In a nutshell: The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is an upgraded
version of the original Bold. It retains the full QWERTY keyboard
of the original, but replaces the trackball with a new improved
Trackpad, and is smaller and lighter too. It's the perfect device
for mobile e-mail, with a high-res screen with user-selectable fonts
and the legendary BlackBerry email interface. Other highlights include
3G HSDPA, up to 16GB of memory, WiFi, GPS and outstanding battery
life. Now available in White. Best buy:
*Free* with half-price line rental from Mobiles.co.uk
(Black) or Mobiles.co.uk
(White) or Dialaphone
(Black) or Dialaphone
(White).
Review:
November 2009.
The Blackberry Bold 2 is just what BlackBerry fans
were waiting for. It's a straightforward upgrade of the BlackBerry
Bold, and must surely be the best BlackBerry in the known universe.
The Bold was a fabulous device, having a brilliant
keyboard, making it the perfect mobile e-mail solution. The Bold
2 retains the full 35-key QWERTY keyboard, but replaces the annoying
old trackball with a new touch-sensitive Trackpad, as first seen
on the BlackBerry 8520. It's the
perfect combination. The new Bold is also significantly smaller
and lighter than the original Bold, and that's a very welcome improvement
too. At the same time, the Bold 9700 has
an upgraded camera, more flash memory and improved battery life.
Everything else stays pretty much the same.
Ergonomically, it doesn't get much better than
the Bold 9700. Yes, it's large, not not as big as the original Bold,
nor any bigger than a lot of touchscreen smartphones. We love the
full QWERTY keyboard, which is in no way cramped, and we think that
the touch-sensitive Trackpad is a definite improvement over the
sticky trackball of old. Of course, the screen is smaller than a
touchscreen phone, but at 2.44 inches across it's fit for purpose
and it's a finely detailed TFT panel with 480 x 360 pixels. The
Bold is nicely curved and feels like a quality piece of kit.
For emailing and texting, this is possibly the
ultimate device. The UI is great, and all email standards and security
protocols are supported, including BlackBerry Enterprise Server
for Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise, personal
email, enterprise email and web-based email (AOL Mail, Windows Live
Hotmail, Gmail or Yahoo! Mail). You can view attachments in the
following formats: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, WordPerfect, HTML,
zip.) WordToGo and SlideshowToGo let you edit Word and PowerPoint
files. Security is given full attention, with password protection
and a keyboard lock, plus full support for encryption when using
BlackBerry Enterprise Server to access data.
The voice features include a speakerphone and conference
calling. With voice activated dialling and a Bluetooth headset,
it's capable of fully handsfree operation.
The Bold also supports multimedia applications.
The camera has been upgraded to 3.2 megapixels, and comes with autofocus,
image stabilisation, digital zoom and a flash. There's a video camera
too. The media player can play music and video, and there's a 3.5mm
audio jack, so you can plug in any third party stereo headphones.
A-GPS navigation is also included, and works
with Blackberry Maps.
We mentioned that the flash memory has been increased
in the Bold 9700, giving 256 MB of memory for running apps. There's
1GB of built-in storage and the Bold 9700 supports microSD cards
up to 16GB. This seems to be perfectly adequate for the job.
Connectivity includes WiFi (802.11a/b/g), Bluetooth
2.0 and USB. It's a 3G phone of course with quadband support for
both UMTS (2100/1900/850/800 MHz) and GSM (1900/1800/900/850 MHz),
with HSDPA providing fast internet connections with download speeds
of up to 3.6 Mbps possible.
The 9700 has fantastic battery life, which is just
what its target market wants to hear. The phone has a massive 1500mAh
battery, which is pretty much as big as it gets in the mobile world.
This provides a theoretical maximum of 21 days standby and up to
6 hours of talktime. It can also give a music playback time of up
to 38 hours. These are impressive figures, and mean that you can
use your Bold all day with confidence. For many users, the phone
will probably last several days between charges.
The original Bold was a great all-round PDA, and
the Bold 9700 is simply the icing on the cake. It's highly recommended
by us!
Features
of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 include:
3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, LED flash
and video recording (480 x 352 pixels)
LCD display: 480 x 360 pixels, 65,000 colours,
2.44 inches
Media player (Supports MP3, WMA, MIDI, AMR-NB,
AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, 3GP formats plus partial XviD support)
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant
messaging, push email with attachment viewer
Built-in speakerphone
Voice dialling
Voice memo recorder
MP3 ringtones / 32 voice polyphonic ringtones
GPS with BlackBerry Maps
Personal organiser functions
Vibration alert
Internet: Web browser, RSS feeds, GPRS,
EDGE, HSDPA (3.6 Mbps)
Connectivity: WLAN, Bluetooth 2.0, USB, RIM
wireless modem, 3.5mm stereo headset port
Quadband GSM (1900/1800/900/850 MHz) plus UMTS
(2100/1900/850/800 MHz)
Talktime: 6 hours
Battery standby: up to 504 hours
BlackBerry
Bold 9700 Consumer Reviews
Love
your mobile? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other
people choose the phone that's best for them. Please do not review
this phone if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a
forum, so please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear
words or offensive language, and please, no advertising!
Reviewed by Kirsty from UK on
13th Jun 2010
This is my first Blackberry and I love it!!! My husband had the
bold 9000 and I had an LG Renoir (that broke) replaced with a Samsung
Tocco Ultra (hated it), so because he liked his 9000 so much, I
decided to upgrade to the 9700 with him. It's not just a phone for
business users, it's very user friendly for all - texting is a breeze,
the internet is great, handy e-mails, a good camera (better than
the 8mp on my old Samsung) and some good apps too. The battery life
is amazing and overall it positively oozes quality. If you're looking
for something special, but don't want to follow the i-phone worshippers,
then this is the phone for you!! Rating:
Reviewed by JoJo from Surrey on
13th Jun 2010
Don't get me wrong, this is a good phone with lots of features and
brilliant internet (I am writing this review on it now) but the
only major down side to it is the battery life, its rubbish. I have
ti charge it twice a day otherwise it will run out of battery, even
if I haven't even used it much! I am putting the score down to 4
stars because of the battery life, other than that its a brilliant
phone. Rating:
Reviewed by cd from singapore on
9th Jun 2010
Apprehensive at first, but after half a day playing around with
my bb9700, I don't have any regrets, possibly the easiest and most
functional gadget I've had in a long while! Definitely a great buy.
