The Switch: Episode 1

So from time to time I make a switch from one platform to another. From one device to another one. From one service to a new, better (do not laugh, please!) one. They are stories worth telling. I wish marketing departments were reading them. Who knows , may be they do?

So the Episode 1 of the Switch saga is going to be about my new Blackberry Bold. Faithful readers are probably aware I was a long time user of various Windows Mobile platforms, actually starting from the i-Mate SP3 in 2004 (actually still one of the best phones I had), then moving to the SP5m, and after a short period with JasJar and TyTN, I settled for the Samsung SGH-i600 almost two years ago. It was a great ride with Windows Mobile, unfortunately the platform has been steadily losing its edge. iPhones hit the market and revolutionized the way manufacturers (and users) think about smart phones. I was considering iPhone for a long time. I even got one (the 3G), but as great as the device is, it proved to be somehow pathetic in real life, with all this kinetic scrolling and the lack of simple cut and paste, not to mention the lack of real keyboard.

So the other day I decided to buy a Blackberry Bold 9000. I spent about three hours in the store, first trying to figure out if the device was not too bulky (physical dimensions are about the same as iPhone's, but somehow the Bold looks bigger). Fortunately it fits in a pocket almost the same way the iPhone does. I do not have a problem taking it with me to an all-night dance party, so the size is just right. As with every device of this type it is always too bing in your pocket and too small in your hands and before your eyes. So once it is comfortable in your pocket, it should not be any smaller...

Focusing this time on physical attributes, the Bold has gorgeous screen. I have not seen anything like that before. Forget Nokias E71. Forget iPhones. The fantastic LCD coupled with the best automatic brightness control I have ever encountered delivers perfect picture in full sunlight and in full moonlight. A class of its own. Second revelation is the thumb - operated trackball. Precise and natural, makes UI naviation a pleasure. And it is one-handed, opposed to the two-handed navigation on iPhone. Love it. Then there is a real keyboard. Very good. Thumb typing does not take long to get used to. The only thing I miss from the Samsung i600 days are comma and dot keys. They used to be separate on the i600, but require on the Bold. Audio quality blows away. The built-in earpiece sounds great, but in the speakerphone mode you can fill the entire room with music. And it has a 3,5mm mic/phones jack (Nokia, have you seen that?).

But what really wins my heart are the numerous design / implementation details proving a very long experience Blackberry engineers have building top class phones. There is a standard mini USB chargng / communications port. No fancy connectors, just standard USB. The plug has one side clearly marked "UP" so you never try to connect it upside down. The when you plug the charger - guess what happens. A clock appears with easy way to set up an alarm. Clever... Think when you charge your phone? Whenever you go to sleep, right? Get yourself the original charging pod. Place it by your bed. Throw away the alarm clock you used to use... Gently pop in the Bold in the pod and it enters the "bedside mode", turning off keyboard backlight and dimming the clock display so it is just visible in the dark room. And optionally it can even turn the radio off when in the bedside mode, so no unwanted phone call will wake you... If somebody cares of you when you sleep, it is Blackberry engineers who definitely do... There is more clever things you'll like. Like the leather holster. Slide the phone in it and it automatically locks the keyboard. Take it out and the keyboard is unlocked. Lovely.

Hardware - wise the Bold (probably as any other Blackberry) is the winner. I love it. The story will continue. Stay tuned for the Episode 2.