Pros: Vivid, rich display; Very good QWERTY board; 3G and WiFi; Upgraded OS and HTML browser; Legendary BlackBerry push email
Cons: Browser not as good as Opera, Android, or Mobile Safari; Device crashed hard on me twice during testing; Phone is big

Bold has basically lived up to the "Best BlackBerry Ever!" hype that preceded it, if you ask me.  Featuring a super-sharp HVGA display, the upgraded BlackBerry OS, and a solid but lightweight design, the first 3G BlackBerry has seriously got me considering a switch from my trusty iPhone.  

While Bold's footprint is large, the device's light weight and relatively slim profile make it easy to hold and pocket.  The redesigned QWERTY board isn't quite as roomy as those found on the various incarnations of the Curve, but it's still a pleasure to thumb type on.  RIM also loaded the new BlackBerry OS onto Bold, and the included Precision themes give Bold's user interface a decidedly 21st century look and feel - though those familiar low-on-style BlackBerry menus still lurk under the surface.

Bold's Web browser is a big step forward from previous BB offerings, and while it's noticeably slower to render pages than an iPhone also running on AT&T's 3G network (it seems to get bogged down by JavaScripts), it's still great to be able to view true HTML pages on a BlackBerry.  Throw a solid media player and BlackBerry's tried and true push email system into the big and you've got one of the best smartphones on the market in the Bold.

Verdict: Big Thumbs Up