an improved OS, and I’ve experienced nearly no glitches. I can’t wait to pick mine up.

Pros:

• Smaller form factor
• Trackpad not a trackball
• Better camera
• 3G andWi-Fi calling (T-Mobile)

Cons:

• Accessories not backward compatible,
• Poor browsing experience
• Speakerphone quality degrades at high volumes

Itis evolutionary, not revolutionary. But RIM’s long years of experience really come through in the Bold, and it is far and away the best BlackBerry I’ve ever used.

Part of this is the elegance of the design, but a number of new features contribute as well, like the HVGA screen, HSDPA, andgreatly improved software for working with Microsoft Office files.

DESIGN & BUILD
RIM has dramatically improved the looks of its devices in recent years, and the Bold is a new high point. Its rounded corners and leather-textured back make it somehow both professional and sexy.

And the higher-resolution screen is great, too. The Bold has a 320-by-480-pixel display, which is at least twice the resolution of the earlier RIM models, like the Curve. This is a beautiful screen that makes everything you do with the Bold look great, but especially watching movies.

This smartphone is wider than many of its competitors, but it’s also relatively thin. And its width allows the aforementioned screen to be larger, and alsomakes room for a biggerkeyboard. This isn’t as wide asthe landscape-orientedkeyboards you’ll find on some smartphones, but it’s large enough to be comfortable to type on. There’s no separation between keys, but each key has a raised area that makes it easier for you to be sure you’re hitting just one at a time. Sadly, the Bold doesn’t fix one of my biggest complaints with BlackBerry keyboards: there are no keys dedicated to the most frequently used punctuation marks,including the period and the comma.

Between the screen and keyboard is the trackball. As the Bold doesn’t have a touchscreen, you’ll do much of your interacting with it through this, and it’s up to the job.After a couple of days of use, I began to think that a trackball isa better option thana D-pad and definitely superior tothe old BlackBerrytrack-wheel.

There are programmable keys on both the left and right sides of this device, which is another thing I’d like to see on other smartphones.

There’s also a button on top you can use to mute incoming calls. This doesn’t answer the call or send it to voice-mail, it just quickly shuts off the ringing sound. You can use this same button to put the Bold in standby mode, which locks the keys and turns the screen off until you hit this button again. It will still take calls,so it’s a good way to carry your smartphone around.

PERFORMANCE

I have been using the Bold for a couple of weeks now, and I have have found it to be rock solid. If it has crashed a single time, I can’t remember it. And its 624 MHz processor is easily capable of handling any of the tasks I threw at it, always responding quickly.

I have no complaints about this device’s performance as a phone, but then I live in an area with excellent AT&T coverage.

Wireless
The BlackBerry Bold is the first model from RIM with HSDPA, the latestversion of high-speed wireless networking used by GSM carriers. This is welcome news for AT&T customers, but isn’t going to impress Verizon or Sprint users, as their BlackBerries have had equivalent data transfer speeds for a long time. But like I said, AT&T customers are going to enjoy a noticeable speed increase when accessing web sites.

And the Bold’s web browser is a pleasant surprise. I’ve used some miserable browsers on BlackBerries over the years, but this one is significantly improved. It’s not amazing or even cutting edge by any stretch, but it’s more usable than the browser on any BlackBerry I’veseen before.

That said, if you’re serious about web browsing you should install Opera Mini, which is much, much better.

This smartphone is also one of the first from this company with Wi-Fi, which can be used to speed up your browsing when you’re in range of a hotspot.

It also has Bluetooth. This is primarily intended to let you use wireless headsets and car-kits, and it does this job nicely, but many of you will be happy to hear thatit will work for tethering the AT&T’s versionof the Bold to your laptop, too. For any of you who aren’t familiar with this term, it refers to the ability to make your phone act as a wireless modem for another computer.

Software for Work and Fun
What separates a smartphone from an ordinary mobile phone is good software. Fortunately, the BlackBerry Bold is well supplied with this.

Like all RIM’s models. this device supports push email. Messages can come from a company’s BlackBerry Enterprise Server, but AT&T also offers a version of this service for consumers, too.

One of the best new features is the bundled version of DataViz Documents To Go. This is a suite of applications for working with Microsoft Office files.It does a decent job of letting you see files in their original format, and edit them, too. It doesn’t support all the formatting options Word does, but if you edit and re-save a document with formatting DocsToGo can’t display, the unsupported formatting won’t be affected.

To be sure of this, I created a test Word document packed with formatting and then opened it on the Bold.With the exception of the fonts and the footnote, itdid agoodjob of rendering the document as it had appeared on my desktop. I then made some small changes, re-saved the file, and then sent it back to PC, a process called round-tripping. The document’s formatinghadn’t beenthrown off byDocsToGo, and, of course, the changes were still in place.

Long-time BlackBerry users will also surely welcome the Bold’s new voice recorder.

And of course, this device has a suite of PIM applications: calendar, contracts, etc., that can be synchronized with a central server. I wish these were a bit more robust, though. There’s no support for categories in the address book, for example.

The Bold isn’t just about work.

In the “Fun” category, this smartphone’s HVGA display really shines when you’re playing movies. I loaded up some MP4 files and they looked outstanding. So did the YouTube videos I checked out, and the same goes for the shows I watched on AT&T’s Mobile Video service.

This modelcan also play MP3s, the better to keep you entertained on a boring trip.

RIM supplies desktop software to let you transfer audio and video files from your PC to your phone. You can put these in the internal 1 GB of storage or on a microSD card. You’ll have to supply your own card, and you can find these in surprisingly high capacities: 16 GB ones are out now.

The BlackBerry platform is still a bit behind its competitors in some multimedia-related areas, though. There’s no support for streaming audio over the Internet, for example.

The Bolddoes come with a few games, though, including the obligatory version of Solitaire. This and BrickBreaker can keep you entertained and get you accustomed to using the trackball, if you aren’t already.

The version of this device I’m testing has a 2.0 MPx camera, which is capable of taking decent pictures. It even includes an LED thattries to light up your subject, to make taking pictures in low-light situations a tiny bit better.

A feature that encompasses both work and your personal use is GPS. If you’re looking for decent, free navigation software, I recommend Google Maps. The client for BlackBerry is quite good, if a touch limited.

Battery Life
The Bold’s 1500 mAh battery is capable of getting through a day of heavy use, or three days of light to moderate use. Still, you can drain it faster by using some of the more power-draining features, like Wi-Fi and the GPS receiver.

CONCLUSION

The BlackBerry Bold 9000 is easily the best-looking keyboard-based smartphone on the market, and the software it includes makes it the best BlackBerry yet.

That doesn’t make it the best smartphone available, though. There are still some areas RIM needs to work on if it wants to reach that point. It’s weak web browser and its limited support for fonts are some of the things holding it back.

Still, you can install Opera Mini — for free — to shore up its web browsing capabilities. And there’s no doubt this is the best BlackBerry on the market.

Pros:

• Great design, including a high-resolution screen and keyboard
• 3G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth
• Bundles with a Microsoft Office editor

Cons:

• Somewhat large
• Weak built-in web browser

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