BlackBerry Tour Cell Phone
IntroductionIt’s a well-known fact in BlackBerry land: CDMA users tend to get the shaft when it comes to new devices (with the exception of the Storm). While the GSM side was enjoying the Curve 8900, Bold, and OS 4.6, CDMA users were stuck with the Curve 8330, the ancient 8830 World Edition device, and an antiquated OS 4.5. Sure, the Pearl Flip 8230 landed on the scene last month, but despite the new design and OS 4.6, many overlooked it in hopes of a new QWERTY device.
Enter the BlackBerry Tour 9630, a much-needed update to an aging CDMA lineup of BlackBerry devices, and one that's exciting to boot. Verizon BlackBerry users will inevitably enjoy being able to catch up to their Bold and Curve 8900 toting friends with OS 4.7, a gorgeous screen, a comfortable keyboard, updated camera, and a refreshed design. But does the device deliver? As the official replacement to the BlackBerry 8830, is it a worthy addition to the lineup?
Design & Features
The Tour is a product of the design shift that, while seen on most of the new GSM devices, is new to the CDMA side (sans Storm). At first glance, the device looks like the offspring of the BlackBerry Bold and Curve 8900. With the keyboard and bottom lip resembling the Bold and the overall design resembling the Curve, it's clear that RIM wanted to take the best of both worlds and combine it into one device.
The back of the device is a design shift for RIM, and it came out well. The carbon fiber looks professional without being overly gaudy, and the rubberized shell provides traction while sitting on a table. A common complaint concerning the Tour centers around a potential wobble in the battery door; while we did experience a bit of play in our door, it wasn't any more than previous BlackBerry models we’ve tested.
The Tour measures in at 4.4 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by 0.6 inch thick and weighs 4.5 ounces. Though it weighs slightly more than the Curve (3.8 ounces), the added weight gives the phone a solid, more durable feel. The screen on the device is, in a word, gorgeous. Measuring in at 2.4-inches in size, it offers 65,536 colors at a 480x360-pixel resolution.
In unboxing the Tour, one can see that Verizon and RIM were generous in regards to included accessories. In the box, a USB cable, international travel charger with three included plugs, earbuds, and a leather holster. Additionally, the Tour comes with a 2 GB microSD card pre-installed in the device. We wish that RIM would include the premium in-ear headphones that come with the Bold (and only the Bold at this time), but the basic pair will suffice. Additionally, the Tour offers a SIM card slot with a pre-installed SIM card for international roaming.
The left side of the device houses the speaker and a customizable button, while the right side sports the 3.5mm headphone jack, volume rocker, another customizable button, and the microUSB charging port. The mute and lock buttons can be found on top of the device. One of our favorite things on the device was, without a doubt, the keyboard. The Tour's keyboard is a direct descendant of the BlackBerry Bold, and in short, we were very pleased. Though the Bold's keyboard is a bit easier to type on thanks to the device's wide size, the Tour comes in as a close second. The individual keys retain the tactile nature of the Curve, while the keyboard design is almost identical to the Bold. The curved nature of the keys made typing on the device relatively easy. We preferred the keys on the Tour over the separated keys of other BlackBerry devices, but the choice of separated versus non-separated keys are a personal choice, so we would recommend testing the keyboard prior to purchase.
Usability & Performance
The Tour is running a variant of OS 4.7, which is the same OS found on the BlackBerry Storm. A vast upgrade from OS 4.5 and other past builds; it offers the same polished appearance as seen on the Storm and sports minor design updates in various applications. As the replacement to the BlackBerry 8830, the Tour is a dual-mode device, meaning it supports CDMA in the United States and offers a SIM card slot for quad-band GSM roaming when traveling abroad. With the included Verizon SIM card, the Tour allows for the same number to be used around the world. According to Verizon, the device will allow for voice coverage in 220 countries and 3G data coverage in 175 countries, thanks to the Tour supporting the 2100MHz UMTS/HSDPA band. Individual rates vary depending on the country, and can be found on Verizon's website.
