BlackBerry Bold 9900 - Gallant Warrior
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the thinnest device unveiled by RIM. It comes with the new BlackBerry 7 OS, a 2.8-inch capacitive screen, larger QWERTY keypad, Liquid Graphics feature and a 1.2GHz processor. Tempted? Check out our detailed review.
New member of the Bold family
Research in Motion (RIM) has come a long way since the introduction of the first member of the Bold family, the in 2008. The Bold 9000 was a massive hit in both the enterprise and mainstream markets due to its excellent QWERTY keyboard, 2.6-inch screen and a more appealing look. A year later, RIM released the successor, the . The Bold 9700 brings about several changes to the design, which include replacing the trackball traditionally found in BlackBerry devices. It also has a smaller QWERTY keyboard and comes in a more portable form factor. However, the incentive to upgrade wasn't appealing as the changes were mostly aesthetic. Late last year, the was revealed, with most changes under the hood. The key highlight of the Bold 9780 is the , which makes the user interface more usable and modernized.
Fast forward to 2011, we are eager to know how the next member of the Bold family will fare, especially in recent times when RIM is struggling against the onslaught of Apple's iPhones and Google Android's smartphones. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 was first unveiled at the BlackBerry World in May. We regard the Bold 9900 as the gallant warrior sent by RIM to stem their declining smartphone market share while buying time to transit to the new QNX OS it acquired in April 2010. How can the new Bold member help RIM? Let's begin with its design aspects:
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the fourth iteration of the Bold series by RIM.
In terms of looks, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 looks no different from the previous Bold models - a candybar form factor with a physical QWERTY keyboard. The Bold 9900 ups the ante on its predecessors' 2.44-inch screen with a 2.8-inch capacitive touch screen. It is not only the largest screen size ever featured on a Bold, it is also the first of the series to incorporate a touch screen. Besides having a larger screen, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 sports a roomier QWERTY keyboard compared to the Bold 9780. According to RIM, the keyboard found on the Bold 9900 is six percent wider.
We prefer the larger QWERTY keyboard on the BlackBerry Bold 9900 (left) as there is more room for our fingers to move around than the previous Bold 9780.
Despite equipping it with a larger display and roomier keyboard, RIM has managed to shave off unnecessary thickness for the Bold 9900, making it the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone today at 10.5mm.
Seen here is the BlackBerry Bold 9780 (left) and BlackBerry Bold 9900 (right). RIM puts the Bold 9900 through a strict diet to keep it slim at 10.5mm, which is more than 3mm slimmer than the Bold 9780's 14mm thickness.
You would have noticed by now, the metallic frame surrounding the body of the Bold 9900. It is a stark contrast to the Bold 9780, which is mainly made up of plastic. We praise RIM's decision to have a design overhaul for the flagship model. The metal used is stainless steel and we really like how the Bold 9900 looks. It is simply stunning and looks even better than the silver chrome border on the old BlackBerry Bold 9000.
Not only is the BlackBerry Bold 9900 slimmer than the Bold 9780, it is also more elegant and professional looking, thanks to the brushed stainless steel frame.
We are glad to find that the buttons also match the brushed stainless steel frame of the Bold 9900. It would have been a terrible design mismatch if RIM places plastic buttons along the metallic frame.
You will find the 3.5mm audio jack and microUSB port on the left of the BlackBerry Bold 9900.
On the right, you will find the media controls (increase volume, play/pause and lower volume) and a programmable button. By default, the button activates the camera function.
The screen lock button is found at the top. If you are observant, you will notice that there is no screen lock icon on the button. New BlackBerry users initially may not know what function the button serves.
The last physical change to the design of the phone is found at the back of the BlackBerry Bold 9900. RIM replaces the leather back of the Bold 9780 with a glass-weave backplate. We have mixed feelings about this change. While the new backplate blends in with the body of the Bold 9900, we miss the firm grip provided by the leather backing found on previous Bold models including the Bold 9780.
A 5-megapixel camera sits at the top section of the BlackBerry Bold 9900. It also comes with a LED flash.