A simple yet mighty bb! Love it! Rating:
Reviewed by David Whidden from Fordingbridge
UK on 9th Jun 2010
4th update, best back up all your stuff, had the phone now 6 months
and still happy BUT for no reason i had a error 102 come up on the
screen to cut a long story short the phone has gone back to vodaphone
to be re-programed, i will lose all data ect but is under warrenty,from
what i have been told this is quite commom. Rating:
Reviewed by Jane Seymour from UK on
8th Jun 2010
This phone is brilliant to put it simply! :D Rating:
Reviewed by Lindsay from UK on
6th Jun 2010
I had to write a 2nd review for this excellent little phone - I
have now had it for some weeks and it really has performed brilliantly
... battery life is awesome and I love the ability to keep an eye
on my emails across 8 accounts. DnA1409 implores people not to buy
it via Orange (which is what has moved me to write a second review).
Not only is this advice extremely dated in that Orange do not now
swamp phones with their own "buggy software" but in fact they have
developed their network so their customers can really use the capabilities
of this phone to the max ... I refer to UMA in particular which
is nothing short of fantastic. I live in the country and am used
to large areas being no-go for a signal ... but not with UMA ...
with a little patience, I can now get a signal almost anywhere.
I have to say that I am surprised that such a brilliant leap in
technology has caused so few people to comment ... indeed I think
the only other reference on this page is in my previous review ...
do you get the benefit of UMA, DnA1409? I wonder! Rating:
Reviewed by Rose from Uk on 4th
Jun 2010
I like the phone but don't have radio on phone Rating:
Reviewed by Andrew from UK on
2nd Jun 2010
This is the first review that I've ever posted for a phone, although
I'm an avid visitor to this website. The quality of the Blackberry
Bold 9700 meant that I just HAD to write something, that being said
i'll keep it short and sweet. This is a brilliant phone! I upgraded
from the LG Renoir, which in comparison was useless. Rather attractive,
but useless. I love the functionality of my Blackberry, the battery
life, the integration, it all fits in perfectly. The only downside
to this phone is that my soft keys feel a little loose, and I have
a single dead pixel in the very bottom right corner of the screen,
but truth be told, I've never been happier! Rating:
Reviewed by Lakhi Lakhi from UK on
1st Jun 2010
Awesome device! Best phone of 2009 and is a serious contender for
the title this year in 2010. This phone is faultless and I have
no hesistations in recommending it to anyone!! :D It's perfect for
both business users and social butterflies!! So go buy it ... you
won't regret this purchase! Rating:
Reviewed by Craig from UK on
31st May 2010
I can't praise this phone highly enough. I was determined that I
was going to purchase a Sony Xperia or HTC Desire. Upon inspection
both phones are impractically huge, plus a friend of mine has a
HTC Desire and is really disappointed with the battery life. I had
never considered a Blackberry, assuming they were for business types...I'm
so glad I re-considered. This phone is amazing. I have just returned
from a 4 day camping trip, with occasional use, web browsing, calls,
texts and my phone still has 1 bar of charge in the battery. Whilst
away I got lost and used the GPS which got me exactly where I needed
to be. I'm sure some multi media orientated phones are better at
certain functions but I'd be surprised if any phone does all things
so well. And apart from anything else this phone is the coolest
looking piece of kit I've ever seen. Highly highly recommend Rating:
Reviewed by Jamie from uk on
29th May 2010
Had the phone for about 3 weeks.... its the best phone i have ever
had... brilliant for business people and people who love social
networking sites like me.... everyone must buy this phone.... ITS
AMAZING.... A+++++++ Rating:
Reviewed by Rog from UK on 28th
May 2010
Am I the only person who doesn't have Blackberry euphoria? Yes the
battery life is good, but the functionality is way behind my previous
phone, an HTC Touch Pro 2. The keyboard is too small for my large
fingers and it takes an age to type emails/messages and make corrections.
