What was once thought of as a myth or a prototype that would never see the light of day until RIM actually announced the Bold 9900/9930 (a touchscreen Bold). Today here at TechGuySmartBuy, we are highlighting the BlackBerry Bold 9930 for Verizon. The Bold 9930 offers its users a 2.8inch touchscreen w/ 640 x 480 resolution, powered by a 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor w/ an Andreno 205 GPU (for better gaming graphics), running the new BlackBerry 7 OS, 768MB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, a 5MP camera capable of 720p HD video capture, Bluetooth/GPS/Wi-Fi support, and NFC support. Is this RIM’s greatest creation as of late? Read past the break to for our thoughts.
“This is the easily the best BlackBerry RIM has ever produced.”
What Makes The New Bold So Great?
Let us break it down for you. At first glance, the Bold 9930 is the best BlackBerry ever built. RIM finally pulled out their premium parts for their new flagship device. A complete Aluminum bezel all around the device (except for the bottom for charging connectors), an easy to open, carbon fiber-esque rear battery door, a touchscreen with a resolution no BlackBerry user has yet to experience, and for once RIM made sure with this batch of devices – you rarely see that damn spinning clock (thanks to a modern chipset & newer software).
The new BlackBerry 7 OS looks like an updated version of BlackBerry 6 with newer, polished icons, customizable homescreens and an overall faster experience using what RIM calls “Liquid Graphics” (a hardware-powered graphics UI). The OS 7 web browser has seen much needed improvement as it is faster & more usable for daily operations. I was able actually keep more than two tabs open unlike the browser on BlackBerry 6. The speed won’t blow away the competition but definitely closes the gap for a more pleasant browsing experience on a BlackBerry.
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| You can notice the thinness between the Bold 9930 and the Bold 9700 as the new Bold is lighter as well |
With the 9900 series being modeled after the original Bold 9000, this keyboard is a dream to type on. The keyboard is bigger than any other BlackBerry to hit the market. Not looking forward to going back to my Bold 9700 after this unit is sent back. This entire review was actually typed on the 9930 effortlessly with ease. I’m more comfortable typing on this than my own 10.1inch netbook at home. I am not kidding.
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| Smaller 1230 mAh battery w/ NFC chip on the battery door |
Most consumers/enterprise users may have been disappointed when they found out the battery on the new Bold was smaller… About 270 mAh smaller to be exact. It does make a noticeable difference in comparison to any of the previous Bolds. With the new battery, you’re now breaking any 24-hour records with it but RIM still does something better than the competition other great keyboards. Using Wi-Fi at home and Verizon’s network, I was still able to get over 12 hours of juice on a single charge.
The new 5MP camera uses a different technology that those familiar with the Bold 9780 are used to. It appears that, unfortunately, it lacks the autofocus BlackBerry owners are used to. Instead we have an always in-focus 5MP camera that uses an Extended Depth Of Field system. This swap out was done to maintain the new Bold’s sexy slimness. You can still achieve great photos with the newer shooter but there will be times where you will miss that autofocus.
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| Bold 9930 sample shots |
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| Bold 9930 sample shots 2 |
The new shooter is capable of a feat no previous BlackBerry can do & that is 720p HD video capture. And for RIM’s first time out using a HD camcorder, you will be thoroughly surprised at its results. Welcome to the big leagues RIM, it took you guys long enough.
The new Bold for Verizon is priced at $249.99 w/ new two year contract as this is the easily the best BlackBerry RIM has ever produced. The new Bold is said to be armed with mobile hotspot abilities but will be added later via update from RIM. Although you are still subjected to rebooting after installing an app, it is still RIM’s finest. But as great as this device is, I can’t recommend it to those seeking the newest or those looking for more app support. Sometime early next year (or even earlier) RIM plans to unveil its new QNX-powered smartphone as the new BlackBerry 7 devices won’t be supported. This is literally a filler until RIM’s first ‘superphone’ launches which will have more apps along with Android App Player at your disposal and the full internet within the browser. But if you aren’t interested in apps and just want a great device that offer superior push email and the best mobile keyboard on Earth, the Bold 9930 is what you are looking for.
