RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630 Review
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but there is also a variant for Sprint - check it out here.
Introduction:
The Bold took BlackBerry devices to a new design level, and CDMA users have been wanton for their own version since it was first announced. RIM did one better and gave them the BlackBerry Tour 9630. A beautiful blend of the Bold and Storm, the Tour packs some goodies under the hood too such as worldwide connectivity thanks to the quad-band GSM radio. Other amenities include a gorgeous HVGA (480x360) display, 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, microSDHC expansion and EVDO Rev. A connectivity. The Tour is the first non-touchscreen BlackBerry with OS 4.7, a version previously reserved for the Storm. Included in the box you’ll find:
• AC charger with international adapter
• microUSB cable
• Leather holster with swivel clip
• Stereo headphones
• 2GB microSD card
Design:
The RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630 looks and feels great, there are no two ways about it. It borrows heavily from the Curve 8900, which itself borrows from the Bold and Storm. The materials are better than the Curve though, as we would expect from a higher end device. From the front they look very similar, but there are definite differences. For starters, the keypad is styled like the Bold, with the keys butting up against each other and the arching flare to the left or right. The trim around the Tour is less pronounced at the bottom as well.
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The RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630 looks and feels great | ||
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You can compare the RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.
The Tour is 1-3mm bigger in every dimension too, but remains significantly smaller than the Bold. While a few millimeters may not sound like much, the added size is noticeable and we prefer the feel of the 8900 still. That said, the keyboard may not be as good if you shave those 2mm off the Tour. As always, RIM has to play with form versus function, and we can’t blame them for anything on this design.
The keyboard is the best we’ve ever used. It is soft without being mushy, the spacing is near perfect and the key size should please even those with fat fingers. RIM keeps setting the bar higher and higher with every new device they release (as long as they keep “Sure-” out of the name.) The black trackball is a nice design touch; it fits with the black housing and dark chrome trim much better than a white one would have. The navigation keys are just as pleasant to use as the QWERTY.
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The QWERTY keyboard of RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630 is near perfect | ||
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The soft touch coated and hard plastic battery door variants | |
Along the sides you’ll find the traditional RIM ports and keys. The left simply houses the convenience key and speaker, whereas the right has its own key to go along with the volume rocker, microUSB port and 3.5mm headset jack. The sides are coated in soft touch paint, which wraps around and partially covers the back as well…we think. As you’ll read later we got a second unit, and on this one the entire battery door was hard, shiny plastic. We much prefer the soft touch version. Like the Storm and Curve 8900 before it, the display housing extends to the top of the Tour 9630, housing a flush mute and lock key.
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Left side | Top |
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Right side | |
The battery door was a bit tricky to remove the first time since- unlike other RIM devices- it extends all the way down to the bottom of the phone. It is simply a familiarity issue, and once you figure it out its easy as pie. Behind it you’ll find the battery, SIM and microSD card, which takes an act of God to get out. The door design is much nicer than the faux-brushed aluminum found on the 8900. The middle has a deep black carbon fiber-esque pattern to it, which meets the unpatterned black camera housing at the top. The 3.2 megapixel camera is accompanied by an LED flash above it.
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By feel alone if it weren’t for the Curve 8900 this might be our favorite BlackBerry design. We prefer the back of the 9630 and it’s toned down trim, but the 8900 just fits better in our hands. If it comes down to form or function though, we’ll choose function every time. The phenomenal keyboard makes up for the added size, and right now this is the standard. We have to admit, we wish the rumors of a touchscreen would have been true though, as it would have put the RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630 on a new plateau.
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34 Comments
1. jsb posted on 20 Oct 2010, 01:55 0 0
One question? I was told the Tour has a "to" box on the same page as the text for sms messages? So it won't be like the 8330 where it brings you to the contact list first. Is this true?
17. Scout posted on 13 Jul 2009, 10:37 0 0
Yeah its true.. its pretty nice actually just start typing that persons name and it bring it right up.
2. PL007 posted on 08 Jul 2009, 08:45 0 0
Its still Amazing how devices advance in certain areas like screen resolution, size, thickness, OS but call quality is still an issue. Early Smartphones I can see because the technology may not have been there to improve the quality. Today in 2009 GOING ON 2010 how is piss poor, Wax paper sounding call quality still an issue. It's just RIM, there are others too who still do not offer good quality. I know quality is different from user to user but how would someone buy this smartphone after reading this review? Any minor thought I MIGHT of had of buying the TOUR is done! Next time RIM, next time.
24. chester162 posted on 18 Jul 2009, 08:24 0 0
You tell me a smartphone that is perfect...I know that Iphone has many a issue and also Palm Pre as well and they are some of the top if not the top cell phones going right now. I still have to give it to RIM cause they are great if they weren't so great then you wouldn't have companies like Motorola, Samsung, LG, and HTC mimic the like of RIM. I personally think that it all depends on the carrier time of day etc...I mean there are a lot of factors that go into it. You should go and try it out for your self it might not be as bad as stated actually it really not that bad cause when a phone gets a 8 out of 10 I think your doing pretty darn good. O and to answer your question who would buy this phone after reading this review my wife and I would (right now I have a HTC Mogul and my wife has a Palm Centro both on Sprint).
