Research In Motion Ltd. is trying to spice up its product line by releasing several BlackBerrys with touch screens and new software for better performance. In a first for the BlackBerry, a few can run on super-fast "4G" cellular networks, which wireless providers are rolling out. The phones will be available from the major providers over the next several weeks at a wide range of prices — $50 to $300, with two-year service contracts.

I checked out three: A new version of the high-end Bold, now sporting a touch screen, and two new Torch models, one keeping the slide-out keyboard from before, and the other ditching the physical keyboard.
There are some good features here that will appeal to BlackBerry fans. But chances are many are waiting for devices that run the more advanced QNX software used in RIM's PlayBook tablet computer, which could be coming fairly soon.
 
The phones adhere largely to the familiar BlackBerry aesthetic, but with a few twists. They all have the latest version of RIM's operating software, BlackBerry 7. Although it appears quite similar to previous versions, BlackBerry 7 promises a zippier Web browser, voice search and better rendering of graphics.
The most noticeable change was the improved Web-surfing speed. I connected an old BlackBerry Torch with BlackBerry 6 and the new Torch 9810 with version 7 to the same Wi-Fi network.

— BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930

Despite having by far the smallest screen of the bunch (2.8 inches diagonally), the new Bold merges form and function well. The handset is RIM's skinniest thus far, and it looks like a better-quality handset than the other new releases. I also found its keyboard easiest to use among the three I tested.
The Bold is RIM's first to include an NFC, or near-field communication, chip, which could eventually allow the phone to work as a sort of wireless payment system.
Too bad the phone is so expensive. Sprint will start selling the Bold 9930 on Sunday for $250, while Verizon is hawking it online now for the same price. The Bold 9900, which can work on T-Mobile's high-speed 4G network, will be available Aug. 31 for an even steeper $300 (after a $50 mail-in rebate). You'll need a two-year contract to get any of these prices.

— BlackBerry Torch 9850

RIM, a master of the physical keyboard, hasn't had much luck with phones that only include a touch screen. Its early attempts with the BlackBerry Storm were dismal. Although the keyboard-free Torch 9850 looks sleeker, I had a hard time typing, as I kept hitting the wrong letters and numbers.
The phone also seemed to lag behind, spitting out letters well after I'd typed them and not noticing that I was stabbing feverishly at the browser's address bar in an attempt to visit another webpage.
The Torch 9850 will be available Sunday from Sprint for $150 with a two-year contract.

— BlackBerry Torch 9810 

This phone is definitely the least attractive of the group, but it gets points for its ability to access AT&T's high-speed 4G data network, which makes it quick to download documents or upload photos to Facebook.
The Torch 9810 weighs in at a hefty 5.7 ounces, and its design, which is essentially identical to a previous Torch, looks tired compared with many other smartphones. Its slide-out keyboard is more cramped than that on the Bold, yet it is still quite good for typing.

All of the latest BlackBerrys add several good features, but RIM is still far behind the competition in ease of use and availability of apps.