Loo-Lee.com

Editor's Note: The device being reviewed is the Verizon version of the BlackBerry Tour 9630.

As most BlackBerry users know, CDMA users tend to get the shaft when it comes to new devices (with the exception of the Storm).  While the GSM side was enjoying the Curve 8900, Bold, and OS 4.6, CDMA users were stuck with the Curve 8330, the ancient 8830 World Edition device, and OS 4.5 - which was marketed as an upgrade, mind you.  Sure, the Pearl Flip 8230 landed on the scene last month, but despite the new design and OS 4.6, many overlooked it in hopes of a new QWERTY device.

Enter the BlackBerry Tour 9630, a much needed update to an aging CDMA lineup of BlackBerry devices - and one that's exciting to boot.  Verizon BlackBerry users will inevitably enjoy being able to catch up to their Bold and Curve 8900 toting friends with OS 4.7, a gorgeous screen, and a refreshed design.  But does the device deliver?  Is it a worthy addition to the lineup?

Truth be told, I attempted to purchase the Tour last night, as I had received several unconfirmed reports of Best Buy locations selling the device early.  Since Best Buy was pricing it at $99.99 for a new primary line and $149.99 for a new secondary line, I decided to forego the corporate store (and its $269.99 price tag).  Unfortunately, it was a no-go; none of the locations would sell to me last night.  So, I pre-ordered one and eagerly waited.  I picked it up this morning when they opened, with no major hiccups in the activation process.  

It wasn't until I was leaving the store that I realized that the first device was defective; the trackball would scroll up and down perfectly fine, but would freeze when going from left to right.  After visiting two other Best Buy stores in the district, I was able to find one that swapped it out for me.  This problem has been documented by others as well, so be sure to check your trackball before you leave the store.

I have personally owned (counting several models I've owned more than once) 37 BlackBerry devices, and the Tour 9630 is an absolutely fantastic device.  In my opinion, it ties for first place with the BlackBerry Bold, as both have things that I prefer and don't prefer.  I'll explain what I mean by that below, but in the meantime, let's dive into a few key points of the device.

The Tour is a product of the design shift that, while seen on most of the new GSM devices, is new to the CDMA side (sans Storm).  With looks modeling both the Curve 8900 and the Bold, it sports a bit more chrome on the sides, with a Curve shape and a Bold-like bottom lip.  I was pleasantly surprised with the back of the device.  When we first learned about the Tour, I was taken aback to hear about the carbon fiber battery cover, however it came out well.  The combination of carbon fiber and the rubberized frame looks professional, and creates a surface that gives the Tour some traction while on a surface.

One place the device shines above any BlackBerry device (again, in my opinion) is the general weight and feel in the hand.  Out of every BlackBerry that I've owned or tested, the Tour feels the best in the hand.  The keyboard is a sort of Bold/Curve hybrid - it resembles the Bold's keypad, but the keys "click" like the Curve 8330.  The Bold is still the reigning champion in terms of typing, but the Tour is a close, close second.  Much like the BlackBerry devices of late, the Tour has a gorgeous screen.

In conclusion, I'll list out a quick "Tour versus Bold" bullet point comparison:

• Design: Tour.  Retains a smaller form factor (much like that of the Curve) while offering a Bold-like keypad.  Best of both worlds, in my book.
• Keyboard: Bold.  The Tour's keyboard is a very close second, but the Bold still retains the first place slot due to the softness of the keys.
• Screen: Tie.  Both look fantastic to me, although I wish that RIM would have taken a design cue from the Bold and extended the screen just a bit closer to the edges.
  

There's much more to cover, so stay tuned for my full review of the device!

As if we needed more proof that text messaging should not be done while you're doing anything else, this gem of a story has made its way to the InterWebs from Staten Island, aka NYC's fifth boro.

