[jacmeister68]

What's funny is how chargers and extended batteries are not counted as part of the cost of buying an Android device. I keep telling people, the battery sucks. Then I hear they bought a couple of extended batteries and multiple chargers to have nearby everywhere. That's easily $200 extra right there. Those companies are knowingly selling defective devices that are too thin and try to do too much for too little money. The user is then left to figure out that they really have to use a case to make a call, get a chubby battery and carry chargers everywhere.

I always see iPhone and Android users in the office and in coffee shops tethered to power sources, either their computer or an electrical outlet, and it's a good chance that their WiFi and GPS are off too. Watch the screens of most iPhone and Android devices side by side with a BlackBerry. For all the fancy resolution and AMOLED BS, those users have the screen on minimum brightness to conserve battery. I was comparing Google Maps with a friend out on a trip, and his iPhone screen was barely viewable next to my 9700 cranked up without any concern for battery life. A lot of the benefits of iPhones and Android are just demo stuff that doesn't work in real life.

+10. Good post

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[belfastdispatcher]

What's funny is how chargers and extended batteries are not counted as part of the cost of buying an Android device. I keep telling people, the battery sucks. Then I hear they bought a couple of extended batteries and multiple chargers to have nearby everywhere. That's easily $200 extra right there. Those companies are knowingly selling defective devices that are too thin and try to do too much for too little money. The user is then left to figure out that they really have to use a case to make a call, get a chubby battery and carry chargers everywhere.

I always see iPhone and Android users in the office and in coffee shops tethered to power sources, either their computer or an electrical outlet, and it's a good chance that their WiFi and GPS are off too. Watch the screens of most iPhone and Android devices side by side with a BlackBerry. For all the fancy resolution and AMOLED BS, those users have the screen on minimum brightness to conserve battery. I was comparing Google Maps with a friend out on a trip, and his iPhone screen was barely viewable next to my 9700 cranked up without any concern for battery life. A lot of the benefits of iPhones and Android are just demo stuff that doesn't work in real life.

Don't forget the extra cost of insurance, I pay �3.50 a month, an iphone owner would pay �15 plus the first �100 off the replacement and that's not even for the iphone 4.
The cost of buying a phone is different from the cost of running a phone, it all ads up.
And even if you don't opt for insurance it's very cheap to refurbish your own phone, even screens are quite cheap, just bought one for bold 9000 for �9.99 from ebay.

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[darkmanx2g]

Maybe I didn't give the Vibrant enough time, but when I used it I would only get 4-6 hours out of a full charge.

I did all the battery saving techniques that I could find.

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Yes during the first week. The battery life on the vibrant was pretty bad. Didn't help I was using it 24/7. People advised to let the battery charge a few more cycles and the battery life will get better. It has and I can last a day maybe 11 hrs for my normal usage. If I overwork it I can drain it in 3 hours easily. Depends on how you abuse your phone.

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[qbnkelt]

Synth, that was the main reason I returned my 3GS. It was a gorgeous phone, gorgeous display and the most amazing browser imaginable (at the time) but to keep it going I had to turn off all the functionalities that were expected on the phone - and I simply would not do without push email.
I won't go near Android, and I was so very tempted to go with the iPhone 4....then decided it just wasn't the right time. I simply won't go with a company that expects me to go without a phone if I have to replace a battery.....it is a gorgeous device, almost a work of art, but not right for me.

[yoshiki2]

We just have different priorities and needs. I would rather have a device that will last me all day with a physical keyboard, trackpad and battery life. I have tried the android products and have an iTouch.

The android platfom just doesn't hold a charge for my typical day, my bold 9700 will. If the 9800 is anywhere near as good and comes out on another carrier I would love to give it a go.

Do you need to charge it? It's really easy with a pre, get a touchstone and you get battery life and style. Also get a car charger..
Also there are lots of phones with 3.7 inches, and the iphone has a 3.5.. that is the sweet spot

[D.Vader]

Well before I even dove into the multimedia features, the first thing that struck me was the screen pixelation. I know for many BB users this will not be that important but for someone accustomed to higher res screens, hate to say it, but this was a big turnoff. If they are trying to appeal to people like me or iPhone users, they need to do better than this. It's as though the screen quality was an afterthought. Zoomed out even a little, text became nearly impossible to read and fuzzy. The fonts were also poorly anti-aliased which didn't help.

