ET Review: BlackBerry 9720

NEW DELHI: After the high-end BlackBerry 10 devices, BlackBerry has launched the 9720 — a mid range device with the older BlackBerry 7.1 OS.

It has a 2.8-inch touchscreen and the device is roughly the same size as the BlackBerry Bold 4. The display has a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels — the icons and text seem sharp, but, individual pixels are visible on close inspection.

The keypad has ample space in between the keys and is comfortable to type on. An optical trackpad and standard BlackBerry buttons are also present if you don’t want to use the touchscreen. We feel that the plastic keys might be a turn off for those planning to upgrade from a Bold.

The phone's OS 7.1 has several new additions inspired by the BlackBerry 10 OS. You can swipe up on the touchscreen to unlock the device. A multicast feature lets you share updates to BBM, Twitter and Facebook simultaneously while BBM voice lets you make voice calls over 3G or WiFi. Performance is great with the 806Mhz processor and 512MB RAM. The internal 512MB storage

feels very limited though you can expand it (up to 32GB micro SD cards are supported). The 5MP camera takes above average photos in ample light — good for sharing on social networks. The lack of a front camera is disappointing. The 1,450mAh battery easily lasts a full day with data — much better than what the Curve series offers.

We felt that a big advantage of the 9720 is that it looks premium without costing as much as the BB10 devices. If you decide to go with Android, you can spend less and get a phone with better specifications and larger display ( Samsung's Galaxy Core).