15 year-old Alexa Longueira fell "four or five feet" into an open manhole on Victory Boulevard while attempting to send a text message, according to MSNBC.  Crews were flushing out a sewer line and "had turned away briefly to grab some cones when the incident occurred," according to the Department of Environmental Protection - though perhaps a twitter alert would have done more to reach Longueira, who apparently had her head buried in her phone (sadly, we don't yet know what kind of cellie she was rocking at the time).  The girl was checked out and released by Staten Island University Hospital, suffering some scrapes but nothing worse, according to reports.

The family has said they will sue the city, perhaps to recover one of the girl's sneakers, which is still down in the hole.  Kim Longueira, the "victim's" mother, said that "it doesn't matter that her daughter was walking and texting" and that the manhole "was putrid." I'm very glad that the girl is okay.  I also think the Mom should knock it off.  Yes, the DEP should have blocked the open manhole cover off as soon as they opened it up, but come on ... if you walk into an open manhole because you're too busy writing a text to notice the hole in the sidewalk, I think you lose your right to sue.  But, hey, I'm not a judge.

via Gizmodo

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it: Eye candy is good. That sentiment works in a variety of settings, and it's no less true here, in this future-forward look at some crazy cellular concepts, courtesy of WebUrbanist.

Whenever the site focuses its eye on tech, you know there are going to be some droolworthy gadgets involved. WebUrbanist is geared toward architecture and alternative art, so form factor is clearly a major component in its recent list of 15 Cool Cell Phone Concepts.

Some of them are quite cool, while others are just plain weird. But hot or bizarre, all of the ideas are intriguing. The following are some of the most noteworthy concepts. (Click here for the complete list.)

So which ones can't you wait to get your hands on?  



From the coiled charging cord and rotary dial to the strangely familiar home appliance design, it seems like UK-based designer Vladimir Rachev couldn't decide between an old-fashioned landline phone or an iron. The only concern is whether putting that thing in your pocket would cause injury or not.






If I were a 10-year-old boy asked to design a cell phone, I imagine it would look something like the Blackberry Terminator 9900. (See it in action in the Parkoz Hardware Transformers Cell Phone vid, here.) The blogs all picked up this Tranformers concept a couple years ago, but fanboys who fell for this gimmick are still waiting.






Unique? Absolutely. Practical? Not even. Way too cool to actually use, Tirshathah Hunter's Conduit concept phone reminds me of an old-school erector set. It features calling, camera and PDA functionality (including stylus). Users can also adjust the pieces to support a roll-up screen.






Sleek and futuristic, the Morph line of concept phones, from Nokia, offers various versions for different tastes. (The cell phone/bangle bracelet definitely appeals to the girly girl in me.) The collection features self-cleaning surfaces, and integrated electronics and nanotechnology in a slim form factor.






Apparently, when it comes to cell phones, wrists are hot. Here's another that wraps around for the ultimate in portability. The snake-like BenQ-Siemens concept kind of reminds me of a 60s take on futuristic design. (Couldn't you imagine this device set off with go-go boots and a beehive?)






I have a seriously visceral reaction to the Glassy Glassy phone, by Mac Funamizu: Forget the future. I want it now. The graphics and numerals on the transparent screen don't show up until the phone is powered on. For something this cool, I'd even be willing to carry around the bottle of Windex required to keep this baby smudge-proof.






Someone's getting cheeky, eh? But the looks of the flask-shaped Cheers — which is seriously the name of this concept phone — isn't the only thing that's kind of boozy. The device runs on alcohol. Actually, it's an alcohol cell, which is reportedly more energy efficient than standard batteries. Sounds good, but even so, consumers would have to be tippling pretty hard to appreciate the gimmicky design.




Whether good or bad, all of these design ideas get points for creativity. I just wish current phone makers were willing to take more risks like these. There's no reason we couldn't have wearable bangle phones or a shape-shifting device right now. But sadly, it will probably be a long time before these kinds of innovative concepts actually hit the production line. In the mean time, at least we have plenty of creative concoctions to drool over.


[via WebUrbanist]