Blackberry Bold 9700

Blackberry Bold 9700

Available Colours

We loved carrying around the Blackberry Bold 9700 as it fits nicely in our pocket and palm. The overall design of the handset is much more refined featuring chrome edges that give off a stylish vibe

3 Direct

Our Rating: 85%

Best Value for Money Plan

Price Plan The One Plan
83.1%
Texts 5000
Minutes 2000 anytime/any network
Internet 1GB
Handset Cost £79
Monthly Cost £30
Contract 24 months

The One Plan

Currently, Three's most extension price plan. The only One you are likely to need, this '3' price plan gives you 2,000 (yes 2,000!) anytime, any network minutes, 5,000 Texts, 1GB internet usage and 5,000 minutes of calls to other 3 mobiles each month.

Value for Money
Black
The One Plan
 
Blackberry Bold 9700 24 months contract
Texts Minutes Internet Handset Cost Monthly Cost  
5000 2000anytimeany network 1GB £79 £30a month
 
Value for Money
White
The One Plan
 
Blackberry Bold 9700 White 24 months contract
Texts Minutes Internet Handset Cost Monthly Cost  
5000 2000anytimeany network 1GB £79 £30a month
 

Internet Texter Plans

Just like with Internet Talker Plans, Internet Texter Plans give you 500MB internet (1GB with the iPhone) usage and 5,000 minutes to other 3 mobiles each month, however you also receive 5,000 Texts plus an allowance of anytime, any network minutes.

Value for Money
Black
Internet Texter 500
 
Blackberry Bold 9700 24 months contract
Texts Minutes Internet Handset Cost Monthly Cost  
5000 500anytimeany network 500MB £79 Was £25, now£20a month
 
Value for Money
White
Internet Texter 500
 
Blackberry Bold 9700 White 24 months contract
Texts Minutes Internet Handset Cost Monthly Cost  
5000 500anytimeany network 500MB £79 Was £25, now£20a month
 
Value for Money
Black
Internet Texter 900
 
Blackberry Bold 9700 24 months contract
Texts Minutes Internet Handset Cost Monthly Cost  
5000 900anytimeany network 500MB £79 £28a month
 
Value for Money
White
Internet Texter 900
 
Blackberry Bold 9700 White 24 months contract
Texts Minutes Internet Handset Cost Monthly Cost  
5000 900anytimeany network 500MB £79 £28a month
 

Our Blackberry Bold 9700 Review

Our first impression of the Blackberry Bold 9700 was that it has gone through a major diet. One can’t but miss the BlackBerry’s bulky figure that has been traded for a slim, compact frame. RIM’s latest handset stands out from their product line with its weight. We loved carrying around the Blackberry Bold 9700 as it fits nicely in our pocket and palm. The overall design of the handset is much more refined featuring chrome edges that give off a stylish vibe - appealing to both men and women.

Screen

The Blackberry Bold 9700 sports a 2.44-inch screen than is much smaller than its predecessors. At 2.75-inch, the BlackBerry screens were spectacular for viewing and texting. So naturally, we were a bit disappointed with the downgrade. To be fair, the screen still offers rich colours and crisp quality. We were able to text comfortably without any hassle.

User Interface

Moving on to the user interface department, the Blackberry Bold 9700 brings some distinct improvements. Such improvements are mainly centred on application usability such as drop-down menus for the calendar. The home screen is flexible and customizable with various background images and themes.

Keypad

The Blackberry Bold 9700’s keypad arrangement is somewhat similar to that of the BlackBerry Curve. The trackball navigator has been replaced by a neat optical trackpad that made our lives so much easier as we text and save appointments. Word has it that RIM will be adopting the trackpad for all future models – a great advantage for any BlackBerry lover. The standard QWERTY keyboard is a bit smaller and cramped compared to previous models. However, we didn’t have any trouble typing in an email or sending a quick message during a meeting.

Camera and Multimedia

We were glad to meet the newly upgraded 3.2 MP camera. The Blackberry Bold 9700 manages to shoot quality photos that perform even in poor lit areas. Under bright sunlight, the images were still clear and sharp. The camera definitely outmatches the performance of the 2 MP predecessor cameras.

In the multimedia department, the Blackberry Bold 9700 brings great audio and visual clarity. One neat addition is the background noise suppression technology that enabled us to listen to music in morning traffic. The media player supports common file formats in addition to WMA ProPlus, MPEG4, and H.264. We loved using our Blackberry Bold 9700 to listen to music as the audio quality was crisp and clean. Whether you’re running a Mac or PC, you can easily sync your library without any troubles. We synced with our tunes and managed to copy our audio collection successfully. It is worth mentioning that the Blackberry Bold 9700 comes with a 2GB card that gives plenty of storage space for files and images.

Connectivity and Battery Life

In the connectivity department, the Blackberry Bold 9700 is as versatile as ever. Equipped with 3G HSDPA, the handset is designed for rapid internet surfing. The Bluetooth technology is enhanced with support for different devices and profiles for easier file transfer. In addition, the BlackBerry Bold comes with GPS, A-GPS, and Wi-Fi support.

In terms of battery life, the Blackberry Bold 9700 is a performer. It exceeded our expectations and can go for a week without recharging.

What We Liked

We liked the Blackberry Bold 9700’s slim, compact design, sophisticated edges, and improved user interface.

What We Disliked

We disliked the Blackberry Bold 9700’s modest screen and keyboard size.

Our Final Verdict

The Blackberry Bold 9700 is a pure joy for anyone in love with RIM’s products. We loved texting and surfing the internet. If you’re looking for a bigger screen size, this handset is not the wisest choice. However, if you’re looking for a refined look and feel and overall performance, the Blackberry Bold 9700 is your handset.

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General

Form Factor Candybar
Dimensions 109 x 60 x 14.1 (mm)
Talk Time 360 mins
Standby Time 408 hours
Weight 122 g
Quad Band Yes

Photo and Video

Integrated Camera Yes
Camera 3.20 megapixels
Camera Flash Yes
Video Player Yes

Phone

Polyphonic Ringtones Yes
Integrated Keyboard Yes
Internal Memory 256MB
Memory Card Type MicroSD

Messaging

Instant Messaging (IM) Yes
Video Messaging Yes

Screen

Colour Screen Yes

Connectivity

3G Yes
Bluetooth Yes
Email Yes
HSDPA Yes
Web Browser Yes
Wi-Fi Yes
GPS Yes

Music and Radio

MP3 Player Yes
MP3 Ringtones Yes

Blackberry Bold 9700 Full Specification

General

Form Factor Candybar
Dimensions 109 x 60 x 14.1 (mm)
Talk Time 360 mins
Standby Time 408 hours
Weight 122 g
Quad Band Yes

Photo and Video

Integrated Camera Yes
Camera 3.20 megapixels
Camera Flash Yes
Video Player Yes

Phone

Polyphonic Ringtones Yes
Integrated Keyboard Yes
Internal Memory 256MB
Memory Card Type MicroSD

Messaging

Instant Messaging (IM) Yes
Video Messaging Yes

Screen

Colour Screen Yes

Connectivity

3G Yes
Bluetooth Yes
Email Yes
HSDPA Yes
Web Browser Yes
Wi-Fi Yes
GPS Yes

Music and Radio

MP3 Player Yes
MP3 Ringtones Yes

User Comments

I was a proud owner of a blackberry curve, but then switched to Bold 9700. I can say there's a drastic improvement in terms of usability. Love it so far! Will post more detailed review after a month or so.

Zoncil submitted on 7 January 2010
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