There is a setting to smooth the fonts in the options, it was off by default on my phone. Looks way better after that.

The hard keyboard was good but not as good as the Curve's or Bold's that I've used on occasion. It reminded me of the Palm Pre's in that it seemed a little cramped with the lip that surrounded it getting in the way sometimes. I'm sure with time one will get used to it but it wasn't very comfortable for me.

I was using a Curve and I wasn't 100% thrilled with the Keyboard at first, but a few days later I was rocking it like a pro.

[jpoulin587]

I don't know if this is a fair review, but it definitely does not match my experience with my Torch. I bought it on day one and I still love it. It is perfect, no, but I would say I am 90% happy with it. I think for a until as complex at this, 90% is pretty good.

Just for reference, I had a Bold 9700 that I was pretty happy with. I wanted the larger screen that a touch screen unit provides so I bought a Samsung Captivate and hated it. I returned it 4 day later (when the Torch went on sale) and bought a Torch.

I get EXCELLENT quality pictures from the camera. I take a lot of pictures, mostly of my kids. One of the things I like best is that with good light, there is zero lag when I press the shutter button. I several really good stop action shots, like kids jumping to a pool. It is a little sluggish when it needs to use the flash, but I can live with that.

I suspect is the reviewer got fuzzy pictures, I suspect there were fingerprints on the lens of the display unit.

I think the browser is great! I use it a lot and it is easy. I can zoom in easily with a double tap on the screen. When zoomed, the text gets blurry for a second or two, but it adjusts and the text is again sharp and crisp. The pinch to zoom seems ok, but like like the double tap better.

I was not impressed with the Android browser, it was not bad, just not great.

The physical keyboard is a must for me. The keyboard is slightly different that the Bold 9700, but after about 10 minutes, I was just a quick as I was on the 9700. I heard people complaining about the edges of the slider interfering with the keys. I have fat thumbs, and I have zero problems.

[kevintech]

No matter what, you're going to have a majority of the Torch users defending their phone. If I upgraded and got locked into a contract with the Torch, I'd be finding ways to defend the phone and make myself feel better too.

But let's face it - RIM's focus is on corporate America, not on the general consumer. The best BlackBerry that came even close to competing with the top phones during its time was the 9000. Now, RIM is always playing catch up.

[McFordo]

BB faithful are so easy to please and love to make excuses for RIM skimping on the hardware. Why settle for what RIM gives you? Demand more as a consumer and RIM will deliver or die.

Agree'd. For comunications I find that my Berry vs My old iPhone 3gs is better but media and game are not even close to comparable.

My problem comes with the phone using the same internals more or less than the 9700 for a phone that will clearly be more demanding. RIM should have given this device more Horse Power and a better battery. What it will make up for in ease of use it will lack in pleasure of use with glitchy/laggy funtions and poor battery life and probably a quickly worn out processor.

I assume they knew what they were doing when they did this and will be including these features in the "Torch 2" which any one who isn't an ***** can already see comming. Thanks RIM but I won't be buying your half assed effort.

I patiently await the EVO 4g or something improved from RIM

[mark_rivers19]

pick the phone that suits your needs..can't go any simpler than that.
everything else.. is just a pissing contest.

[That70sGAdawg]

I think the browser is great! I use it a lot and it is easy. I can zoom in easily with a double tap on the screen. When zoomed, the text gets blurry for a second or two, but it adjusts and the text is again sharp and crisp. The pinch to zoom seems ok, but like like the double tap better.

.

That is a great overlooked point- the double tap formats the text perfectly for the screen. A nice feature!

[belfastdispatcher]

No matter what, you're going to have a majority of the Torch users defending their phone. If I upgraded and got locked into a contract with the Torch, I'd be finding ways to defend the phone and make myself feel better too.

But let's face it - RIM's focus is on corporate America, not on the general consumer. The best BlackBerry that came even close to competing with the top phones during its time was the 9000. Now, RIM is always playing catch up.

Lol, how long did it take you to work out the obvious?

Torch owners defending their choice in a Torch thread in a Blackberry forum, right. And Rim is focusing on the corporate world? Wow, that's a revelation, amazing insight.

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