Ok, let me start by first of all acknowledging the fact that I have never owned a BlackBerry, nor have I had the impulse to purchase one. I seem to share the common overwhelming perception within the UK that a BlackBerry is for business, not for life.

Which continued until I watched Samuel L Jacksons latest film 'Jumper' on the BlackBerry Bold. This initially confused the hell out if me, then I contemplated the inevitably painful true that my own perceptions could be wrong. Luckily however, equilibrium was thankfully returned when I found out that the BlackBerry Bold marks a new directional milestone for BlackBerry. Basically the formula goes, BlackBerry meets multimedia, and business meets mainstream appeal.

Appearance wise it still looks like a BlackBerry, it still acts in part like a BlackBerry, in fact if I had not further examined the menu, it would still be a standard BlackBerry. Preconceptions diminishing, opinions changing, we might just have an interesting 'gadget' in our presence.

Firstly, let me pacify the quivering gentleman at the door, wondering if the BlackBerry Club is set for extinction. The BlackBerry still does everything is used to, but now considerably more. The Bold's email capability is a tardis functionality, as not only can you set up an email address to feed into the handset, but you can actually align 10 separate accounts, if you have that many. Plus, no respectful BlackBerry would be complete without a document viewer, but not just a viewer, an actual editor to adapt and update office files on the handset. Which is something that still acts as the separating factor between a BlackBerry and any handset trying to edge in on the office appeal.

At this point, we are pretty sure that the average BlackBerry user is satisfied, as he/she has office applications, email communications, and a handset capable of phone calls. Beyond these functions however is where we find our bemused unconvinced mainstream consumer walking toward the Nokia stand.

Pay attention though, as from this point on we will need to keep reminding you that it is actually a BlackBerry Bold we have. In the opening paragraph we mentioned the new film 'Jumper', well then imagine our surprise when we found out that BlackBerrys new technology is capable of compressing files down by up to 70% against other leading mobile phones. Essentially meaning that film and music downloads can be downloaded by the bucket load, without the usual 'delete other items' message. On the subject of music, while we have chance, the new Blackberry Media Sync is able to transfer iTunes music direct to the Bold.

A mobile phones core objective in the modern world is still communication, and the BlackBerry Bold does this is abundance. So we know you can make a call, send a text, send and receive emails, but we also found out the absolute gem behind the Bold is its Instant Messaging software. Ignore old fashioned texting, life should be about instant, conversational messaging between friends, and this latest BlackBerry links into Yahoo, MSN, Google Talk, and AOL messaging services. Not to mentioned 'IM', as the kids call it, is also considerably cheaper than texting.

The BlackBerry Bold also has a built in GPS BlackBerry mapping, a 2 mega pixel camera, and Internet access up to 70% faster than most conventional handsets. Also, for those of the more technically inapt, the BlackBerry Bold processor is actually 150% more powerful than the new Nokia N96.

As you have no doubt realised by now, we are quite won over by the Bold, especially given our first instincts. As we see it though, the BlackBerry Bold is making steady steps towards a wider appeal audience, it just isn't quite there yet due to a button heavy exterior. I mean, don't get us wrong, every button does have a function, but minimal is the way forward.

In summary, good handset, excellent features, easy usability, fantastic communication features, slightly complicated exterior. Should be interesting to see what BlackBerry have done differently with their next handset in the form of the……… (your have to wait for this I'm afraid, but rumours say its coming in October).