Overall Rating 4.75/5
Appearance and functionality:
Very sleek and no eyesore to look at and it functions as good as it looks. What else is needed? Integration is awesome. Your personal email, GPS, internet radio, apps, facebook and other social sites, work email, Instant messaging (AIM, ICQ, BB messaging, Google talk MSN) are all in one place. Facebook notifications, IM notifications, email and other new messages can all be accessed though one folder where they are filed and visually separated. This completely eliminates jumping between applications to retrieve and reply various messages.
The phone has a regular 2.5 mm headphone jack and comes with stereo wired earpiece with mic. With free BB applications streaming music and even local FM stations are a click away.
Customization is also quite extraordinary, which is typical of BlackBerry. Anything can be customized from the number of beeps for incoming notifications to which calls (people) you wish to make exceptions for when the phone is in quite profile. In this case, the phone will ring for that number regardless.
One feature that does stand out is the hi-res screen. You may call it HD if you like. Videos are crisp and as sharp as ever. The speakerphone is also loud and sounds really crisp. No complaints.
If you are like me and a touch-screen phone isn't for you - you'll love the new BB. I cannot do with a touch-screen because I need a tactile keyboard that gives me feedback. Otherwise I'm typing all over the place on the touch-screen and it takes me longer because I have to backspace like every other input.
The only sole reason I didn't give this phone 5/5 is because of lack of 3G. While this is somewhat of a drawback, GPRS/EDGE is still fast enough and at home and other places I use Wi-Fi regardless.
