Bendable Media

The BlackBerry Torch can be controlled by touch or keyboard

Is there a smartphone less interesting than the BlackBerry these days? No. Research in Motion, BlackBerry’s maker, is desperately trying to change that perception but it hasn’t been easy.

RIM is losing market share at an alarming rate, as Android phones and the iPhone continue to attract new users. So can the BlackBerry Torch, RIM’s latest offering, stop the carnage? The Torch is the first BlackBerry to use a combination of touch-screen and keyboard — a nod to RIM’s traditional user base — to navigate the phone, while also offering an overdue upgrade to its operating system, dubbed BlackBerry 6.

So, is the Torch exciting enough to draw new users to the BlackBerry operating system? Perhaps more important: is it good enough to keep existing users from departing?

Before I answer that, let me acknowledge my biases. I can be won over by new phones. I’m an iPhone owner but there’s a very good chance my next phone will be an Android model.

As for BlackBerry, I’ve never relied on one nor became hooked on the platform, as so many BlackBerry users were required to use a ‘crackberry’ for work. I relied on a standard mobile phone, text messaging and then the iPhone instead of using a BlackBerry. I never needed a BlackBerry but I’ve tested many models.

That leads us to how we think of the BlackBerry compared to the iPhone: People want the iPhone but tolerate the BlackBerry. Now BlackBerry’s grip is slipping so quickly that you can add Android phones to that reasoning: there are about a half-dozen Android phones available now that I’d like to buy.

So how does the Torch stand up? It doesn’t. The phone is largely uninteresting compared to the iPhone and Android models, even if it is probably the most interesting BlackBerry I’ve tested. If you work for a company that demands you use a BlackBerry, this is a good choice. Will it keep you from considering another platform if you have a choice? Probably not.

Essentially, the BlackBerry remains all business and little fun. The biggest problem is a lack of apps. Sure, you can use modern social conveniences like Facebook and Twitter on the Torch, or listen to a streaming music service such as Slacker, but BlackBerry offers roughly 9,000 apps right now, a pittance compared to the 225,000 offered on the iPhone or the nearly 100,000 for Android phones.

The BlackBerry Torch runs an upgraded operating system called BlackBerry 6

An example: My wife stopped considering a BlackBerry as her next phone (and she’s had one for about 5 years) when she saved several hundred dollars on shoes thanks to an Android app. A version of that app is available for BlackBerry, but finding the app and using it frustrated her.

To be fair, the Torch is the best BlackBerry I’ve tested. The touch screen is pretty good. Not best in class but a giant leap better than the BlackBerry Storm’s bizarre ‘sure-touch’ screen.

Navigating the Torch’s screen is easy and the touch controls are very responsive. Importantly, RIM increased the type size on its text menus while adding space in between the items. That makes tapping a new command a simple operation; on the Storm, this was far too difficult.

A nice touch is the Android-like notification bar found near the top of the phone. You will be notified if you have new emails, new mentions on Twitter, Facebook updates or even sports scores. This is one of my favorite Android features, and RIM did a nice job of replicating it on the Torch. One problem: The notification bar was ‘sticky’ at times, not always opening when I tapped it with my finger. Touching the central navigation pad that sits on the bottom of the phone worked much better.

The keyboard sits under the phone and slides out when pushed. It works efficiently and is easy to do with one hand. The keyboard itself is cramped, yet the keys are raised high enough that I was able to type effectively with few mistakes. The keyboard is not as wide as previous BlackBerry models; I suggest you test the keyboard if you’re familiar with a bigger layout. (Have I mentioned how much I love Swype for typing, by the way? Not offered here, sadly.)

Other improvements speak more to the BlackBerry 6 software upgrade than the phone.

One is a tool called social feed. The social feed gathers all your social media accounts and puts them in one place, making it easy to browse what your various communities are up to. Also, it is much easier to access BlackBerry App World from the phone. The home screen includes a dedicated icon to access RIM’s app store, making it far more likely that owners will browse the store to find apps.

One problem I had initially was a freezing screen. Several times during set-up, such as adding an email account or my Twitter feed, the phone froze and required a restart. That hasn’t happened since, however.

Of course, there are many features and upgrades not covered here that should appeal to BlackBerry loyalists, but the BlackBerry Torch has done little to change my view of RIM’s smartphones: Unless I start working for a company that requires I use a BlackBerry, I won’t be buying the BlackBerry Torch.

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