25. PL007 posted on 20 Jul 2009, 11:59 0 0
There is no perfect smartphone, never said or implied we should have one. My comment was on call quality, not on the overall aspect of this phone. You must be RIM fan because I see I struck a nerve. You believe smartphones are the best cell phones going today, great. In my experience, if I needed to use it as a phone, I can find some regular dumbphones that have better call quality than a smartphone. The score is very good for a smartphone overall but I look at areas it was reviewed that are important to me. Will I try to this phone, probably because I should give it a try in a store. And yes I am aware of the factors that go into call quality. You can make excuses for RIM, Motorola, LG, Samsung, Apple, etc.... I don't. I am very harsh as they make advancements in OS, display, connectivity, style but nothhing on call quality. I have not seen or heard any smartphone to stand out in that area as the years go on. We are going on 2010 and smartphone designs and OS UI in them are becoming very appealing. So far, as a phone, not very consistant in this category.
28. remixfa posted on 30 Jul 2009, 11:54 0 0
like any phone give it a month or 3 for the initial bugs to be worked out. im sure its just a simple manufacturing defect. it happens. give it a few months then get one, or pay the price for being an early adopter (like me, but i cant help it :) )
3. bigfanboyred posted on 08 Jul 2009, 10:06 0 0
i also read the review on another site, they had said that the quality of the call was "great". and being on vzw which has the best coverage, they didnt drop a call and quality of the call was "clear"... dont know what to think. also, i know that bb will be coming out with bb os 5.0... and then IT WILL BE A 10! j/k.
7. mr. anderson posted on 08 Jul 2009, 13:29 0 0
except that they said it was just fine with their 8230, but way to read the article legion I believe the review fanboy is talking about is bgr, which doesn't seem to even try and hide their bias anymore. that site has fallen so far, it's almost bad as phonenews
10. VDubb posted on 09 Jul 2009, 11:52 0 0
If you're talking about the BoyGenius review, he's a walking advertisement for VZW. The actual review was nothing more than an ad for Verizon featuring the Tour. :P - VDubb
11. legionsreturn (unregistered) posted on 09 Jul 2009, 13:01 0 0
Right, and you are far more credible. - LEGION
18. Scout posted on 13 Jul 2009, 10:42 0 0
I got the tour yesterday and I have dropped 2 calls in areas that I have never dropped before.. A few other issues that I have is I can not set blackberry shortcuts on my home screen, everytime I download the ESPN blackberry shortcut (which worked excellent on my 8330) and go to use it it tells me "The protocol specified is not supported by the handheld please try a diff. URL" WTF is that about?
5. cakruser posted on 08 Jul 2009, 12:25 0 0
I concur with PL007. Have manufacturers lost sight of the fact that, first and foremost, a phone must be a good, well, PHONE? Some of these reviews got so lost in a millimeter-by-millimeter analysis of the camera that call quality never even gets mentioned. How can PA give the Tour and 8 out of 10 yet tell us the call quality stinks?
6. glazey posted on 08 Jul 2009, 13:17 0 0
Just debating if i should jump from my storm to the tour......PA seems to think that its not worth anyone upgrading unless you have a pearl.
8. WHoSuRDaDDy posted on 08 Jul 2009, 20:05 0 0
Just to make it clear to everybody, the retail version of the Tour that will be coming with the 2gb memory card in the box is the no camera version. The version with camera wont come with the 2gb memory card.
14. BigRed83 posted on 11 Jul 2009, 18:28 0 0
I think you have that backward. The camera version has the SD card, the non-camera does without
31. chupum posted on 09 Oct 2009, 17:41 0 0
Just letting Daddy know, I bought the BB Tour w/camera, and it came with a 2Gb card. It doesn't have WiFi... Why the heck not???? I wonder if connecting to websites would be better if I had WiFi in those places that actually had a WiFi signal, rather than relying on 3G 100% of the time. But that's really my only complaint... Oh, does anyone else have issues with screen resolution when you go to a youtube video???
9. markemark posted on 08 Jul 2009, 22:16 0 0
Why don't you people walk into a store on Sunday and test one out. Every other review Ive read said it's well built, great camera, outstanding battery and awesome sound quality both ways. Why let this one site (obvious ATT/iPhone bias site at that) change your mind. All the hype this phone has gotten, all the good previews/reviews have to say something.
12. markemark posted on 10 Jul 2009, 15:35 0 0
So I went to my store today to check one out. After spending some time with it I agree with the review. The sound is a bit off. The trackball is weird. It seems to almost stick a bit, very hard to explain. After I changed the sensitivity to 90, it was better. It is extremely fast, very responsive. The spell check feature rules. I doubt you guys care what I have to say, but I had to back up phone arena on this, they were right. I bought mine though lol. http://img30.imageshack.us/i/0710091239.jpg/
13. johnfraiser posted on 11 Jul 2009, 17:28 0 0
markemark, I highly doubt that you are telling the truth. First of all, the phone isn't hitting stores in the US until July 12th and your writing on the 10th like you went down to your local phone store and there it was! No way. There are test versions out there, but only dealers and reps have them, they are not for sale. Second of all, I don't generally believe someone when they already start with a phrase like "I doubt you guys care what I have to say..." or "You're not going to believe this..." In my experience, what follows these statements is generally bulls**t.
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