BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900

The Evolution of Blackberry: A Look Back at the Bold Touch 9900

In the fast-paced world of smartphones, it can be easy to forget about the devices that paved the way for our modern devices. One such device is the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900, which was released back in 2011. This iconic smartphone was a game-changer for BlackBerry, offering users a sleek design and advanced features that were ahead of its time. In this article, we will take a deep dive into the Bold Touch 9900 and see how it helped shape the evolution of BlackBerry.

The Launch

The BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 was announced in May of 2011 and was released just a few months later in August. Back then, this was a highly anticipated release as BlackBerry was a leader in the smartphone industry and had a strong following. The Bold Touch 9900 was the successor to the hugely popular BlackBerry Bold 9780 and was expected to be even more advanced and impressive.

Status: Discontinued

Unfortunately, despite the high expectations, the Bold Touch 9900 did not meet the sales figures BlackBerry had hoped for. As a result, it was officially discontinued in favor of newer devices. This meant that the device is no longer sold by BlackBerry or its retailers. However, it remains a popular device among BlackBerry enthusiasts and can still be found on the second-hand market.

Platform

The Bold Touch 9900 was powered by the BlackBerry OS 7.0. This operating system was designed specifically for BlackBerry devices and offered advanced features and enhanced security. The highlight of the OS was its smooth and efficient user interface, making multitasking a breeze. In addition, the Bold Touch 9900 was equipped with a powerful 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, making it one of the fastest smartphones of its time.

Memory

For its time, the Bold Touch 9900 had decent memory specs. It offered 8GB of internal storage and 768MB of RAM. While the storage may seem limited now, it was decent back in 2011 when cloud storage and streaming services were not as prevalent. For most users, this was enough to store their essential apps and media without the need for additional storage. However, for those who needed more space, the device had a dedicated microSD slot for expandable storage.

Display

The Bold Touch 9900 was one of the first BlackBerry devices to feature a touchscreen display. It had a 2.8-inch TFT screen with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. While these specs may seem underwhelming compared to modern smartphones, the display was of high quality and provided a sharp and vibrant viewing experience. The 4:3 aspect ratio was also unique at the time and allowed for comfortable viewing of emails and documents.

Body

The Bold Touch 9900 had a stylish and professional design, typical of BlackBerry devices. With dimensions of 115 x 66 x 10.5 mm, it was relatively compact, making it easy to carry around. It also had a QWERTY keyboard, which was a signature feature of BlackBerry devices. This keyboard was loved by many for its tactile feedback and ease of use. The device also had a mini-SIM slot and was available in classic black and white color options.

Camera

The Bold Touch 9900 was equipped with a single 5 MP rear camera, which was decent for its time. It also had an LED flash, making it possible to take decent photos even in low-light conditions. The camera could also record videos in 720p resolution, which was impressive for a smartphone at the time. Unfortunately, it did not have a front-facing camera, but this was not a common feature in smartphones back then.

Battery Life

The device was powered by a removable 1230 mAh Li-Ion battery, which could provide up to 6 hours and 30 minutes of talk time on 2G and up to 5 hours and 50 minutes on 3G. It also had an impressive stand-by time of up to 307 hours on both 2G and 3G. This meant that users could easily go a full day on a single charge, making it a reliable device for work or travel. The battery also had a long music playtime of up to 50 hours, making it a favorite among music lovers.

Cellphone Network

The Bold Touch 9900 was a GSM/HSPA device, offering fast internet speeds of up to 14.4/5.76 Mbps. This made it a reliable device for staying connected on the go. It also had Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, and NFC capabilities, allowing users to connect and share data seamlessly. The device also had GPS and A-GPS functionality, making it useful for navigation with the help of BlackBerry Maps.

Features

The Bold Touch 9900 came equipped with useful sensors such as proximity and compass. These features allowed the device to offer an enhanced user experience and enabled the device to perform certain functions, such as automatically adjusting the screen brightness based on the surrounding environment. It also had a user-friendly HTML browser, allowing users to surf the internet with ease.

Miscellaneous

The Bold Touch 9900 was available in black and white color options. It was also tested for SAR (specific absorption rate) levels and had a SAR rating of 1.19/1.03 W/kg (head/body) in the US and 0.76/0.90 W/kg (head/body) in the EU. This meant that the device was considered safe to use and did not pose any health hazards. The device was reasonably priced at around 140 EUR, which was a great value for its advanced features and functionality.

Final Thoughts

The release of the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 was significant in many ways. It was one of the first BlackBerry devices to offer a touchscreen and advanced features such as NFC and a powerful processor. Its sleek design and professional features made it a favorite among business professionals and smartphone enthusiasts alike. While it may have been discontinued, its influence on the evolution of technology cannot be ignored. The Bold Touch 9900 will always hold a special place in the hearts of BlackBerry fans and will be remembered as one of the most iconic devices in the history of smartphones.

Latest BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 Specs and Prices

LAUNCH

• Announced:  2011, May. Released 2011, August
• Status:  Discontinued

PLATFORM

• Operating System:  BlackBerry OS 7.0
• CPU:  1.2 GHz QC 8655

MEMORY

• Card slot:  microSDHC (dedicated slot)
• Internal:  8GB 768MB RAM

DISPLAY

• Type:  TFT
• Size:  2.8 inches, 24.3 cm2 (~32.0% screen-to-body ratio)
• Resolution:  640 x 480 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~286 ppi density)

BODY

• Dimensions:  115 x 66 x 10.5 mm (4.53 x 2.60 x 0.41 in)
• Weight:  130 g (4.59 oz)
• Keyboard:  QWERTY
• SIM:  Mini-SIM

MAIN CAMERA

• Single:  5 MP
• Features:  LED flash
• Video:  720p

SELFIE CAMERA

• -:  No

BATTERY

• Type:  Removable Li-Ion 1230 mAh battery
• Stand by:  Up to 307 h (2G) / Up to 307 h (3G)
• Talk time:  Up to 6 h 30 min (2G) / Up to 5 h 50 min (3G)
• Music play:  Up to 50 h

CELLPHONE NETWORK

• Technology:  GSM / HSPA
• 2G bands:  GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
• 3G bands:  HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 / 800 - HSDPA 900 / 1700 / 2100
• Speed:  HSPA 14.4/5.76 Mbps

SOUND

• Loudspeaker :  Yes
• 3.5mm jack :  Yes

COMMUNICATIONS

• WLAN:  Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth:  2.1, A2DP, EDR
• Positioning:  GPS, A-GPS, BlackBerry Maps
• NFC:  Yes
• Radio:  No
• USB:  microUSB 2.0

FEATURES

• Sensors:  Proximity, compass
• Browser:  HTML

MISCELLANEOUS

• Colors:  Black, White
• SAR:  1.19 W/kg (head) & & 1.03 W/kg (body) & &
• SAR EU:  0.76 W/kg (head) & & 0.90 W/kg (body) & &
• Price:  About 140 EUR

Disclaimer: Specifications shown may be different from the actual product. We cannot guarantee that the information provided on this page is 100% correct. This content is provided for information purposes only. All information included herein is subject to change without notice.