I'm looking to replace my iPhone 4 and I fancy a blackberry torch. Has anyone got one and if so what are they like?

Cheers, matt

Unless you really need some of the business features of a Blackberry, i really cant see how the change would be anything but a disappointment.

Loads of people at work have blackberrys as work phones, and iPhones/Android phones as personal mobiles, and i don't know of anyone who would move to a dual blackberry setup.

New iphone 5 is due soon, so I would look at that. As snailuk says, the blackberry is very much a business phone and I know of several people at work who have them as personal phones and regret getting them. Everyone is playing catchup with the iphone, and apart from some Android handsets nobody has got there yet and the iphone is still king of smartphones.

Yes. I have one..Its brilliant..Such high quality

It does take some getting used to..but once you do...youll never buy anything else

Yes. I have one..Its brilliant..Such high quality

It does take some getting used to..but once you do...youll never buy anything else

I have a Blackberry 9700 at the moment but soon to be replaced by the Torch.

It's a bit like computers, once you've had a Mac, always a Mac.

Edited 9 March, 201115 yr by Auric Goldfinger

This kinda seems to be the same thing I've read elsewhere really. People are very much in a blackberry or apple camp. I had the old iPhone 3G and I've got mac computers but I dunno what it is with the iPhone 4 but I just don't like it. I think I'm gonna have to go and try a torch and see what they are like

I've got a 9700 Bold for work and it sucks, it's only OS5 but it still sucks and I'm not convinced tacking on a touch interface would make it good - even my original iPhone running OS3.x is nicer to use. my boss has a Torch and he doesn't like it

I've recently upgraded to a BB9700 bold, so still the old hardware keyboard and no touch screen.

but I love it! It's a work phone and I really loved it until it was authenticated against the work BES which has now killed some of the flexibility, but it just "works". No sluggishness, might not have that graphical "wow" factor, but the apps integrate properly with the OS unlike iOS so whilst there are less "apps for that", there's less of a need for apps because they talk to each other easily.

Again, a personal thing, but I'm an itunes hater so can't get on with any apple hardware. I have an Ipad which is nice, but don't use it that much.

At the end of the day, it depends what you really want. It you want something very pretty and a great showcase of technology, the iphone's brill. If you want something functional that's fast, click and just works, a BB might be a better option. Having said that, I can't comment on the BB Touch itself.

i have had a Torch since November. It replaced my iPhone 3gs, but i do use it for business - The iPhone just couldn't keep up with me!

Build quality is poor, over an iPhone, but probably due to the removable battery. Battery life is good, and it rarely drops a call (it was at least a twice-daily occurrence on the iPhone) UMA is available on orange (Unlicensed Mobile Access) Where the phone can connect to a WiFi hotspot, and still have full phone functionality (calls, txt's etc) even if there is no phone network. (Handy if you have dead spots in the house, or like me, spend alot of times in country hotels)

Touch screen and Operating system is functional, but is not "Fun"

If it's for pleasure, an iPhone or Android device is a better option that a Torch. - If it's for business, it cant be beat.

Al.

Edited 24 March, 201115 yr by ukcruiser

well i took the plunge and i've now got a BB Torch. it feels a very much more grown up phone than the iPhone was. loving the battery life and the signal quality tho! there are some things i miss about the iPhone tho, just fancied a change really.

I am currently running both an iPhone 4 and a Blackberry Torch. I got the torch for fun and it is good, touch screen not a patch on my iPhone though!

Well i think the blackberry torch is good mobile phone but me currently using Blackberry 8900 so therefore i can,t suggest you anyone else

I think the Torch is the way to go afer looking at one the other day.

Feels nice and is very functional....

in what way is a BB torch more business like than a iPhone?

Also - what does any of the handful BB's offer over the 70 odd Windows Mobiles?

after sleeping on this I thought I'd add another couple of comments.

BB's used to have the market sown up, where else could you get your work emails the instant they arrived in your inbox at work. They were the only people to offer Push email. Windows Mobiles had to Pull their emails.

This all changed however with Exchange SP2, in this service pack was a gem, the ability to Push emails to Mobile devices. Since then manufacturers have released more and more Windows Mobile enabled devices.

With Microsoft Exchange being able to Push emails out to devices there is no need to complicate your mobile email by using Blackberry software or servers.

Before SP2:

Email goes into your exchange server

Exchange server sends it to either a Blackberry server or via Blackberry software at the provider (vodafone etc)

It then gets sent to your Blackberry.

With SP2 and the latest versions of exchange server:

Email gets sent into Exchange

Exchange sends it to your device.

Nothing in the way to complicate things.

Now, I know that there generally are two camps and that BB's have their place in the market as well as other manufacturers, but to say they are business devices is just silly.

What makes it a business device? the ability to receive emails? the ability to read them?

every windows device can do that, windows devices have outlook, so you get your inbox, sent items, deleted, calendar, tasks, personal and global address lists. all synchronised perfectly with outlook on your pc.

as for the iPhone: well that has an exchange server plugin, so again you get mail, calendar and contacts.

That plus all of the business apps that are available, i think that the iphone is more than capable of holding its own against a Blackberry.

You want a physical keyboard then yes, the iphone would suck, but BB's are not the only choice, windows mobiles can offer them.

Getting back to the OP's question - I have use of both and the iphone is way better, the torch is clumsy and clunky. Just try setting up email.

Edited 14 April, 201115 yr by prolfe

What happen to a phone being a phone used to make calls with texting as being a nice addition.

The question i have to all iphone & other Android ( i have an android phone ) users - with thousands of apps available, & probably most people having 3 or 4 screens full of them.

How many do you actually use regularly ( i.e daily or even weekly ) ?

How many of these apps are just there filling up memory & screen space and get used a couple of times after downloading & have not been used since ?

As for a BB - I could probably have one for work, but why would anyone want work intruding on personal lives, when this time is supposed to be spent getting away from work & relaxing in order to be refreshed for the next days work.

As for a BB - I could probably have one for work, but why would anyone want work intruding on personal lives, when this time is supposed to be spent getting away from work & relaxing in order to be refreshed for the next days work.

I'm Self-Employed... Work and Home life go hand-in-hand i'm afraid.

The iPhone just didn't cut it for me, for business use. Sure, it was a great toy, but using it for hours every day, left little to be desired.

I had a 3Gs model, and if i could of made the battery last all day i was lucky, if i could go 48 hours without dropping a call, i was even luckier, and if i could go a fortnight without having to do a full re-start, i was ecstatic!

The BB Torch that i've owned and used since October(ish) has not crashed, and only dropped one call, due to being in a proor signal area.

It's on Orange, so also has UMA (Unlicensed mobile access) where it uses a WiFi connection to do it's day to day phone duties. I work regularly at Country houses, where there is no signal but there is free WiFi; with the BB, i can talk, txt and email as normal. - It's an Excellent addition to the phone, one i dont know if i would like to be without.

As a toy or gaming device, it's extremely poor. - i have an iPad for that tho....

Al.