BlackBerry Torch 9800 Review: Keeping RIM's Flame Alive
by Brian Klug on September 1, 2010 7:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Torch
- BlackBerry
- Mobile
Camera - Still
The Torch is the first BlackBerry with a 5 megapixel AF camera with LED flash. There’s also some added software functionality as well, including GPS geotagging and facial recognition for autofocus.
The interface for using the camera is unsurprisingly different from the OS 5 one. What’s frustrating is that tapping on the touchscreen doesn’t autofocus/expose like on other camera interfaces. In fact, autofocus is continuous by default, and primarily changes only when the scene changes dramatically in exposure. The result is that some shots are just going to be out of focus in the preview until the software decides to autofocus.
Portrait and landscape modes work as advertised. The convenience button also changes to shutter, and the volume buttons control digital zoom.
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Camera - Options and Scene Modes
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There’s a suite of different shooting scene modes. Honestly, I think that most of the time these modes are extraneous, but a number of them sound and are useful - especially discrete modes for Text (which lets you capture things like whiteboards or secret corporate documents) and face detection, which focuses on and exposes for faces. Sports mode seems to reduce the autofocus, LED flash, and other verification steps, and instead just takes a photo immediately. Other modes I don’t feel really do anything that you couldn’t accomplish on automatic.
The preview isn’t as high framerate as I’d like, as it seems just a bit more stuttery than other devices.
Camera - Video Recording
Swtiching into video mode, you’re given a smaller, aspect ratio correct preview. Rotate to landscape and it thankfully gets bigger. The bottom left is a visualizer for how much storage space is free, the right shows you zoom.
Video Mode
Oddly enough, toggling the video LED light isn’t done by tapping the icon like it is for capturing stills. For that, you’ll have to go into the menus and acknowledge that doing so will seriously drain your battery (no, really?).
Video recording is limited to VGA (640x480) which is getting long in the tooth for this generation. HD recording is becoming the norm, along with advanced things like multiple mic noise cancellation, both of which the Torch lacks.
Launching the camera application is thankfully relatively speedy, taking 2.5 seconds. Capture is relatively quick as well, and you can make it faster by switching to sports mode as noted.
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s44 - Wednesday, September 1, 2010 - link
RIM's release of this at price parity with the much more advanced Samsung phone indicates that they're more interested in gouging their captive user base than advancing their platform.Sivan - Wednesday, September 1, 2010 - link
I don't full agree with the dichotomy of business vs. consumer mapping onto keyboard vs. touch form factors.Even Brian notes how easy it is to use the keyboard and trackpad instead of the touchscreen. A lot of users value this ease of use especially for messaging or interacting with the device efficiently. Those are not necessarily business users. A touchscreen is not a requirement for a fun BlackBerry, I'd argue that just making BlackBerry 6 available on the venerable Bold line would make most BlackBerry users very happy.
That form factor is also much more battery efficient, the smaller screen (no need for touch) as well as more internal space for a battery, and the immediately availability of the keyboard the trackpad are the small details that make the traditional BlackBerry appealing regardless of whether one is a business user or not.
jah1subs - Wednesday, September 1, 2010 - link
What are the other devices promised for BB OS 6 upgrades?deputc26 - Wednesday, September 1, 2010 - link
I believe the OS version should read 2.2 not 2.1King Krapp - Thursday, September 2, 2010 - link
I spy Hyperbole and a Half in the background... nice.7Enigma - Thursday, September 2, 2010 - link
Suck it Trebek!Makaveli - Thursday, September 2, 2010 - link
Anand,Why didn't you install the Youtube player off the app world.
i'm on a 9700 Bold And I never open youtube links directly in the browser its all done by the app.
Also it would be cool if you could do a browser test with Opera Mini since most people use this over the default browser.
ibex333 - Thursday, September 2, 2010 - link
This new blackberry phone really doesnt sound like much of an improvement over older BB phones...With phones avaialble like the Droid G1 or the Droid X I dont understand why anyone would want to own a Blackberry unless security is the main concern. I got my Bold 9000 because back then, it was one of the very few phones that had such a nice keyboard and looked so professional and pleasing.
Now, Droid phones are so much better in just about every way IMHO. The #1 reason for this, is hacks.... What can possibly beat playing GBA, SEGA, SNES and other older console games on your phone with perfect speed, sound and great controls via a full featured keyboard and WASD buttons? And if that's not enough, you can install thousand of other nifty apps, where the number of these apps will only increase becuase developing for Droid will in the near future be as easy as developing for Linux if it isnt that way already!
Android is every geeks dream, and I cant see Apple or Blackberry RIM even touching this wonderful platform when it comes to sheer fun factor and the multitude of possiblities. Yes, I am an Android fanboy, and iPhone and Blackberry should just go in a quiet dark corner, curl up in a fetal position and just.....die....
wolrah - Thursday, September 2, 2010 - link
You had a complaint about a lack of easy 2G/3G switch on the CDMA Android devices. I don't think this is a real issue due to how CDMA 3G works. It's the same radio in a similar operation mode, so it's not like GSM where there's an entire different radio being fired up when you use 3G. The battery savings are not likely to be notable.strikeback03 - Friday, September 3, 2010 - link
In looking for ways to improve the battery life of my HTC Diamond, I found lots of people saying that the constant switching between 3G and 1x is what caused the excessive battery usage. Though in admittedly limited testing I didn't see a difference.I would imagine you can get a widget for Android to lock the device in 2G mode, should you need that functionality.