Review: Heavyweight challenger keeps Apple on its toes

The first thing that strikes you about the Bold is its size.

Although of roughly the same dimensions as the iPhone 3G, it seems a lot larger and has a bulkier feel.

The screen is superb, and the widescreen display shows the redesigned menu system well. It's also impressive when watching films, although not quite as good as Apple's machine.

However, it is the keyboard which really gives the BlackBerry an edge. It is excellent - far better than any other portable device I have used.

The keys are very tactile, and typing speeds are far quicker than with an iPhone.

Rather than the iPhone's touchscreen, a trackball under the screen is used to navigate around, and it's easy to get used to.

BlackBerry has also tried to improve its image as a personal phone, rather than a business one, and the software supplied makes it easy to load music and films, although there is only a measly 1gb of storage (although it can be expanded to 8gb via a memory card).

There's also a full size headphone socket, and sound quality is very impressive. The 2 megapixel camera is pretty decent, can record video and has a flash. There's also satellite navigation, wifi and 3G speeds.

In fact, on features the iPhone and Bold are almost identical. For email addicts the keyboard on the BlackBerry really makes it the best phone on the market. For music fans or general users, though Apple's iPhone still has the edge.

The Bold is, however, a clear sign that Apple cannot rest on its laurels.