BlackBerry Torch 9860

BlackBerry Torch 9860

The slender design of the Blackberry Torch 9860 makes it a great fit for anyone who wants a phone that is big enough to hold firmly in the hand but doesn't feel bulky. The full, sharp screen is also a great feature. However, the keypad tends to be a turn-off for texting buffs.

RIM's first forays into the full touchscreen world were more of a damp shower than the unaptly-named Storm and Storm 2 phones would have you believe. But that's all set to change with the release of the BlackBerry Torch 9860.

BlackBerry Torch 9860 review

BlackBerry's biggest touchscreen handset is one of its best, and it's working hard to catch up with the competition. The BlackBerry faithful will appreciate the effort here, but whether it's enough to win over fans of Android or Apple is another matter.

RIM BlackBerry Torch 9860 smartphone

The BlackBerry Torch 9860 is a touchscreen-only smartphone like the iPhone or any generic Android. Given that the BlackBerry calling card has always been excellent physical keyboards (and excellent mail) we’re a bit confused as to the Torch’s purpose. The phone itself is built to a high standard and is powerful, but its imperfect touchscreen keyboard makes the Torch inferior to its tactile counterparts. The BlackBerry Torch 9860 is a BlackBerry, but it doesn’t have a physical keyboard. It’s a BlackBerry for the iPhone and Android generation, but we think the BlackBerry faithful will prefer the real thing. The Torch’s best chance is with casual BlackBerry users that like the interface and ecosystem, but aren’t going to spend all day on email or BlackBerry Messenger.

BlackBerry Torch 9860

The BlackBerry Torch 9860 is a BlackBerry, but it doesn't have a physical keyboard. It's a BlackBerry for the iPhone and Android generation, but we think the BlackBerry faithful will prefer the real thing .

The left side of the device has the micro USB connector while the top has a lock switch which is hard enough to not accidentally unlock the device. On the right side you have a 3.5mm audio jack, volume rockers with a mute switch in the middle and a convenience key towards the bottom.

BlackBerry Torch 9860 review

It's taken a ridiculously long time to come, but this is it. This is the one. After the clickable screen of the BlackBerry Storm 2 and the touchscreen-with-slide-out-keyboard shenanigans of the original BlackBerry Torch , RIM has finally released a proper touchscreen smartphone.

BlackBerry Torch 9860 Review by 3G.co.uk

Who would have thought it – a BlackBerry device made for multimedia, and that has no QWERTY keyboard? Surely not. But wait, there's more – it also has a ‘Liquid Graphics' display. What is going on?

BlackBerry Torch 9860 in-depth review -

A BlackBerry for multimedia? No QWERTY keyboard? Something called a Liquid Graphics screen? Stop, please, you're blowing our minds. The BlackBerry Torch 9860 is one of the flagship phones for the new BlackBerry 7 OS, and RIM's third-ever full-touch handset.

Review: BlackBerry Torch 9860

The status area at the top of the screen provides quick access to the cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth settings. Below that is a notification bar, which brings up a full-fledged notifications screen when touched.