BlackBerry Tour 9630 Phone, Black (Verizon Wireless)

By BlackBerry on August 8th, 2009

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BlackBerry Tour 9630 Phone, Black (Verizon Wireless)

Customer Rating: Rating 3.5 out of 5

(41 Reviews)

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Product information Brand: Blackberry
Publisher: Blackberry
Category: Wireless
Release Date: November 16, 2008
Model: Tour

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Features

BlackBerry smartphone with QWERTY keyboard; dual-network capable for 3G-enabled GSM access when traveling abroad
Access V Cast, Music and Video services via fast EV-DO data network; GPS-enabled for turn-by-turn directions; use phone as a modem for your laptop
3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder; Bluetooth stereo music; MicroSD memory expansion to 16 GB; access to personal and corporate email
Up to 5 hours of talk time, up to 336 hours (14 days) of standby time
What's in the Box: handset, battery, travel charger (with international adaptors), 2 GB MicroSD card, wired stereo headset, swivel holster, USB cable, pre-installed SIM card, documentation

Accessories

Editorial Review

Amazon.com Product Description: The feature-packed and highly refined BlackBerry Tour 9630 world phone for Verizon Wireless keeps you connected and lets you roam the globe in style. In addition to accessing the reliable and fast Verizon Wireless voice and data network, the Tour is also compatible with 3G-enabled GSM networks outside the United States, giving you the option to make phone calls in 220 countries and to access email and Internet in any of the 175 countries where Verizon Wireless provides data roaming services.

Roam where you want to with the BlackBerry Tour 3G world phone, which provides the option to make phone calls in 220 countries and to access email/Internet in any of the 175 countries where Verizon Wireless provides data roaming services.

The Tour comes packed with all the communication and professional functionality you expect from a BlackBerry device, including a push-based mobile solution for email and access to Microsoft Office files. It's also compatible with Verizon's V Cast Music Service, which enables you to purchase songs through your phone and download them via Verizon's fast 3G EV-DO data network. You'll stay on course thanks to the VZ Navigator GPS turn-by-turn direction service, as well as be able to find your way in foreign destination using the VZ Navigator Global service. And with the optional Visual Voice Mail service, you'll be able to quickly and easily scroll through your messages and pick the ones you want to listen to.

The BlackBerry Tour includes a large, highly tactile, full-QWERTY keyboard and a large 2.4-inch display with one of the highest resolutions available yet on a BlackBerry device. Other features include a 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder with geo-tagging capabilities, Bluetooth connectivity for handsfree devices and stereo music streaming, MicroSD memory expansion (a 2 GB card is included), easy access to favorite social networking and instant messaging services, support for BlackBerry App World, and up to 5 hours of talk time.

Dual Connectivity
Perfect for the fashionable world-traveling professional, the BlackBerry Tour and Verizon Wireless' Global BlackBerry service allow customers to access e-mail and place and receive domestic and international calls in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and parts of Africa. When used at home here in the U.S., you'll connect to Verizon's 800/1900 MHz CDMA network, as well as its 1xEV-DO 3G high-speed data network--which offers download speeds ranging from 400 to 700 Kbps and peak rates up to 2 Mbps. (Learn more about where EV-DO coverage is offered.)

But when you're traveling within a GSM network coverage area outside of the U.S. provided by Verizon Wireless' global roaming partners, the quad-band GSM-enabled Tour provides easy voice connectivity while roaming the globe. Additionally, it provides global 3G connectivity (2100 MHz UMTS) for fast access to the Internet, data and more when traveling outside the United States. It comes with a pre-installed SIM card.

Stay connected with a push-based mobile solution for e-mail, messaging (IM, SMS, MMS), and social networking (see larger version).

Other features include GPS location services, a 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder with geo-tagging capabilities, Bluetooth stereo music streaming, MicroSD expansion (with included 2 GB card).

Verizon Services
With this GPS-enabled phone, you'll be able to access the Verizon Wireless VZ Navigator service (additional charges applicable) for voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, heads-up alerts, local search of nearly 14 million points of interest in the US (such as landmarks, restaurants and ATMs), and detailed color maps.

Additionally, this phone is compatible with the VZ Navigator Global service, which enables you to find locations and access turn-by-turn directions in North America and Western Europe, including Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (with more being added). Helping to alleviate stress or confusion caused by reading road signs or directions in an unfamiliar language, VZ Navigator Global allows you to choose either English or Spanish as the default language, and miles or kilometers to mark distances. You'll also be able to find restaurants, gas stations, banks/ATMs and other popular spots in these countries using Local Search.

With Mobile Broadband Connect (subscription required), you can use your smartphone as a modem for your notebook when you connect the two using a USB cable--or open a Bluetooth connection--enabling you to access the Internet or your company intranet. The tethered modem capability is ideal when you're traveling and need to use your notebook to check email, access corporate networks, or download large files like presentations and reports. And with Mobile Broadband Connect, you won't have to buy an extra PC Card or other devices. Additional subscription charges applicable.

