Cheap mobile phone doppelgangers have this stinging stigma that, although they may be friendly to every Juan's pocket, they fall short of tech pizzazz and reliability. But once in a while, there are those that are affordable and defy this impression. Does the ubercheap, TV-toting Torque DQ900 make the cut? Let's see.
The very first thing you'll notice about the DQ900 is that it looks like the BlackBerry Curve 8520's brother from another mother. We don't blame you. Its facade rocks the look of RIM's fruit spot-on, the only difference being the slightly smaller screen, the bluish tinge found on its border, and of course, the Torque label above the display. The DQ900 is also a bit lighter, even with the battery. We'll admit that it does feel plasticky, which is understandable, though it doesn't feel rickety.
As for the notables littering its exterior, the DQ900 has a microUSB port on its right side, which doubles as a charging port. A 3.5mm port sits beside the microUSB port and is good news for multimedia enthusiasts. The keyboard, as expected, is the same as the Curve's looks. There's even a trackpad, which is a welcome addition to the package. Then again, it's erratic, so you have to be a bit careful when using it. At the back, you'll see a 2-megapixel camera and the speakers.
'Same' BlackBerry OS, too?!
Um, no, of course not. But the Torque DQ900's UI does look similar to BlackBerry's, from the way the home-screen display's shortcuts have been laid out and such. But there's a bit of Apple there, too, and you can just look at the icons to see that. So it's not a 'Berry all the way.
Dual
We guess you already know that the DQ900 is a dual-SIM phone just like its brothers. The good thing about it is it also has a dual-standby feature, which simply means you can use both SIM cards simultaneously. No need o worry about activating the, say, Sun Cellular SIM card to be able to receive calls and text messages from your Sun contacts. Also, you can directly choose which network to use in a jiffy if you want to call your momma, for example.
The extras
We were pleasantly surprised that the DQ900 has a few notable extras. For example, it has dedicated mobile Skype and Facebook icons already, and even Google's and MSN's. Although the device doesn't have 3G connectivity, it does have Wi-Fi, so your mobile apps won't go to waste. You can surf using the mobile Opera browser.
For your multimedia fix, there's an FM radio and music player, and an MP4 and 3GP video player takes care of the visuals. As for the 2-megapixel camera, it's best not to expect much. There's no built-in flash, so image quality is not great especially in low-light situations.
The free-to-air TV tuner
Of course, this is one of the phone's main selling points. The Torque DQ900, which comes with an external antenna, seems to be able to capture TV signals well even in far-flung areas, so much so that we were even able to get access to GMA-7, ABS-CBN 2, and TV5 even while we were in Infanta, Quezon.
However, as with past experiences, everything's quite, um, delicate in the sense that you have to be careful not to touch the antenna or move the DQ900 once you get a stable signal or you'll risk losing your reception. Take note also that the built-in speakers are only decent at best. We recommend buying good-quality earphones to fully enjoy mobile TV and the DQ900's other multimedia offerings.
It's got the power
We were able to squeeze over 3 days' worth of battery life from this dual-SIM phone with normal use and over 2 days with Wi-Fi and mobile TV usage. So yes, the power department is definitely one of its strong points.
May not replace BlackBerry...
...but if you're just looking for a cheap, everyday phone with a few extras, then the Torque DQ900 is actually a good buy. Just think P4,400, mobile TV, Wi-Fi, and long battery life.
Click here to see the Torque DQ900 in the Buyer's Guide.
Check out the gallery below for more Dq900 photos.
See also