Boldly going where no blackberry has gone before

Earlier this week I managed to secure one of the first corporate issued blackberry BOLDs that were sent to us by Rogers.

After about 20 minutes I had successfully swapped my SIM card, loaded the new desktop software on to my laptop and had fully synchronized my email and other data to my new device.

First impressions? The Bold  is the best and most complete Blackberry ever put to market.

It comes with: A super fast processor, wicked resolution, an improved design, Wifi, Bluetooth, and keys that don’t feel like cheap plastic (a la curve).  The web browser does a pretty good job at rendering desktop websites, and finally there is a way to manage your media files. It’s a bit wider than the 8800 – but it’s a bit thinner too.

Here are some things I really liked:

1. Copy and paste – so simple… but so necessary. Still can’t believe this isn’t a feature on the iphone
2. Flash with the camera – again something the iphone lacks
3. Video capture
4. New media capabilities for music and video – you can even sync with itunes… but it’s still not as easy to use or figure out as the iphone
5. Crystal clear screen with incredible resolution -  the best so far from Blackberry.
6. Like the iphone, the Bold is 3G – meaning it runs on Canada’s fastest wireless network. Download speeds here in Toronto are similar to broadband at home
7. Improved icons and operating system make for an improved overall user / device experience
8. Battery life seems pretty good. I went a full day of normal usage and still had half the bars left
9. Micro-SD card slot – that is accessible without having to remove the battery. NICE.
10. Overall aesthetics of the device.
11. Keyboard – the keys actually feel bigger than my 8800. There’s a certain comfort to tactile typing

Things I didn’t like:

1. SMS is now a separate icon… and doesn’t come as one of the default icons on the main screen. I figured out how to reorder the icons, but it took me a few minutes. I understand why this is separate as that’s how most other platforms deal with it, but I wonder how many existing blackberry users who are used to seeing SMS in their email inbox will be confused or lost by this subtle change.
2. There is no intuitive way to download other widgets directly from the device. This probably wouldn’t have been a complaint before Apple introduced the App store… but it’s something that is really missing now.  4 widgets came pre-loaded in the download folder (yahoo, facebook, Google talk and bb help), but what about the rest? Missing the App store here…
3. Speaking of widgets, I still really dislike the blackberry facebook widget. It’s completely out of sync with the iphone version… even the generic mobile web version is more intuitive and functional.  I was hoping that with the new device there’d be a newer version…

Other oddities / observations

1. Love the auto-correct feature – although some of the interpretations are funny. I sent an SMS to my girlfriend with “xoxoxoxoxo” and when I accepted the auto-correct it replaced it with “zigzag”
2. When you download widgets you often have to click to accept terms and conditions. It’s not intuitive to see that “decline” is pre-selected and once you do accept, you aren’t brought back to the main screen. I had to back out of the terms screens to see my new icon
3. A proper craddle is missing from the box. The Bold comes with a neat retro-looking clock that activates when you are charging – so wouldn’t it be nice to have a cradle so that it actually acts as a clock on your desk?  

Should you buy a Blackberry Bold?

If you love your current blackberry, you will absolutely love the Bold. It’s by far the best device created to date. 

By improving on the best mobile device for professionals (by adding in some features found previously only on consumer devices), you’ve got a great device that should sell really well.

If you’re still unsure and you are still coveting the iphone… wait a few months for the Blackberry Thunder (now rumored to be called the Javelin) which will be a full touch screen version of the Bold.