Blackberry Curve 8330

Whenever a new and improved cell phone is released, I try and do anything in my power to obtain the device. My current phone may surpass my previous phones, but the latest market entry always seems to make my phone seem obsolete. First it was a color screen, then a digital camera, then email access, and now downloadable applications. Recently, my need for new and improved phones stopped after I upgraded my old, secondhand Blackberry with one of RIM’s new devices, the Blackberry Curve 8330. I am going to take you on a tour of the Curve from the outside in.

Design

The Blackberry Curve is light and small. At roughly the size and weight of a deck of cards, the Curve is easy to carry to class or keep in your pocket when you go out at night. It features a full QWERTY keyboard, which makes typing emails and messages a quick and easy process. A frequent problem with some cell phones is that the keys are either too close together or hard to press. The Curve’s keyboard does not suffer from this problem, as the keys are perfectly separated and easy to access. There are a number of other helpful aspects of the phone’s design, such as the side keys. The side keys are quick links to different applications. The side keys come preset but you can switch the applications to fit your needs.

Phone insurance is something I have always taken advantage of, as I am prone to accidentally destroying my phone. With the Blackberry Curve 8300, having insurance has not been necessary for me. The hard casing of the Curve protects it from most falls. However, without an aftermarket case, the phone’s silver exterior can scratch fairly easily. An easy fix to this problem is purchasing a case. I have used RIM’s silicon cases, which help to protect the Curve and give the phone a personal touch.

Calling

Call quality on the Curve is very good. I never have problems with fuzziness or dropped calls, and my friends can always hear me clearly. The phone features a speakerphone, which allows for hands free talking and is great for driving or talking on the phone when doing work. The speakerphone quality is pretty good, but not nearly as clear as the standard ear speaker. Callers were able to hear a difference in volume changes when speakerphone was switched on and off, but it was nothing to complain about. The difference isn’t very significant, and the speakerphone is still a great option.

Along with speakerphone, another great hands free option the Curve offers is Bluetooth. This phone is capable of using Bluetooth headsets, which makes hands-free talking a breeze. The Curve is also compatible with Bluetooth car systems, which allows clear conversation through supported car stereos.

Battery

It is very important for a cell phone to have a reliable, long lasting battery life for those long days filled with classes and study sessions. The Curve battery offers roughly four hours of talk time and can last about seventeen days in standby. The phone’s high-capacity battery has lasted me many days of full use before I needed to charge it. Thankfully, battery life is something you do not have to worry about with this phone.

Media

Directly below the battery casing is a spot for inserting a memory card into the Curve. Curve owners will want to consider adding a memory card, as it lets you store a great deal of media in your phone, from pictures, to music, videos, and even documents. Memory card expandability makes the Curve quite versatile, as it can become your media player and digital camera. Accidentally leaving your iPod at home will no longer be a problem since the Curve’s memory card slot allows you to always have your media with you.

The media card I purchased came with an adaptor, which allows you to use it with a digital camera along with your Curve. This is a great feature as you can have all of your pictures, from your phone and camera, on one small card. Another plus to having one media card is you can easily take the pictures from your camera and put them on your cell phone to post them to the internet or email to friends.

Digital Camera and Video Recording

On the back of the Curve is a small digital camera, which has two megapixels, 5X zoom, and flash. For a small camera on a cell phone, the quality is very good. No, this is not a camera to rely on when you want to take great pictures while traveling, but for what it is, the camera does a great job. The flash and zoom provide a nice boost to the camera, as they increase photo quality and allow you to use it in a variety of environments. The digital camera also has many bonuses such as color effects (black and white, sepia).

The Curve is capable of video recording, which is a new feature for Blackberrys. Video recording is a welcomed addition, as the Curve gives you the ability to capture and share moments that would otherwise be lost. Sadly, the Curve does not offer zoom on the video camera, but you can set a camera light and there is a color effect option just like the digital camera offers.

Themes and Applications

The Curve comes preset with many themes and applications. There are a few different themes programmed into the phone and thousands to download online so you’ll never get tired of your phone’s graphical appearance. Maps, games, and Blackberry Messenger are just a few of the useful applications that come with the phone. Blackberry Messenger is an easier way to send messages to other Blackberries than normal sms (text) messaging. Blackberry Messenger is basically an instant message system on your phone that is always reliable, quick, and easy to use. Maps is also a great application as it is a GPS system in your phone, which is great for road trips or making sure you have the right directions to meetings.

Portable Workspace

The Curve also features a number of practical work applications including calculator, email, memo pads, Internet, address book, calendar, and documents to go. These all allow to you to work from wherever you are and stay connected. The Curve’s portable workspace applications are great for students who are constantly on the go, allowing them to stay updated with emails from professors and keep their schedule together. Documents to go is a relatively new feature that helps integrate word processors into your compact cell phone, enabling users to work on and edit documents and slideshows. This is a very user friendly and useful application.

All in all…

The Blackberry Curve 8300 is a very solid addition to RIM’s Blackberry lineup. New cell phones have been released since the Curve first came out, including Blackberry’s Curve update the Rim Blackberry Tour 9630 and yet there is still no phone I would want to trade my Curve for. The features the Curve lacks are not significant (video camera zoom, speakerphone clarity) because what the phone gets right greatly outweighs these minor deficiencies. The Curve molds to your lifestyle and is a great cell phone for all students.

Posted by Megan P at 9:35 PM