BlackBerry Torch 9860 Review

Research In Motion (RIM) has taken a baby-steps approach to entering the touchscreen smartphone market, with its first two attempts, the Storm and Storm 2, sporting clickable displays followed up by the Torch 9800 and 9810 with slideout keyboards. Now, though, we finally have a normal, all-touchscreen BlackBerry. And to an extent the softly, softly approach has worked. 

Firstly, let's establish what the BlackBerry 9860 isn't. It is not a super-slim designer handset, sporting as it does a thickness of 11.5mm. Neither is it a mega-screened behemoth, offering a modest 3.7in display and overall dimensions of 120 x 62mm. It's also not a speed demon thanks to its lack of a dual-core processor, and it only has a 5-megapixel camera. So, if you're looking for the biggest and best when it comes to specs, this isn't your phone. However, for the most part, it's a competent mid-range device. 

The styling nicely combines BlackBerry's signature chrome strip with its similarly trademark black elements, creating a curvy, ergonomic handset. The various flowing lines make for a device that sits very comfortably in the hand, unlike the angular harshness of the iPhone 4S for instance. Also helping is the soft-touch finish on the metal backplate of the BlackBerry Torch 9860, which not only feels nice but provides a secure grip as well. We do miss the carbon-fibre back of the Bold 9900 a little, but we'll happily take this more practical alternative. 

One downside of all these curves is that the screen has had to be made out of plastic. This makes it much less hardwearing (when it comes to scratches) than the glass panels of most alternatives. As such a case in an absolute must, and unlike on many other of its handsets, RIM doesn't provide one in the box. 

Another slight annoyance is how RIM continues to put the headphone jack on the side of its BlackBerrys, which makes it more difficult to pocket the device when you're listening (just as well our current earphones of choice, the ACS T15, sport an angled jack plug). Otherwise, the BlackBerry Torch 9860 does well on the hardware front. 

On the left edge is a microUSB socket for charging the phone and transferring files to and from it. The right edge houses that headphone jack, a shutter button for the camera and the volume rocker, while in between the rocker is a mute button too. All four of these buttons are a bit small and stiff so can be a little tricky to pinpoint but with a bit of practice you get the hang of how to recognise them unsighted.