BlackBerry Bold 9700 review: Dare you go

8 December 2009
Some handsets will work their socks off to have their fifteen minutes of fame, others are simply born into stardom. The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is certainly fortunate to carry a name that stands for popularity and excellence in the RIM family of phones. But this kind of fame can be less a blessing and more of a curse if the successor fails to live up to the standards set by its illustrious namesake

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  • M
  • Marty
  • mxj
  • 22 Jan 2010

wake up blackberry, 13 Jan 2010Doesn’t matter what version the OS is, all BlackBerry’s are... moreIn response not all phones have 8gb memory and the ones that do can be just as formulaic and buggy. Not all phones have an app store and having recently been an android user i can honestly say 10000 apps do not equal quality and it is hard to judge the good from the incessantly bad. Now full flash browser - interesting because no phone has true full flash support but i will concede the blackberry is pants in this regard.

    • w
    • william
    • 31P
    • 20 Jan 2010

    the voice dialling works like a miracle. it does everything i want. perfectly. even in german (i'm german and most of my phonebook are german names)

      • Y
      • Yusuf
      • Qxp
      • 17 Jan 2010

      All those who are knocking Blackberry, really! You don't get what Blackberry is about. Blackberry fills a certain purpose for inyernet & messaging, and it does it really well. I've had a Bold 9000 now for 6 months & just love it to bits. I also have a Nokia 95 8G and it surves a different purpose. Besides the screen on the Bolds is just a killer, best keyboard! The 9700 looks a winner to me, only wish it was a bit bigger.

        • w
        • wake up blackberry
        • 0F6
        • 13 Jan 2010

        Doesn’t matter what version the OS is, all BlackBerry’s are the same.
        Don’t see the point in making a review because it’s just a repeat of previous models, like a broken record.

        1. 5 megapixels
        2. Video record 30fps
        3. Full flash browser
        4. Android OS (DroidBerry) that’s an option
        5. 8GB internal memory plus MicroSD
        6. Better Appstore
        7. No BlackBerry Service Plan

        There are more things that could be added to the list but these are main little things that every other phone’s have. (Apart from Number 4 on the list, BlackBerry could easily make this happen)
        Just don’t understand why they wasting time and money in building the same devices which do the same things.

          • i
          • iiyes
          • u4k
          • 12 Jan 2010

          I love this phone!!! is great and it has got everything you need. Good choice!

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • in5
            • 09 Jan 2010

            Anonymous, 07 Jan 2010Well, the inability to use facebook or msn on the device wi... moreWhen you consider how cheap BBY plans are becoming it's not really an issue. These days from as little as $10AUS you can have unlimited BBY email AND Unlimited BBY browsing. You just have to shop around. Almost anyone can have an M2M plan which has no locked in term. I personally don't see the problem.

              • G
              • Gorga
              • PAx
              • 09 Jan 2010

              Unfortunately just like the previous BlackBerry reviews on this otherwise excellent site, you keep underrating several key features of the BlackBerry such as the BlackBerry Messenger which is already a step ahead compared to what other devices can offer. And to say that the BlackBerry is not a mass market device--if you live in Indonesia or any other "emerging market" nation you'll know that you're dead wrong!

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • PEC
                • 07 Jan 2010

                Rogers Rep., 04 Jan 2010I honestly agree with you. The disadvantges that the review... moreWell, the inability to use facebook or msn on the device without a plan is really not sensible. other devices you can just use a generic plan and use all their native apps without paying for an expensive BB plan

                  • R
                  • Rogers Rep.
                  • RdQ
                  • 04 Jan 2010

                  stroller, 30 Dec 2009i noticed these points at disadvantage section # No FM rad... moreI honestly agree with you. The disadvantges that the review states is a bunch of BS!!!.

                  1. No FM Radio - who the heck uses the radio anymore, its all MP3s!!
                  2. No Video Calling - no one ever used it, i only to demo the feature for a customer
                  3. No TV Out - the resolution on a phone cant compare to the resolution on a tv, it would be so pixellated
                  4. No built-in accelerometer - there is a full qwerty keyboard you dont need the accelerometer
                  5. No Compass - why in gods name would you need a compass on your phone, apple was stupid for doing that it a point less feature
                  6. Many features are locked without a BlackBerry Internet Service account (plan) - same with the iphone or any smart phone, unless your going to use wifi which means your suck in one place and you might as well have a laptop.

