The largest space is concerned with your apps. This area can be swiped left and right to reveal categories such as 'most used applications', or ones you've downloaded from the BlackBerry App World. You can tinker around with these categories if you so wish. Swiping up and down enlarges or shrinks the app drawer, allowing you to fully expose your phone's attractive wallpaper. For all of its finger-friendly prowess, the Torch still relies on the traditional BlackBerry optical trackpad when it comes to making precise menu selections.
While OS 7 has made massive strides into the world of touch-screen mobile UIs, it's clear that there are some elements of the past that RIM's software engineers are reluctant to leave behind.
Unlike its close relation the Torch -- which sports a 3. Despite the smaller size, this TFT thin film transistor display is no slouch and offers a clean, crisp picture -- although colours look noticeably washed out when compared to the The 's 3. The other good news is that it's capacitive, meaning you can perform all those lovely 'pinch to zoom' gestures that iPhone and Android lovers are always banging on about.
Arguably the centrepiece of any true BlackBerry handset we'll ignore the keyboardless for a moment , the Torch 's physical interface consists of a slide-out Qwerty arrangement -- the same that graced its direct predecessor, in fact. The buttons may be a little too close together, but you'll still type like greased lightning using the Torch 's Qwerty keyboard. Although apps such as Swype and SwiftKey X have taken touchscreen typing to new levels of speed, accuracy and prediction, you simply cannot beat the feel of real buttons under your fingertips.
Bashing out an email, status update or Facebook message on the Torch is a joy, although we do feel the buttons are little too close together for comfort. We'd also have preferred it if the numbers were on a separate line of keys, rather than being 'alt' commands on existing letter buttons, though that would have meant expanding the size of the keyboard vertically, creating a larger handset.
Although the Torch looks much like last year's in terms of design, it is granted its own personality by the fetching chrome finish. The entire device is clad in shining silver, but it's worth noting that only the edges of the front panel are metal -- everything else is just coated plastic. The back of the phone has a grid-like texture which aids grip, but we're not totally taken with this patterned effect.
It's also disappointing that the battery cover isn't made of metal, like the one on the Torch The Torch is practically bristling with physical inputs. As well as the aforementioned optical touchpad there's the usual bank of commands at the bottom of the screen. Although these rest flush with the display and initially appear to be capacitive touch-sensitive buttons, they're actually physical keys under a thin layer of plastic.
On the right-hand side of the phone you'll find the volume rocker and convenience key. The latter can be used to snap photos when running the phone's camera application, among other things.
At the top of the handset you'll find the lock button on the left side and the mute key on the right. The mute button cannot be used to force the phone into your silent profile, however -- it only seems to work when you receive a call and wish to silence the ringer or you're listening to music or watching a movie and want to cut the sound.
One of the biggest issues people had with the original Torch is that it was running an underpowered MHz processor at a time when 1GHz dual-core CPUs were starting to hit the market. The good news is that RIM has listened to the grumblings of discontent and has duly boosted the Torch 's chip to 1.
The bad news is that it's still a single-core affair. RIM is adamant that dual-core chips only benefit large-screen devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab Given that the Torch occasionally makes you wait while it loads up an app, we're not entirely convinced this is true.
Still, the phone feels pretty nippy, especially if you're a BlackBerry veteran who recalls the occasionally sluggish performance of past RIM handsets.
Menu navigation is smooth, the screen is responsive and p video playback runs without a hitch. With 8GB of internal storage, the Torch is offering double what its direct forerunner did. You can also augment this total with a microSD card, which is hot-swappable, meaning you're not required to power down the phone to change it. Sadly, there's no card included with the phone. Browsing the Web on the Torch is a surprisingly fast experience. The lack of Adobe Flash support is a puzzle though, especially when you consider that RIM saw fit to squeeze it into its PlayBook tablet.
Placeholder for incorrect company id. Pros Portrait slider is a great form factorBig improvements in native web browserOS is far more polished than last version. Cons Hardware design feels datedOS improvements are mostly skin deepLow resolution display. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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