Anyway, my work provided me with a new Blackberry Bold for some experimentation. I handed in my 8820 in trade, and that model is what I’m comparing the Bold against. So far, I have no complaints at all (which is kind of a new one for me…)

The 3G speed is very good, and noticably faster than EDGE speeds I got with the 8820. While it has pretty much the same form factor as the 8820, the keyboard is slightly larger, but I’ve found it MUCH easier to type with. The keys feel much nicer, and th feedback feels better too.

The resolution has also increased from 320×240 to 480×320 – it’s a beautiful display for email and browsing, and the Blackberry version of Google Apps really looks great. I am not a huge fan of the new icon look, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it over time.

Speaking of browsing, the speed and high-resolution of the device have definitely increased its usability as a mobile internet access device. It’s no iPhone, but it’s a far superior experience than the 8820′s.

Corporate policy has the camera disabled, so I can’t comment on this feature’s performance. No big loss, but it would be neat to be able to snap some pictures occasionally.

Other improvements are subtle, but appreciated. The USB port has been deepened, and cable plugs no longer hang out by an 1/8" or so. I think this snug fit will save a few repairs (I had to have two 8820′s replaced due to this flaw). The MicroSD port is externally accessible now, so it’s no longer necessary to take off the rear battery cover to insert or remove your media card. Also, the headphone jack is now a standard 3.5mm one instead of the 2.5mm on the Blackberry.

 I’m going to be exploring the tethering capability soon, and will report my findings – hopefully it’ll work on my Macbook Air.