[Roo Zilla]

The physical keyboards will exist right up to the time the keyboard itself vanishes. One will never "have" to use an on-screen keyboard.

Most certainly keyboards will exist for a long time to come, but I get the feeling that in the not too distant future, there won't be a very large selection of mobile devices that feature full QWERTY keyboards.

[bungaboy]

+1 on the shirt pocket. Just remember the phone is in there so it doesn't fall into the toilet

Is this the voice of experience i hear? LoL

(I am always mindful of that happening)

[bungaboy]

Most certainly keyboards will exist for a long time to come, but I get the feeling that in the not too distant future, there won't be a very large selection of mobile devices that feature full QWERTY keyboards.

The most requested iPhone accessory according to their advertisment.

[Toodeurep]

Is this the voice of experience i hear? LoL

(I am always mindful of that happening)

Who me? But just once.

[NFLPLAYBOOK]

I've never seen the 9860 so I have to ask is the screen really that much bigger?

For comparisons sake it's the same as looking at an iPhone. The .2 difference really isn't that noticeable.

The 9860 feels very solid in the hand. It stays cleaner and less debris because it doesn't have as many crevices. The extra screen space is nice for reading web pages, playing games and looks incredible. It also has a larger battery, the same one as in the 9900, and it last a full day even Bridged to a PlayBook. Good luck on your choice because they are both great phones.

[aha]

I have no complaints with my 9810, good enough for until Q1 2013

[jonno_atamaniuk]

I have a 9810, I love it. I was actually partially torn between it and the 9860 when they initially launched, however I'm convinced I made the right decision for my purposes.

Some things to note about the 9810, it is a slider and as such it has more moving parts than most other Blackberry phones. However, it's a solid slider at that, I've dropped it at least 4-5 times and it still works great. After a full year I've noticed the battery life has gone down a bit, but that may be more due to the whole dropping it a few times thing.

The 9860 is a phone that a friend of mine had for the same year period. She switched over to an iPhone due to not being able to figure out some of the issues with her phone and not wanting to take it in to get it repaired (understandable, once a phone goes in for repair it's rarely the same again). But none the less, it was a great phone as well. The on-screen keyboard does take up a lot of space, I have experience with that from an old Storm 9530. But it still is a very fluid experience with this device none the less.

For me, the keyboard won out, and even though the screen is a touch smaller I find that overall I'm happy with my choice of the 9810. They keyboard works well for my uses (contrary to the suggestion of someone else saying this phone was trying to be all things to all people and failing) and the touch screen is very responsive on a properly-functioning (read NOT DROPPED) model. And even if I want to type using the screen, I see a touch more of what I'm replying to I find when in landscape mode versus the 9860.

[w0lfgang]

I have the 9850 and I LOVE it. I don't like sliders of any type. If RIMM had released the 9850 instead of the worst phone EVER (read as STORM), it would STILL be the smartphone leader it once was.
I often wonder what the kind of marketing goes on at RIMM since I read articles, and listen to friends, who are shocked when they find out RIMM has an all touch phone, and say "I thought they only had old keyboard types?" Seriously....I'm a MS science teacher, and ALL of the teenagers think that RIMM sucks because of the "keyboards for old people." Their words, not mine
So, great marketing job RIMM...a real bang up job!

[bungaboy]

I have the 9850 and I LOVE it. I don't like sliders of any type. If RIMM had released the 9850 instead of the worst phone EVER (read as STORM), it would STILL be the smartphone leader it once was.
I often wonder what the kind of marketing goes on at RIMM since I read articles, and listen to friends, who are shocked when they find out RIMM has an all touch phone, and say "I thought they only had old keyboard types?" Seriously....I'm a MS science teacher, and ALL of the teenagers think that RIMM sucks because of the "keyboards for old people." Their words, not mine
So, great marketing job RIMM...a real bang up job!

The Storm wasn't too bad by the time the got OS 5 on it. I still have one I fire up every now and again.

Now, you as a MS Science teacher are in an excellent position to exorcise the misguided youth and show them the RIM way. LoL

[blackberry-unlocking710]

I think that the Bold 9900 is the best
But, if it's about Torch 9860 or Torch 9810 slider.. I don't like slider phone that much so for me the Torch 9860 is the winner.. but you need to think about what will suit you best.

[olblueyez]

I've dropped it at least 4-5 times and it still works great. After a full year I've noticed the battery life has gone down a bit, but that may be more due to the whole dropping it a few times thing.

For me, the keyboard won out, and even though the screen is a touch smaller I find that overall I'm happy with my choice of the 9810. They keyboard works well for my uses (contrary to the suggestion of someone else saying this phone was trying to be all things to all people and failing) and the touch screen is very responsive on a properly-functioning (read NOT DROPPED) model. And even if I want to type using the screen, I see a touch more of what I'm replying to I find when in landscape mode versus the 9860.

I was referring to OS7 not the phone model, but I do see that "The keypad won out" in spite of "Relying in the touch screen when viewing in landscape".

The truth is there is no substitute for Landscape + Physical Keypad.

You think for one second I'd trade my 9900 for my Wife's 9810?

NO WAY!!!!!!

I have better things to do than spinning my phone around, opening and closing that slider, and of course, like you said, "Dropping my phone". I like to use my phone.

OP, if your able, take it from someone who has both, the 9900 will "Get it done quicker", no matter what your doing.

Especially if the people you work for are paying for it. And that is really the only reason someone would buy a 9810 over a 9900. If you said "I Dig the Large Screen on the 9860" than I can understand.

9810 = Taint

[iN8ter]

I've never seen the 9860 so I have to ask is the screen really that much bigger?

It's noticeably bigger, and the resolution is noticeably higher.

The build quality of both are a bit plasticky for my taste, which doesn't tend to bother me except they're a bit thicker than I'm comfortable with these days.

The 9860 is the better device, IMO, but the 9810 actually has more internal storage which can be a factor for some. The keyboard on the 9810 is pretty bad (IMO) and does not justify the added bulk.

Again, "IMO."

The buttons are too flat and there isn't enough tactile response for my taste.

Personally I'd wait a few months to see when the OS10 devices were coming.