Two key strokes to type numbers is ridiculous. Not being able to
edit the body of an email message you reply/forward and no cut/paste
of text is so limiting. The browser is poor and not capable of processing
numerous websites. Implementing BES was problematic, and it refuses
to be used as an IP modem with my laptop. My HTC allowed Internet
Sharing with a laptop with the touch of 1 button but I dispensed
with the laptop because the HTC was more than an adequate substitute,
something the Blackberry will never be so I now have to carry more
hardware. Other positives - it's stable, and the pad is easier to
use than the ball on some of my colleague’s phones. If you're
a business user, make sure you look at other phones before purchasing. Rating:
Reviewed by ajay fromon 26th
May 2010
everyone must buy it Rating:
Reviewed by AshG from UK on 24th
May 2010
I always use this website when looking for a new phone and I used
it once more to decide this time. I couldn't decide... Bold 9700
or HTC Desire. I read review after review and played endlessly with
the handsets at the Carphone Warehouse. Eventually I took the plunge
on the BlackBerry and my God I made the right choice. Having had
a sub standard touch screen on my LG Renoir, I wanted to revert
back to buttons, and BlackBerry are the only way forward if you
don't want a touch screen. It's a stunning thing to look at and
more than comparable to use. The keypad is perfect for my chubby
fingers and everything flows beautifully! It's solid, reliable but
also packed with features! The 3G is great and the email is second
to none (could you expect any less from a BlackBerry?!) The apps
aren't so abundant but if you want that, buy an iPod Touch! I look
forward to my 2 years with the BlackBerry and I have no doubt it
will be brilliant for the duration! Oh and also a battery life of
3 days under heavy usage on a smartphone is not something to turn
a blind eye too! Fantastic job, well done RIM! Rating:
Reviewed by Dante from UK on
20th May 2010
Having had an Iphone 3G, which broke when dropped (Internal screen
just shattered) then on to a Nokia 5800, I was dubious about a phone
WITHOUT touch screen, When I got the Wife a New BB Curve (in Lilac
- Yuk!) I had a play on it and was impressed, however, I DID have
a few minor disappointments. Looked around and found a Blackberry
with these disappointments rectified, Namely the Bold 9700. It turned
up yesterday and I cant keep my hands off it. It cleared up the
issues I had with my Wifes curve (Camera Quality with flash being
the most notible). I'm amazed at how fast RIM have managed to get
a Phone running, even with all the features it has packed, It's
just....well......amazing. I'm still in the learning stage yet and
therefore still finding things I never knew about (Even with all
my research before buying). PIN is just a great idea, internet is
good and speedy, even away from my WIFI, call quality is nice and
clear, the media player works as it should (though some dedicated
keys like the curve wouldn't go amiss) looks sleek and classy and
its nice that RIM have included a leather pouch in the box to keep
your beloved BB9700 safe from scratches et all. P.S Using on UK
Virgin Network, and have had NO connection issues, or battery issues
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Rating:
Reviewed by dv80s from uk on
20th May 2010
hi, nice phone. did a software upgrade recently. and its changed
a few things, unfortunately not for the better. the standby button
no longer puts the phone in standby. its a redundant button. i can
live with that though. however the lock button does not password
the phone anymore. it sort of puts the phone in standby but i still
have to wait 5mins for the password to activate, rather than it
locking instantly. Rating:
Reviewed by DnA1409 from UK on
18th May 2010
Waiting for my 9700 to arrive. Thought about getting an iphone but
after using my girlfriends for a couple of hours the reality of
it really being just a gimmik really hit me. My friend got the 9700
the other week and wow, it is amazing. Everything connected all
at once, never miss any banter between your mates etc. Facebook,
multiple email accounts, text, yahoo, msn all at your fingertips.
One thing i have noticed after reading lots of reviews from different
sites is; DO NOT GET ON ORANGE!!! Orange fill their phones full
of their own buggy software which causes loads of problems. Almost
every problem i have read about this phone is from someone who got
it on Orange. Previous contract was on Orange, have now switched
to o2 purely on this fact! Rating:
Reviewed by Shweb from UK on
17th May 2010
Ive had this mobile phone for around 3 weeks now and i do have to
say that itr is an amazing phone. You'd think its an hard phone
to use but to be fair, its pretty easy. cameras really good and
the multimedia isnt that bad either. The bbm is amazing including
the internet. however, i have experienced mine to scarsh a few times.
Also, when i try to make a call, it will say "Call Failed" on the
screen? I have researched this on the web and it is a common problem
with these blackberry espically if your on Orange like me. other
than that, its still an amazing phone!! Rating:
Reviewed by phill from uk on
7th May 2010
Hi peeps. My BB Bold9700 is brilliant. Upgraded from BB Curve8300
3weeks ago. I have always used this site to help me decide on handset
is right for me. So for anyone out there that does the same hopefully
my feedback may help others in choosing what's perfect for them.
1. Don't buy it! - If your looking for an "iphone" type phone with
loads of fun apps, touch screen, simple to use, fast internet, mp3
player and watch films (all round fun phone)..... Then get an iphone.
You'll never be happy without one. 2.Buy it! - if your looking for
a reliable phone, great camera, brilliant battery life. Great for
texting, emailing and don't have big fat fingers cos it has a(qwerty
keyboard)..... Deffo get BB. I love gadgets, and playing around
with my phone when I'm on the train, on lunch and sometimes show
off apps to friends... BUT! What it boils down to with me is that
I'm on a 24month contract. This phone has to last me. I love the
fact I can charge my phone on sunday and it lasts me until thursday.
BB 9700's only flaw is internet browsing could be faster. Thanks Rating:
Reviewed by dr Robert from Kenya on
5th May 2010
A great instrument very user friendly v fast browsing The removable
battery is great idea whenone gets hung up Memory I wish it came
with more flash memory and hopefully we will get flash Adobe reader
for Blackberry soon This will make the device more versatile Overall
It is great! Rating:
Reviewed by David Whidden from fordingbridge
uk on 1st May 2010
3rd report now, 6 months old and still very happy with this phone
and by far the Best phone I've ever owned. Rating:
Reviewed by Mark Chadwick from UK on
28th Apr 2010
It's the complete package...cannot fault it after 4 months. Rating:
Reviewed by Suraj from UK on
27th Apr 2010
I love mine! :D Rating:
Reviewed by Lindsay from UK on
24th Apr 2010
This is indeed Blackberry's best yet - everything one would expect
in a small neat package. Got my phone on Orange (UK) which comes
with UMA ... a very smart and useful concept. Now providing there
is a friendly Wi-fi within range I don't have to worry about the
strength of the GPRS/EDGE/3G signal. Rating:
Reviewed by Lucinda from UK on
23rd Apr 2010
What can I say? It's so reliable and the battery life last agess
! I love mine and would strongly recommend it to anyone looking
for a top of the range phone and for someone who would love to have
email sent to their device on the move. Rating:
Reviewed by Tom from UK on 23rd
Apr 2010
Had this phone and don't get me wrong it was brilliant for exactly
what it was designed for - business - but as someone looking for
a bit more fun in a phone i found it somewhat dull. Traded in for
htc hd2 which is quality as it offers a blend of work and play.