With Visual Voice Mail, you can delete, reply and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions. Visual Voice Mail is the ideal tool for the busy mobile professional who may need to prioritize which messages he or she listens to first. Features include on-screen access to voice mail message status, save up to 40 messages for 40 days (or archive permanently), create up to 10 different caller ID-based greetings, and reply via call back, text or even voice mail.

The V Cast Music service enables you to download songs instantly to your phone, or purchase music through your PC and transfer the files to your phone. If purchased from your phone, you'll receive two copies of the song: a Windows Media Audio Pro Plus format at 64Kbps stereo is sent to your phone, and a Windows Media Audio 9 format at 160Kbps stereo is sent to your account in the V CAST Music online store for downloading to your PC. V Cast Music offers nearly 2 million songs, with more being added all the time.

In addition to the V Cast Music service, this phone is also compatible with the Verizon Wireless V CAST Music with Rhapsody, which enables you to access this exclusive digital music service for RealNetworks and for MTV Networks. V CAST Music with Rhapsody delivers unlimited monthly access to music on up to three Rhapsody-compatible mobile phones and players and online on multiple PCs and Web browsers. In addition, customers who purchase music over-the-air are able to download the master copy of the songs or albums to their PCs free of digital rights management (DRM) software that restricts how and where music can be played.

Phone Features
The BlackBerry Tour 9630 features a chic black finish with chrome highlights surrounding its sleek design and a bright 2.4-inch display that delivers the highest resolution available on a BlackBerry smartphone (480 x 360 resolution at 245 ppi)--presenting pictures, web pages and videos with incredible clarity. The Tour includes a trackball navigation system located on the top of the QWERTY keypad with finely sculpted keys for fast and precise typing. It also features an integrated spell checker with a customizable dictionary to help maintain accuracy while on the go.

It offers premium phone features including voice activated dialing, enhanced background noise cancellation, and a low-distortion speakerphone. This phone also provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0), and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, and file transfer. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking--surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server (additional charges or subscription applicable).

With BlackBerry push technology, you don't need to retrieve your e-mail. BlackBerry devices are designed to remain on and continuously connected to the wireless network, allowing you to be discreetly notified as new e-mail arrives. Support is also built-in for viewing e-mail attachments (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, WordPerfect, and PDF formats).

With the BlackBerry Internet Service, you'll be able to easily access up to 10 supported personal and work email accounts, send and receive text and instant messages, and connect on popular social networking sites with friends, family and co-workers. It's also compatible with BlackBerry Enterprise Server, which provides advanced security and IT administration features within IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise environments.

In addition to the industry's leading mobile email and messaging solution, the Tour supports text (SMS), picture (MMS) and instant messaging (IM) on today's most popular platforms as well as social networking sites. Take your social life on-the-go with Facebook for BlackBerry and Flickr Photo Uploader for BlackBerry application. A Mobile IM feature provides access to Google Talk, MSN, Yahoo!, Windows Live, and AIM instant messaging services.

The media player can play movies smoothly in full-screen mode, display pictures and slideshows quickly and manage an entire music and video collection, and with BlackBerry Media Sync you can quickly and easily sync music from iTunes and Windows Media Player with the smartphone. The Tour comes with a 256 MB flash memory (and 256 MB of RAM), and the device is expandable via MicroSD/SDHC memory cards up to 16 GB in size (a 2 GB card is included with the Tour).

Other features include:

3.2-megapixel camera with auto-focus, image stabilization, 2x digital zoom, geo-tagging capabilities, and video capture
Support for BlackBerry App World, featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones. Categories include travel, productivity, entertainment, games, social networking and sharing, news and weather, and more.
Preloaded DataViz Documents to Go, allowing you to edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the handset.
BlackBerry 4.7 Desktop Software with integrated email, phone, SMS, browser, calendar, address book, and additional organizer applications
English, French and Spanish language support
Ring Tones: 32 Polyphonic + vibrate (MIDI, MP3)
Password protection and keyboard lock
3.5mm stereo headset jack
Video format support: MPEG4 H.263, MPEG4 Part 2 Simple Profile, H.264 (encoding and decoding 30fps), WMV
Audio format support: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, WMA ProPlus
Hearing Aid Compatibility = M3

Vital Statistics
The BlackBerry Tour 9630 weighs 4.58 ounces and measures 4.4 x 2.4 x 0.6 inches. Its 1400 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5 hours of talk time, and up to 336 hours (14 days) of standby time. It runs on the 800/1900 MHz CDMA frequencies and is compatible with the EV-DO 3G data network when on the Verizon network in the US; in international territories, it's compatible with 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks as well as 2100 MHz 3G (UMTS) networks.

