BlackBerry Curve review - Intro
The BlackBerry Curve, or BlackBerry 8300, represents a new target demographic for the company: the budget user. Priced at $199 post-rebate with a two-year contract, the Curve is much cheaper than most other BlackBerries; the more sophisticated 8800 is currently at $299.99 with a two-year contract. And it's even cheaper if you shop around; with the mail-in rebates some dealers and resellers are offering, we've seen it for as low as $-14. That's right: some retailers are offering the phone for free as long as you also take $14 and sign up for a 2-year contract. That's the beauty of contracts.
These bargain basement prices come with some compromises, though. The camera is only average and can't capture video, and there's no built-in GPS receiver. Also, even though the device represents an aesthetic step forward from the clunky boxlike BlackBerries of the past, the case feels plasticky and is prone to scratching.
But, these compromises aside, it's a BlackBerry device that does most of the things people would expect, and even a few they wouldn't. It includes the usual, excellent BlackBerry e-mail client that handles corporate servers and home e-mail accounts with equal ease. It also does a reasonable job of playing back video and music. It's no iPhone but it's more than capable of amusing you during your commute (it also costs just a bit less).
Tour & Design - The Curve is certainly one of the prettier BlackBerry phones to date, which is really not that strong of an endorsement. It feels like plastic, though, and has some durability issues.
Audio Quality - The Curve has fairly good audio, though it takes better care of an incoming caller's voice than your own.
Imaging - Imaging on the Curve was sub par. The camera isn't very good and can't capture video.
Making/Receiving Calls - The tiny, cramped QWERTY keys will be a huge turnoff for some, but most won't mind it. They made calling quick if you're accurate. The Curve's remarkably fast boot up time means you'll be able to make sudden calls swiftly.
Messaging - E-mail is the BlackBerry's mealticket; its capabilities are great, and there's little we were left asking for. Its MMS/SMS capabilities aren't as flexible, but are still more than functional.
Organizer - This is another point where the Curve excels. The only things we would've liked to see here was better alert functionality.
Multimedia - The Curve isn't a multimedia device. It offers basic usability, but this area has never been one of BlackBerry's strong suits.
Software - The Curve's software is better than average. We really like the OS, and you most likely won't have any problems with the browser. There is also a great map application included.
Battery Life - The Curve has really good battery life, as is standard for BlackBerry devices.
Connectivity - The Curve supports quad-band GSM. It also has a very simple Bluetooth interface.
Hardware - We are a huge fan of the trackball. The Curve also has the standard BlackBerry display capabilities. We're also very happy to see a mini USB port for data transfer and charging. We would have liked better keypad backlighting, though.
Other Features - The Curve sadly doesn't come with GPS, but your savings need to come from somewhere. It can be used as a tethered modem, and supports AT&T's Push to Talk networks.
Value & Comparisons - The Curve is a great value, which is what it was intended to be. It offers most of the functionality of the 8800 for less of the price.
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Individual |
900 |
0.0667 |
59.99 |
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Individual |
4000 |
0.0375 |
149.99 |
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Family |
6000 |
0.0500 |
299.99 |
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Family |
2100 |
0.0524 |
109.99 |
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Data |
0 |
0.0000 |
59.99 |
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