This is the phone to have for the out and out business person though Rating:
Reviewed by Dominic from UK on
21st Apr 2010
What an outstanding bit of kit! I was stuck between the iPhone 3GS
and the BB Bold 9700... I made the right choice and would make the
same choice every time. Not only is it as easy to use, as fast and
as slick in many ways as its Apple counterpart, but it is a must
have for anyone who needs/wants to use e-mail on the move. I do
not have the slimmest of thumbs yet typing long e-mails is a breeze
due to the raised angles of the QWERTY keyboard and when I got used
to the OS the whole experience got better and better. There is a
reason why Blackberry has the lion share of this market and the
Bold 9700 is it. Rating:
Reviewed by Grant from UK on
21st Apr 2010
I have just upgraded from the 8900 and all I can say is, "excellent"
it's as simple as that. This is without doubt the best BlackBerry
that RIM have produced to date. Rating:
Reviewed by Patty from UK on
21st Apr 2010
This phone is fantastic. Fit's perfectly into my busy business life!
from me it gets a full 5 stars! Rating:
Reviewed by Mattie from England on
21st Apr 2010
Had the phone for a little over a week. My first BlackBerry and
I'm really impressed with it. A quality bit of kit. Thank goodness
my fiancee wanted a BlackBerry and I decided to follow suit! Rating:
Reviewed by Mark from Uk on 20th
Apr 2010
I ditched the iPhone 3g for this bb what a mistake!! Nice looking
phone and without question battery life is excellent, however I
can't find much else positive to say. It's keyboard is to small
and fiddley, screen is too small when you view the web making it
not worth using, apps are ridiculously expensive. I have now ditched
this overated piece of junk and returned to a iPhone 3gs and for
all it's faults the iPhone beats every phone out there. For all
you people who say the iPhone can't do email sorry you don't know
what your talking about check you settings . Rating:
Reviewed by Bindu from UK on
19th Apr 2010
This is a really handy device. I am a heavy business user and this
phone suits me perfectly within my daily lifestyle. Rating:
Reviewed by Nola from UK on 19th
Apr 2010
It's an good phone, would normally rate 4 stars for me. But whatever
you do DON'T INSTALL THE UPDATES, at least the one it prompts you
to do when you plug to your PC. There is a serious issue with the
current update: it groups all your texts as coming from one person
on your address book (which person it chooses randomly) and from
then on you can only send sms to that one contact!!! This is not
a joke, and so far, not addressed by RIM! I had to uninstall and
downgrade to get my phone working again. Rating:
Reviewed by Jake from UK on 11th
Apr 2010
Great phone! I like the fact that blackberry have got rid of the
trackball and replaced it with an absolutely flawless trackpad which
works really efficiently. This is a great upgrade to the previous
9000 bold. 9700 is smaller too. Rating:
Reviewed by graham from england on
8th Apr 2010
The phone is by far the best blackberry ive had. i did have a problem
with the wrong caller id displayed, but this was an easy fix by
upgrading the operating syestem. i am using V.0.0.586. This has
improved the battery life and improved the sms lagg. The sound and
camera is far better than my previous bold 9000 plus with 3g on
i dont drop call like i used to with 9000 Rating:
Reviewed by Sophie from UK on
6th Apr 2010
It's really reliable. Had mine for 6 months now and i have had no
issues. Rating:
Reviewed by Mary from Leicester, UK
on 2nd Apr 2010
I am majorly impressed. The last phone i owned was Nokia N95 and
this device was the PERFECT upgrade! Love it! Rating:
Reviewed by Jitesh from India on
30th Mar 2010
This fone is fantastico! I use it for business but it has so many
applications that it can be used by mainstream users too. It caters
for everyone. I love the keyboard which is an absolute pleasure
to type on. So i give this phone a mighty 5 stars. for me Blackberry
is now the leading mobile brand thanks to its creation of this path
breaking device! Cheers Blackberry !! Rating:
Reviewed by Willy from Singapore on
29th Mar 2010
I have used BB8320, 8900, 9630, 9000 and now 9700. I have to say
this is the best BB out there but these 2 missing functions prevented
BBs from getting my 5 stars. One is that you cannot copy contacts
from phone to SIM and the other thing is that there is no way to
power off the phone. Even though I love the 8900 this 9700 is so
much better. Rating:
Reviewed by Lee from UK on 27th
Mar 2010
This is what I'm talking about! The phone of a lifetime! You could
probably get away with having this phone for 10 years without needing
to upgrade cos' it will take time for other mobile manufacturers
to match the supreme standards of this blackberry device! Rating:
Reviewed by George from UK on
26th Mar 2010
This phone is as near to perfection as you would require.I love
it and it's so simple to operate.I carry this device with me at
all times it's brilliant Rating:
Reviewed by Johnny Lever from India
on 24th Mar 2010
Anyone who gives this phone a rating of less than 5 or 4 stars does
not know how to review a phone. This is by far the most superior
handset in the market! Go Buy! Rating:
Reviewed by Sufi from UK on 24th
Mar 2010
Thank you Sufa. This is the best phone ever! I love it so much.
Blackberry ... this is PERFECT! :D Cheers. Rating:
Reviewed by gemma hooley from uk on
24th Mar 2010
I love this phone it is awesome! I barely use my pc because it is
all at my fingertips. The internet is quick and I like the design
a lot :-) Rating:
Reviewed by Jackie from antrim on
24th Mar 2010
LOVE THIS PHONE, TO DIE FOR. Rating:
Reviewed by Jerome from UK on
23rd Mar 2010
I love this Blackberry! it's the first time i've ever seen a BB
which has no faults whatsoever. EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT! Rating:
Reviewed by Paddy from UK on
22nd Mar 2010
An utterly perfect phone, it's got everything i could need. Keyboard
is incredibly easy to use amd feels incredibly fluid. Sounds, vibration
and alerts are all nice, as in they are easy to here and the vibrate
is strong. Touchpad is nice just i have a small tendency to skip
items i actually want to access but thats my fault not the phones.
Software is ideal and makes syncing music to my phone so easy. A
perfect phone, cheers BB! Rating:
Reviewed by Laura (Patrick's Cousin) from
UK on 21st Mar 2010
No regrets... No Complaints for this device. It ticks all the boxes
and is by far the most technically advance mobile on the market
today. It's super reliable and has an excellent build quality. This
phone should appeal to both business users and mainstream users
too. As, Patrick said ... This is truly a worldclass mobile and
I have no hesitations to recommending it to anyone!! Go Buy People
:D Rating:
Reviewed by Patrick from UK on
19th Mar 2010
My cousin has this phone. I can say its nothing less than OUTSTANDING.
