Nokia has launched its BlackBerry-like C3, running on Symbian with a full Qwerty keyboard and business looks.

We pit it against the BlackBerry Pearl 3G (9100) to see how the two devices compare.

Keyboard

Although many BlackBerrys have a full Qwerty keyboard, neither the 9100 or 9105 Pearl 3G devices from RIM do.

The Pearl 9100 features a condensed Qwerty keyboard, with two keys on each button. The SureType method for typing does take some getting used to, but the device is pretty good at predicting what you're about to type.

The keys are springy but firm and slightly angled to make typing as easy as possible.

In comparison, the Nokia's keyboard is much more conventional and makes typing a breeze.

The keys are a little small for chunkier fingers, but well-spaced, allowing you to touch type pretty easily.

The buttons are more rounded than the Pearl 9100 and this sometimes mean your fingers slide around the keys rather than allowing you to tap harder.

Winner: Draw. We really like the full Qwerty of the Nokia C3, but the individual keys feel much nicer on the Pearl 3G.

Screen

You won't find a large screen on either the Nokia C3 or BlackBerry 9100 because they're more conventional devices with keyboards below the screen.

However, this doesn't mean they have to be low resolution.

The BlackBerry's 2.25-inch screen has a pretty decent resolution of 360x400 pixels. Because the screen isn't massive, it makes it look seamless.

The Nokia C3's screen is slightly lower resolution and because the screen's physical dimensions are larger at 2.4-inches, it looks a lot lower resolution even though it's still a respectable 320x240 pixels.

Winner: BlackBerry 9100 because it's clearer and brighter thanks to those extra pixels.

OS

Although the S40 OS has moved on substantially over the last few years, it still feels antiquated in comparison to Symbian^3.

This is one of the major downsides to the Nokia C3, because it's just not as functional as a smartphone platform such as the Pearl 9105's BlackBerry OS 5.

OS 5 may have been superseded by OS 6 now, but the 9100 is one of the devices that will be upgradeable to OS 6. This is certainly one bonus point for the RIM-manufactured device.

BlackBerry 6 offers a tweaked user interface and allows you to customise your BlackBerry too. There are more social networking features thanks to the social feed (also available on the C3, however), and a load of other features that make the 9100 a true smartphone.

Winner: BlackBerry 9100 because it's a fully-fledged smartphone

Camera

The Nokia C3 features a 2-megapixel camera, which is pretty low-spec nowadays. There's no flash or autofocus, leaving it lagging behind the BlackBerry 9100's camera.

The latter device includes a much higher-specced 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, making it perfect for taking shots in any condition.

Winner: BlackBerry 9100

Battery life

With any smartphone, you'll struggle to keep the battery going for more than a day, but the Nokia C3 and BlackBerry 9100 both offer decent battery lives.

The Nokia C3 includes a 1300mAh battery that will last up to 800 hours on standby and 7 hours talktime. For a device running on S40, Nokia has included a pretty powerful battery and that shows here.

The Blackberry 9100 in comparison includes a smaller Li-Ion 1150 mAh battery and the battery life is noticeably shorter at 312 hours standby and 5 hours talktime.

Winner: Nokia C3

Price

As you'd expect, the difference in price between the BlackBerry 9100 and Nokia C3 is pretty large.

The Nokia C3 will cost Rs 6,000, which is a pretty good device for a full-features handset, despite it missing out on 3G (Wi-Fi is onboard though).

The BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9100 is a little more expensive at Rs. 20,000, but it has five times the features and is a much more impressive device if you're looking for something with a top keyboard.

Winner: Nokia C3

Verdict

Although the Nokia C3 is a great device for you if you're looking for something basic with a keyboard and long battery life, the BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9100 is a much more impressive device that ticks almost all the boxes.