Video resolution, as usual, isn't up to the same standard as stills, but it fared reasonably well, with little obvious screen lag.

Google Maps

Speaking of geotagging, the Bold also has GPS on board, supported by BlackBerry Maps remote server-based mapping and information service. It's worth a look but we found it a bit on the slow side and ended up downloading Google Maps instead. This worked fine once the device had identified our location but it wasn't as quick to do this as other devices we've tried.

For music, the Bold's speaker offers a better than average sound that's actually quite full and rounded – there's not a great deal of bass of course, but it doesn't sound painfully tinny, which is a plus. The supplied headphones aren't bad either, though they have limited dynamic range which leaves the music sounding a bit 'shut-in'.

Thankfully, it's easy to upgrade via the 3.5mm jack plug (or wirelessly via stereo Bluetooth link). The player itself is pretty good too, though there are no dedicated music controls and no FM radio.

Blackberry means business

Battery-wise the Bold was a bit of a disappointment, and we routinely had to recharge on the second day of average use. But despite this, and though the GPS and camera could have been a little better, the Bold is still ace when it comes to messaging, and offers a very decent browsing experience too.

A few others, such as Nokia's N71, HTC's Touch Pro, may come close in this regard, but neither of those can quite overtake it as the business tool to be seen with.

Looks: 4/5
Ease of use: 3.5/5
Features: 4/5
Call quality: 4/5
Value for money: 3.5/5

Network availability: T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange, O2

You can vote for the RIM BlackBerry Bold in the T3 Gadget Awards now.