This truly is the mobile of a LIFETIME :D Rating:
Reviewed by BB Fan from Uk on
5th Mar 2010
This phone is amazing! I have had my bb 9700 for 3wks now and have
no faults with it at all. Other reviews state that their bb turns
itself of.....mine has not once done this! Some people also compplain
about not having signal.....my signal is always fine it will more
than likely be down 2 your network, im with vodafone. The keypad
is a perfect size for the phone, if the keypad was bigger then the
phone would have to be bigger and some people would moan about this
too! The battery life is outstanding im constantly messing around
on facebook, msn, bb messenger or just making calls and texting
and i have never used more than 2 bars on my battery. This is my
1st blackberry, and i wont be turning my back on it anytime soon!
Everyone should own one. Rating:
Reviewed by iceman from Uk on
4th Mar 2010
Moving from an Iphone 3gs to a blackberry I was very sceptical and
half hearted as the touch screen was amazing on the iphone. My work
is fully dependant on a phone hence I required a handset that was
fully capable of delivering push email, that delivered excellent
call and reception quality and last but not least that had a great
battery life. Unfortunately the iphone fell short in all the departments,
It was struggling to hold reception and the battery life was awful
and hardly ever lasted a whole day. As my work has more preference
I decided to ditch the iphone and started looking for a phone which
ticked all the boxes Anyway first look at the Bold 9700 and I was
really impressed, the handset looks very classy, i accept the key
pad is a bit on the small side and needs getting used however that
is not difficult, the screen is beautiful crisp and sharp. This
is my first Blackberry and I am really in awe. The call quality
is exceptionally clear and loud at both ends. The phone holds the
reception really well even in weak signal areas (where almost all
phones including nokias) struggle and the battery life is amazing.
I am a heavy user of the phone, I have constant emails pouring in,
My daily call duration is over 2 hours as well texting and occassionally
browsing the web and I still have 70% battery left at 10.30pm, if
anyone is looking for a reliable, well built and a classy phone
that does all the jobs as described on the box then Blackberry 9700
is the one for you. 10/10 Highly recommended Rating:
Reviewed by GJ from UK on 1st
Mar 2010
one word sweet as. I love this phone it is easy as to use, has great
abilities and the keyboard as some people keep thinking does not
suck, it is perfect for the handset, I love the high res screen,
the track pad is sweet and is so easy to familiarise your self with.
it has a smooth interface and the browser on it is very good. the
camera on it is very good I mean there mobiles that have better
ones but the 3.2 on this phone is fine. this was my first blackberry
and I am completely sold on them now. Also the build quality is
great it feels solid and has a nice amount of weight to it without
being to heavy. The size is also perfect a much better then the
old one that was huge and stuck out your pocket. Well done blackberry
on a superb phone 10/10 highly recommended, Rating:
Reviewed by billy from uk on
27th Feb 2010
great phone recommand it to every1 Rating:
Reviewed by EBI from NIGERIA on
27th Feb 2010
I recently got the bold 9700 & it's really amazing, I feel like
it's the best phone I hv ever had! It's just perfect & fit for purpose!
At first I was sceptical about getting it coz it's smaller than
the bold 9000 but I gave it a try & hv no regrets. But I suggest
that RIM should put a front camera which can enable video calling!
Like the nokia phones! It wld make a lot of sense coz the bold 2
supports 3G so if it had a video camera! I mean I would hv been
more fun than it already is! This is my candid opinion. Rating:
Reviewed by Sal from UK on 26th
Feb 2010
Hi I have started using a blackberry mobile (9700) for the first
time and am getting to love it more and more. I think its best to
also purchase internet time along with the blackberry services to
fully appreciate it. The only thing im abit confused about is the
security when signing in and out of your email (hotmail) and facebook.
Once you log off if u press the 'back' key it takes you back to
your emails and facebook - so if someone was to use your for and
wanted to browse they can have full access to your accoutns - anyone
know if im doing somehting wrong? Rating:
Reviewed by andy from uk on 26th
Feb 2010
am a big fan of bb but have to say this one a bit of a let down.
mine turns itself of will not hold a call or 3g, and when i can
make a call a lot of background noise.love trackpad and a lot better
camera.the email is excelent but its just no good as a phone. i
couldnt make an outgoing call once and had to use a friends iphone,
how bad is that. think it will be a HTC next time. Rim need to concentrate
on one phone and make it the dogs ........... ,and not the storm
that is rubbish. Rating:
Reviewed by Charles from Jersey CI on
22nd Feb 2010
Great phone and BB users will really appreciate it. Just one thing,
mine turns itself off every so often and that is very annoying indeed.
Nobody appears to have the answer to this. I would certainly be
pleased to hear from anyone who has. motorola@jerseymail.co.uk Rating:
Reviewed by Tony from UK on 17th
Feb 2010
Had my Bold 9700 for over three weeks now and absolutely delighed.
First few days were a little painful getting used to the small keyboard
but I persevered and it now works great. Battery life is good too.
Just a point to note that the voice recognition did not work until
I replaced all the foreign characters in the Names in my contacts
book with UK alphabet ! Highly recommended. Rating:
Reviewed by Mike from Uk on 16th
Feb 2010
The best phone i have ever owned! Everything just is perfect! I
upgraded from a W995 and although that had much more features this
is 10x better. I dont understand the hype over the iphone when this
phone does everything the iphone does but better! Amazing phone!