Customer Reviews

Can you hear me now? Yes but take the sock out of your mouth.

by Stuart Singer 2009-07-18, 80 people found this review helpful

I've been waiting for the Tour since its early rumor days. I am already an addicted Blackberry user for my job. One thing I notice in general with cell phone reviews, is there is very little time spent commenting on the core function of a cell phone, that being a "Phone." I made my first call on the Tour and the recipient kept asking me to repeat myself. I didn't think anything of it. I made another call to a friend who said "Are you talking with a sock in your mouth?" Okay now I'm worried. I'm calling from the same chair where the day before I was using my old Motorola E815 and it was crystal clear. Finally I leave myself a voice mail. Literally I could not make out the words I said. Interestingly, the sound that I hear on my end is great so from my perception the call quality is excellent. I figured this has to be defective so I returned it for a replacement. It was exactly the same. I am also concerned that the replacement revealed inconsistent quality in the build of the phone. The battery door had a minor but detectable "jiggle" to it that conveys cheapness. The track ball on the second one seemed loose as if it were barely touching the rollers. A quick Google on the Tour Battery door revealed the loose battery door is a common complaint. In the end, I had to give up the Tour since nobody could hear me. One more thing because I know somebody is thinking this...no, my finger was not covering the microphone hole. I have a Curve 8330 I use every day for work, it is crystal clear.

Almost Perfect...So Far!

by Wandrwoman 2009-07-14, 19 people found this review helpful

10/22/09 REVIEW UPDATE: Almost perfect device! No sound or trackball issues! I read some of the other reviews and it seems like two completely different devices are being critiqued! How can this be?

9/21/09 REVIEW UPDATE: Still very happy! I've owned the phone for almost two months now and The Tour is part of my daily life. It continues to be easy to use, fast and even kind of fun. The sound quality is good, the screen is amazing and Verizon service is the best available anywhere you go in the US. (In case you haven't noticed it, AT&T service stinks). There is no "problem" with the Tour's track ball although I've noticed that when the device is receiving data (and this can be fairly often if you get lots of email, texts, rss feeds and the like) the screen and track ball freeze momentarily. Its more like a stutter than a long interruption....but it does happen. Another minor irritation is the way the keys are angled up and to the right on the left side of the key board and up and to the left on the right side of the key board. This seems as if it would be ergonomic and more productive for thumb typing, but I find it less comfortable and slower than my last Blackberry which had wider flat keys. One handed typing, say for number entering/phone calling, is much more difficult with the angled keys. As for apps, more and more are available every week through Blackberry App World. I do have to charge the phone once a day, but it charges very quickly, in just a few hours. So far, very, very good!

7/30/09 Great device! Works great! Excellent sound quality! Ultra Fast! Looks sexy. Feels good. Battery door secure! I use Blackberry Internet Service for email and it is seamless, and extremely easy to set up and maintain. Verizon tech support via phone is fast, responsive and speaks English! Used Media Sync to sync an ITunes playlist on to device. Transfered pictures easily between device and computer. Camera takes great pictures...for a phone. My only nit-picky complaint is that there are not enough apps yet, but there are more that become available every week. I am absolutely delighted!

Original review:
I've had the Tour for about a week now. I had been anxiously waiting for this Verizon Blackberry hybrid-cross between the Bold and the Curve for months after my contract ended on a Neanderthal 8700G with T-Mobile and I was afraid that my expectations would exceed reality. I have to say that I am very, very pleased!

The device is beautiful, black and solid in one's hand. The screen is large and clear. The buttons are all in logical positions. The software is a vast improvement over earlier versions. The camera is 3.2 mp auto focus and takes better than average pictures....for a smart phone.

I am still getting used to the qwerty keyboard....the keys are small, smooth and strangely angled. There must be an ergonomic reason for the up and to the side tilt to each key but my thumbs are resisting the logic!

The track ball is slightly recessed and is easy to use (and the horizontal and vertical sensitivity is adjustable).

Making and receiving phone calls is a snap. The call reception has been clear and virtually distortion free. I have no muffled sound experience reported in other reviews. Even on a noisy sidewalk, I am told that the sound quality is clear and crisp. I took the Tour up to a cabin in the Lake District of Northern Minnesota and it worked seamlessly. Calls, texts, and browsing as if I were home in Manhattan.

My biggest pleasure so far is the lightening speed of receiving email! In HTML! And web browsing! And Googling! Fast, fast, fast.

One complaint is that web pages are still a bit too small for really enjoyable browsing. And there is no touch screen to enlarge areas with fancy finger work a la IPhone. One can choose between "Column View" or "Zoom In" but sometimes neither option gets things really the size one would like.

Why can't this thing ring and vibrate simultanously? Seems like a silly oversight but the Blackberry engineers must have some reason behind it. You can buy an ap to fix this problem....but?

Another caveat is that the BlackBerry App Store is not fully stocked with Apps yet. The choice is still slim and sort of pathetic compared to the big, sexy, fully loaded "candy shop" of selections for the IPhone.

The pre-loaded Blackberry Map application worked very well with the GPS function turned on. In fact, it navigated better than the Garmin Nuvi on the dashboard of the car.

So far, I am sold on this baby.

Will continue to report in the weeks ahead.

