[GoHawks63]

I have had my Torch now for close to two weeks after coming off of a Bold 9000 which I loved.

If you're a diehard BB user, the Torch does require an adjustment period, and technically I'm still in it as it's still under two weeks, but I REALLY (emphasis on the really) like the Torch. I didn't say LOVE because it's still early, along with a couple of minor issues.

I'll talk about specifics in a bit, but here are some general thoughts. I do love how there are multiple ways to navigate throughout the menus and features. Click here, tap there, use the touchpad to scroll one time, swipe with your finger another time. Depending on where your finger(s) are at any given time you can choose a different method to provide your inputs. It's subtle, but after using it this short time, I think it would be disappointing for me to ever have to go back and be constrainted by a trackball/pad alone to navigate. It still feels a little clunky to have to slide out the keypad to type, as I hate touch screen keyboards, but I'm getting used to it. My hate for the touch screen keyboards is not specific to the Torch, but a dislike in general of them. I have a iTouch, and my wife is on her second iPhone and for the life of me I don't know how iPhone users could ever consider that a serious emailing device. I use my phone a lot and it's always with me. Always. I'm not a huge app user, but the few I use seem to work quicker (despite the processor issue) than my old 9000. There are a few apps that I had that are not available yet for the Torch, but I hardly consider that an issue yet. It's a new phone. I'm sure versions will be made available in due time. The web surfing experience is leaps ahead of prior BB experiences. Finally BB has caught up to the rest of the world.

Here are some random thoughts on specific areas where I've seen people complain:

Touch screen - I already made my point about touch screen keyboards, so taking that aside I think the touch screen on the Torch is pretty comparable to those on the iPhone/iTouch. Not overly sensitive and you don't have to press hard for it to read the inputs. I do wish that the screen would automatically lock when it dims (as in the iPhone) instead of me always having to purposely press the lock key at the top of the device. I usually use the holster when in the office, but when away from the office it usually goes in my pocket. I haven't butt dialed anyone yet, but it seems to be only a matter of time when that'll happen.

Screen resolution - Again, this is a Blackberry so I use it primarily for email and few multimedia apps. I would classify my game play as little to non-existent, so I can't really speak to that, but given the processor issue and the screen resolution, it's probably safe to say that it doesn't compare to other devices. I'll let others speak to that. I do minor/moderate web surfing and and the graphics and web pages are comparable to those of my Bold. No surprise since RIM didn't invest a lot here.

Processor/Speed - In my time I had two instances where the phone seemed to lock up and I had to do a battery pull to revive the device, and both instances happened on the same day. Aside from that I can only recall once or twice where it seemed as if the device "lagged". Generally the phone responds instantly when loading and using applications.

Keyboard - This is where I felt I took a step down from my Bold 9000. The keyboard on that device had to be the best that RIM ever put on a BB. The keyboard on the Torch may be comparable to other BBs (Tour, 9700) so it may be a lateral move for most, but for me it was a move down. The keys are smaller and while I don't think I have big thumbs, I'm still mistyping more so than before by overlapping a key when I type. Having said all that, it works and I think I'm getting better at it.

Call quality - Nothing unique to speak about either way. Comparable to my old phone. I guess that's a good thing.

Speaker quality - The 9000 has an awesome speaker and there were several times I used it as a speaker phone when conducting a meeting. The speaker in the Torch does sound more tinny. This isn't a dealbreaker for me, but I could understand the complaints.

Bluetooth & WiFi - No issues to speak of. Everything works flawlessly.

In summary, the Torch isn't groundbreaking like the iPhone was when it came out, but it's a progression. It's a step forwad, although many people feel that RIM was so far behind that the step forward wasn't enough. I'm not sure I agree as there isn't a device yet on the market that is all things to all people. Some are better at email and business use. Some are better with apps, some are better with mutlimedia.

In my opinion, the Torch is more more evolutionary then revolutionary.