I know this is a little late, considering the device launched nearly a month ago, but they always say better late than never. Upon opening the packaging for the Bold 9650 on Sprint, it’s all very under-stimulating. There is only one noticeable change between the Bold 9650 and the Tour 9630 at first glance, and that’s the optical trackpad. As all of you probably know, I’m impartial to both. I’ve had both optical trackpad and trackball, and either one is fine with me. I never really had any issues with the trackball when I had my Pearl, Curve, Tour (minus the manufacture error on the batch of Tours), etc. As a recurring BlackBerry user (more like fiend), this device in no way provoked me to tinker or play. I remember back when I got my first, and even when I got my second and third BlackBerrys. I played with it and tinkered throughout the night, adding applications, tweaking settings, etc. When I pulled the Bold 9650 out of the box, I made the first change I always make on my BlackBerry, disable dialing from home screen, and pocketed it. The only application I put on it was SocialScope, and I have yet to even load my contacts onto it.

I really haven’t felt the need to play with it that much, as it is truly no different from my Tour on Verizon. Once we get BlackBerry 6 in our hands, I may be more excited about my 9650, but right now I’m less than impressed. It’s not the fact that this surprises me in any way, because it doesn’t. I knew this device was only ever-so-slightly upgraded from the 9630. My main problem with this is the fact that RIM has not really pushed anything with the Bold 9650. They fixed what everyone was complaining about (the trackball and low application memory), but in no way advanced their product beyond consumer expectations.

However, what RIM did do, and quite well might I add, is refine the hardware in almost every way. Holding the 9630 and the 9650 side by side, the 9650 simply has a better feel in the hand. Not only does the 9650 ship with a better fitting battery door (which definitely gives it a much sturdier feel), it also comes with a more raised, more curved keyboard. The keyboard on the 9650 is raised and arched to accommodate for the bigger trackpad. I talked with Aaron about this when I got the phone. Aaron hates the keyboard and said it makes it a little bit harder for him to type. Personally, I don’t mind it in any way and it probably would have taken me a while to really notice a difference. It does make your fingers slip-up and hit the wrong keys a little easier, but I’m sure it’s something my typing would adapt to. Another almost unnoticeable difference between the two is the bottom row of keys. Since the trackpad is bigger than the trackball, the entire keyboard has been slightly shifted down (about 1/8 in.) and the bottom row of keys is ever-so-slightly shorter than the 9630′s keys. Again, this is another barely noticeable difference and really doesn’t change my overall opinion of the phone at all. All of these tiny modifications definitely give the “Bold” impression over the feel of the Tour. On the terms of hardware, I’m impressed. They’ve upped the bar and definitely focused more on build quality, rather than pumping out as many units as fast as possible.

Notice: The keyboard on the 9650 (left) is arched and raised where the 9630′s (right) is not.

It’s really hard to notice, but if you look closely, the trackpad is slightly slanted toward the right.

If there is one hardware complaint I would have to make about this device and essentially all optical trackpad equipped BlackBerry devices, is how sloppily the trackpad has been integrated. In almost every way, RIM’s optical trackpad technology is the most accurate, easiest to use, etc. But in almost every implementation, at least every trackpad equipped BlackBerry I have held, has had a lopsided, or slightly slanted trackpad. On my 9650, it is actually raised on the left side and flush with the back button on the right. It annoys me quite a bit, but it’s something I would eventually get used to, just as I did with my wompy-jawed (southern term) 9700 trackpad.

Overall, the 9650 is a great device. If you love your BlackBerry and don’t already have a Bold or a 9630, I would recommend it. If you already have a higher-end BlackBerry, I wouldn’t burn my upgrade on it until BlackBerry 6 releases. That way, when 6 finally drops, you will have a brand new phone to enjoy it with. With new hardware and new software, you’re bound to be impressed. If you get the phone now and become tired of it, 6 will more than likely only partially-rejuvenate your love for your ‘Berry.

I will do a video hardware comparison of the two soon, and a full review, so stay tuned! So what do you guys and gals think? Is the 9650 a good move for RIM or should they have waited and released it with BlackBerry 6 pre-installed? Is it worth upgrading to from a Tour? Do you think the build quality is much better? Tell us your thoughts on the 9650 in the comments below!