BlackBerry Torch first hands-on! (update: video)
By Nilay Patel 
posted August 3rd 2010 12:00PM
posted August 3rd 2010 12:00PM
Update: We went back in for round two with a functional device -- the hardware is quite nice, and the keyboard feels similar to the Tour / Bold. Software-wise, we're still waiting to play with BlackBerry 6 in-depth, but it definitely feels like the OS overwhelms the hardware a little when it's really cranking -- for example, the phone basically locked up while it loaded Engadget in the new Webkit browser, but when it was done loading it responded smoothly to panning and zooming.
Update 2: We've got video, people. It's a little scattershot in scope, but it should illustrate the basic feel of the new OS. You can find it below the fold.
The death grip - by Nilay Patel
@hq
Yeah check out those sweaty meat hooks!
@hq
Steve jobs was right, but instead of dropping calls, this phone doesn't boot up. AntennaGate continues.
/s
@hq
Sorry, RIM. But youre going to have to make something even better than this! Blackberry 6 still isnt as good as either iOS or Android. This phone is good, but even hardware like this wont up Blackberry's chances of staying in the game.Dont get me wrong, im not judging Blackberry's (my brother and mother both are happy blackberry users) but the market is! The other article that just came out clearly shows this (http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/blackberry-users-running-out-of-loyalty-50-percent-plan-to-defe/). Pic up the game, RIM!
@hq Is it too early to start camping out for this phone?
@techbot224 Jesus dude how on earth can you start making that sort of statement about an OS that is not even out yet! Your crackers
@hq This phone is so lame!! You can't compare it to the iPhone nor the Droid X and Evo because its not in the same class... BlackBerry needs to make a 4.3" screen that can compete with these phones, and maybe they wouldn't suck so much!!
@hq Just look at the Screen Resolution, looks nasty as hell.
@davros
Blackberry 6 has been previewed and hinted about all the new features. Knowing RIM, we cant expect anything spectacular from the new OS, especially something that hasnt already been shown. And also, no matter how great the actual system is, that cant change the fact that blackberry has NO apps compared to other platforms (iOS, Android, etc.) Thats why it wont be successful.
@Scrubs Man, the Torch looks really sleek. Very tempted to switch from my Iphone 3GS to this when it's released. What do you guys think ?
Anyone heard of this Apple device Security Breach news this morning? Is there a way for us to refuse viewing PDF file? At this rate, i might have to just return the phone and ask for a switch to another device soon
http://gizmodo.com/5603319/new-apple-security-breach-gives-complete-access-to-your-iphone#comments
@hq lol that was one of the worst videos every made by Engadget. Guys come on, can't you get a private room with the phone in hand? You're Engadget!!!
What a POS! Good luck RIMM...
Oh my god RIM, Do you seriously think you can remain competitive using the same 624mhz arm11 marvell processor crap? You could have at least used a 624mhz Core A8 like the pre or iPhone 3GS, both LAST generation phones....But you chose to go even lower. Wow.
@hq
Basically i simply see a Palm Pre by BlackBerry
@hq wow, a 3.2 inch touch display, reminds me of my old G1, even back then I thought it was a joke, better luck next device BB.
@Jdoc2 Your Pre has a 624mhz Core A8? I don't think so...
The problem with Blackberry is they are too set in their ways. They've seen the success of rival products and instead of rethinking their device, just tried to add features from the others while not alienating their regular business users.
Business users keep whining on about the need for a physical keyboard. I found the Blackberry physical keyboard harder to use than the iPhone virtual keyboard because the buttons are tiny. The UI is poor too and the scroll nub just plain silly. And you can't type with the physical keyboard in landscape so why bother with it?
I don't think RIM will disappear overnight but I know business people who have been Blackberry owners for years and would swear by them now have iPhone 4s (with bumpers) and they wish they'd switched sooner.
I think the big three, RIM, Apple and Google will all have success but the latter two will heavily erode RIM's current lead.
@hq Why cant I watch the video on my iPhone :(
@4u2nv
I just did...?
@tunward you have obviously not tried the bold s keyboard then...