The Tour offers A-GPS and comes preloaded with BlackBerry Maps and VZ Navigator - though it costs $9.99 per month. Through the Application Center, users can also download V CAST Music with Rhapsody, V CAST Song ID, and VZW Tones. The Tour is also compatible with RIM's BlackBerry App World, offering numerous programs available for download.
The Tour's music player doesn't differ a great deal from BlackBerry's of the past. Offering a progress bar along with the option to shuffle, repeat, or add to playlist, it's relatively run of the mill. The speaker sounded great, though the actual speaker placement was a bit frustrating at times. When typing on the device, our natural way of holding the Tour placed the index finger over the speaker, resulting in a bit of training in order to break the habit. On the topic of the built-in speaker, speakerphone was decent; callers could hear us well, and we had no problems either.
Similar to the Storm and other devices churning out of the RIM factories at the moment, the Tour offers a 3.2 megapixel camera with 2x zoom. A noticeable improvement from the 2-megapixel camera found on the Curve, pictures taken came out well. There is a bit of a shutter lag, making it frustrating to take pictures of moving objects. The Tour can also record video, though they came out a bit grainy during testing.
We tested the Tour in the Charlotte area, and reception was very good. Callers couldn't tell that we were on a cell phone, and we were able to hear them well. We went to a fringe area, and were successful in making several test calls. The area that we were in is a typical dead spot for Verizon, and the Tour was able to maintain a signal, making it one of the better signal performers in the carrier's lineup.
For a CDMA device, the Tour's battery life is quite strong. Though estimated talk time is 5 hours, we were able to use the device continuously for just over 4 hours before it shut down. With moderate use, the device lasted about a day and a half, far short of the estimated (and often inflated) 14 hours promised by the manufacturer.
Conclusion
The Tour 9630 is a fantastic device, and is the best CDMA BlackBerry to date. Verizon and Sprint users will no doubt be pleased to own a device in the same league as their GSM friends. Strong signal strength, combined with good battery life and world capabilities will make this device a must-have for any business individual that travels on a regular basis. For those that text message or e-mail on a regular basis, be sure to check out the keyboard in the store, as it will be a love or hate item, depending on personal preference. For those that have always enjoyed the reliability and productivity accomplished while on a BlackBerry, the Tour certainly won’t disappoint.Read full review » Noah takes a look at Verizon's current lineup as of September 2009. In this video? Smartphones and rumors about new phones. Sprint's Tour is like Verizon's Tour, almost to a tee. Can you spot the differences? Noah will help, promise. Unboxing! BlackBerry Tour for Verizon. No WiFi, but still the best BlackBerry for Verizon. Full review from Noah from PhoneDog.com At long last the new generation of BlackBerry devices comes to Verizon. Tour 9630, a world phone, out of the box.
Sure, most Tour owners are anxiously awaiting an official OS 5.0 launch, but for now, OS 4.7 is where it's at. As of today, OS 4.7.1.61 is available for Verizon's BlackBerry Tour 9630 through their website and Desktop Manager (PC and Mac). Despite the relatively short amount of time online, reports are already streaming in about the build being faster overall.
For those of you with a Verizon-branded Tour, download it and...
After appearing on the website, complete with specs and a stock picture, US Cellular has gotten all official and launched the BlackBerry Tour 9630. With a 2.4-inch display, EVDO Rev. A, and a 3.2-megapixel camera, it can be had for $199.95 after a $70 mail-in rebate and a new two-year agreement. Because the Tour is a data device, US Cellular requires it to be on a $39.99 or higher monthly rate plan, as well as a $24.95 monthly data...
What's Good: Feels great in the hand and while talking; good build quality; doesn't hinder typing.What's Bad: Somewhat challenging to charge/sync while the case is installed.There's no doubt about it - OtterBox makes a great case, and thanks to the good folks at the company, I've had the privilege of spending the last week with the Commuter Case for the BlackBerry Tour. To be frank, I have never been a huge fan of cases. Typically,... It's a touch long in the tooth to Verizon and Sprint customers (particularly with the Bold 9700 launching in the coming weeks), but US Cellular customers have a new BlackBerry to be excited about. Hidden deep within the bowels of the carrier's website, a product specification page has popped up for the BlackBerry Tour. From the picture on the page, it looks like it's going to resemble the Sprint version (lighter chrome edges and a... Lots of BlackBerry news circulating around the internet this week. Don't worry, we're here to cover it for you!
