I just got back from Maxis KLCC and the exec said that currently there is stock on hand, but only for the first 100 pre-registration.

Sales to walk-in customers will start on Wednesday. However, how accurate this information from the exec is I cannot guarantee. I called Maxis phone CS before I went over and they told me it was already on sale. Kena kantoi.

Correction, just got email from Maxis.

First 100 eligible for the bonus gift - can buy as of last week

Those who pre-register - can buy on 3rd Nov (print out email they sent to you)

Others - 5th Nov

Happy hunting all

Nope, just can get it faster by 2 days LOL

i don't think so, unless you take prepaid.

Given that it took them this long to even bring the original Torch to Malaysia, I wouldn't hold your breath for the red or white version that is not yet even out in US yet I think.

Picked up my Torch today and have been playing with it for the last 3 hours. A few observations I'd like to share for those considering buying one:-

Sliding mechanism

- firm, solid, no goyang-ing when its slid out or tucked in. Test it before you take it home in case you get a defective unit


Resolution

- a lot has been written about this, and the general view is very damning because of the numbers. Good news, the negative reviews are not true. Ok, so you don't have a HD screen, but pictures are well rendered, so are sites and text. It won't win any photography awards, but it will do the job without you really noticing the difference (unless you are really fussy). Not fantastic, but not horrible.,


Touchscreen keyboard

- good and not easy to make typing mistakes (this coming from a touchscreen noob)


Weight

- Heavier than the bold, but I think its not overly heavy. On par or lighter than Iphone 4 if you want to compare


Scrolling

- No lag noticed. But thats probably because I close what I don't use when I browse. If you happen to have 4-6 apps running in the background, it will likely lag but not yet tested.


Battery life

- This is my main complain. Gonna try the solutions on RIM support forums and see if it helps. Do bear in mind the Torch's battery is weaker than the Bold 9700, and the Torch is more power hungry, so the shorter lifespan is reasonably expected. Hope a higher capacity battery is out soon.


Keyboard

- Thinner than Bold, takes a while to get used to. Buttons are just as good as the 9700, but the thinness will feel a bit odd at first


Keylock button

- Too sensitive (maybe just mine, or maybe its the design). Tend to accidentally unlock.


Optical trackpad, BB button, Call/DC button

- I noticed my model has a loose panel. Gonna take it back tomorrow to have it changed. Double check your model before you go home to avoid this (apparently its a fairly common problem).


Boot-up time

- fast compared to Bold 9700 (1-2 minutes)


Phone locking up / hanging / freeze

- No instances so far


Summation:-

I like it. Doesn't make me drool or hyper, but keeps me happy. Easy to get used to coz all the basics we love are still there, and lets you taste what its like to use the touchscreen. Migrating data from my Bold to Torch was easy with DM6, and OS6 is a nice facelift. New webkit is a big improvement over the old native browser, reminds me a bit of opera mini.


Cons:-

- shorter battery life
- loose optical trackpad panel (check yours before you accept it)

User friendliness / New user adapting

Easy to learn if you have used a smartphone before. There is a step-by-step tutorial when you start up the phone for the first time that explains the basic functions of the phone and how to access them. Other functions you will pick up along the way as you use it.

Desktop Manager 6 is also a user friendly tool that helps you update and back-up your phone. It also helps you sync music/vidoes/pictures to your phone the same way itunes would (but itunes is better at it). DM6 also makes using the tethering function very easy compared to DM5 previously.

I've had the pleasure of trying out Nokia, Sony Ericsson, iPhone and BB and I think BB and Nokia are on par in their learning curve.


Battery life

You will get a lot of conflicting statements on the battery life of the phone. Some will tell you it lasts longer than a Nokia, some will tell you otherwise. The truth is, it will depend on your personal usage. On average, if you are like me and you chat during office hours when you should be working you will get probably 10 - 15 hours of battery life on 2G connection before you need to charge your phone. I leave my house at 7am, I get home around 10pm, my phone is at about 20% life left. I run MSN, FB, Twitter, Whatsapp and Foursquare 24/7, and I occassionally surf the internet during breakfast and lunch.

I would say the battery life is satisfactory, and if you are not happy with the battery life, there are ways you can prolong the charge by reducing certain settings and minimising certain activity. Basic tips on conserving battery life:-

- Set your phone to 2G when not web browsing
- Minimise vibration settings
- Reduce your backlight brightness and sleep timer


Warranty and service

If your Nokie breakdown on telco contract, you have to go to Nokia service centre to fix it (based on some complaints I read on FB). Telco won't help in that respect.

If your BB is faulty, based on my experience with Maxis, they will take the phone back and help you get it fixed from the distributor


Why Blackberry over Nokia

- you have the same keyboard, but arguably better form
- push notifications
- depending on telco, cheaper data plan


Why Nokia over Blackberry

- More apps, better games/graphics (Ovi store has Angry Birds!!)
- Better resolution / camera


Disclaimer: The above represents my personal opinion and perceptions, I might be wrong on some factual information.

This post has been edited by CKJMark: Nov 12 2010, 11:31 AM

No need deposit. You just have to pay for the phone price.

What to check for:-

- button panel under the touchscreen, make sure its not loose or flimsy. It should fit nicely, and you cannot see the backlight from between the gaps of the touchscreen and the button panel. Test the buttons also. In my case, after pressing the BB menu button a few times, the panel is loose.

- check your phone whether can tether with Desktop Manager 6 (test out both 3g and 2g setting). In my case, 3G cannot connect at all. 2G connected but cannot surf.

- slider mechanism. Make sure it doesn't feel loose

Remember that Maxis policy is that if your phone is defective, they will only change for you within 24 hours from the time of purchase. After that they will insist you send the phone for warranty service with Brightstar. Just FYI, Maxis and Brightstar warranty service period is 2-4 weeks. Don't let them tell you "please call our online technician to solve your problem" because they will take 2-3 working days to get back to you and by that time, 24 hours pass liao and they won't replace the phone for you.

I am currently in a dispute with Maxis on this now and opted to drop them in favour of Digi.

This post has been edited by CKJMark: Nov 18 2010, 08:33 AM

Which Maxis centre are you going to? Those in shopping malls are open 7 days a week if I'm not wrong.

hahaha, is a good thing for me. My boss can't see me "eat snake" when she call me

Have you read the existing threads on what is BIS and how it works? They should answer that question for you.

There is also a discussion thread on Digi / Maxis / Celcom packages. Look those up.

If you are on Digi, you need to make sure your desktop manager is up-to-date version.

Restart your desktop manager, plug in your Torch and wait for a while. Once it connects and syncs, it will notify you of the update for the latest version. I updated mine this way last week.

Also, make sure you back-up your settings and data before you update.