Hey, Hey, HEY! Today is BlackBerry Torch Day! That’s right, if you’re a BlackBerry aficionado like myself, chances are you have been waiting for the new vertical slider to go live on AT&T… and now it has. Packing a brand new form factor (for RIM), a new operating system (BlackBerry 6) and much more, the Torch has been the most newsworthy thing RIM has pushed out in quite some time.
Having spent some quality time with the device last week, I can say I’m honestly impressed. The full QWERTY keyboard was a big concern for me, but after some testing, I found it to work just fine. The slider display didn’t hinder my typing on the QWERTY at all, and when the keyboard was open for use, the device has a nice balance in the hand. BlackBerry 6 functions and flows well, and although the look and feel of the OS ain’t much different from previous generations, I think overall BlackBerry users will be pleased with all of the features and enhancements you’ll find within.
Perhaps the thing I was impressed the most with on the BlackBerry Torch was the touchscreen display. In the past, I’ve found RIM’s touchscreens to be a bit ‘laggy’ and unresponsive. It may be a personal thing, but in comparison to the iPhone (and other touchscreens) I always found RIM’s to be on the low-end. The Torch brings RIM back into the fold when it comes to touchscreen displays. The display is ultra responsive, and the pinch-to-zoom feature is a delight. Reminds me very much of a device that starts with an ‘i’ and ends with a ‘Phone’. Just sayin’.
From me personally, kudos have to go to RIM for the BlackBerry Torch. With the device now live and up for sale on AT&T, you can cast your vote. Will you pick one up? Are you considering an upgrade to the device? Could you care less?
Should be interesting to see if any lineups and/or general madness takes place today for the launch. AT&T has the BlackBerry Torch up for grabs at $199.99 on the standard 2-year contract. Now go get one.
For more, be sure to check out our BlackBerry Torch 9800 Review.