Sprint BlackBerry Style 9670 hands on

By on Oct 22, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Exclusive October 22, 2010

As you can clearly see, no, we didn’t snag the royal purple BlackBerry Style, but Sprint and RIM were nice enough to hook us up with a steel grey (also known as black) unit, and we’re up and running. After a quick Enterprise Activation, the emails are flowing like wine. But there are no beautiful women instinctively flocking like the salmon of Capistrano — yet. Here are some of our first impressions on the device we exclusively showed the world way back in April:

  • It’s not as big as we figured it would be. The BlackBerry Style is a little thick, but not overly hefty, and definitely manageable.
  • The keyboard is… not as great as we hoped, and expected, it to be. It’s good, more than usable, but it feels a bit like the Torch’s keyboard — not enough travel tactility. Maybe we’re spoiled by our Bold 9780, but even though the keyboard isn’t as good, it’s most probably better than your current phone’s QWERTY keyboard, so that’s a plus.
  • The screen is just what you’d expect; you don’t really notice the fact it’s a lower-than-optimal resolution due to the fact that the screen size is much smaller than on the BlackBerry Torch. Also without a touch layer, the display looks a little thinner and sleeker. Colors look good, crisp, and clear.
  • The external display by default when closed is a clock, and when you receive messages, you can simply page through them without having to open the handset, just like on the Pearl Flip. Definitely a nice feature.
  • Here is what we’re not in love with in our limited time with the Style… talking on the phone. With the device flipped open, the ear speaker doesn’t fit right against your ear and face. It’s on a diagonal angle because the phone’s hinge sits under the body of the phone. For example, instead of the hinge forming a straight V-shape, the flip part sits under the main part of the phone, and this recessed hinge design doesn’t offer the most comfortable phone talking experience. We’ll let you know if we get used to talking on it more in our review.
  • The camera is pretty decent, seems as if it’s the same sensor as the one in the BlackBerry Torch and the BlackBerry Bold 9780.
  • There is a non-button in place of the left convenience  key button and it’s kind of irritating. Not because there is anything wrong with it, but because it looks like a button would work there, and you’re left with only the right convenience key as a result. [Update: it's the cover for the microSD slot]

All in all, for a $99 (with contract) BlackBerry smartphone rocking 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, a 5 megapixel camera, BlackBerry OS 6, a QWERTY keyboard, and more, it does feel like an improvement over the Curve series in many ways. Especially for the younger, hipper demographic, the BlackBerry Style doesn’t feel too much out of place in that context. We just wish Sprint and RIM would have launched a slightly less expensive BlackBerry data plan (just email and BBM) with the Style — those high schoolers, and their parents, wouldn’t be able to resist the new 9670. It goes on sale October 31st on Sprint.

Click on over to our BlackBerry Style 9670 hands on gallery!

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  • Max

    Downrank this all you want, BBTards. Your phones are straight out of the early 90′s. Your data compression that you claim is ‘so efficient’ leads you to the worst looking web experience in all of phonedom. You media experience is pathetic. All your stupid BB toy is good for is email which every other phone does. Most of your morons (read 99.9999%) need no sort of extra layer of security and point of fact, your work phone is a BB handed out to you and is secure. You’re a tech moron. You have no capacity to learn a more complex and useful phone. Period.

    • Samuel

      you can’t claim someone is an idiot… the best product is the most user-friendly product that even an idiot can operate it.

      and this phone has 3G, WiFi, GPS, push-email, an awesome physical keyboard, so please go back in time and find an early 90′s mobile phone has these… or do they have mobile phone back then? probably only the Motorola DynaTAC, what does it have?

      the browser in OS 6.0 is a webkit browser, the same as what Android/Apple use.. so what’s your point??

      as i can see, all your arguments are invalid

      • i told you so .com

        wrong BB is done, the 06 is a joke and dont you ever ever in your little life compare this to Android or Apple again got it. Your the idiot BB’s have been done for years, nobody but old people want these things, and soon (as you can see Apple past them already) every company will be passing them. Even there attempt at a tablet lolololo bottom line that coach should have been thrown that PLAYBOOK out the window.

      • Ally

        I’m literally laughing. “Nobody but old people want these things”

        Are you serious? I’m pretty sure that everyone from my high school wants or has a blackberry, and every single high school in northern jersey is like that. Affluent teenagers will always want BBs, so that makes your ‘old people’ point moot and invalid.

        Also, I’m pretty sure that 90% of young celebrities have blackberries, and they don’t qualify as “old people” right?

      • DRUMMABOI

        he dont know what he’s talkin bout almost all celebrities have blackberrys…Tere business phones that can handle messages very well..Text and messaging on a BB is better then any other phone…

      • Mitch

        @ Ally

        I am literally laughing too, at your moronic comment. Since when do HS kids know when ANYTHING is good?