@4u2nv LOL! I just watched this video on my Evo with Froyo and didn't realize I couldn't do that before until I read your iphone comment. What a difference a day makes in using this awesome phone! Maybe in 2020 when the whole interwebz is in html5 then you'll be able to come back to this page and watch this video!
Sent from my HTC Evo with Froyo using Swype
@ravissimo I just watched it on an iphone so keep it in yer pants.
@Hell Angel So you just determined the fate of a phone, what phone company do you own again? Sheesh you guy are the ahole of freedom and what terribleness it exhibits.
@Hell Angel
But without the kick ass software.
@hq
universal search copying symbian s60v3 from 2008 and social media integration from maemo device (N900) and upcoming Nokia N8. Things get better when its comes to WiFi sync. Thats new
@techbot224 What are you talking about staying on the game?, Blackberry has mas smartphone marketshare than IOS, ANDROID, and Symbian all together.... read that article again and you will see that blackberry its still getting more new user than Android and Apple....
@techbot224
This is blackberry people. It has the apps people NEED and none of the random shit that serves no real purpose (lightsaber, guns, tower defense games). These phones are for people that use them for work. Work that they need to be thinking about 24/7 because it is their life. I love my droid x and blackberrys aren't for me. However, my friend works at bloomberg in NYC, and in his interview, they asked what kind of phone he had. When he replied that he owns a blackberry, the interviewer said "Oh good, the phone for people who actually have a Job."
@AWINRARISYOU That quote from the recruiter doesn't show anything but his marked ignorance as far as smartphones are concerned. Sure, BBs are quite okay for processing email, appointments and so on... but if someone thinks they are the only viable phone in a professional context, it just shows they don't know what they are talking about.
So yeah, BBs are like IE6. Business install base will keep them alive forever even when they lag behind the pack by a few years.
@trueblacksheep: "Your Pre has a 624mhz Core A8? I don't think so..."
What's 24MHz, when you have an OS that makes good use of the GPU... something RIM better iron out, because the vids I've seen are FAR from impressive on the performance end.
___
Sent from my Bold 9700
@hq Damn... I just got around to watching this video, though I was following the event closely today. Wish I would have watched and commented earlier.
Nilay's "hands-on" is really terrible. "Illustrate the basic feel of the new OS"? It barely illustrates anything! All I saw was a bunch of awkward, redundant fumbling. And I know that's not the UI's fault because the hands-on over at CrackBerry shows a pretty fluid and engaging experience. Here, not one comment on any of the new UI features and pretty much no effort to demonstrate them. This is embarrassing 'journalism'.
The biased reporting on BlackBerry at Engadget has become really obvious lately. If you put up a totally stagnant, no-effort video, 'first look' no less, of course everyone's first impressions will be less than favorable. I don't understand why Engadget can't approach this new BB with the same curiosity and open-mindedness as they do with the iPhone or new Android devices. Jeeze.
I am curious about how the slider feels? Does it wobble or lock in?
Thanks!
@SN7
Knowing most RIM devices, it maybe add 1-2mm, but I'm sure it's bullet proof like their past devices.
@recharged95 I don't think you answered his question.....
......neither does this post
@SN7 being a RIM phone im sure its sturdy and to be honest in IMO it is a nice looking slider, i know since its from RIM a lot of people will bash it.
on a side not if i wasnt in love with my evo i would get that droid x everytime i see another pic it looks sexier and sexier to me
@SN7 Call me crazy, but isn't this pretty much what you'd imagine a KIRF Palm Pre to be like?
@CRA1G
You are crazy. It doesn't look like a Palm Pre. It doesn't act like a Palm Pre. The slider form factor doesn't belong to the Palm Pre. Ton's of phones, smartphones and dumphones alike, used that form factor long before palm did.
@xyritheon I would like to add that this device will not multi-task making it just a step behind WebOS.
@grubish WTF are you talking about? BB has been multitasking a lot longer than iPhone or Andriods, with real multi tasking too. Right now I have 8 programs running on my phone, and i could open another 3 or 4 no problem
C'mon RIM make yourself interesting again!
@uck perhaps the hardware??
what are the hardware specs? CPU? Memory? GPU? those things are important also. How does the sliding mechanism feel?
