NostalTech: Blackberry Bold 9900 (2011)

We recently revisited the BlackBerry Bold 9900, and our evaluation of the device revealed some interesting insights. The first thing that caught our attention was the sturdy and durable build quality of the device. It is an excellent flagship handset with well-thought-out finishes and a pleasant weight in hand. BlackBerry's most significant advantage is their touch and type design, which includes the trackpad and the best full QWERTY keyboard available on a mobile device. This experience was necessary for BlackBerry phones to compete, and it works seamlessly with liquid graphics technology.

The device has a 1.2 GHz processor and 768 Meg of RAM, which makes the touch interface fluid and instantly responsive. The 2.8-inch TFT LCD screen looks stunning and crisp, and the graphics are impressive. However, the small size of the screen limits the amount of content that can be displayed, which is a disadvantage when web browsing.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 comes with the latest BlackBerry 7 operating system, which includes built-in applications that are sturdy and designed to integrate work and social life. The messages application conveniently collects personal and work messages and emails and gives the option of sending outgoing mail from any of them. For those spanning multiple social networking sites with a flurry of activity, the Social Feeds app is the perfect viewing space for real-time updating.

The device is described as a born multitasker, and it lives up to that description by making it easy to jump from one application to another. The focus on business productivity is still there with many useful business tools, as well as blackberry protect to give enhanced security of stored data. The new browser found in the 9900 is best-in-class for the BlackBerry, and it is a massive improvement over previous iterations. Pinch-to-zoom and the speed of scrolling make it enjoyable to browse multiple sessions on this phone.

Recording every detail of your life is easy with the built-in 5-megapixel camera and 720p video recording. The device is excellent for media content delivery, and the availability of Wi-Fi music sync makes accessing music at home far more convenient. However, the device's screen size is a disadvantage for video playback, and a larger screen would provide a more immersive experience.

One of the main annoyances we encountered was the device's inability to load most of our emails, which had to be opened in a web browser. Additionally, the device's OS feels dated compared to its competitors. While it works fine, it lacks innovation, which BlackBerry needs to compete in a saturated market. However, BlackBerry did give near-field communication in this device, which was somewhat ahead of the pack at the time.

Overall, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is an excellent device that caters to the faithful with its excellent native applications and iconic design and build. It also draws in the touch crowd who had moved away in past years. The device highlights a company that has built a legacy for high-quality software and hardware and should not be counted out. Although it has flaws, it is still an excellent choice for a mobile device.