BlackBerry 7 OS
Having discussed about the physical changes that we have seen on the BlackBerry Bold 9900, let's move on to the changes under the hood. First and foremost, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is one of the three handsets (the other two are the BlackBerry Torch 9810 and Torch 9860) that ships with the latest BlackBerry 7 OS. RIM claims that the new OS is designed to power the new performance-driven BlackBerry platform. It also offers easier and faster user experience with improved browsing, voice activated searches, additional personal and productivity apps out of the box.
You will find the new BlackBerry 7 OS running on the Bold 9900.
Aesthetically, the new BlackBerry 7 OS interface (left) retains an almost similar look as the BlackBerry 6 OS (right). However, you can see that RIM has improved the appearance of several app icons such as the camera, the browser, message, clock and more.
Putting aesthetic improvements aside, the BlackBerry 7 OS also has a few nice additions that we appreciate.
An important improvement seen in the BlackBerry 7 OS is the inclusion of voice activated search (left). The Universal Search interface on the new OS features a microphone on the right of the search bar where you can tap and activate the voice search function.
Preloaded on the BlackBerry 7 OS is the premium version of Docs To Go, which allows you to edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the Bold 9900 (left). Previously, you can only create and view these files on BlackBerry 6 OS equipped models.
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 feature a built-in compass, also known as the magnetometer, which can support location based services and augmented reality.
Two additions to the Social Feeds app will come in handy when staying updated with the latest news. You can now access Podcasts from the Social Feeds app. Moreover, you can flag any feed for future viewing.
For enterprise users, the BlackBerry 7 OS offers a new feature, known as the BlackBerry Balance. It isolates your personal content from corporate content on the BlackBerry Bold 9900, which gives you the flexibility to use the same handset for both work and personal purposes. The BlackBerry Balance works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) 5.0.3 that allows you to set IT policy controls such as blocking work related content from being copied or forwarded to personal contacts. This made management of corporate data a breeze for companies out there.
In a move to entrench the Bold 9900 for what is going to be the next big thing in mobile communications, RIM has the handset built-in with support for Near Field Communications (NFC). NFC is a new technology that facilitates a whole range of services and experiences. For example, the Bold 9900 can be paired with a Bluetooth headset by just tapping the handset on the NFC tag on the accessory. You no longer need to go through manual pairing by keying in a password. For more information on NFC, you can read it up here.
Having mentioned the wonders of the BlackBerry 7 OS, we have to caution you on a serious drawback - it is not compatible with older BlackBerry devices. We feel that this is a bad move by RIM as it alienates existing BlackBerry users. While RIM clarified that the new OS needs a more powerful processor which current BlackBerry phones lack, it does not go well with the fact that BlackBerry 6 OS was just launched barely 10 months ago. We sympathize with owners of Bold 9780 and Torch 9800 who may feel left out of the opportunity to upgrade. In addition to this snub by RIM, we also felt that despite the improvements in the usability and interface of the BlackBerry 7 OS, RIM is still lag behind its competitors such as Google Android OS which offers more customization options. The BlackBerry App World also falls behind the competition in terms of app numbers. As apps are important in keeping users to a particular platform, we are afraid the lack in quantity and quality of apps may put the Bold 9900 at a disadvantage when compared to its competitors, the Apple iPhones and Google Android devices.
Multimedia features
Powering the 2.8-inch screen is a powerful feature known as Liquid Graphics, which is supported by BlackBerry 7 OS. Essentially, Liquid Graphics is their marketing lingo that refers to the optimized fluid interface thanks to the new OS, faster processor and better programming. RIM claims that the Liquid Graphics touch screen delivers fast and smooth performance for touch-based navigation, web browsing, pictures, video and graphics intensive games. It also offers up to 60 fps performance with instant user interface action and response, hence providing a visually rich and immersive experience.
We have to admit one fact - the BlackBerry Bold 9900's display looks very gorgeous with brilliant colors. It not only looks good but is indeed a joy for touch-based navigation.
