BlackBerry Torch 9800 Hands-On Video : In the Flesh! First Impressions on Hardware

As promised, here's TP's short video of BlackBerry Torch 9800 in the flesh!



If you're wondering how BB Torch fits in the hand or how thick it is or how the QWERTY keypad looks like, here you go --



Here are my initial impressions on the construction of the smartphone;

1. Like every BlackBerry phone it succeeded, BB Torch's body feels very sturdy and is obviously well-made.

2. Like BB Bold 9700, Torch's keypad flaunts chrome frets (that separate the rows of keys) and its body has chrome edges. I think these metallic accents make the phone look more elegant - if a bit.

3. BB Torch has a very responsive navigation trackpad (just like what's found on BB Curve 8520, Curve 3G and Bold 9700).

4. Below the 3" capacitive touchscreen, you'll find the Call, Drop, BlackBerry and Back keys. These buttons aren't touch-sensitive.

5. Torch's slide mechanism feels springy and sturdy. The screen closes perfectly in place like there's magnet locking it the body.

6. The back of the device or - specifically - the battery cover has this matte rubbery finish with rows of corrugated imprints. It resists fingerprints all while looking quite nice.

I didn't really get the chance to play with BlackBerry 6 OS that much during the event. As such, I'll just save my review of the platform until after I've had an immersive experience with it via a review unit.

That's it for now.