subject: BlackBerry Curve 3G, Smartphone at its best [print this page] If you have never used a Smartphone before and you've been considering to, Blackberry 3G Curve is what you are waiting for. The phone is distinctly Blackberry in its finest design, it's got the key features of all recent BlackBerry phones with the rubber like finish and the side shortcut buttons covered. Then on the top it has three media keys just like on the BlackBerry 8520, a Micro-USB and a 3.5mm headphone jack by the side.
A 2-megapixel camera is on the back, though without flash and on the front is the normal BlackBerry feature, a 2.4-inch screen sitting above a central waistband of calling and menu keys all centered on an OpticalTrackpad, and the QWERTY keyboard below it. The device measures 109 x 60 x 13.9mm and weighs 104g, so it is reasonably light, though definitely not the slimmest device around.
Network Connectivity
What is obviously the number one inclusion in the device is 3G, which has made using the Curve an altogether more exciting experience. Browsing around web pages is much quicker, although the browser in the BlackBerry 5 OS is somewhat pitiful. Then like its predecessor Curve 8520 zooming is a nightmare with pages poorly rendered due to the low-res screen but it has an impressive load speed. HSPDA features also means loading up applications from BlackBerry App World is far swifter and makes the phone more of a winner. Other phones in its price bracket don't have that number of applications. But with Nokia's E-series and a raft of Android QWERTY sliders, the devive is really getting a run for its money.
Email and messaging
Not much has changed in the way the device handles messages, primarily emails. It still offers integrated folders and quick access to mails, but its rivals have stolen a march on the device, Nokia's E-series seems to handle mails every bit as well, and even Espoo's C-series cells match it. Also the QWERTY is an acquired taste and in a time where virtual keyboards and more capacious sliders are ever more prevalent, the BlackBerry Curve 3G feels really uncomfortable. Using it for about 5 minutes leaves your thumbs feeling cramped.
Multimedia
Coming to Multimedia not much has changed from its predecessor offering Curve 8520. The camera is still a two megapixel version which just can't compete against a myriad of rivals. Even the most basic phones can offer better cameras than this, the music player remains functional but the video playback is a shocker and something we wouldn't recommend trying often. However, the phones s battery life is simply fantastic, lasting two and a half days at least. This is made possible by the inclusion of a 1150mAh battery which can also give 29hours of music playback.
Internally you get 256MB of memory, but you'll need to insert a microSD card into the slot under the back cover to record video and to store your music.
The new Blackberry Curve 3G indeed is packed with exciting new features that makes it a very attractive smart phone to own.
