The BlackBerry Curve 8520 is RIM’s attempt at casting the BlackBerry net far and wide, looking to snaffle the smaller fish with a more affordable price tag, but the same old BB functions that were so appealing in the first place. We’re talking easy access to emails, QWERTY keyboard and multimedia extras to boot. So, does it succeed in staving off INQ and Nokia rivals? Read on for the full BlackBerry Curve 8520 review…
To call the BlackBerry Curve 8520 a top-end smartphone is like saying Ian Beale is a top-class business man. It does what it does well, but it’s just lacking a bit in smarts. There’s no 3G or GPS, you see, but that’s almost to be expected for the price. What you do get is a slick-looking QWERTY keyboard that wouldn’t look out of place on some higher end models. It also does what BlackBerrys were born to do: handle myriad email accounts no problemo.
The BlackBerry Curve 8520, for all its cheap price, actually feels pretty solid in hand, with a ruggedised plastic casing adding a sense of invulnerability that Superman would be proud of. Don’t let that fool you into thinking that you can drive a truck over it though. It’s sturdy, but not that tough.
While we’re on aesthetics, the new frame is just the first in a line of tweaks that make this one of the best BlackBerrys to use. It packs dedicated media keys at the top, so you can fiddle with music playback without having to take the handset out your tight jeans pocket, eliminating the need to browse menus.
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There’s also a new trackpad that replaces the trackball that was first seen on the Pearl. Don’t get us wrong, we loved the trackball, but this pad is more intuitive than a psychic from the future. It’s easy to use and it means you don’t get fluff from your pocket stuck in the d–pad at all, so there’s no issues trying to clean it.
Elsewhere, the Curve 8520 also comes with the tweaked version of BlackBerry App World installed. So you can now search apps easier and find and install them by vendor. As a makeover goes it beats anything Gok Wan has come up with. But then that’s not saying much really.
The only real niggle we had with the Curve 8520 was after prolonged keyboard use. Your hands can feel a tad cramped, particularly if your arm-stops are as big as a foam glove. That’s not the greatest side-effect in a phone whose predominant feature is emailing.
Still, that’s it as far as flaws go. The Curve 8520 is a handset dedicated to email and apps and an affordable way for you to enter the world of BlackBerry! And you know what they say: once you go BlackBerry, you never go back, er, berry.
Verdict
Always liked the look of BlackBerry, but found them too expensive? The Curve 8520 is an affordable way into a world of QWERTY love and mass emailing. In a word: great.
Best Features
Great for emailing
Super-affordable
It has a QWERTY keyboard
New trackpad
Not so good
Prolonged keyboard use aches
Styling could be better
Closest rivals
Running the Google Android smartphone operating system, the G1 puts the power of the internet and the convenience of integrated Google applications into the palm of your hand.
Blackberry Storm
The BlackBerry Storm smartphone has so much to give. From its touchscreen, to its 3.25-inch high-resolution display, this 3G device will have you browsing the internet at super-fast speeds.
Nokia E71
The Nokia E71 provides you with everything you need. The full QWERTY thumpboard sits below its high resolution 2.4-inch screen, while the Symbian OS allows you to do everything at speed.
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