Review: BlackBerry's Torch splits users right down the middle

Research In Motion Ltd.’s (RIMM) new flagship device, the BlackBerry Torch, isn’t exactly taking the world by storm. But who expected it to?
After using the device for the past five days, it isn’t difficult to see why early sales of the device are modest at best. As a relatively longtime BlackBerry user though, I can see where the Torch, or 9800, could fill many of those voids that other existing users deal with while they watch friends zoom away on the latest Android device or iPhone.
Rather than convincing subscribers on other smart phones and operating systems to switch, the Torch’s best chance for success lies in attracting existing BlackBerry users to upgrade. And that could very well happen, considering BlackBerry’s strength and expansive reach in the smart-phone market.
First impressions
While I enjoy the solid build of the Torch and BlackBerry’s decision to stick to an industrialized design, the device is heavy and a bit clunky. Sitting alongside my Bold 9700, the Torch doesn’t look much bigger, but when it’s in your palm the difference is noticeable.
After that, the first thing you’ll notice is the large screen and fake metal bands that surround the exterior of the device, but like previous BlackBerrys the bands are actually made of a plastic. It still achieves that chrome-like look nonetheless, but a real metal would feel much more solid and sturdy.
The screen is a great size, especially for any QWERTY BlackBerry user, but after comparing the image and screen quality to the 9700, I’d have a hard time considering this an upgrade. While the larger screen sure looks and works better for landscape video and web browsing, the screen is noticeably inferior to the 9700 in terms of quality. It essentially looks like one of BlackBerry’s smaller screens was stretched because BlackBerry failed to upgrade its screen resolution.
Overall, the device feels very well built. The slider has the spring and pull that any power user would require and it seems built to last. The keyboard hidden beneath the screen is great (and it better be for being a BlackBerry), but it does take some getting used to typing on the somewhat concave surface that the keyboard sits in because of the slider.
The optical trackpad will be familiar to many BlackBerry users and the keys that surround it on the front of the device work fine, but they would be better defined if they were separated like BlackBerry does with its other devices. However, the single button design does make for a more streamlined look. Finally, the Torch sports a ribbed rubber-like backing that works from a style point of view, but I still prefer the leather-like backing on the Bold lineup more.
User experience
The new BlackBerry 6 operating system, which made its debut on the Torch, makes a number of woefully delayed improvements over the previous OS, but nothing about the experience screams excitement or innovation. Icons are essentially displayed the same as always, but the new OS does feature a set of trays that allow users to swipe from one set of applications to another without having to dig into folders. Android, iOS and webOS have all delivered and improved on this concept for years now. BlackBerry just finally joined the game, so it’s tough to get overly excited about this feature now.
Not much has changed other than the graphical interface and the way some content is presented on the device. The biggest change for BlackBerry and its new OS is the web browser. BlackBerry finally has a browser that looks, acts and feels more like its competitors’ offerings. Sites load much faster on the new WebKit-based browser and tap-to-zoom and pinch-to-zoom work as expected. The tabbed browsing feature is also a nice touch, but again, something that competitors have been giving their users for years.
One of the most noticeable differences with the new OS is how much faster the device will start up or reboot. Perhaps the Torch plays a role in this improvement somehow too, but any BlackBerry user will tell you whenever it’s time to restart their device it essentially becomes a five-minute wait. Anything under a minute at this point seems like wishful thinking.
Every now and then, the Torch would lag a little bit and the dreaded animated sand timer would appear. It’s unfortunate because the OS appears to be more smooth and equipped for what smart-phone users expect today, but BlackBerry failed to upgrade the processor and processing speed in the Torch.
It’s difficult to understand the logic RIM used when it opted to launch a new device with a screen and processor that are both at least a year behind the competition. Worse yet, both are no better than what BlackBerry included in the 9700, which came out about 10 months ago.
The yin and yang of BlackBerry’s core
While the first- and second-generation Storm devices from RIM put the company on the map with modern touchscreen smart phones, the Torch is being promoted as the best of both worlds. BlackBerry thankfully ditched the clicking haptic-feedbacks that it went with on the Storm lineup. RIM finally caught up on some other touchscreen features too, but those changes and the way they’re implemented in the Torch might not be enough to attract the devoted legions of BlackBerry users over to the dual-interface device.
One of the best things about BlackBerrys is their speed of entry. When a user picks up his or her BlackBerry, they can instantly place a call, check and e-mail or dive into whatever else they might be after. With the Torch, for some reason everything seems to take a step or two longer. Frankly, it might be something that gets easier and less noticeable over time, but manipulating a screen, a trackpad and keys can be a bit too much when all you want to do is call back the last person who called you.
While RIM has never been known for cutting the edge or delivering a full range of mobile entertainment on its devices, BlackBerry has always done a few core things very well. The Torch doesn’t detour too much from what’s unique about BlackBerry, but the core functions and services do have a way of seeming more distant than they do on more traditional BlackBerrys like the 9700.
For those BlackBerry users looking to have a little more fun with their device without giving up that special BlackBerry feel, the Torch could be close enough to what they’ve been waiting for. As for me, I’m still undecided.
Editor’s rating: 8/10