IT Pro Verdict
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is our favourite RIM device to date. It takes the essential, top-running features of the Bold 9000 and adds a sleek body and much-improved OS with 5.0.
RIM is quite clearly trying to stretch to all markets in the smartphone sector, and the BlackBerry Bold 9700 shoots right up to the top of the spectrum.
Following on from the original Bold, it flies high in the features front, but also fits right into the lightweight category too.
At just 14x60x109mm (WDH), it's almost as slimline as the Curve 8900 and Curve 8520 both lower-range devices.
Like the original Bold, there's a touch of class on the Bold 9700, with a faux leather backplate. Thankfully, it's easier to slide on and off the phone too.
The screen is a little smaller than the original, but only 0.2-inches, and you really can't tell the difference. In fact, it seems a little more regular, as the Bold's screen seemed a little too widescreen for our liking.
What is impressive though, is the resolution of that screen. At 480x360 pixels, it's actually higher resolution than the original and it really does show. It's crisp and brightly coloured, especially if you use the predefined landscape wallpaper.
The Bold 9700 chugs along nicely. We failed to see any lag when we had six applications open, mostly third party. In fact, the only time you will feel a little impatient is when the Bold 9700 is firing up. We've never had to wait so long for a phone to boot up before and it's irritating if you're desperately waiting to make a phone call or check your email.
The trackball as seen on the Bold 9000 and Pearl series (in fact, select Curve handsets too), has been replaced by the stunning touchpad. It acts like an optical mouse, and we are, as we were with the Curve 8520's touchpad, impressed.