        Kids buy something because it is popular and “cool” so they can fit in, not because it is a good product. Abercrombie and American Eagle were also very popular and the quality of their clothes were barely better than what could be purchased at Target.

        BB phones are garbage. I have a Tour, and have owned three other RIM devices and hated every single one. If my company didn’t foot my phone bill, I’d without a doubt have a different phone.

        What a moronic and unresearched point.

      • pedro taveras

        im from dominican republic and the 90% of the people that lives in DR has a blackberry, including: kids, teenagers, and adults. Here when u meet someone and u want to stay intouch with them they ask u for ur bbpin not for ur cell phone number or email.

      • Creighton

        What a lame comment obviously another Iphone fanboy. Im 34 if you consider that “old” and cant wait to get this! It looks sleek and awesome and is packed with features. I think various ages will like this. I hope it proves the naysayers like you wrong and marks the landmark return for the flip just because you wanna pocket a 5inch touchscreen brick not everyone does! I actually wouldn’t care to be honest that much who made this if you like a sleek flip with apps,wifi,Full qwerty,good camera with flash,fast3g, then whats not to like??

    • Anonymous

      Instead of dissing this phone why not give some specs of a phone that can actually compete with it. And so help me if you say iphone

    • i told you so .com

      well said

    • Jake

      Mark Zuckerberg is a religious blackberry user. I wouldn’t call him a “tech moron”, I’d call him a Harvard-educated billionaire, a lucrative (understatement) and skilled programmer, but not a “moron”.

      The fact that you felt the need to post your little diatribe proves that the only moron is you.

  • Bob

    Looks great to me!

  • Jeff

    “salmon of Capistrano”?

  • …BobC

    Less expensive data plan? What do you mean? If a customer has a $1500 minute family plan with two phones the difference in the price of with data and without data is only $15 per phone. If they have have 3 phones on the same plan and the Style is the third plan the price of data on that phone is $10.00. This includes GPS navigation, Sprint TV and Radio, email and unlimited data. I don’t think anyone other carrier’s Blackberry plans are anywhere near that inexpensive with that many features.

    • Creighton

      Exactly! on Sprint I keep the same best plan I already have. The Everything Data 69.99 less with my work discount too :)

  • Creighton

    I am more and more stoked to get this. It is looking even more sleek and stylish. Awesome with awesome features!!!

    • Mitch

      Sleek and stylish?

      Awesome features?!

      HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

      Even lower end smartphones have this abysmal piece of garbage outclassed. This is coming from a current BB owner. I absolutely HATE my Tour.

      • Creighton

        Thats your opinion because you don’t like the clamshell form. This is a first! apps,wifi,Full qwerty fast3g, good camera with flash. In this form which if you check dimensions is not much bigger then the Lotus Elite or Moto Rambler which both hold there own in the marketplace. & it looks good to me and im sure others as well. To each there own right there are enough slab phones out.

      • Creighton

        Oh and of course the new OS which looks way better and alot will like the trackpad better too!

  • Erika

    I personally do NOT like the style. Flip phones were really hot in the 90′s. No offense to anyone, but I see this phone being purchased by people younger than 25 and older than 50. The younger crowd may appreciate it b/c they didn’t own cell phones when flips first came out….and the old crown may appreciate it b/c they miss their old flip phone. :)

    Using the Torch as a quick example: Yes, slider phones are not new; however, the touch screen makes the style more current. On a more serious note, I’m sure the phone will sell but it may not sell as well as a non-flip phone or touch screen phones. Also, no one is going to switch from their current network to Sprint just for this phone. Sprint may have been able to convert customers over to their network with Blackberry device that was not a flip OR that had a touch screen.

    • Erika

      In addition: I used to have a BB but switched to the iPhone and I’m DYING for Sprint to come out with something hot so I can ditch Steve Jobs and ditch AT&T… Hopefully BB will make something for Sprint that resembles a Torch or Storm (3).

      • Creighton

        Well good reviews are starting to come in this one closed with this If you like the clamshell design and you want a messaging phone that can do more, the Style is a solid choice for $99. With its relatively snappy performance and a good camera, this device is one of the best mid-range offerings on Sprint. In fact, in some ways the Style is more satisfying than the $199 Torch on AT&T (because you don’t have to contend with a sluggish touch interface.)

        Read more: http://www.laptopmag.com/review/cellphones/blackberry-style-9670.aspx?page=4#ixzz13WAwPLMs

    • Creighton

      Ps I just love lol how everyone classifies by age or male female etc. Im a 34 year old male and have been stoked to & can’t wait to get this as my next phone in just a few days. I think people should give it a chance unless you just really hate a flip or HAVE to have a touchscreen. This phone could make this “old” form factor New Again!!

      • Erika

        Thanks for your response! Yeah, I’m just very anti-flip phone plus I’m too used to having a larger screen. I love new phones (in general) so I’m sure I’ll go play with it in the store regardless just to see it in person… Have fun with your phone though.

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