Let me start by saying I’ve never been a fan of Research In Motion’s (RIM) Blackberry devices. For me, they were too “corporate” and lacked personality. So, when RIM hit the market with the Blackberry Storm (their first touch screen device) I admitteldly was eager to see if it was finally going to address that lack-of-cool-points dilemma for me. Unfortunately, it didn’t. With a clunky full screen that moved in its entirety regardless of where the screen was pressed, my original sentiments with Blackberry devices remained. That is until I had a chance to spend some time with Verizon’s Blackberry Tour.
The Tour is a true workhorse. Setting up my personal and corporate e-mail accounts took less than 15 minutes; the relatively sleek compact design is great for slipping into any number of pockets from jeans to silk suits without feeling bulky. My devices of choice are typically touch screens, but the Tour’s intuitive design allowed me to get accustomed to this non-touch screen device without feeling as if I was missing out on anything and in some instances the non-touch screen was preferred.
Keeping up with your social networking fix is a breeze thanks to the available Facebook, MySpace, Flickr and other such apps. Combine this functionality with the 3.2 megapixel camera and a full QWERTY keyboard, and this phone is complete. Its design and slightly concaved keys made typing quick and easy. I’ve actually never used a device that I’ve enjoyed typing on as much as I did with the Tour.
My primary disappointement with this device is the trackball. Too often I had to repeatedly spin the mini-track ball in order to position or reposition my cursor or to simply select a function – a problem that needs to be addressed in upcoming devices.
Does the Tour, however, provide enough cool points for the trendy jet-setter/tastemaker professional while providing the necessary functionality to keep today’s movers and shakers moving? In a word. Yes.
For more info visit: verizonwireless.com
