By contrast, the sides of the Bold 9700′s casing include a miniature USB port, 3.5-mm headphone jack, volume adjustment keys, and a button for either snapping photos or opening applications. This feels much more natural.

With the Bold 9700, BlackBerry seems to be sticking to what it knows best. For many within the enterprise, that will be enough. But with smartphones such as the iPhone continuing to gain ground, and other devices such as the Motorola Droid in the pipeline, RIM may be tempted in its next iteration to move from its safety zone and try something more radical.