:) Rating:
Reviewed by Pete from Welwyn,UK on
15th Feb 2010
Had this for exactly a month now on the T Mobile Combi 35 + internet
(18 months)with email booster. Got to say this is the best bit of
phone kit I have had the pleasure of owning. Everything about this
phone is faultless , set up was a doddle , coverage is excellent
(knocks spots off 3!) All in all if you are upgrading and want apps
and software you will use buy this phone. If you want apps you wont
use or want to pretend to drink a pint of beer..go for the Iphone
but to me the Blackberry 9700 is all you need and more! Rating:
Reviewed by Elle from London, UK on
13th Feb 2010
absolutely fantastic phone!. i upgraded from the blackberry pearl
8110. i'm on a vodafone contract and almost always have great signal
strength and the internet works like a dream. apps are easy to load
onto the phone from my Macbook [which is something i was worried
about.] the keyboard is a little smaller than i expected and at
first i was a bit dodgy with my typing BUT after a week of having
it i've perfected typing on it and it's a great keyboard. the handset
is beautiful, trackpad is great and screen is a lovely size. all
i all i LOVE this phone, BEST BLACKBERRY YET!. :D Rating:
Reviewed by Ryan from Manchester on
9th Feb 2010
Counted the day until i got this multi task tool the Bold 9700 and
i am............sending it back. My reasons are my own feel with
the phone and not really super facts but little niggles that bugged
me , the keypad is a lot smaller than i was expecting with only
pictures to go off and its so difficult to type with if you have
large hands like me, the voice dialling is terribly inaccurate ,
with the earphones in if somebody rings you and the phone is in
a pocket then you never know its ringing as the ringtone does not
come thru the headset regardless of profile and i found the PC software
to conflict with my laptop and freeze other applications. I wont
say the 9700 is a bad phone at all its just little things that irritated
me to the state that i could not warrant keeping the phone but i
will admit its screen , colours , size and weight were brilliant
and its a shame the things i named spoiled it for me cos i really
wanted to like the 9700 Rating:
Reviewed by Jason from Uk on
8th Feb 2010
Awkward to use unless you have tiny fingers. One thing i will admit
is that the email is easy to set up & works really well. Also the
video quality is superb. I just find the whole blackberry os boring/dull.
I've always had Sony Ericsson's & nokia's though. Rating:
Reviewed by Robert from Essex on
7th Feb 2010
On Orange UK this phone continues to drop reception to 'SOS' and
only re-connects after a reboot. Very annoying. On BB website, seems
many others have the same problem. Battery life could be better.
Orange working on an update i hear, hopefully resolve these problems. Rating:
Reviewed by Keval from Shah on
4th Feb 2010
Ok peeps i have had this phone for a week now so much features just
can not put this phone down. I would recommend this over an iphone
anyday. The keyboard is beautiful aswell as the blackberry messenger.
BUY IT, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. Rating:
Reviewed by Simon from west sussex on
25th Jan 2010
Have had this phone for almost a week now and I agree with all the
other reviews. It is excellent! Previously had a Samsung Tocco but
the Blackberry blows it away. All the features are so intuitive
and so easy to use. Best phone I have ever had! Rating:
Reviewed by mark from nottingham on
23rd Jan 2010
Never Give reviews at all, but i had to make an exception. I am
a gadget nut, and this is the best gadget/phone i have ever owned.
I use msn,satnav, emails, text, some facebook use. I have used the
word doc , and also sync with my itunes. what a phone, its very
quick and the battery lasts me ages. Have also used it with the
jabra sp700 speaker phone for hands free in the car, its excellent,
plays all my songs through the car stero. Fantastic Blackberry Rating:
Reviewed by Dillon from United Kingdom
on 21st Jan 2010
Hi Guys, my review was the first one on here and my thoughts haven't
changed. The device is brilliant and meets all my demands. For the
last few days when I receive a text, E-mail or Instant Message,
the phone doesn't stop vibrating and I have to click the trackpad
to stop this. Does anyone know why this is happening? A friend suggested
it could be a bug in the OS and that I should try a battery pull
and this works for a day or so but then the problem starts all over
again. Any ideas? Thanks... Rating:
Reviewed by David Whidden from uk on
15th Jan 2010
Just an update from a month ago, even with heavy use the battery
lasts a good 4 sometimes 5 days. still very pleased with the phone
with no probs to report,even arfter dropping onto the pavement twice.
6 stars better than outstanding!! Rating:
Reviewed by CP from Edinburgh UK on
15th Jan 2010
Great phone. I picked this after reading these reviews and don't
regret it one bit! Easy to use and cute! I've set up my sat nav
so no more printing off maps for me which is a mega bonus! with
so many features it's sometimes difficult to work out how to do
things like switch on predictive text for example but there are
a million and one online forums to help so not an issue! Rating:
Reviewed by Pedro_UK from England on
15th Jan 2010
I used to have the BlackBerry Storm which was/is the worst excuse
for a mobile phone ever. I now have the Bold 9700 which is FLAWLESS.
RIM have taken BlackBerry back to the top with this piece of GENIUS
- everything works as it should the battery lasts me 3 days of continued
use!!!! More than pleased ***** 5Stars ***** Rating:
Reviewed by Paul C from Liverpool UK
on 13th Jan 2010
we all know how good the phone is just read the reviews its the
best blackberry on the market at moment so buy it or upgrade to
it you will not regret it Rating:
Reviewed by Jessica D from Ascot London
on 9th Jan 2010
Hi, i bought this phone today from EBAY and i am suprised how awesome
it is. I got this on T-mobile and i think it's the best phone out.
Previously i had the iPhone 16gb (not 3gs) but i choose this over
iphone all day. Thanks for the reviews guys it helped alot. The
best bit is the Blackberry PIN!! WOW..i can send FREE messeges via
whoever has got a Blackberry anywhere in the world yesss FREE..i
sent pictures, files, music, texts...better still if i take a pic
in a club, it gives me the option to send the pics to Facebook,
myspace. Isnt that soooo great!! CIAO xx Rating:
Reviewed by Chiraag G from United Kingdom
on 7th Jan 2010
Okay, I read reviews here and all over before I decided on a phone.
