The Bold II (right) packs more features into an appreciably smaller form factor than its predecessor (left).Some loyalists dislike the new mini-touchpad (centre) but most critics are calling the new model BlackBerry's best yet.
The Bold II (right) packs more features into an appreciably smaller form factor than its predecessor (left).Some loyalists dislike the new mini-touchpad (centre) but most critics are calling the new model BlackBerry's best yet.
The RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700, aka Bold II - a smaller, lighter version of RIM’s flagship phone - has gained New Zealand release through Vodafone and Telecom.
Vodafone is taking orders via its website now. Telecom will release the 9700 to its Gen-i customers on February 1 and retail customers March 1.
But unfortunately for aficionados of the Canadian smartphone series, there's still no word on when the BlackBerry Storm II will reach New Zealand (Storm I being RIM's first stab at an all-touchscreen device pitched against the insurgent iPhone).
And sadly for gadget freaks all round, nor does Vodafone have any idea when the buzziest phone of 2010 so far - Google's Nexus One - will see local release.
Google's Nexus One is not the first handset to run on the search giant's Android operating system (HTC here and Motorola, Samsung and Sony Ericsson and others have models overseas), but it is the company's first consumer hardware product.
And, considerably complicating the picture, Google is also looking to rewrite the rules of mobile phone distribution with a model that sees the search giant selling the handset directly from its own website (usually buying from a phone company, or one of its retail affiliates, is an option - and one that gives telcos more control over pricing and the delicate profit balance of subsidies and monthly plans).
A third hot handset - Motorola's Droid - is also promised but still missing in action from Vodafone NZ's line-up months after its US release.
Slimmed down, but souped up
The Bold 9700 comes in two identical versions. One has frequency support that includes the 900MHz and 2100MHz bands (that is, Vodafone-friendly), the other 850MHz and 2100MHz (that is, compatible with Telecom’s XT network). 2degrees is also in the process of boosting its network to support 2100MHz 3G.
The handset will be available through Vodafone as well as Telecom. Pricing is expected to be just under $1000, off-contract.
As well as adding 3G support and squeezing the Bold’s trademark full qwerty keyboard into a smaller, 122g, 109 x 60 x 14.1mm form factor (see Boy Genius pic above), the Bold boosts processor power to a beefy 624MHz.
PC World, which calls the 9700 "slimmed down and sophisticated and "the best BlackBerry available".
Some loyalists might find the new mini touchpad, which replaces the trackball, disconcerting, but "BlackBerry trackballs get dirty and start to stick, and sometimes even fall out with a lot of use. The responsive touchpad gives the Bold the feel of a touchscreen device, particularly when you're swiping through pictures. "
Onboard memory remains modest at 256MB, although there is a bundled 2GB SD memory card, and card options are expected to run up to 32GB.
Other frills include built-in GPS and wi-fi, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a 3.2mP camera (up from 2mP on the original Bold) and a 2.44-inch light-sensing 480 x 360 pixel display (slightly up on the Bold I's 480 x 320).
Edging is chrome, and the back is “leatherette” (aka fake leather). RIM says the fretted keyboard design will allow for accurate typing despite the crimp-down.
See the full tech specs on RIM’s site here.