                  Just a few opinions on my part but who ever wrote these disadvantages is not think logically and needs a reality check.

                  Thanks .

                    • H
                    • Hamp
                    • 42s
                    • 31 Dec 2009

                    stroller, 30 Dec 2009i noticed these points at disadvantage section # No FM rad... moreThank you! I was thinking the same thing! A compass? Um, that's what my GPS is for, and if I'm in a place where I can't get a signal and need a compass, then I'm really up the creek - to put it cleanly!

                    For real?

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • wr6
                      • 30 Dec 2009

                      i missed out 1 more point
                      #Many features are locked without a BlackBerry Internet Service account (plan)

                      well duh....its a blackberry....you need a blackberry internet service if you buy a blackberry.....why the hell would anyone buy a blackberry if they dont want to get a blackberry internet service...???!!! it`ll just be a fancy paperweight!

                        • s
                        • stroller
                        • wr6
                        • 30 Dec 2009

                        i noticed these points at disadvantage section
                        # No FM radio
                        # No video-call camera
                        # No TV-out functionality
                        # No built-in accelerometer
                        # No built-in compass

                        c'mon reviewer! since when did those points become a cellphone standard?
                        n what the heck is an accelerometer for when you have a qwerty keyboard? doesnt make any sense!
                        and a compass?? man!!

                          • B
                          • Bert
                          • mXM
                          • 29 Dec 2009

                          Hi
                          Can anyone tell me the sar rating of the BB 9700.

                          Thanks
                          Bert

                            • p
                            • paulie
                            • 2xx
                            • 23 Dec 2009

                            Nice review. but i have to say that i dun agree when u use BB9700 to compare to either E71 or E72. nokia device have no where near its.
                            i had, E71, STorm, Bold9000 and i gona get marry with my bold 9700.
                            all advice to you is, think abt it, the majority of phone market had been taken by Blackberry now. no one gona bother about how good Nokia is. people who consider a review whether to get the phone should hear from the real BB user indeed.
                            either Bold 9700 or Bold 9000 , u cant go wrong either way seriously.
                            both device are much pretty close.
                            the only different i spotted between these two is.

                            Bold 9000
                            - better speaker
                            - low battery life. cant even go on 6 hours if u are heavy user.

                            bold 9700
                            -decent speaker
                            - excellent battery life. can last me 2 days.

                            now is your choice to be decide.

                            you seriously cant go wrong either way!

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • MVg
                              • 22 Dec 2009

                              is this phone worth £360? i dont know what to do!

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • vGe
                                • 21 Dec 2009

                                shp, 14 Dec 2009hey could you tell me where u bought it from in IndiaAvailable in Delhi. I saw it today. Looks awesome/

                                  • M
                                  • MHM
                                  • 3sE
                                  • 20 Dec 2009

                                  I just replaced Bold 9000 with Bold 9700 and seriously guys I think Bold 9700 is the best thing that has happened to BB. The graphics and colours have been really improved and the browsing efficiency has also been enhanced. I use an iPhone 3GS as well and I think the browsing of 9700 is not far behind although the small screen size does put one off a bit at times.
                                  In short its a lovely little phone a great leap ahead.
                                  Hope to see some more good stuff in future.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • PQ%
                                    • 18 Dec 2009

                                    ng_lee, 14 Dec 2009Hi there, I'm a really phone user. I've been using lot of k... moreng_lee you dont know what your talking about, i work for a phone company and blackberry is a really good sell. before you sit there and talk rubbish and crap how bout you go and learn how to speak english because its a bit out of wak.. no one would wish they go bankrupt and infact they wont so u can sit there and wish from now till tomorrow but thats not going to happen.. in future talk facts and not rubbish!!!

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • PQ%
                                      • 18 Dec 2009

                                      ng_lee you dont know what your talking about, i work for a phone company and blackberry is a really good sell. before you sit there and talk rubbish and crap how bout you go and learn how to speak english because its a bit out of wak.. no one would wish they go bankrupt and infact they wont so u can sit there and wish from now till tomorrow but thats not going to happen.. in future talk facts and not rubbish!!!

                                        • r
                                        • ray
                                        • Ixr
                                        • 18 Dec 2009

                                        mistake....bold2 has 256mb ram