Great for email, okay as a phone

by Stephen M. Charme 2009-09-09, 9 people found this review helpful

BlackBerry is not Apple. I say that because I really wanted an iPhone, but would not give up my Verizon service for AT&T, so I compromised by buying an iPod Touch and getting the Tour for email and phone calls. I am happy with my Tour, which I have been using for a month, subject to some points that I will discuss below.

Phone: The Tour is bulkier than an iPhone and any number of other phones. Also, since the microphone is inexplicably on the bottom of the phone facing downward instead of facing upward like the earpiece (as on every other phone that I have ever owned), I have to angle just right so that people can hear me clearly. There seem to be mixed opinions as to voice clarity, which I would say is very good--so long as you hold the phone properly.

Keyboard: I know someone who bought this just to send text messages, and has no data plan to retrieve email or use the internet. I think that is a mistake. The keys on my old Samsung u-740, for example, were larger and easier to send text messages with. Of course you can text message with the Tour, but if that is all you are going to use it for, consider buying a different phone.

Email: This is where BlackBerry shines. Another review has complained about problems sorting email into folders, but I have no such concern. I have four different email accounts. The Tour gives me the option to delete an email only on the Tour or on my computer as well. If something needs to be saved, then I preserve it on my computer and put it into the appropriate folder there (typically my work emails). I like being able to retrieve all my emails and delete them pretty effortlessly (the retrieval and deletion process is much easier than on my iPod Touch, which I used to use when a wifi connection was available.)

Trackball: The trackball works great, though like any trackball, it can "stick." So far not a big deal, but something to keep in mind.

Camera: Nothing fancy, though the flash does come in handy at night.

Music: Playing music without headphones sounds very decent on the Tour, much like the old transistor radios. Volume is sufficiently loud that when I was doing some house cleaning recently, I could hear the music in the next room.

Apps: Apple is light years ahead when it comes to purchasing apps both in ease of purchase and variety available.
To purchase apps for the Tour, you need to download App World, which is free, and can do so either on the BlackBerry or using Desktop Manager on a PC (I am still waiting for a Desktop Manager for my Mac; the software is supposed to come out this September). But you can buy apps only on your BlackBerry (Apple lets me buy apps for my Touch either on the Touch itself or using iTunes on my laptop). In addition, you cannot buy apps unless you have a Paypal account. As for variety, the apps available for the Tour pale by comparison with what I can get for my Touch.

But there is a serious problem that affects some Tour users, including me. I am not able to buy a single app because I get an error 10,000 message when I try. BlackBerry blames Paypal, but I have no problem downloading free apps on my Tour or using Paypal for non BlackBerry purchases.

In any event, purchasing apps was not a major consideration for me, but if it is for you, then keep in mind that you may not be able to purchase anything until BlackBerry fixes the problem that affects some, but not all, Tour users.

Contacts: I used a program called Missing Sync to import all of the contacts from the address book on my Mac to my Tour. That program enabled me to transfer not just the contacts, but also the categories that I had created for the contacts (e.g restaurants, lodging, etc.).

Screen resolution: The screen is absolutely beautiful looking with vibrant colors. Although only five icons can be displayed on the main screen, there are themes for the Tour that can be downloaded from the internet (both free and pay ones) that permit you to have more icons, display appointments, weather etc.

Internet: The screen is really too small to make internet surfing something you want to do for any length of time on the Tour, and the connection is also not particularly fast. Having said that, accessing the internet is relatively easy, and it is convenient to be able to do so when you don't have access to a computer and just need to check something quickly (like a movie schedule, or restaurant web site).

Some suggestions: 1. Buy the charging pod (which I have reviewed on Amazon), which charges the Tour by using the contacts on the battery cover rather than the micro USB port on the side of the Tour. Of course, you still need to plug the included charger into the pod, but you only have to do that once. It's a lot simpler for me to take the Tour in and out of the Pod multiple times a day as opposed to unplugging and replugging the micro USB cord into the side of the Tour.

2. If you like to carry the Tour in your pocket, buy the pouch (which I have reviewed on Amazon). The included holster is just too bulky even if you remove the belt clip. The pouch helps to preserve battery life by automatically turning off the screen when the Tour is in the pouch.

3. To preserve battery life, set the Tour to go on and off at different times (mine is set to turn off at 11pm and go back on at 6am on weekdays, and on a different schedule on weekends).

4. If you have a technical problem, call the phone company who sold you the phone. Verizon, for example, has their own BlackBerry department, and if they can't figure it out, they will put you in touch directly with BlackBerry. Note that there is no free phone support directly with BlackBerry, so if you don't go through your phone company, you have to pay for phone support from BlackBerry.

5. Buy a screen protector. An inexpensive one will work fine (I reviewed one on Amazon). Before I bought one, I somehow scratched the screen even though I was being super careful.

Bottom line: I like the Tour a lot, but did not give it five stars because of the different issues that I discussed above. For email it is great. But if getting email is not your primary concern, I would get another phone.