@serge
* Elegant styling, measuring approx. 4.4" (5.8" open) x 2.4" x .57" and weighing 5.68 ounces
* 3.2" 360x480 capacitive touch screen display
* 35 key full QWERTY backlit slide-out keyboard, designed to feel optimally balanced when opened for typing
* Optical trackpad that makes navigation fast and smooth
* Powerful 624 Mhz processor with 512 MB Flash memory
* 4 GB built-in memory storage plus a microSD/SDHD memory card slot that supports up to 32 GB cards; a 4 GB card is included giving users 8 GB of storage out-of-the-box
* 5 MP camera with flash, continuous auto focus, image stabilization, scene modes, geo-tagging and zoom, as well as video recording at up to 640x480 resolution
* Built-in GPS for location-based applications and geo-tagging
* Wi-Fi® (802.11 b/g/n); qualifying smartphone customers can enjoy seamless connectivity to over 20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots at no additional cost
* 3.5mm stereo headset jack
* Premium phone features, including voice activated dialing, speakerphone and Bluetooth® (2.1) with support for hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits (including systems that support the Bluetooth Message Access Profile standard) and other Bluetooth accessories
* New BlackBerry® Desktop Software 6 with integrated media sync for easily syncing music, photos and videos**. It also includes Wi-Fi Music Sync, a unique feature that allows users to view their entire iTunes® or Windows Media® Player music libraries from their BlackBerry smartphone, create and edit playlists as well as select music for download. When in range of their home Wi-Fi network (or via USB), the changes are synced with iTunes or Windows Media Player and the songs are automatically downloaded to the smartphone
* Tri-band HSDPA (3G) and quad-band EDGE support for the option of voice service in more than 220 countries, data service in more than 195 countries and 3G connectivity in more than 125 countries, including Japan and South Korea
* Removable, rechargeable 1300 mAhr battery that provides approximately 5.8 hours of talk time on 3G networks or 30 hours of audio playback or 6 hours of video playback
@Plazmic Flame
* Powerful 624 Mhz processor with 512 MB Flash memory
haha... yeah, powerful for 2009.
@Plazmic Flame
"Elegant styling" I guess if it's in the specs, it must be true /s
Honestly, though, I'm not feeling the design. It looks decidedly 90's. It's almost as if RIM seems to think their user base is infatuated with QWERTY keyboards (and maybe they are) and they just can't seem to let go. Well, I'm not a big fan of QWERTY's myself - especially portrait ones - but I will say that, no matter how you feel about all-touchscreen devices, the fact remains that they SELL.
@ageffner
Thats flash memory, not RAM. Probobly about 216 mb ram... just like my 2009 droid
@Plazmic Flame
That hardware all sounds kind of unimpressive. The Captivate starts with 16 GB built-in, with 32 GB being the max expandable amount as well.
The 3.2 inch screen is a bit small, though that's expected with a slider, and you don't want a massive screen BEFORE the slider portion is out.
A 5 MP camera is a bit underkill here. Aren't all WP7 devices required to have 8 MP minimum? Regardless, that turd Kin Two managed an 8 MP camera, so I would think RIM could do it as well.
Don't get me wrong; I think it's a solid phone, but I also think the specs are underwhelming, even if it is about what I expected. It just seems like they are trying to be on-par with others, not surpass them in any way, and that's a dangerous when playing from behind.
People aren't going to switch to your stuff if they are just resigning for 2 years, paying $200, and getting equal quality; it serves no purpose.
@Plazmic Flame "Powerful 624 Mhz processor" i find it sad that there are phones that are coming out that are still under 1 ghz, such a rip off, step your game up blackberry, or you're going to end up getting bought out by hp, like palm
@ageffner It's still powerful.... i mean i had the G1 and that ran great on a 528Mhz Processor. It all depends on how the software is put together.
@ageffner
now BB users can have an 'erection' :D
@Scrubs 512 ram and 4GB flash memory
@sxe10
Exactly. Powerful is relative.
A roadster does not need a 500HP to be very fast (though it does gives you more bragging rights).
I guess people solely focusing on Mhz want bragging rights.