The benefits of Liquid Graphics do not stop here. It extends to the general performance of the browser found in the Bold 9900. According to RIM, Liquid Graphics assists in delivering faster rendering and seamless panning and zooming when surfing the Internet. In addition, the browser includes the just in time (JIT) JavaScript compiler, which shortens the loading time of web pages, and support for additional HTML5 elements such as HTML5 video. What this means is that if you are viewing a HTML5 coded website from the Bold 9900, you do not need to download any third party plugins to view multimedia content, unlike many existing smartphones which require a Flash plugin to watch YouTube videos.
Another key highlight of the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is its HD video recording capability. The Bold 9900 is able to record HD videos of 1280 x 720 pixels resolution, unlike the Bold 9780 which only takes videos in 640 x 480 pixels resolution, which is considered dated by today's standards.
While it is rare that people would use a BlackBerry to capture videos, the HD-capable video camera on the Bold 9900 (left) will come in handy when taking candid videos. BlackBerry devices today are getting more multimedia-centric to cater to the new age of smartphone users.
Testing the Warrior
Being touted as the most powerful BlackBerry smartphone in RIM's arsenal right now, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 has high expectations to meet and we feel that it met most of them. The Bold 9900 boasts some of the most powerful hardware components found in BlackBerry devices so far. For example, the Bold 9900 receives a nifty speed boost with its 1.2GHz processor, which is a huge leap from the 624MHz processor in the Bold 9780. It now has 768MB of RAM compared to 512MB RAM found on the Bold 9780.
Thanks to Liquid Graphics technology and BlackBerry 7 OS, the user interface feels very smooth and fluid in its operation. This is something unseen in previous BlackBerry devices and we really think that RIM has done an excellent job here. Apps load quite quickly and transitions between home screen panels are effortless. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 also boasts a high resolution display of 640 x 480 pixels. We enjoy viewing multimedia content on the display as the resolution is dense enough at 287dpi. Images look brilliant and text is sharp. Watching videos on the 2.8-inch screen is fine although we will prefer a bigger screen.
RIM prides itself on making one of the best QWERTY keyboards in the market and we believe that the Bold 9900 is an excellent example of that. As with previous Bold models, the Bold 9900 feels great to type on with the wider QWERTY keyboard. The buttons have a good feel when we type on them and the tactile feedback is awesome. Within a few minutes, we are typing out emails and replying tweets swiftly.
If you like QWERTY smartphones, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 should be your top consideration.
In terms of browser performance, we also feel that RIM has done a good job. The integration of the touch screen makes it easier for us to browse the Internet without relying on the optical track pad, which can be tricky to use at times. We put the Bold 9900 through the SunSpider JavaScript benchmark, which gauges the performance of the browser in mobile devices. For this benchmark, a good web browser will achieve a lower score. We got an average score of 2622.84ms, which is currently the top result from our extensive list of smartphones tested. It easily edges out popular devices like the Samsung Galaxy S II which recorded 3406.5ms and the Apple iPhone 4 that only managed 4128ms. These results only solidified RIM's proposition of the Bold 9900 being a smooth surfer.
Over on the imaging side of things, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 comes with a 5-megapixel camera and a LED flash, which is considered modest as we have seen 8-megapixel shooters in newer handsets such as the Samsung Galaxy S II and HTC Sensation. Nevertheless, the number of megapixel doesn't really matter in cameraphones as we do not see them replacing dedicated cameras anytime soon. We put the Bold 9900 through our usual camera tests below:
The camera on the Bold 9900 scored badly on both the resolution and color charts. Colors are a bit washed out.
The camera manages average image quality. A pity that the camera lens is not of the auto-focus variant.
BlackBerry phones are not known for their camera performance. Even so, we do not know why RIM did not equip the BlackBerry Bold 9900 with an auto-focus capable camera module. Because of its fixed-focus lens, image quality takes quite a beating. The saving grace for the camera is its HD video recording. When we took the Bold 9900 for a video shoot, the video quality turned out good.
Having seen the performance of its camera, we move on to one of the strengths of most BlackBerry phones - battery performance. One of the key advantages of BlackBerry devices over the competition is that they usually last longer. We put its reputation on the line with our battery tests which include the following:
- Looping a video of 800 x 480 pixels resolution
- Maximum screen brightness and volume
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on to pull in data constantly via Twitter
We compare the BlackBerry Bold 9900 with its predecessor and the recently launched HTC ChaCha which has a similar form factor.