Update September 19, 2009: After tweaking various sound settings, I can now talk on the phone and be heard clearly without having to hold the phone at a special angle. On the other hand, after going through the highest level of BlackBerry tech support, I still cannot buy any apps. In any event, as I said above, if you are not going to use the Tour to retrieve email, then I would still get another phone.

Update September 24, 2009: I have substantially extended battery life by changing one simple setting. Go to Options, Screen/Keyboard, Backlight Brightness and change the setting to 10 (the lowest one). In practice you will notice little difference from the default setting of 100, but there will be a dramatic improvement in battery life. As a further tweak, change Backlight Timeout to 10.

Update September 30, 2009: At the suggestion of BlackBerry tech support, I created a brand new Paypal account in addition to the one that I already had. With the new account I am now able to buy apps. For whatever reason, even though I still use the original Paypal account to make internet purchases without any problem, it does not work for buying apps. But since I can use my second Paypal account to buy apps, it doesn't matter to me why this is so.

This SmartPhone is Impressingly Smart

by Christopher 2009-09-11, 10 people found this review helpful

I just got my BlackBerry Tour 9630 from Verizon Wireless yesterday. This is my first BlackBerry (and my first smartphone). So far, this phone works great. I have read so many discouraging reviews here on Amazon that I almost wanted to skip this phone. But I'm glad that I went with my gut feelings on this one. Many reviewers complained about muffled voices. That was the first thing I looked into right after I got mine activated, up and running. I can confidently say that there is no truth to it at all. The voice clarity is impressive. I can hear the people I speak to very clearly without having to position my phone a certain way (as was suggested by someone here). The folks on the other end didn't have any problems hearing me (and yes, I did repeatedly ask them if my voice was hard to hear/understand, and that hasn't been a problem at all). Another common problem reported from Amazon reviewers about this phone is in regards specifically to the trackball. Some reviewers claimed to have had to send back their third BlackBerry Tour because they couldn't seem to get the trackball to move as smoothly and easily as they would like it. Well, this problem can be easily fixed by going into the phone's Option menu where you could set the trackball's sensitivity level to your liking. I found that mine was set at level 20 for both "horizontal" and "vertical" movements(perhaps factory default setting) and the trackball was somewhat of a challenge to use at level 20. But once I increased the sensitivity levels, the trackball was so much easier to use (I now have mine set at level 70 for both "horizontal" and "vertical" movements). You just need to play around with the various options in the phone's menu. Also, the Navigation system works wonders too. I especially enjoy using yahoo instant messenger on this phone and checking/sending emails. Web browsing is fast and easy. This phone is simply too good to be true. I highly recommend it.

NOT UP TO EXPECTATION, especially the firmware and the email software

by Ryuji Suzuki 2009-07-14, 38 people found this review helpful

Background of the reviewer: I have used Palm Treo 700p (Verizon) for a really long time, and also used Palm Pre for a week (Sprint), prior to switching to Blackberry Tour (Verizon again). I also tried iPhone, and currently own iPod Touch, and I believe its OS and applications are very good, but I do need a physical keyboard and so iPhone is not an option for me.

I won't repeat catalog specs and other info released by manufacturer. This review is about user review, and in particular, comparison against Treo and Pre.

THE POSITIVES:

Blackberry Tour is a well built, very practical phone, and feels very nicely in my hand.

The OS seems stable and reliable. It doesn't have many hiccups (brief freezes) as older generation smart phones, and even when hiccup occurs, it's very brief. It also has a very good keyboard, which is easier to type than Treo 700p, which I've long considered the best keyboard among smart phones (700p had better keyboard than Palm Pre), and it has excellent screen, with rich colors, sharp, crisp images and bright images that are easy to see even outdoors. The screen is smaller than iPhone and Palm Pre, but it has more pixels than many other smart phones; text is easy to read, even in small sizes, and outdoors while walking, and images are really rich of details. The battery life is excellent, camera is usable, 3.5mm headset jack is a good move (while I'm not sure if micro USB is a good move). The speaker phone is loud and clear enough for checking voice mail and waiting for "next available customer service rep" in a private office.

Integration of basic functions, among phone, text message, address book, is very good. Perhaps comparable to Palm OS. Very easy to call someone from text message view, or vice versa (which was not true with Pre).

NEGATIVE: erratic ringer

This phone doesn't reliably ring when someone calls me. The problem happens randomly, and not related to specific callers or ringer mode setting. This happens most often when the phone is in the pocket or bag, and rarely happens when it's on my desk. Even when the ringer does not ring, the phone recognizes the incoming call and show it as missed call. I've reported this problem to Verizon tech support as well as RIM but they don't acknowledge this problem exists. If you google, you see people having this problem.

