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Review: BlackBerry Bold 9700

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Apps World

All BlackBerrys now have access to RIM's own apps store. Apps World may not have the 100,000 applications that the iPhone Apps store does, nor even the 12,000 apps that the Android Market has, but it still has more than enough to appease most users of the 9700. What's more, the BlackBerry platform is supported by a wide array of software from third parties such as Google that can be downloaded directly from those companies. Either way, the 9700 lets you get your apps on, no problemo.

Bluetooth

The 9700 supports most Bluetooth profiles that are out there. Pairing with mono and stereo headsets, other phones and PCs was an absolute breeze. Calls sounded good through mono headsets and music sounded OK through stereo headphones.

Clock

BlackBerries have a really nice analog clock that takes up nearly the entire screen. Too bad that's not the default "sleep mode" screen. You have to manually select the clock to see it. If the device falls asleep when the clock is open, you'll see the time nice and big when you wake the 9700 up. During most regular use, you're stuck with the smaller digital read-out that's at the top of the screen.

Alternately, you can set the 9700 in "bedside mode". This essentially assumes that you're going to place the 9700 on a nightstand within arms reach when you're in bed. It will show the clock and let you interact with the alarm. Bedside mode can also be activated when the 9700 is charging, which means the clock is visible any time it is plugged in.

GPS

The 9700 has GPS and comes preloaded with BlackBerry Maps or you can choose to download Google Maps. The latest version of Google Maps is really robust and offers a lot of features, such as traffic layers, MyLocation, good driving directions, etc.

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BlackBerry Bold 9700

2.4" display 480 x 360 pixels
1,500 mAh battery
Memory Card Slot, Hardware Text Keyboard, Headphone Jack (3.5mm)

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