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The BlackBerry Bold 9900 proves to be a very capable smartphone with its impressive battery life of 6 hours and 33 minutes in our intensive video run - it even outlasted the Bold 9780 by an hour. This is admirable despite the Bold 9900 running on a faster processor, sporting a bigger screen and having a smaller battery capacity. This led us to believe that the new BlackBerry 7 OS has improved power management. This is further confirmed by the results in the Power Consumption chart. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 also came out top in our Portability Index, having achieved the delicate balance between mobility and battery stamina. For business professionals who need a modern smartphone to stay in touch the whole day, they will not go wrong with the BlackBerry Bold 9900.
Given that our battery test is tailored to mimic a highly stressful usage environment, it is likely that you can squeeze more battery juice out of the Bold 9900 under normal usage conditions. Do note that actual battery life varies under different usage conditions.
A Good Fight
When RIM declared the BlackBerry Bold 9900 as the most powerful BlackBerry yet, we had our doubts. After all, the previous Bold models are seen as mediocre upgrades to the highly successful Bold 9000. BlackBerry phones have also been lagging behind the competition in terms of hardware and software for some years. However, some of this is going to change with the unveiling of the BlackBerry Bold 9900.
RIM takes no chances this time with the new BlackBerry Bold 9900. It combines the best of both worlds - touch screen and its famous QWERTY keyboard. With a much improved BlackBerry 7 OS and bumped up hardware, we now agree with RIM that the Bold 9900 is the best BlackBerry yet.
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the thinnest BlackBerry ever released by RIM, which makes it very portable. It retains the physical QWERTY keyboard that BlackBerry fans and messaging fanatics love. Out is the primitive BlackBerry smartphone OS 6 in the Bold9780 and in is the new BlackBerry 7 OS. The new OS is a nice upgrade from BlackBerry 6, with a faster browser, enhanced universal search function with voice activated search and a more aesthetically pleasing user interface. Powering the BlackBerry 7 OS is the 1.2GHz processor, which makes for a smooth and fluid user experience. We also liked its touch screen which deliver great color clarity and depth. As expected, the battery life is excellent for a BlackBerry device, ranking among the top for smartphones.
There is however, room for improvement for the BlackBerry 7 OS. While the new OS brings some new features (Liquid Graphics being one of them as a consequence of good hardware and software integration), it is still lagging behind the competition. On one hand, it lacks the simplicity and user friendliness of the Apple iOS. On the other hand, it offers little room for users to customize the user interface. Overall, the BlackBerry 7 OS does not offer any compelling new features that will have new users flocking over to its side. Last but not least, RIM's decision to keep the BlackBerry 7 OS exclusively to new devices may annoy current users of BlackBerry 6 devices. Although current BlackBerry devices are unable to support the new OS due to hardware limitations, we felt that it may be possible for RIM to release a "lite" version of BlackBerry 7 OS. It does not make sense to ditch BlackBerry 6 OS which is just released less than a year ago.
It is also time for RIM to improve the camera performance of its phones so that it can also be positioned as a true multimedia phone to compete with the iPhones and Android devices. Although RIM has done a good job with the display, a flagship model like the BlackBerry Bold 9900 deserves a bigger screen for better viewing and usability. The 2.8-inch screen does feel a bit small for a fantastic touch screen experience.
You can get the BlackBerry Bold 9900 at all the local telco operators for S$927. If you have not jumped onto the BlackBerry bandwagon and you're reluctant to join the iPhone / Android gang, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is a compelling choice as it is the best you can get from RIM at the moment. More so if you need a good QWERTY keyboard, the Bold 9900 provides one of the best available in a compact form factor.
If however you are an existing BlackBerry user, the choice is yours. We do not blame you for feeling annoyed with RIM for making the BlackBerry 7 OS exclusive to the Bold 9900 and future devices. However, if you have the spare cash, by all means, go for the Bold 9900. You will not be disappointed.
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