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Engadget Gets Some Hands-On Time with the Bold!

by Kevin Michaluk on 25 Jun 2008 10:33 PM
16
 

Engadget Gets some Hands-On Time with the Bold

The boys at Engadget finally got some hands-on time with the BlackBerry Bold and like me, they came away "happily impressed"...

To start things off, the keyboard felt easy enough to use, at least easier than the 8830 we're often forced to use for work email. Gone are the sharp protrusions, replaced with a nice flat surface upon which to click.

Of note was the Bold's user interface. Menus are clean and easy to read (despite some strange icon choices, see below), and response time is about as quick as one could hope, especially compared to other phones out there that seem to struggle with their operating systems.

The unit's HSDPA radio was turned on, and web browsing was quick and nimble, bringing up a mobile version of Engadget in no time. Pocket applications of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint were on display, and combined with the bright screen and UI response time, actually felt like something a business mack could use.

Cons? They weren't that happy with camera (functionality was "passable") and they found the shortcuts used on the default theme to be a little confusing, but that's no biggie - a whack load of themes will surely hit the market as soon as a revamped Plazmic Theme Builder becomes available.

It's hard to believe that it was MAY 6th when we put up the web's first full-out review of the BlackBerry 9000. If you're interested in the BlackBerry Bold and haven't checked it out yet, it makes a for a comprehensive read. Now we just need to see the Bold get released! In tonight's RIM Investors' call, co-CEO Jim Balsillie made it clear that the Bold has been passing all of the carrier testing with flying colors. Sure seems to me like AT&T is aiming for an August release instead of July release for reasons other than the technical reasons rumored earlier today. For shame AT&T...haven't you heard?? the "BlackBerry Bold is Pimp'n...the iPhone Tripp'n" :-)

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16 Comments

Posted by Dimietriev Wednesday, Jun 25, 2008 1428 days ago

mmm, i can't wait

 
 
Posted by Runell A Wednesday, Jun 25, 2008 1428 days ago

What I'd like to know is, how long before us CDMA users will actually see this beauty... I'm itching for a new berry, the 8330 isn't just cutting it for me anymore

 
 
Posted by King Of 60 Feet Wednesday, Jun 25, 2008 1428 days ago

Att is just pushing it back because they want the iphone to be at hit in stores. people are going to buy iphone and other will buy blackberrys. I hope they are not pushing it back till august, i really want this phone.

 
 
Posted by RoninKSB Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1428 days ago

That phone is doing a truly remarkable impression of a Blackberry Bold on the AT&T network. Heck, the illusion is so complete that it even has AT&T on the home screen and MEdia Net as the home page for the browser.

Surely, it must be an illusion because if it wasn't an illusion the phone would be melting before our eyes by photo number 20, wouldn't it?

 
 
Posted by Lil Whoa Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1427 days ago

Yeah... if it were a REAL Bold, on the REAL AT&T network, it most definitely would have no battery left and probably be melting his hand even. It's a hoax!

*(It doesn't seem anyone else caught onto your what you were getting at, which was a great observation imo)*

 
 
Posted by mnokia Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1428 days ago

mine has, err had that same homescreen too. In fact it had a whole wack of images to preloaded in it...ya diiig

 
 
Posted by NormanL Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1428 days ago

Does anyone know if the Bold will be available from Bell Canada and when.

What I got from a Bell guy was that they didn't know and if they did get it, it would be 18 months after Rogers.

Norman

 
 
Posted by Mr_Big_Dogg Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1428 days ago

Let's just hope AT&T will not be holding off on the release. At least I can wish can't I.

 
 
Posted by bassman Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1428 days ago

18 months after Rogers? That's a lifetime in the lifecycle of devices like these.

What I can't work out is whether Bell's network is already 3G capable. I have read several articles and still can't work out whether EV-DO is a 3G version of CDMA.

 
 
Posted by Runell A Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1428 days ago

From what I have been lead to believe. EVDO technology is equivalent to 3g. CDMA carriers(atleast here in Canada) have always marketed EVDO tech as being faster to 3g.

I beielev HSDPA is faster than 3g though, but is not as set up in north america as of yet...

Please someone correct me if I'm wrong

 
 
Posted by Runell A Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1428 days ago

and if CDMA users have to wait a 18mnts for this... w...o...w.... that blows!!!!

 
 
Posted by Snipes Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1428 days ago

Hey Kevin have you gotten any OTA updates pushed to your Bold, if you still have it?

 
 
Posted by Snipes Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1428 days ago

Double post.

 
 
Posted by Anonymous Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1428 days ago

I check on this site every day and noticed how impatient and "whiney" people are about the release date of the Bold. I think that we all need to understand that great things take time to perfect and if RIM delays Bold's release date, it's most likely for good reasons. I for one will not settle for second best. Hopefully, we can all have just a little more patience because it will be well worth it!
POLICE YOURSELVES.

 
 
Posted by Mr Ed Thursday, Jun 26, 2008 1428 days ago

I don't care what ATT does, I am waiting for Verizon

 
 
Posted by roboy02 Saturday, Jun 28, 2008 1426 days ago

The problem is not the bold being released. The problem is AT&T, which is made more obvious by the Bold being released by Rogers and Vodafone before AT&T. I love AT&T when it comes to everything except releasing phones. I'm praying the Bold isn't the new N75, where the phone is available forever but AT&T takes forever to make all their crappy software for the device.