BlackBerry Tour suffering from extensive trackball issues?When I purchased my first BlackBerry Tour on launch day, it was plagued with the now-infamous trackball issue. After exchanging it for a new one, I was ready to go. Despite seeing problems pop up all over the internet, my thought was that it was an issue... BlackBerry nerds will most likely agree with me here - great enjoyment comes from installing new BlackBerry OS builds, and finding improvements (and as with any beta build, bugs) over the old version(s). It doesn't matter if it's 15 improvements or 5; it's the thrill of the ride. That being said, OS 4.7.0.42 was leaked for the BlackBerry Tour 9630, and though the changes aren't yet known, I echo other BlackBerry users when... Pros: fast interface, ease of use, screen, keyboard, new smaller size, improved app memory, music player Cons: keyboard might be too small for some. Stock SD card is only 2 GB, but can be expanded to 32 GB Summary: I traded in my tough-to-text-on blackberry storm for the new tour and I haven't been happier with a phone. This phone epitomizes what RIM does best. The keyboard is great, the interface is snappy, the app memory issues are resolved. A big smaller and more refined than the bb bold. I want straight to verizon to return my newly-purchased storm and get this device. I love this device, you'll love it too. 6 out of 6 people found this review helpful The Moment is multi-touch my upgrade for verizon wireless has just ended. im really looking forward to getting my first blackberry which by all means is going to b the tour. Now that the droid has come out im kind of confused on which to get. Any suggestions? Sense UI on the Hero probably eats up all of that extra memory, making it a non-issue. Hey get them both! OR!!!!!! show her some new phones and see which one she likes, then wait and buy her the one she likes the most and fits her needs for christmas/birthday. tblack: Thanks so much for your post, YOU have really helped me make my decision. I just received my droid yesterday and today I am returning it for the tour! I mean the droid is cute, but I need a business phone, plus I am a heavy text messaging person and I can't dig the droids messaging capabilities. [quote user="gadgetshare"]Get the Droid, the Tour isn't as good as it sounds.[/quote]Yeah, i had 2 tours. The keyboard, is the best blackberry keyboard iv ever seen. If your looking for a business phone, get the tour. Great little productivity powerhouse. The droid, i hate it. I had it for 23 1/2 days. The keyboard sucks, ui is clunky and it freezes ALOT. The pros are it is FAST! Sos the web bowser. The tour has a quacomm 528, while the...
Seems the Bold 9700, however Is one of their biggest wins. Smartest move I've seen in a while.
Compact, lightweight and extremely versatile.
2 Hours more battery life, free 2GB MicroSD card, Higher resolution screen, trackpad, 3.2Megapixel camera.. All around smarter device by far sophisticated... Very happy I ordered one! Should arrive this week. Here are the feature comparisons vs http://competitiondemolit... old Bold vs new bold 9700.... It really depends on your taste of style, OS, etc... I'd go with the Droid, but that's just me. The Droid is awesome! I have the Tour right now and I also have the IPhone 3GS. I recently had the opportunity to play with the Droid and I love that thing. Once its officially released, I am replacing my Tour with the Droid. The screen is very responsive, and I love the keyboard. Hopefully you have small hands, because its kinda flat and small, but its still good!! Droid all the way!! i am trying to decide between these phones and the only reason i would choose the tour now that ive done research is if the droid keyboard makes a lot of mistakes due to its design. phone dog please help me. Buying choicesWith new service  with an U.S. Cellular plan from $219.95 with a Sprint PCS plan from $99.99 with an ALLTEL plan from $99.99 With pre-paid service This item is not being sold with a pre-paid service service plan by any online merchant. Purchase phone only Accessories Purchase compatible accessories for this phone Ringtones & MediaShop for compatible mobile content for this phone
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