RIM has been courting general consumers for a long time, but not quite succeeding. In the meantime, more and more rivals have encroached on RIM's keyboard territory with stepped-up QWERTYs. What's a struggling device maker to do? Introduce the BlackBerry Torch 9850 for Sprint, of course, and try to beat all-touch smartphone makers at their own game.
Possessing a 3.7-inch WVGA display, the Torch 9850 is RIM's best and largest touch-screen BlackBerry to date. In addition to the sharp screen is a certain element of style that we appreciate, and the phone feels good in the hand.
With the signature keyboard out of the way, BlackBerry-maker RIM strives to hang tough with the Android crowd--and mostly succeeds. The specs are upper midrange, the price is fair, and the camera admirable. Its virtual keyboard also felt fairly accurate, and spell check and autosuggestions kept us honest (and understandable).
The BlackBerry Torch 9850 costs $149.99 with a new two-year contract, and will be available on August 21. Read all the pros and cons in our full review of the BlackBerry Torch 9850.
