BlackBerry Torch Accessories Round Up

October is set to be a great month for mobile phones, we’ve not only got a number of awesome handset releases from Nokia and HTC as well as the launch of the all new ‘Windows Phone’ operating system and a range of handsets that will run it.

BlackBerry don’t want to be left out in the cold and as long as everything goes to plan, they’ll be launching their latest handset, the BlackBerry Torch, on the 7th October.

The BlackBerry Torch is totally different from any BlackBerry phone we’ve seen before. It’s a sliding handset that has both a touchscreen and a full QWERTY keyboard and it runs a new version of the BlackBerry operating system. The unusual ‘surepress’ screens found on the Storm range have been replaced with a more conventional capacitive touch screen that makes using the new finger-friendly menu system even more responsive.

If you’re upgrading from a previous BlackBerry, some of your accessories will fit, mostly chargers and headphones, but most other accessories will need to be updated. To get you started, here’s a quick round up of some of the best BlackBerry Torch Accessories.

Noreve Tradition A Leather Case for BlackBerry Torch

This BlackBerry Torch Case by Noreve is a stylish, well made case that gives Piel Frama and PDair a run for their money. The case . The whole case is hand crafted from top quality leather and moulds around the Torch beautifully. The case leaves your camera, charging ports and volume keys accessible and doesn’t interfere with the sliding mechanism of the phone. The case has a detachable ratchet clip on the back that can be removed easily to leave the back of the case perfectly flat.

Case-Mate Barely There Case – BlackBerry Torch

The Barely-There covers consist of a two part clip on cover and a screen protector.  The clip on covers attach securely to the back and screen of your Torch, protecting most of the phone. The only part left exposed is the screen, which is why Case Mate include a screen protector.

InvisibleSHIELD BlackBerry Torch Screen Protector

Screen Protectors are the best way to keep the screen of your phone looking like new, but not all screen protectors are the same. Most are a fairly thick plastic sheet that clings to the screen of your phone, but this one from InvisibleShield is different. It’s a soft, thin flexible film that uses an mildly adhesive solution to stick to the screen of your Torch. It doesn’t interfere with the sensitivity of the touch screen and doesn’t leave any messy residue behind when it’s removed. It’s certainly a lot tougher than a standard screen protector and can withstand scratches from keys, nails and even a hand held drill! InvisibleShield also do a full body protector which covers almost all of your phone in the same tough film.

Jabra EXTREME Bluetooth Headset

The Jabra Extreme is the latest noise cancelling headset that improves on the already excellent BT530. It provides twice the amount of noise cancellation as the BT530 and manages to retain the natural sound of your voice, rather than making you sound like a robot. The headset is comfortable to wear too, you have the option of an ear hook or a secure ear-gel (shown in the image below). As you’d expect from any branded headset, the Jabra Extreme supports multipoint, allowing you to use it with two devices at the same time.  Controls are kept to a minimum and are easy to use. The volume buttons are a little on the small side, but as the headset adjusts the volume automatically when you enter a noisy environment, the chances are you’ll never need to use them.

BlackBerry VisorMount Speakerphone VM-605

The BlackBerry VisorMount Speaker phone is based on the Jabra SP700 and as a result is just as easy to use. Just pair it to your phone,  clip it to your car’s visor, turn it on, and you’re ready to start making and taking hands-free calls on the go. It supports voice activated dialling, caller ID, and verbal notifications to let you know who’s calling, you can stay in touch while keeping your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. It has a built in FM transmitter that can be used to broadcast audio from your calls, music and sat nav through your car stereo without having to connect any wires. It includes a Micro USB car charger (the same as your phone uses,) so you won’t need to buy a separate car charger for your Torch.

BlackBerry Micro USB Car Charger

BlackBerry promise that the battery life is great on the Torch, but as with all smart phones, it could be better and a car charger is still a worthwhile investment. The Torch uses a Micro USB charger which might be different to your older BlackBerry device, so double check to make sure you order the right one. The genuine BlackBerry MicroUSB Car charger will work in both 12v and 24v vehicles (Cars, Lorries and Trucks).

Sony Ericsson MW600 Stereo Bluetooth Headset

If you want to listen to your music in stereo without wires then I strongly recommend the MW600 from Sony Ericsson. It’s a great buy at less than £40, has some great features that you won’t find in other headsets. It’s a multipoint stereo bluetooth headset with a built in FM radio. This means that you can listen to your music from your Torch without any wires. What’s more, you can connect this to a second device at the same time – this could be your work mobile, your PC for VoIP calling or your PS3 for online gaming – it works with them all. If a call comes in, the headset will automatically switch to your phone and allow you to take the call without any messing about. As soon as the call is over you’ll be returned to your music or gaming.

BlackBerry Torch Micro SD Memory Card

The BlackBerry Torch is a great Multimedia handset and the new menu system on it makes it even easier to manage and get to your photos, music and videos.  It4GB of internal storage, which is plenty to get you started, but if you’re planning on using your Torch as your main camera, MP3 player and video recorder, this won’t be enough. If this is what you’re planning on using your BlackBerry Torch for, you’re going to need an additional memory card. A 16GB memory card will let you store over 2000 high quality photos, 2000 songs and around 1 hour of standard definition video with room left over for your apps. A larger 32GB Micro SD HC memory card is also available if you need even more storage space.

Nokia Stylus SU-36

The Nokia SU-36 is a stylus for the touchscreen phones that use capacitive displays – and it’s not just limited to Nokia handsets. Traditional resistive displays relied on pressure being applied to the screen to detect input, newer, more sensitive capacitive screens use the electrical signal from your finger – that’s why you can’t use your phone with gloves on, with a pen or your existing stylus. The SU-36 is a compact, retractable stylus that can make handwriting recognition, texting and drawing faster.