Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is my first time purchasing a smart phone and after much searching (I read and watched hundreds of reviews on various smart phones) I decided on the Blackberry Curve 8330 from sprint. After using it for the past month or so here are some of my thoughts.
FIRST THE GOOD:
I am quite happy with my purchase. The Curve does a splendid job of nearly everything it promises to do. Setting up email was a piece of cake and they show up in my phone in real time. Call audio was crystal clear (probably the best I've ever heard). It syncs easily with my Lotus notes which is a huge plus for me since I can never remember what meetings I am supposed to be at and when when I am out of the office. It also syncs very quickly with my Bluetooth and my headset can go probably 30+ feet from my phone without hearing a lot of crackling. The battery lasts for a long time, even when using Bluetooth. I find that with my use, (about 90 minutes a day of talk time and another 20 minutes using the internet and maps functions) I can get about two days, possibly more on one charge. The OS works pretty quickly, I never feel like I am waiting on programs to open or anything. The camera is stellar. It is so nice to have a flash but don't count on it lighting anything beyond 5 feet when it is dark out. The video is pretty cool too. GPS is functional, though it refreshes rather slowly compared to a Garmin (I'd say once every few seconds or so) and of course the voice commands cost extra from sprint. The QWERTY keyboard is sufficiently sized and I have no problem using it with my somewhat large fingers (my thumb is a little wider than a nickel).
NOW THE BAD:
I have to say that the user interface for Blackberry is not the most intuitive. I consider myself a pretty techy guy but customizing a lot of the options was a pain and took a while. I find the track ball skips at times when moving side to side which can be annoying when it happens but not too annoying. The curve that comes from sprint does not come with the handy dandy holster like the other curves (shame on you sprint). I also don't like the reminder functions on the blackberry. It reminds you one time for each calendar entry. ONE TIME! I need something that will keep reminding me and reminding me until I say it's done. I have heard there is an application out there for this, but haven't bought one yet. Sigh. Lastly, the phone automatically turns off when you drop it (which is good) but sometimes it is too sensitive. For example: if I place the phone down on the desk to hard while I am on my headset it thinks it has been dropped and shuts off. This is annoying but I am slowly getting used to being more gently with it.
NOW THE UGLY:
I can't stand the voice activated dialing from Blackberry. It is the WORST thing about the phone. The phone has the hardest time determing which person I want to call and gets it wrong about 70- 90% of the time depending on the name of the person. My old sprint Katana was ten times better. I tried adjusting everything from my voice tones and vowel sounds to setting different levels of sensitivity on the phone (nothing worked). FYI I have a very normal voice. I spent hours on the web looking for help, all to no avail. Blackberry would have done better by their customers had they stuck with the old voice software which allows you to program in your own voice for peoples names. This was a deal breaker for me and I nearly returned the phone had it not been for finding an awesome and free application (see next).
Applications worth getting:
1.OperaMini (free internet browser that replaces blackberry's crappy one)
2.GoogleMaps (its free and does a better job of finding businesses then
the blackberry maps app.)
3.VLINGO (this voice recognition software is absolutely incredible, it recognized any command I could give it without a problem and gets better over time. It will even convert your audio into text messages or emails and is completely free and improves the curve experience drastically. This app made me truly love my blackberry. Even if it guesses incorrectly which word you used once you correct it, it almost never gets it wrong again. I have tried sending progressively more and more complicated texts and emails to friends and it gets the words right about 90% of the time)
OVERALL:
I give the phone 4 ½ stars. The cool apps you can get for it mitigate most of it's short comings and probably make it a five star phone. Definitely worth the money.
Click Here to see more reviews about: BlackBerry Curve 8330 Phone, Titanium (Sprint)
Adding a fashionable touch to Research in Motion's formidable arsenal of telephonic, PIM, and media tools, the BlackBerry 8330 Curve for Sprint is also the smallest, lightest BlackBerry phone that includes a full QWERTY keyboard. This amalgam of the svelte BlackBerry Pearl and the more business-oriented 8800 combines RIM's long-valued corporate e-mail and messaging platform with a host of advanced multimedia features, including a 2-megapixel camera and stereo Bluetooth (for listening to music via wireless headphones). It also offers GPS navigation capabilities for accessing the optional Sprint Navigation turn-by-turn direction service. Compatible with microSD memory cards for expansion, this package includes a 1 GB microSD card to give you the room you need for larger work files, presentations, reports, documents or fun files like photos and music.
