Smaller, Thiner, Faster, Stronger. These are all desirable traits in a mobile phone, right?

That was the logic in Research in Motion’s development of the successor to the Bold 9000, the Bold 9700. But has the upgrade achieved it’s goal of making the next best thing?

We put them head to head in a Battle of the BlackBerry Bolds to test their mettle.

The Bold 9000 made waves when it first arrived on the scene because it was the first 3G/ HSDPA capable phone from the company. 3G is more or less a smartphone standard at this point, so this feature is less impressive considering the contemporary market landscape.

However one marked improvement, which has stood the test of time, is the notably more negotiable keyboard for people with fingertips larger than pencil points. 

This feature helped reduce the typos and user frustration that were associated with previous RIM BlackBerry projects.

Size, Weight, and Build Quality:
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is smaller, lighter and more technologically advanced than the 9000. What is not to love? At 122g, the Bold 9700 weighs a little over half as much as the 9000 which weighs in at 133g, and in a package with slightly smaller dimensions (the 9700 manages to shave a few millimetres off of each dimension).

The pleather battery cover for the previous BlackBerry remains, but it is an understated revised version which sits dutifully round back. Overall, the updated version of the Bold wins on it’s chassis size, lean weight and overall feel.

The Camera:
The Bold 9000 has a 2-megapixel camera, which was underwhelming even at the time. It delivers tolerably clear pictures and incorporates a competent flash function.

It can record reasonable video as well, although only if there is enough memory space. In the case that there is not enough space, a micro-SD card can be implemented.

These images are all fine for MMS to friends, but don’t expect to be floored if you upload them to your computer. The Bold 9700 has a 3.2-megapixel camera, also equipped with video and with flash, which when compared to today’s standard of 5, 8, or even 12-megapixel cameras doesn’t seem like much, but again, it does the trick so to speak. Its most notable improvement is the addition of an auto-focus feature.
           
The Screen:
The Bold 9000 has a 480x320 pixel screen, equipped with light sensing. This screen is a brilliant one, without a doubt, but the newer BlackBerry comes with a screen full of 480x360 pixels. This is only a small change that doesn’t make much of a difference outside a media viewing context. Both screens are competent, if not exceedingly so.

TrackBall vs. TrackPad
Everyone knows the famous BlackBerry trackball. It has been a staple navigation tool of the company for some time now.

Continuing the theme of upgrading and improving, BlackBerry has installed a new trackpad in lieu of the trackball. This is a step forward for BlackBerry, bringing a trendy touch element to the phone.

There have been reports of a creaking noise when users navigate with the pad, but it has been said on forums that with continued use the noise dissipates.
           
The Battery:
The battery life on the Bold 9000 was deplorable, due predominantly to the 3G capability consuming the power like a Hummer on a highway. Users could expect only a few hours of use before needing to charge again.

The Bold 9700 addresses this issue effectively and will generally allow users at the very least a day, typically longer, without being moored to a socket. This is a significant improvement that does not go unnoticed.

Design Features:
Like all upgrades, the new Bold’s design aspects have been streamlined and tweaked to update its look and feel. BlackBerry has gone about this remodelling with a candid and class touch. The 9700 has a more modern look than the original Bold, with sharper lines and a sleek black finish.

The 9000’s slightly larger chassis sports slick and shiny chrome accents around the edges, highlighting the phone’s soft lines. These accents come on the 9700 as well, but they are considerably less gaudy.

One interesting side note is that we’ve found one notable drawback to the redesign of the Bold. The 9700’s keyboard is smaller, which makes typing a little more difficult. Moreover, the designated number keys on the full Qwerty pad are no longer distinguished by red characters. This design flaw takes a little getting used to when first using the phone.

Browser:
The original BlackBerry Bold came out and utilised many features that previous RIM phones did not. Features like WiFi capability and HSDPA made the Bold an appealing handset to the business consumers that BlackBerry targets.

With the addition of these features, the mobile internet browser was put to serious use. It rapidly became apparent that this browser was just not up to the task of loading complex web pages.

Although it came with a competent processor, web browsing was fickle and lagged at times.

With the BlackBerry 9700 came a new, more powerful processor, that proved to be a semi-effective remedy to this firmware folly. The Bold 9700 still can’t perform like we’d like it to, but there are noticeable improvements in performance when browsing.

Verdict:
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 marks a serious improvement over its predecessor in almost all aspects. It is smaller, sleeker, stronger, and has better stamina. For legions of “Crack-Berry” addicts this handset makes good on RIM’s development reputation of quality and innovation.

The BlackBerry Bold 9000 was a great phone for RIM and was fielded well by the press and consumers alike, but as we seen so many times before, it was eventually eclipsed by the new thing, the next thing, or the better thing. The good news in this story is that the replacement handset is a winner. The Bold 9700 has great battery life, a sparkling screen, and a good brain - all in a smaller, sleeker package. We call that a win. 

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