NEGATIVE: Email

I don't know who started saying "BlackBerry is good at email" but it seems not true. If your company sets up Blackberry Enterprise Server, or if you use one basic email service with just one folder, it may be adequate for basic email access. However, most people who buy a smart phone have a bit more interesting life, and many of them are creative professionals, academics, freelancers, or simply people with multiple worlds. These types of people often use multiple email accounts, or multiple folders within one IMAP server, and use each for different purposes. Blackberry Enterprise Server is not an option for this type of people, and this is the type of people who will find BlackBerry's email functions vastly inadequate.

My ancient Palm Treo 700p with Chatter Mail provides much nicer user interface and full IMAP access to the email server, with access to any IMAP folder and with real time notification (equivalent to push email). The email software on BlackBerry can access only the Inbox folder, and you cannot change it. Why don't they provide direct access to any IMAP server and any IMAP folder, is beyond my understanding. Sure, Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES) may provide a bit better access, and which was one of the original Blackberry technology years ago, but, lack of proper IMAP support sets this phone behind now-obsolete Palm phones and iPhone. Even though open standard IMAP is widespread, RIM might want to keep multiple folder access for BES users, and as a consequence, frustration is building up among users as most blackberry related forums have several threads on this topic, with no acceptable solutions available.

RIM, why can't I do the basic email on this brand new 2009 phone, which I could do perfectly well on a 2006 phone?

NEGATIVE: trackball. It's sluggish and often doesn't work, especially in the horizontal direction. This is a common problem with Blackberry Tour!! The news reports that the return rate of this phone is approaching 50%! You better return the phone at the first sign of the trackball problem because mine took me a month to develop this problem.

NEGATIVE: Voice quality, muffled voice, BUT IT'S EASILY FIXABLE!

The quality of voice sound you hear is excellent. What's not is the quality of your voice they hear; it is muffled and sounds like you are speaking from a distance, and it requires focused listening from the other person to understand what you say. This is not good for business or private.

The problem is that the tiny hole of the microphone is located on the bottom side, pointing down, and this is not very ideal to pick up high frequency components of the voice from my mouth in the regular way you hold the phone. One easy fix is to hold the phone so that your fingers hold very bottom of the phone, and your palm is right below the phone, not behind it. This way, your palm will reflect and funnel sound into the microphone of the phone. This solves the problem without costing any money. Even better, use the other hand to channel sound more effectively into the mic. In my experimentation (using voice recording software on Blackberry), this technique made improved the voice quality so much that people now tell me my voice is very easy to hear.

ANOTHER NEGATIVE: Mac OS compatibility

RIM now provides BlackBerry desktop application for MacOS since October 2009. It has basic functionality and ok integration with basic features of iCal and Address Book. However, the program is still rather buggy, slow and has limited features. It's caused fewer serious errors and is faster and better than PocketMac but has a large room for improvement.

~ooOoo~

I took two points off, but let me explain. The phone as a hardware probably deserves 6 stars. Voice quality deserves 3 stars. There are some minor annoyances specific to blackberry (such as it can't vibrate and ring simultaneously without using a third party software) that deserves some points off. The email software deserves 2 stars. Many third party softwares do not run quickly and smoothly like on iPhone, and if the same software is available on both Blackberry and iPhone, the features and support are often better with the iPhone version. The phone is not really up to expectation.

In comparison, Treo 700p was an ok hardware, and it's quite dated by today's standard, but the OS and applications were excellent. Palm Pre was nothing like Treo line, more heavily network-based apps and applications are still incomplete and not very mature yet. Blackberry is supposed to be a very mature platform and "business friendly" but I personally find it's not as user-friendly as Treo 700p in practical business situations. If Palm OS run on Blackberry Tour, that would be the best of both world. I personally, reluctantly continue to use Blackberry Tour. If my Treo 700p didn't break, I would probably go back.

Great Blackberry from Verizon

by A. Gurschick 2009-07-24, 7 people found this review helpful

I have had the tour for a little of two weeks. This is my 4th Blackberry and is my favorite by far. I have had the 8830 World, Curve, Storm and now the Tour.

Pros:
Camera - Has the same MP as the storm but the quality is much better.
Screen - The resolution wicked, very crisp and bright.
Menus - They are much more user friendly. Reminds me of the Storm's menus.
Size - Sits between the Curve and the Bold. Very comfortable in the hand
Speed - Almost as fast as the Bold and much faster then the other Blackberrys on Verizon Wireless.
Home screen dialing - This is by far my favorite feature. You just starting typing the name or the number of the person that you want to call and the name pops up and you click to dial. No need to go to a phone app within the Tour (or any keypad blackberry for that matter).
Case profile switching - No need to go to a meeting and remember to switch your Blackberry to vibrate. All you have to do is customize your profile to Silent when in case and to vibrate. Genius!
Verizen Customer Service - When ever I have had an issue or question they have an answer. I have also been transferred directly to Blackberry Tech support when I had an issue with the desktop software. Verizon also called me back to make sure that the issues was solved. BIG fan of customer service.

