Lighting the BlackBerry Torch

I upgraded to the new BlackBerry Torch on launch day, 12 August, and I am thrilled with the device.

Having read bits and pieces of reviews from a number of sources beforehand confirms what I've been asserting for quite some time: bloggers are not real journalists and need to be read with that in mind. Some of the allegedly "expert" tech bloggers were rough on the device, using vitriolic verbiage to flame BlackBerry's new entry without putting things in proper perspective.

On CNN's Reliable Sources a few weeks ago it was revealed one tech blog founder - I don't remember his name or which blog - doesn't have any professional journalism training and he doesn't understand how a person can write without revealing his or her own opinions.

Dude, it's called objectivity.

Check out the Torch reviews at Wall Street Journal and PC Magazine for more considerate, balanced coverage that can be taken more seriously than a blogger so quick to criticize, he got the memory specs wrong and had to go back and make a correction. I guess it's to that particular blogger's credit that he fixed his glaring error and misplaced criticism.

The blogs are fun in about the same way reading The Onion is fun. But the latter does a better job with the humor. Every once in a while, the tech blogs will break an interesting tidbit (or get mired in drama like the iPhone 4 that was "left" in a bar). But the non-stop fanboy snarkiness is a distraction and a drag.

But back to the phone.

I upgraded from a BlackBerry Bold 9000 running OS4 to the Torch, the first device to run the overhauled OS, BlackBerry 6. For me, it's been an absolute delight to use. In the interest of full disclosure, I own a handful of Research in Motion shares, purchased after using a Curve at work and picking up the Bold for private use. But beyond that, I also have no particular interest in jumping ship and moving to iPhone or Android. I like the BlackBerry's utilitarianism. And I love the QWERTY keyboard.

The Torch, then, represents the best of both worlds. There's a fully-functional touch screen, with pinch and zoom Webkit Web browser, screen keyboard, finger scrolling, the works.

But there's also the physical keyboard. I like the touch screen interface for some uses, but I find typing on screens annoying. There's nothing like the efficacy of a classic keyboard. Plus, the Torch also has the traditional optical pad, which replaced the track ball that, in turn, replaced the side wheel. I'm surprised by how useful the optical pad has been for scrolling while reading long pages. It's a one-handed technique that frees the other hand to hold the morning cup of Joe.

Some of the criticisms are fair. Yeah, RIM needs to step up and provide higher resolution screens (although the Torch's screen looks terrific). A faster processor? Sure. Is the Torch a stepping-stone device? Most certainly. But I should be mighty content with it for the next two years. It's a rapidly changing market, possibly more so than any other technology out there. Rapid development of new devices with new bells and whistles is the norm. The Torch, though, just like the marketing tag line says, does all that I want in one device.

Personally, there are a couple disappointments on the app side: my two favorites, U2 and WorldMate Live, are not (yet) compatible with BlackBerry 6. I hope the U2 app will get an upgrade while their 360 tour rolls along into U2011. And only moments ago I received a confirmation from WorldMate that the BB6 app "will be available within a few short days."

Awesome!

Take my opinion for what it's worth. This site is built on a MacBook with Adobe CS running on a Windows partition. There's room in Mattopia for both the PS3 and Wii. BlackBerry is my smartphone preference. And the Torch is the best BlackBerry so far.