Top five BlackBerrys of 2010

2010 has been a year of re-invention for RIM, as the Canadian company has made change after change to its hugely successful BlackBerry range, in order to bring it into line with the rapidly evolving smartphone market. As usual the company has adapted well, and the release of several top-quality devices showed that you don't have to be a business person to appreciate what a BlackBerry has to offer, and here for your perusal are the best of the best.

5 - April saw the release of BlackBerry's overhauled Pearl 3G and in some ways the device served as a good indicator of the direction RIM had chosen to take, in terms of sharpening up its range. The Pearl is a great device for those who want the bomb-proof BlackBerry e-mail service without needing a full Qwerty keyboard, though the alpha-numeric keypad with RIM's own SurePress technology performs almost as well. The device also ships with some great multimedia features, such as a 3.15 mega-pixel camera with autofocus and flash, and re-designed chassis with dedicated music controls built into the top of the phone, so you won't have to fumble around in your pocket to change track Naturally you also get support for Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth so you're never out of the loop.

4 - RIM is not normally known for its touchscreen-only devices but its Storm 2 proved many of their doubters wrong when it was released at the start of the year. The device comes with a hugely impressive spec-sheet with highlights such as a 3.15 mega-pixel camera with autofocus, Wi-Fi, 3G ,impressive audio quality and RIM's excellent SureType touchscreen technology, showing that BlackBerry's aren't all about the hardware keyboard after all.

3 - 2010 also saw the expansion of the perennially reliable Curve range, with the release of the Curve 3G 9300. The Curve aims to bring all the Qwerty goodness users have come to expect of a BlackBerry to people working to a budget and on all fronts the device is successful. The full Qwerty keyboard is responsive and comfortable and BlackBerry's enterprise standard messaging means that your e-mail will be sent and received promptly and securely, without the need for any battery draining sync operations. You also get Wi-Fi support, 3G, Bluetooth and a 2 mega-pixel camera for your troubles, making the Curve 9300 a very attractive little package.

2 - BlackBerrys have a huge following worldwide and this is due, in no small part, to the company's flagship Bold range. The latest of which, the Bold 9780, has taken up the mantle of industry leader admirably, bringing the Bold range up to date with expanded features and improved hardware. The device comes with the usual high-quality Qwerty keyboard, sitting atop a small, robust frame which is powered by a reliable 624MHz CPU. RIM has also packed a nice little RAM upgrade into the 9780, bringing it up to 512MB, which helps the device speed along without a hint of lag. The upgraded camera is also a big hit, coming in at 5-megapixels and offering auto-focus and an LED flash.

1 - The release of the BlackBerry Torch saw the greatest leap forward for RIM in some time. The device marries a fantastic 3.2-inch touchscreen with the firm's indomitable hardware and requisite hardware Qwerty keyboard to produce a hybrid messenger of undoubtedly high quality. With the addition of a solid 5-megapixel camera with flash, autofocus and image stabilisation and the new BlackBerry OS 6, an update which brought with it a new Webkit browser and social network integration, the device was able give RIM an entry into the great smartphone face-off, in competition with the likes of Apple and Android.

So that was 2010 for RIM, a company which never ceases to impress. We can look forward to an equally impressive 2011, as they debut their entry into the tablet market, the PlayBook, and add to their already burgeoning range of consumer/business-friendly smartphones, which look set to benefit from the firm's recent acquisition of QNX systems, with a richly re-designed new Linux based operating system.