I wanted a QWERTY keyboard, reliability, speed of messaging and
good battery life. The Bold 9700 stood out. I've never had a Blackberry
before, but I have heard of their shortcomings, even from their
fans, of whom my cousins make up three. My elder cousin got this
phone and it seemed sturdy, slick with the new trackpad and he said
it was good. I opted for it, after years of other phones (previous
being N95 8GB, W850i, N70 and others not worth mentioning. I liked
the functionality of the N series phones; I could listen to Shoutcast
radio, play Doom II, go on IRC chat, Facebook, MSN, GTalk etc (Palringo
was essential on the N95 for me!) But was it stable? Reliable? No.
And battery was poor, with a minimum of two charges a day with my
usage by the end of it. The Camera on the N95 8GB was excellent
in general (bar missing a Xenon flash, which would have been the
icing on the cake). This leads me to the only thing I miss on the
Blackberry. It's better than its predecessors, I know, but it's
not brilliant by any means. It's borderline good in perfect conditions.
Aside from that, this phone is the best I have owned. I see now
why people are addicted. The unit does what it is meant to do, and
quick. It really saves time, but that's relative, because you "waste"
so much more time using it! It is because it is a joy to use. On
my Nokia SMS messaging became a chore, with Palringo being the preferred
method of communication, at the risk of running out of battery life.
E-Mail was all to infrequently used. Everything on the Blackberry
just works, so well. It is a clever thing too; one of the few Smartphones
that can lay claim to its namesake. Keyboard shortcuts make it even
quicker to use, the In and Out of Holster recognition works wonders,
especially as RIM have found more uses for the holster recognition
than previously attempted, I've been told. Particularly useful to
read a text straight away on a cold day without the need to press
anything or take gloves off! A pleasing thing this winter in London!
In fact, a lot of what it does, and the options it has is for good
reason. It is well thought out and I am genuinely happy with it.
Sure, apps are expensive and not as extensive as, for example, the
iPhone, but where it excels it decimates anything in its path. I
was even tempted by a Palm Pre, to give WebOS a fighting chance,
but I think I have made a worthy choice. I now charge once every
24 hours, (and that's only because it drops to like 25% battery),
and I am constantly on BIM, GTalk, MSN and spend about 30 mins on
calls a day, in addition to probably 8 hours WiFi and sporadic bursts
of facebook, not to mention Push e-mail is waiting for new messages
too. Oh, a Facebook chat app would be immense though! So, should
you buy this phone? If it ticks the same boxes for you as it did
for me, and you don't need a touch screen (navigation is still brilliantly
slick with this trackpad, trust me) then yes. It does have shortcomings
as outlined in a review I read as follows: * Mediocre camera performance
and features * No FM radio * No video-call camera * No TV-out functionality
* No built-in accelerometer * No built-in compass I might miss an
accelerometer for applications like the shotgun or lightsabre one
my friends have on their iphones, and maybe the FM radio if I was
being picky, but I never used my N95's TV out, and only once ever
tried the Video Calling. Compass? It has A-GPS, so I'm happy. Oh,
as for the radio, I can use Shoutcast or any internet radio station
over 3G or WiFi from the built in media player (can open a URL).
In any case my music generally runs through my Cowon S9. Rating:
Reviewed by mn from bh on 31st
Dec 2009
my phone battery doesnt last long , even wen wifi n blututh netwrk
closed.i dnt use it much . the battery lasts 8 hr only. i have even
reduced the backlightng, but still. the phone is really gud. plz
help me Rating:
Reviewed by chris from UK on
30th Dec 2009
I've had this phone for a couple days now and from day one I have
loved it! It has everything you could ask for in a phone and more,
communicating with everyone is so easy and simple, battery life
is great and the qwerty keyboard makes typing easy (after you get
the hang of it) the only thing I can say that could be better is
the camera but tbh I'm not bothered about that at all. Definitely
recommend this phone to everyone, for business or pleasure 10/10
Rating:
Reviewed by Andrew from UK on
24th Dec 2009
An amazing phone, superb size, trackpad and overall feel to it is
just great. Battery life is excellent, definitely the best blackberry
iv had! 5/5 Rating:
Reviewed by McSnoops from UK on
20th Dec 2009
Best phone I've ever owned and deffo the best BlackBerry I've ever
owned. So far, I can't fault it. Rating:
Reviewed by andy from uk on 19th
Dec 2009
have got the 9000 and cant wait to get the 9700 in a few weeks av
ad a go and its awsome. trackpad superb and the handset is a better
size. and tony, if you have a company and need a good phone stick
the backberry, the iphone is rubbish, its a silly gimick and fashion
accessory thats all. Rating:
Reviewed by Nnabzzz from Pakistan on
18th Dec 2009
Got my bb 9700 yesterday after going through all the reviews,track
pad is real improvement over faulty track balls,shape and size closer
to 8900,gone is heavy manly bold with draining battery.keypad bit
hard but after one day use it's lil soft otherwise v good travel.weight
gives solid feel over all built quality good.Screen sharp great
to watch audio quality good too though no match to iPhone 3gs. A
well rounded package indeed, great job RIM:) Rating:
Reviewed by Chris from Uk on
16th Dec 2009
I agree, awsome phone ;) Rating:
Reviewed by Jessica from Wolverhampton
on 16th Dec 2009
this is awesome phone. i just love it! No Complaints x Rating:
Reviewed by Lee Hung from London on
16th Dec 2009
In 1 word???? Excellent in 2 words???? EX - CELLENT Rating:
Reviewed by tony from uk on 15th
Dec 2009
I think blackberry's are very overrated, especially this one that
i bought i have just set up a business (we are doing very well).
i am dissapointed its just like one of the Nokias except double
the price, i really dont get it, im not even going to bother with
a qwerty keyboard, im just going to splash out on a iphone 3GS.
