Simon Hendery: BlackBerry's impressive Bold 9700 hard to beat as business tool

As a shameless BlackBerry fan, I get the impression I'm a member of a club that's suffering a membership decline as the iPhone makes inroads into corporate life.

IT managers have also traditionally been members of the BlackBerry fan club, because the brand delivered handsets engineered to be easily hooked up to corporate networks.

But a younger workforce is increasingly demanding the right to use their iPhone at work instead - and some not-so-young executives have also become fans of Apple's highly popular device.

The popularity of iPhone apps - the dinky downloadable programs that make the device seem more personal - and a growing reluctance to pay the email forwarding fees charged to connect BlackBerries are among the reasons the balance of power has shifted.

BlackBerry is still playing catch-up in the apps space, as are the software makers who are in the position to help it along.

It's ridiculous, for example, that business networking site LinkedIn doesn't offer its users a BlackBerry-specific interface to download, but has an iPhone app that works well on that device.

Strangely enough in this country it's also impossible to buy any of the many paid-for apps available through the BlackBerry online store. Only the free programs can be accessed.

Putting that aside, as a serious business tool for the busy business executive who couldn't possibly go as far as the toilet without losing access to their endless email stream, the latest BlackBerry - the Bold 9700 - is an impressive device that can't be beaten.

It is not a touchscreen device like the iPhone, instead having a qwerty keypad and an improved touch trackpad that makes navigation easier. Aside from saying it has a better camera than the iPhone, I will not attempt to compare apples with oranges.

If there isn't already, I'm sure there will soon be an iPhone app for tasering BlackBerry fanatics, and I don't want to be one of its early victims.

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion doesn't seem to be doing all it could to maintain market share in New Zealand.

There are only two models currently available via Vodafone: the 9700 and the similar-looking but cheaper 8520, which is less feature-packed but also very impressive.

Telecom is yet to even offer the 9700 on XT, although a source tells me it soon will. It is probably waiting until its network nightmares subside a little.

A Vodafone spokesman says more models will be available locally this year, although interestingly the company has decided not to stock the new version of the touch-screen model: the Storm.

Perhaps there's a feeling at Vodafone HQ that at least as far as top-end touch-screen phones go, the iPhone has won that war for now.

As for the wider executive phone market, I hope RIM ups its game in the local market before the iPhoners take over completely.

REVIEW
BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone

Price: $1099 from Vodafone
Good: The most feature-packed BlackBerry available
Bad: It's not an iPhone
Rating: * * * * 1/2 (out of 5)