Cons:
Battery - Is a little on the weak side. Lasts about ¾ of the day. This should improve with a device software update.
Battery Cover - Is a little loose but not as bad as many are saying.
Start up Time - Because data security is a hot button for RIM. I have been told that the long start time is because of security processes with the files on the device. When you do a battery pull or a soft reset it takes about 5 minutes for the phone to be up and running again.

With that said, this is a great phone. I still have a couple issues with 3rd party apps like Facebook (calendar sync issue) and Ubertwitter (not installing properly) but updates to the apps should solve the problems.

One way of extending the battery life is to turn off your connections when you know you are not going to have signal.

Syncs great with PCs and comes with Desktop software 5.0 which increases the speed of the sync process. Apple users not to fret, RIM is going to be releasing an Apple version of their desktop software in the 3rd quarter of the year.

Another GREAT Blackberry - The Tour 9630

by Tarun Chachra 2009-07-16, 82 people found this review helpful

So, I have been using blackberries ever since the day they were released with the 8xx model and have since been through almost every model that has come out, including the Storm for one day. My recent device of choice was the Blackberry Curve II or 8900 which was a EDGE and Wi-Fi enabled blackberry with a beautiful screen and a great keyboard. The device prior was a Blackberry Bold, which incidentally sparked the new generation of Blackberries. Today I received my Blackberry Tour 9630 running on the Verizon Wireless network....sorry but the guy in the glasses was nowhere to be seen in the box and or around me. Jokes aside, the Tour touts the Verizon EVDO network and no Wi-Fi; it does have a SIM so that it can be used globally. I know there are dozens of reviews on this product so I am not going to go in to the features, I am merely going to try to share my experience with the device after one day.

Missing WI-FI: When the device became available I was a little worried that the lack of Wi-Fi might hamper its functionality, especially when doing things that required constant streams of data. I love TWITTER, as you all know by now, and thus I was worried that using apps such as the beautiful "Tweet Genius" would be cumbersome due to updates coming over the aged CDMA network. However, much to my surprise the speed is wonderful and I have yet to see any need for the missing Wi-Fi radio.

Battery Life: Time will best tell this tale, but as of now the battery stands at a cool 80%. The battery was fully charged by the time I got the unit in my hands, in fact it had been charged overnight by one of my associates. I received the unit at about 8am this morning and started the Verizon activation process. Once activated on the network, I proceeded to do a Blackberry Enterprise Server activation for corporate email, etc. I have since been using it, rather heavily, for email, twitter, and even streaming financial data. Battery loss of approximately 20% after almost 11.5 hours of moderate/heavy usage to me is phenomenal, but, as I said time will tell this tale and I will post updates about it when I can.

Keyboard: The Tour has a similar keyboard to the bold, except it seems to me that the keys are raised a bit more. The little addition of height allows for a better feel of the keys thus making typing a breeze. I was not a huge fan of the Bold keyboard but I do love the Curve II keyboard and now it would seem that this new style keyboard may just be the winner of the bunch. I am appreciative of the fact that Verizon left the number keys colored RED which AT&T always wants to re-color to white. The red actually provides for some contrast and makes using the device a bit more pleasurable.

Screen: The screen on the Tour is the same beautiful half VGA (480x360) screen found on the 8900 (Curve II). It is bright, sharp, and displays 65,000 colors. Not much more can be said...but it comes close to perfect for the Blackberries.

Camera: Again the same as the 8900, a 3.2mp auto focus camera with image stabilization and video capturing abilities. Yes, there is a flash also for those dark moments.

Charging: As with every new cellular device, this has a Micro USB port positioned on its right side...which is a little bit of a bad placement job as it was on the 8900, but, not a deal breaker. My only gripe here is that I tend to want to use Blackberry Docks and with all of these different devices you must acquire a different dock. #FAIL on the dock not being universal...but accessories make these guys big money and so they do what they must.

Sound: The built in speaker is finally right, its not stereo like the Bold but its also not tinny sounding like the 8900. It sounds great. The speaker for your ears sounds, to me, equally balanced for once...so it does'nt seem like someone is shouting in your ears..its a well balanced mid range sound.
Overall Feel: This Blackberry is HEAVY, and I mean heavy. Personally I like to know that I am holding on to something and the weight of the 9630 makes it feel solid. If you are into holsters then you know this thing is on your belt. Enough said!

Final Thoughts: The Tour comes with a newer version of the Blackberry operating system, v4.7.1.40, which is coincidentally used on the Storm. The OS seems to be well suited for the Tour and is very responsive. I did notice it stick here or there, but that has only happened 2-3 times and I am certain it was because I was taxing the device. I am, thus far, quite happy with this new iteration of the Blackberry and hope that I will have many days ahead with it.

Box Includes: Blackberry, Battery, AC Adapter w Word Adapter, Micro-USB Cable, Blackberry Ear Buds, Plastic/Pleather Holster, Documentation, Blackberry Desktop Manager SW CD, and a BONUS: 2GB Micro SD CARD.

I could go on into much more detail, but it would be redundant as there are thousands of reviews of Blackberries out there...I just wanted to share what I felt and thus the most pertinent observations are above. Please let me know if any of you are using this device and what your thoughts are.

