The email function, long the BlackBerry's strong point, is largely unchanged. While it is fast and reliable, it lacks some useful touches the iPhone introduced years ago. For example, there is still no built-in option for displaying a preview of the text of an email, so you have to guess whether it is worth opening merely by reading the subject line. And attached pictures still aren't displayed automatically in opened emails; you have to click a link to see them.

The built-in Maps function on the Torch is from AT&T, and was slower and more frustrating to use than Google Maps on the Android and the iPhone. RIM says it will have its own BlackBerry Maps programavailable for the new OS at launch.

But there are also many strong points. The five-megapixel camera with flash worked very well in my tests for still photos, and pretty well for videos. It even has several scene settings, such as for sports events or parties, and face detection. A redesigned pop-up menu makes it easy to share photos via email, text message, BlackBerry Messenger, or various social networks.

Notifications of new messages, including social-networking updates, seems much quicker than on previous BlackBerrys. Battery life was good in my tests, and the phone lasted through an average day easily.

Phone calls were crisp and clear. And, although the number of bars seemed about the same on AT&T as they did on the iPhone 4, and I could make the bars drop on the Torch by holding it in a certain manner, none of the limited number of calls I tried dropped. In my tests, the Torch downloaded data a bit more quickly than the iPhone over AT&T's network, but much more slowly over Wi-Fi.

The new OS will be standard on all future BlackBerry models, and owners of the existing Bold 9700 and 9650, and the Pearl 3G, will be able to upgrade to it.

Overall, the Torch and the BlackBerry 6 operating system are good products that improve the BlackBerry experience considerably and bring the device closer to its newer rivals.

Walter S. Mossberg

• system [´sistəm] n.系统，体系，制度 (初中英语单词)


• survey [´sə:vei] vt.&n.俯瞰；审视；测量 (初中英语单词)


• canadian [kə´neidiən] a.加拿大的n.加拿大人 (初中英语单词)


• research [ri´sə:tʃ] n.&vi.调查；探究；研究 (初中英语单词)


• compete [kəm´pi:t] v.比赛，竞争，对抗 (初中英语单词)


• combine [kəm´bain] v.(使)结合；联合企业 (初中英语单词)


• screen [skri:n] n.银幕 vt.遮蔽 (初中英语单词)


• physical [´fizikəl] a.物质的；有形的 (初中英语单词)


• available [ə´veiləbəl] a.可用的；有效的 (初中英语单词)


• introduction [,intrə´dʌkʃən] n.介绍；引言；引导 (初中英语单词)


• universal [,ju:ni´və:səl] a.宇宙的；普遍的 (初中英语单词)


• improvement [im´pru:vmənt] n.改进，改善，进步 (初中英语单词)


• additional [ə´diʃənəl] a.附加的，额外的 (初中英语单词)


• contrary [´kɔntrəri] a.相反的 n.相反 (初中英语单词)


• platform [´plætfɔ:m] n.(平)台；讲台；站台 (初中英语单词)


• device [di´vais] n.装置；器具；策略 (初中英语单词)


• addition [ə´diʃən] n.加；加法；附加物 (初中英语单词)


• expose [ik´spəuz] vt.揭露，暴露；陈列 (初中英语单词)


• formerly [´fɔ:məli] ad.从前，以前 (初中英语单词)


• complex [´kɔmpleks] a.复杂的 n.综合企业 (初中英语单词)


• attractive [ə´træktiv] a.有吸引力；诱人的 (初中英语单词)


• running [´rʌniŋ] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)


• player [´pleiə] n.游戏的人；选手 (初中英语单词)


• complicated [´kɔmplikeitid] a.结构复杂的；难懂的 (初中英语单词)


• mostly [´məustli] ad.主要地；多半；通常 (初中英语单词)


• executive [ig´zekjutiv] a.行政的 n.行政官 (初中英语单词)


• writing [´raitiŋ] n.书写；写作；书法 (初中英语单词)


• instance [´instəns] n.例子，实例，例证 (初中英语单词)


• function [´fʌŋkʃən] n.机能；职责 vi.活动 (初中英语单词)


• messenger [´mesindʒə] n.使者；送信人 (初中英语单词)


• application [,æpli´keiʃən] n.申请；申请书；应用 (初中英语单词)


• resolution [,rezə´lu:ʃən] n.决心；坚决；果断 (初中英语单词)


• despite [di´spait] prep.尽管 (初中英语单词)


• mainly [´meinli] ad.主要地；大体上 (初中英语单词)


• unlike [,ʌn´laik] a.不同的 prep.不象… (初中英语单词)


• strangely [´streindʒli] ad.奇怪地；陌生地 (初中英语单词)


• replace [ri´pleis] vt.放回；复置；取代 (初中英语单词)


• prominent [´prɔminənt] a.突起的；凸出的 (初中英语单词)


• opening [´əupəniŋ] n.开放；开端 a.开始的 (初中英语单词)


• reading [´ri:diŋ] n.(阅)读；朗读；读物 (初中英语单词)


• program [´prəugræm] n.说明v.为…安排节目 (初中英语单词)


• previous [´pri:viəs] a.先，前，以前的 (初中英语单词)


• classic [´klæsik] a.第一流的 n.杰作 (高中英语单词)


• popularity [,pɔpju´læriti] n.普及；流行；名望 (高中英语单词)


• motion [´məuʃən] n.手势 vt.打手势 (高中英语单词)


• counter [´kauntə] n.计算者；柜台；计算机 (高中英语单词)


• decent [´di:sənt] a.体面的，正派的 (高中英语单词)


• switch [switʃ] n.开关 v.转换 (高中英语单词)


• speculation [,spekju´leiʃən] n.思索，推测；投机 (高中英语单词)


• relevant [´relivənt] a.有关的；中肯的 (高中英语单词)


• radical [´rædikəl] a.根本的；主要的 (高中英语单词)


• inferior [in´fiəriə] n.下级的 n.下级；晚辈 (高中英语单词)


• reliable [ri´laiəbl] a.可靠的；可信赖的 (高中英语单词)


• battery [´bætəri] n.炮兵连；炮台；电池 (高中英语单词)


• limited [´limitid] a.有限(制)的 (高中英语单词)


• considerably [kən´sidərəbli] ad.显著地；十分 (高中英语单词)


• blackberry [´blækbəri] n.黑莓 (英语四级单词)


• dominant [´dɔminənt] a.统治的；占优势的 (英语四级单词)


• status [´steitəs] n.身份；情形；状况 (英语四级单词)


• network [´netwə:k] n.网状物 vt.联播 (英语四级单词)


• automatically [ɔ:tə´mætikli] ad.自动地；无意识地 (英语四级单词)


• simplify [´simplifai] vt.简单化；精简 (英语六级单词)


• twitter [´twitə] vi.(鸟)吱吱叫 n.鸟鸣 (英语六级单词)


• category [´kætigəri] n.种类；部属；范畴 (英语六级单词)


• assured [ə´ʃuəd] a.确实的 n.被保险人 (英语六级单词)


• consistently [kən´sistəntli] ad.一致地；始终如一地 (英语六级单词)


• unchanged [ʌn´tʃeindʒd] a.不变的；依然如故的 (英语六级单词)


• holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)