BlackBerry Torch 9860 – The Blackberry with No Keyboard

The BlackBerry Torch 9860 is a great addition to the range of BlackBerry handsets. However, unlike the others in the family, it does not feature the distinctive QWERTY keyboard. This handset has been given a touchscreen which may be a welcome addition as far as some smartphone users are concerned. The screen measures 3.7 inches although some users may think that this is a little small when compared with rival handsets. However, it is more than enough for the average user. There are some physical buttons around the edge of the handset and there is also an optical trackpad. These buttons will be recognisable to those who have had a BlackBerry before.

Overview
The screen is very responsive and the overall design of the phone is impressive. It is a sleek handset that has a good, solid feel to it, so users will be reassured that it can withstand a little wear and tear. The operating system that has been included in the phone is the BlackBerry OS 7. This is an up to date version of the operating system and although it does not have the cachet of Android or iOS, it is fine for most people. It allows fast use of the internet, emailing and texting functions of the phone although the design of the operating system is not as slick as that favoured by other manufacturers.

Power
The processor on the phone is 1.2GHz which is adequate for users and most people will not notice any lag at all in its operations. The internet browsing speeds have increased on this handset and you will find that the web pages load fairly quickly. One downside to the phone is that there are not as many apps available as for other handsets but there are some which are pre-installed which you will find useful including BlackBerry messenger. This is easy to use and those who like to keep in touch while on the go will love it.

Camera
The camera included on the phone has 5 megapixels and while this is fairly standard it is not enough to compete with some of the high-end mobile phones that are out there. Images are fine and there are several software options that can help you to take a better photo. There is a video record function in HD which is fine although the autofocus gives it a blurry edge occasionally. The music player on the handset has been designed to work with various file formats as has the video player and there is a total of 4GB of internal memory. This may not be enough for some users but this can be expanded to 32GB with a microSD card.

Is this the Phone for You?
BlackBerry handsets are aimed at the business user and with this in mind there is a document viewer which can help with work. However, this phone has been given a much broader appeal and if it is time to upgrade then this has plenty of advantages to it, regardless of whether you are a sales executive or a student.

Phil Turner is a great believer in cheap phones and making do with what you have as long as it is working. One day he will move on from hi flip phone, but only when it stops working.

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