Hands-on: BlackBerry Bold 9790, Curve 9380 (photos)
BlackBerry Bold 9790
Just announced in Jakarta, the BlackBerry (BB) Bold 9790 has a narrow QWERTY keyboard form factor, similar to the Bold 9700/9780. RIM calls it an evolution of the Bold form factor, which has also included wide QWERTY smartphones such as the recent 9900. The 2.45-inch LCD touchscreen has a resolution of only 480 x 360 pixels (HVGA), which is rather low by the standards of midrange smartphones these days. RIM's Handheld Product Management senior vice president Carlo Chiarello has assured us that it has the "right balance of resolution and LCD quality", resulting in good "blacks and contrast levels".Photo and caption by Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia <%image%>= tn002.jpg->
BlackBerry Bold 9790
The Bold 9790 comes with a raised row of buttons under the touchscreen display, which is a departure from the usual flushed version. Love it or hate it, it is reminiscent of the buttons found on the Torch 9860.We especially like how the keys just seem to curve and fall off the edges.
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BlackBerry Bold 9790
The battery cover has a soft-touch finish, which is pleasant to hold and provides enough grip to prevent the phone from slipping out of our hands.The onboard 5-megapixel autofocus camera comes with a flash and records VGA videos.
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BlackBerry Bold 9790
You'll find the charging port on the bottom of the phone, which makes it easier to use the phone while it is plugged in.In terms of storage, you'll get 8GB of internal memory, expandable up to 32GB via a microSD slot.
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BlackBerry Bold 9790
The volume rocker and shortcut key on the side of the phone are protruding, narrow ridges. We feel this may cause some discomfort when holding the phone for a long phone call. We'll find out in our in-depth review pretty soon.Photo and caption by Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia <%image%>= tn006.jpg->
BlackBerry Bold 9790 vs 9900 vs 9700
How does the Bold 9790 stack up against earlier BB models in terms of size?From left to right: Bold 9700, Bold 9900, Bold 9790
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BlackBerry Bold 9790 vs 9700
The Bold 9790 is lighter, slimmer and has a faster processor clocked at 1GHz compared with the 9700's 624MHz.Photo and caption by Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia <%image%>= tn008.jpg->
BlackBerry Bold 9900 vs 9700
The Bold 9900 is definitely bigger than the 9790, due to its wider form factor.The bumpers on the Bold 9790 lack the premium feel of the 9900's brushed metal finish.
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Baby got back?
From faux leather (Bold 9700) to "glass weave technology" (Bold 9900) and now soft touch, the back covers of these Berries have gone through many iterations.Photo and caption by Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia <%image%>= tn010.jpg->
BlackBerry Bold 9790 vs 9700
The Bold 9790 is noticeably slimmer than the 9700, and feels more tapered at the edges, too.Photo and caption by Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia <%image%>= tn011.jpg->
BlackBerry Bold 9790 vs 9900
So which Bold design do you like best?RIM has announced that the Bold 9790 will be available in Indonesia on November 26, with the first 1,000 customers here getting a 50 percent discount off the estimated retail price of US$515. Pricing and availability for other countries have not been announced yet, so do check with your telcos.
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BlackBerry Curve 9380
We also caught a peek of the Curve 9380 in Jakarta, the first all-touch Curve device.The Curve series has always consisted of entry-level handsets--such as the 8520--which do well in Asia's developing countries
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BlackBerry Curve 9380
The 3.2-inch touchscreen shares the same resolution as the Bold 9790--480 x 360 pixels.When asked if RIM will drop its traditional QWERTY keyboards for future BBX smartphones, Chiarello assured us that this is not the case. "Not a chance", he said--but we definitely haven't seen the last of all-touch BlackBerry handhelds.
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BlackBerry Curve 9380
Like the Bold 9790, the Curve 9380's micro-USB port is located at the bottom of the phone.Photo and caption by Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia <%image%>= tn015.jpg->
BlackBerry Curve 9380
We like the clean look and feel of the lock button and 3.5mm audio jack.Photo and caption by Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia <%image%>= tn016.jpg->
BlackBerry Curve 9380
The slim profile of the 9380 ensures that it sits comfortably in small hands.Photo and caption by Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia <%image%>= tn017.jpg->
BlackBerry Curve 9380
The glossy plastic finish on the back cover is a fingerprint magnet.The onboard 5-megapixel autofocus camera comes with a flash and records VGA videos.
Chiarello says that the demand for non-camera versions of current models has decreased as it is possible to disable/enable a BB camera directly via BES. As a result, we may not see many more non-camera BB handsets, unless operators request for it.
Photo and caption by Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia
About the author
Jacqueline Seng is a presenter/writer for CNET Asia, focusing on mobile phones. Her induction into the world of IT involved typing out stories on a computer in kindergarten--not that much has changed. The only girl on the editorial team (for now), she is also an avid potato chip connoisseur, heist movie enthusiast and indie/hiphop music aficionado.
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