BlackBerry Torch 9860 review: Keyless, not clueless

29 September 2011
No QWERTY keyboard, no SurePress clickable screen gimmickry, the BlackBerry Torch 9860 is taking the plunge. Not the first time that RIM are venturing into touchscreen but they're past the point of no return with this one...

Sort by:

  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • n$g
  • 19 Oct 2011

one rubbish phone

    • j
    • jay jay
    • pKF
    • 17 Oct 2011

    you all seriously wanna get a grip lol its a great phone, having worked in a phone shop there is no point having a 8 mega pixel camera unless you have a good screen and the pixels are higher than an i phone and the samsung galaxy s 2 with my partner has got, as for an i phone they are not very strong check out the video on gsm.com and c what happens wen u drop it at waist height the screen shatters, galaxy s2 and 9860 not a scratch so wats the point of having a phone that if you miss place it and drop it it breaks wich unless you pay for insurance costs you an arm and a leg to fix!

      • k
      • kevs
      • Ybu
      • 15 Oct 2011

      too little too late?

        • s
        • sheeraz malik
        • PxK
        • 11 Oct 2011

        i always prefer to use blackberry coz no other cell can comparison with it and touch system of 9860 is awesome love it

          • D
          • AnonD-22732
          • ut$
          • 08 Oct 2011

          Blackberry is in trouble, it will have to join the Android army OR Windows army to survive like LG, Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, HTC and Nokia.

            • P
            • PegcityMark
            • jeS
            • 06 Oct 2011

            Good device if you are a BlackBerry loyalist and is the best RIM device out there. The "Liquid Graphics" screen is impressive for photos and HD Video. 3 complaints, auto-rotate lags at times and QWERTY keyboard is a challenge if you use BBM often. Less so a challenge in Landscape Mode. No haptic feedback as well. Would love to see a front-facing camera if they update the device. Still many in Canada have BlackBerry so building on this device further will put RIM back in the game.

              • Z
              • Zxian
              • tug
              • 04 Oct 2011

              Why blackberry provide flash player and front camera for this top-notch device? DUH!

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • N9@
                • 01 Oct 2011

                Anonymous, 30 Sep 2011Blackberry has its foot in South Africa. Where the blackber... moreexcellent piece. right on point.

                  • B
                  • Bango
                  • Sqh
                  • 01 Oct 2011

                  I love blackberry!!

                    • M
                    • Morné
                    • 3sE
                    • 01 Oct 2011

                    It comes with Documents To Go Premium, not Quick Office.

                      • M
                      • Markie
                      • Yav
                      • 01 Oct 2011

                      Glad to see the new BB touchscreen device is competitive with other modern handsets. I've been getting antsy holding onto my ancient Storm 2 looking at the Galaxy II, N9, and looming iPhone 5. I've been a loyal BB user for years, and this gives me a decent reason to stick around with RIM.

                      One note, the portrait view also has the option of a SureType keyboard, which IMO is much better than the QWERTY portrait keyboard. I use it on my Storm 2 as my portrait keyboard of choice.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • Lh@
                        • 30 Sep 2011

                        Plastic, high-friction, horrible-to-touch, touch-screen.

                        Really BB?

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • n$6
                          • 30 Sep 2011

                          Blackberry has its foot in South Africa. Where the blackberry service is a form of connecting with the world where mobile phone operators charge exorbitant fees in terms of data costs. It will always be successful in terms of providing a alternative to expensive data rates but in Europe why would anyone want to subject themselves to something that's overpriced and under spec'd when they can get something far better and not have to worry about data costs. Blackberry is good for 3rd world countries if they offer their blackberry service but otherwise they are just to far behind.

                            • U
                            • User
                            • PUJ
                            • 30 Sep 2011

                            If any gsmarena staff is monitoring this, I just want to say that in blackberry, you CAN set as many alarm as you want. Go to calendar, option, set your alarm and voila! To those people that keeps on saying R.I.P. BB, please also be informed that at least a few hundred blackberries are sold in Jakarta alone each day, so much for RIP. Everyone in US/Canada bashes RIM, no problem, move to Southeast Asia. Excellent review by the way.

                              • G
                              • Guest
                              • MM2
                              • 30 Sep 2011

                              Jesus Christ, 29 Sep 2011BB OS 7 seems impressive but its no match for android or IO... moreYou talk as if possess BB7 smartphone

                                • D
                                • AnonD-3196
                                • 8Wx
                                • 30 Sep 2011

                                Really?

                                5 megapixel camera
                                No videocalling and no front facing camera either
                                No NFC
                                No Flash support for the web browser
                                No FM radio

                                thats way outdated...

                                  • g
                                  • grim reaper
                                  • sye
                                  • 30 Sep 2011

                                  soon blackberry will rest in peace R.I.P.

                                    • k
                                    • kton
                                    • QLy
                                    • 30 Sep 2011

                                    Yeah, no. Blackberry is dead. Unless it embraces android applications, it can't last more than 5 years.

                                    It will become the SEGA of the cellphone industry.

                                      • V
                                      • Vera
                                      • FMY
                                      • 30 Sep 2011

                                      At last the review is available!

                                        • J
                                        • John
                                        • sS{
                                        • 30 Sep 2011

                                        Well written article. Nice balance to the position of RIM. I think this mobile will have a far greater impact than you imagine. After all, when talking to a top end droid user, all they can go on about really is the speed of their device but not functionality. If you message a lot, many email accounts, got to know what is going on, there is only a BB. Even my friends with iPhones are not in touch with their business in real time like I am and do miss opportunities by being too slow to respond. If you want to play a game then buy a gaming machine.