Its not perfect but things its not perfect at i dont need except
the gps Rating:
Reviewed by Alan from London on
15th Dec 2009
The best phone i have ever owned!!! Thanks alot for the reviews
guys, it helped alot. Rating:
Reviewed by DanGleebitz from London,
UK on 14th Dec 2009
This is by far the best BlackBerry to date. It has everything you
need and more. Well done RIM, keep up the good work. Rating:
Reviewed by Fam from London on
14th Dec 2009
The Blackberry Bold 9000 is a excellent peice of equiptment, however
there were few things that annoyed me with the it. The camera, rollerball,
battery life and software issues on occassions. The 9700 has overcome
all objections!! Nice size, still looks slick, battery life is great
and better camera quality. I never went for the Iphone when it first
come out and I still haven't gone for the Iphone 3GS since that
has come out either. Put the fancy gadget away and get yourself
the Blackberry Bold 9700. It's the only way forward!! Rating:
Reviewed by Murrey from Netherlands
on 14th Dec 2009
Absolutely a fantastic phone. Can not fault this device. Touch pad
is wicked. Sleek & a sexy handset. sending e-mail is easy like sending
it from ur Mac laptop. Well done Blackberry u shud b proud. Rating:
Reviewed by Kelly from Ireland on
14th Dec 2009
Dont usually write reviews but i 'AGREE' with EVERYTHING Quintine
dwayne said. Peace :p Rating:
Reviewed by Quintine Dwayne from U.K
on 12th Dec 2009
This phone is excellent!! (p.s kevin...i don't understand a word
you are saying.) Fast 3g reception, free apps download, apps that
change the LED colours is nice, never has crashed on me, battery
life is awsome, e-mailing is super-fast. Everything you would want
from a phone is here!! You will not be disappointed. I have had
the BB curve 8900, Bold 9000, Storm2 but i returned the Storm2 for
this and it's the best decision i have made. I simply can't put
the phone down. This deserves a 5* alll day. note: you will need
an internet connection along with BB booster plan to get full use
of the phone. I have added 6 E-mails accounts plus i have Windows
LIVE messenger running always, Facebook account is active, My Twitter
account is on, my phone is always beeping with attachments and new
messages..it's like having crammed the pc or laptop but in a small
mobile device. I am actualy using it this sec writing this review.
Enjoy Rating:
Reviewed by Andrew from Ireland on
10th Dec 2009
Little to add to the previous reviews except that this is an awesome
phone. It's fast, very well made, easy to use and packed with every
feature a serious communication device should have. Rating:
Reviewed by ROB from ENGLAND on
10th Dec 2009
i had the the original bold 9000 , iv had the bold 9700 over 2 week
now and its a fantastic phone . never crashes unlike the original
bold ......what can i say ,i proud to own one . if you were thinking
of buying a smart phone .... one word BLACKBERRY BOLD 9700 Rating:
Reviewed by Kevin from UK on
9th Dec 2009
what ur talking this phone is a rubbish the poor download speed
of not even 290kbps dissapoints me a lot well,the track-pad is yeah,cool
but the 35 keypad kills me 3days after i buy this smartphone i sell
it,since its not as a big use to me compared to my old storm2 Rating:
Reviewed by Chris from UK on
8th Dec 2009
This is by far the best phone availabe on the market right now.
I have had the newest Iphone and the BB9700 knocks spots off it
in almost every area. People do not follow the lastest must have
an Iphone fashion get a BB bold 9700. This phone is almost perfection
the only small negatives and i say very small are it could do with
more apps and even though the camera is excellent BB could of given
the phone a better more powerful camera Rating:
Reviewed by David Whidden from Fordingbridge,
UK on 7th Dec 2009
Wow this is by far the best blackberry on the market,the battery
life is awesome,four days useage no probs, screen and weight purfect,nice
and fast on the net and looking at stored photos ect, NOTE if you
are coverting dvd to mp4 for video playback make shure that H.264
is in the format or you will have playback problems. would give
6 stars, phenomenal mobile phone,camera,ect,ect,ect. Rating:
Reviewed by Monty from UK on
1st Dec 2009
What a smashing phone! Moved from a trackball berry and was wondering
how I'd get on with the trackpad. No issues at all. Great screen
and connectivity. Size is spot on for phone use and perfect for
emailing/text. Fits well into the hand. On features RIM have managed
to cram all the business features you need into a unit suitable
for the mass market as well. I'll no longer look as if I'm holding
a brick to my ear and can take the odd photo as well. Thank you
RIM, just what I've been waiting for. Rating:
Reviewed by OZ from UK on 26th
Nov 2009
Awesome Rating:
Reviewed by S ALI from LONDON UK on
24th Nov 2009
Out of all the mobile phones I've had for the past 21 years, this
is the best blackberry phone I had, the look and feature are very
nice on the phone. the app store is good. this phone also ranks
up with the HTC HD2 which I also have, which is also a nice phone.
I only brought the phone because of the HTC SENSE and not the windows
6.5 operating system. To me this Blackberry 9700 will last longer
with me than any other phone I had in the past, except HTC HD2.
To me this phone is a 5 star plus. Rating:
Reviewed by Gurtake Singh from United
Kingdom on 22nd Nov 2009
It is very good. I like it because it has good features to use. Rating:
Reviewed by dan from uk on 21st
Nov 2009
Don't usually write reviews but I've just bought the bb9700 and
it is perfect. This phone is phenomenal. Rating:
Reviewed by Dillon from United Kingdom
on 18th Nov 2009
My first BlackBerry and thoroughly satisfied. The device is very
sleek and looks more like the Curve without losing any of it's quality
in terms of toughness as well as looks. I've had mine for a week
now on T-Mobile and the reception is very good and has yet to drop
any calls. Setup is very easy in regards to E-mail as is adding
contacts on the instant messenger although most BlackBerry users
will already be aware of this. At 3.2 megapixels the Camera is pretty
average but does the job and the same goes for video recording.
Many of the apps from BlackBerry App World are free so this is also
a bonus. The only down side I have noticed is saving pictures received
via instant messenger which may take a bit of time and the BlackBerry
case that comes in the box doesn't fully cover the device leaving
it prone to damage if dropped however this has no bearing on my
review. Awesome bit of kit! Rating:
