
While the Blackberry Bold 9780 features marginal hardware improvements to the 9700, its list of updates does include RIM's brand new smartphone OS. Sporting a whole host of upgrades on the software end, it makes for a whole new experience RIM users should find more engaging.
Physically, the Blackberry Bold 9780 looks like a near-exact replica of the 9700, from the pocketable dimensions to the sturdy build to the good feel in hand. Display is a 2.4-inch LCD, with 480 x 320 resolution. Call me spoiled by today's touchscreens, but it really feels a bit cumbersome doing non-communication stuff like web browsing and watching videos on the phone. With that said, the screen is sharp, clear and bright. Keyboard is the same excellent one on the 9700, so it remains a winner.
As a phone, the Blackberry Bold 9780 makes for generally good calls. Voices came through very clear on our end, although some folks reported hollowness on the other side of the call. Speakerphone was especially hollow, but very usable. Battery is rated at 6 hours of talk time.
Like we said, the bulk of the changes here happen in the software, which constitutes a major revamp for the platform. While it still falls short of either Android or iOS, it's a huge change for the better. Despite a moderate 624MHz processor at the helm, everything runs quickly with no lags.
The Bold 9780 is a quad-band worldphone, with the usual array of voice calling features and Blackberry's messaging strengths. Connectivity is fully covered with GPS, WiFi, 3G and Bluetooth 2.1. Their enhanced security features and corporate email support are all onboard.
It comes with a number of IM clients, as well as built-in apps for numerous social networks. Web browsing is much improved, although the small screen makes it a pain to use. The media player is considerably more attractive, sporting a Cover Flow-style UI and a good amount of functions. Onboard storage is only 512MB, though, so you might want to double up with an SD card.
The 5.0 camera is one of the few hardware areas that improved on the 9700. Unfortunately, there's a lack of detailed editing options and image quality is very average.
As with previous releases from RIM, the Blackberry Bold 9780's main strength lies in its messaging prowess. It's a great choice for a messaging phone, but may not be worth the upgrade if you already own a 9700.


