Awesome Phone. The best yet from RIM.

by Calvin J. Cheng 2009-07-19, 8 people found this review helpful

I've received the new Tour last Tuesday. The first thing I noticed was that screen and resolution was so clear. Verizon included many accessories with the phone; holster case, stereo headphones (can be used to listen to music); USB cable; software for the computer; as well as different adapters to be used for other countries. The battery door was a little loose at first. After a quick trip down to the Verizon store, the customer care rep. was able to replace a new battery door. Now the phone is perfect. In addition, this phone came with a 2gb memory card. I was also able to transfer music files from my computer and stored them into the phone. Best of yet, I can set the music file as ring tone which I found a very nice feature as I don't wish to pay per ringtone fee from Verizon.

The OS is similar to the BOLD and STORM. It's quite easy to use. Setting-up e-mails push directly into the phone was a breeze. I was able to set-up hotmail and g-mail in a matter of minutes. There was also a bundle software included with the phone: MSN Live Messanger; G-Talk; Facebook, MySpace, etc... With heavy usage, I was able to get 2 days of usage.

I would recommend you to download the Opera Mini as the serving browser. It's much quicker to load pages than the one that came with the phone.

Highly recommend this phone!

How to take the "Sock" out of your mouth

by R. Guentner 2009-09-30, 16 people found this review helpful

There have been several comments related to the transmitted voice quality of this phone. I have no problem with being heard clearly, but there is a little trick to it.

Look at the bottom of the Tour phone. The pinhole is the microphone to capture your voice. It has been engineered electronically and acoustically to cancel out background noise while capturing the speaker's voice clearly. For best results, hold the Tour 9630 so that that pinhole points at the corner of your mouth. You will be heard clearly and unwanted background noise reduced.

While working for the telephone company testboard, I frequently used a headset to allow me full use of both hands. The last one had a tube from the earpiece that served as the microphone pickup. The factory instructions were to place the tube so that it pointed at the corner of your mouth. It did not work if the tube was pointed anywhere else.

When I first tried a Blackberry, I had complaints about my audio. So I checked the phone for the location of the microphone. I then found a position for the phone that points the microphone at the corner of my mouth. For me, that is with the phone in my left hand, with my fingernails just below the temple of my glasses. Now I am heard clearly every time I use the phone. Try it. It works.

P.S. I absolutely Love this phone!

A great Blackberry

by Jon R 2009-09-22, 5 people found this review helpful

This is really a great Blackberry, that can be made excellent with a (relatively) simple software upgrade by RIM. First the good, this device runs the same OS as the storm (4.7) modified to work on a non-touchscreen. This time around RIM has worked out nearly all the software and hardware defects that plagued the Storm. The Tour is faster, not prone to defects (though I've heard of some trackball issues), has clear call quality, the charger plug is in a better position, a good camera/camcorder and a fairly nice speaker for a phone.

It sounds pretty good right? And in most ways it is a great phone. It's glaring problem is the lack of WiFi. I hear people say Verizon's 3G is fast enough that that doesn't matter. Often that's true. My Curve didn't need WiFi because Verizon's network worked even indoors. This phone has a major issue with reception. Reception is sporadic. I can be sitting in the open and watch as the bars jump for 0 to 5 to 2, etc. It even looses 3G and reverts to the painfully slow 1X network, or sometime looses the signal altogether. Aside from killing battery life this means it drops calls and you can forget about things like web surfing and e-mail. At first I thought OK, maybe this area is congested or something. So I tried reactivating my Curve, and sure enough the curve had 5 bars. Next I exchanged my Tour to see if maybe I had a defective one (it happens to the best phones). Nope, same issue with reception. Clearly this is an issue with the Tour. On the bright side, i believe it's a software issue that can be fixed by RIM. That's according to a friend who works at RIM. Additionally I tried a beta version of RIMs next OS (5.0) and the problem was fixed. So there is hope, but it might be awhile.

So if you can deal with spotty reception or manage to get one that doesn't have reception issues, this is a great Blackberry. Sadly Blackberry's are internet devices so with no WiFi and poor reception you loose a good chunk of what makes a BB worth the money. My suggestion is to wait for the next generation of Blackberry's on Verizon, that will have OS 5.0 and WiFi.

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BlackBerry Tour 9630 Phone, Black (Verizon Wireless)
The feature-packed and highly refined BlackBerry Tour 9630 world phone for Verizon Wireless keeps you connected and lets you roam the globe in style. In addition to accessing the reliable and fast Verizon Wireless voice and data network, the Tour is also compatible with 3G-enabled GSM networks outside the United States, giving you the option to make phone calls in 220 countries... More ', ' http://cellphones.ezbuyblog.com/electronics/pdas-handhelds/blackberry-tour-9630-phone-black-verizon-wireless/ ', 5)" onmouseover="displayBookmark('MySpace')" onmouseout="displayBookmark('')" title="MySpace">

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