The August 12-released BlackBerry Torch marks Research In Motion (RIM)’s attempts to bring out a smartphone that can appeal both to office as well as home users – the handset features the company’s hallmark physical keyboard as well as touch-screen, in addition to a 5-megapixel camera, and a longer lasting battery.

The BlackBerry Torch, priced at $200 with a two-year AT&T contract, is the first BlackBerry handset to run RIM’s new, revamped BlackBerry 6 operating system; and its software includes a new Web browser that is based on the same code as those in the iPhone and in Android phones.

Even though BlackBerry 6 is neither as elegant as Apple’s iPhone operating system nor as functional as Android, it still helps RIM narrow the notable gap between those platforms and RIM.

However, despite RIM’s efforts to entice business-users well as customers to the new handset, early reviews of the device note that it is neither the strongest office tool nor the ideal touch-screen device – its 3.2-inch display is nearly 9 percent smaller than that of the iPhone and 14 percent smaller than the screen of the HTC Droid Incredible.

Nonetheless, in an overall analysis, the Torch – boasting excellent battery life that enables users to work all day and still play with the phone at home - proves that RIM is ready to burn the rulebook for retaining its dominant position in the smartphone market arena!