5 Responses to “BlackBerry Bold 9000 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, and MicroSD Slot–International Version with Warranty”

1. D. Means on July 14th, 2010 12:27 pm

   I’ve owned an HP iPAQ since 2006, and had to take a Blackberry Bold 9000 as a warranty replacement for an iPAQ 6925. At the time of this review, I’ve had the Blackberry for about three weeks.

   – Documents
   
   You cannot create documents on the BB. You can create memos, but BB will randomly delete your memos when it needs extra space for various processing.
   
   Grade: F

   – Bluetooth
   
   Not as usable as others. I must assume there’s something that BB can connect to, but it’s not any of my devices. The iPAQ will talk to just about any thing – computers, stereo head sets, etc., etc. I’ve yet to find anything the BB will connect to.
   
   Grade: D-

   – WiFi
   
   Works like a champ, configures easily. Doesn’t appear to be any worse, probably a bit better than the iPAQ in terms of battery usage.
   
   Grade: A+

   – MiniSD
   
   No problems, works great.
   
   Grade: A+

   – GSM/Edge/G3
   
   No problems, works great.
   
   Grade: A+

   – GPS
   
   Actually seems to work a bit better than the iPAQ, seems to use less battery too. Google Maps installed and works well.
   
   Grade: A+

   – SMS/MMS/Phone-Call Logs
   
   Logs and messages are legible and easily traversed. You cannot filter on sent/received/missed. You cannot delete the logs or messages as a group, rather one-by-one.
   
   Grade: C-

   – Calendar
   
   Works great, easily traversed. I can sync Lotus Notes and Google Calendars which is a plus.
   
   Grade: A+

   – Contacts
   
   Works great, easily traversed. I can sync my Google contacts. You cannot assign ring tones to specific people.
   
   Grade: B

   – Calendar / Contact Synchronization
   
   The available applications function well.
   
   Grade: A

   – Media Synchronization
   
   It’s horrible. You’ll find yourself looking for a MiniSD docking station. BB requires you to install Roxio for media sync. It’s a Java application that runs about as fast as molasses on a brass door knob in January. BB may not detect the new items on the MiniSD after re-insertion, so you need to soft-boot the phone.
   
   Grade: F-

   - Phone
   
   Sounds good, seems to be clear on receiving end. Headset has received complaints from people listening to me.
   
   Grade: B+

   – Auto Answer
   
   Phone does not auto answer with headset attached.
   
   Grade: F

   – Phone ring w/ Headset
   
   Phone will send event sounds through the headset only when you’re using it to listen to media (songs, etc.). When media is not playing, events are sent through the phone speaker. Headset is very effective at blocking out ambient noise, so you might miss a call or notification.
   
   Grade: F

   – Phone event notifications
   
   You can configure many different sounds for various events, and there is a very large number of pre-installed sounds. You cannot copy one set of event sounds to another set, thereby creating a default sound set and simply modifying the volume for each.
   
   Grade: C

   – Keyboard
   
   Different from an iPAQ keyboard, I’m not very fond of it. Typical three rows of keys, but the most important ones are replaced with ‘alt’, ’sym’ and shift. Two key presses to get a period, question mark, etc.
   
   Grade: B

   – General Configuration
   
   Complicated to say the least. You’ll a setting, and then not remember where the setting was found. There are in some cases, more than one path to get to the same configuration. It’s overly complex.
   
   Grade: C

   – Camera
   
   Good pictures, easy to use, provided you put a link to it on the main screen.
   
   Grade: A

   – Recorder
   
   Good sound, easy to use, difficult to get to quickly.
   
   Grade: A

   –

2. A. Dent on July 14th, 2010 2:38 pm

   I’ve been using Blackberries since a blackberry was thought to be something you would find in a muffin. The 8800 was the one I was using until I was given the Bold and, up until then, I thought of it as the best Blackberry ever. Then, the Bold came and it is probably safe to state that the Bold is now the last and the best classic Blackberry ever because the Storm, lacking a physical keyboard, probably deserves its own class.

   When the Bold and the 8800 are placed next to each other, what’s striking is the similarities between the 2. The exact same size, similar keyboard, buttons placement, including the now familiar trackball. Even the ports are more or less the same, the same weight. Mine came with its own holster but I could have used the 8800’s with the Bold.

   Then, it’s the display. The Bold is what it says it is: bright, clear, vivid. You see it and you now know that it’s an evolutionary step up on the ladder. In addition, you get the camera that shoots both pictures and video and the ability to add more memory means that you scan store more video and more music if you want to use your Blackberry as an iPod lite. The operation seems to be a bit faster, the battery life is more or less the same, the quality of the speaker phone is better but, overall, it’s your familiar Blackberry, having learned a few new tricks and with a bright face.

   I am happy with the Bold because I am happy with Blackberries in general. I like the unlimited email and Internet browsing plan, the ability to use Wi-Fi when available and the security it provides. My Blackberry is tied into my company’s email environment and it is now very much an extension of my office while I’m away. The Bold, with its high resolution screen and the same solid, functional build is a good tool, now with more ‘fun’ stuff (camera, video playing) added to it.

3. Marcio Esteves on July 14th, 2010 3:19 pm

   This is a GREAT product! But it lacks support from Amazon.
   
   Good support from RIM (manufacturer) and after two weeks BIS services were working with my current mobile phone operator (Vivo Brazil).

4. JOSHUA ASSAN on July 14th, 2010 5:24 pm

   It’s the best phone of RIM, it work very good in USA and Ecuador (Latin America). The purchased and delivery was fast. All very good.

5. E. Becker on July 14th, 2010 6:00 pm

   …and what do I mean by that title line, exactly?

   The Blackberry Bold 9000 is, in essence, a small computer (as are all smartphones.) The leading trendy iCompetitor to the Blackberry may have some limitations, but running the most basic of audio editing/composition apps isn’t one of them: the Blackberry on the other hand has its audio hardware set up to only be able to play one [generated] sound at a time – i.e. it lacks true polyphony. This shouldn’t be a showstopper – buffered synthesis being one possible solution – and yet there’s not even the most basic MIDI composition available for the Bold.

   To which the BB die-hards reply, “Ah, but the Blackberry’s not a toy! It’s a businessman’s machine! Blackberry users are serious businesslike people.”

   …and yet there are apps available for astrology, palm reading, bible quotes, random noise players, etc. etc. – obviously all very relevant and important to business people. [eyes rolling]

   In the end, it’s been a fine smartphone for me in just about every other regard more or less. A couple hassles, most easy to figure out with a little Google sleuthing. But all I want is the most basic/barebones MIDI editor/composer/sequencer – hell, it can just have one piano sound – and I’d be a lot happier with it: it’s beyond comprehension that I’m the only consumer out there that’d like this too.

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