Sprint Service Supporting the EV-DO high-speed data standard, this phone enables you to download and stream high-quality video, straight onto your phone. Where coverage is available, EV-DO connectivity provides average download speeds ranging from 400 to 700 Kbps, with peak rates up to 2 Mbps. With Sprint TV, you can make your cell phone your always-on source for news, weather, sports and more. This comprehensive video service combines high-quality streaming audio and video from channels including ABC, The Weather Channel, Fox Sports, E!, CNN, The Discovery Channel, and more.
This phone also provides access to Sprint Football Live--free for any phone with a data plan. You'll be able to follow all the live play-by-play action with the Live Game Center for both pro and college football games, as well as stay on top of the pro football draft with a Live Draft Tracker and in-depth analysis and bios on nearly 500 top prospects. Access by texting "FOOTBALL" to 7777 on the handset to download Sprint Football Live from Sprint Digital Lounge (standard text messaging and data rates apply).
The Sprint Music Store enables you to buy, download, and then jam out wherever you are with new songs or old favorites. Offering a growing selection of more than 1.6 million songs, the store provides you two copies of each song--one for the phone and another for the PC, as well as the ability to burn songs to a CD using Windows Media Player. Save your songs to a memory card with a capacity that's right for you.
This GPS-enabled phone provides optional access to Sprint Navigation for driving directions on your mobile phone--by voice and onscreen. Along the way, turn-by-turn directions will be announced in a clear voice and displayed on your phone. For example, Sprint Navigation will say, "Go 1.2 miles and turn right on Elm Street." As you approach the turn, you will hear, "Turn right on Elm Street." Sprint Navigation also provides proactive traffic alerts with one click re-routing. And it's easy to find restaurants, banks, cafes, hotels and more from over 10 million points of interest across the U.S.
Phone Features The Curve 8330 is fashioned with subtly curving corners and chrome highlights. Measuring 4.2 x 2.4 inches, the Curve is just as slim as the Pearl (0.63 inches) and weighs in at 4 ounces. It features a bright 2.5-inch color TFT screen that provides 65,000 colors and a 320 x 240-pixel resolution, and it includes a light-sensing feature that automatically adjusts backlighting for indoor, outdoor and dark environments. Like the BlackBerry 8800, the Curve includes a trackball navigation system located on the top of the QWERTY keypad, and it also features an integrated spell checker with a customizable dictionary to help maintain accuracy while on the go. It has 96 MB of internal ROM memory, and is expandable using microSD/microSDHC memory cards (up to 8 GB in size).
You can snap vivid photos (though no video) using the 2-megapixel camera on the back of the Curve, which also features a 5x digital zoom, built-in flash, self-portrait mirror and full screen viewfinder. It can capture images in up to three picture quality and size resolutions that can be shared instantly by e-mail, MMS or BlackBerry Messenger, or even uploaded to your Flickr account with the Yahoo! Go service. Photos can also be immediately set as a unique caller ID or Home Screen image. You can edit photos and create albums within the Curve using the PhotoSuite application. Pictures can be cropped, rotated and straightened, and flaws can be fixed by removing redeye or changing the brightness, contrast, and saturation levels.
Listen to your favorite music and watch downloaded videos using the included stereo headset, or use an optional wireless headphone thanks to the Curve's support for the Bluetooth stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP). The Curve is compatible with MP3 and WMA audio files, and dedicated volume controls are conveniently located on the side of the handset.
With the Voice-Activated Dialing (VAD) feature, you can initiate a call just by telling the Curve who to call from your contact list--either via the integrated speakerphone or using an optional Bluetooth wireless headset. Other advanced phone features include advanced sound technology that cancels out background noise and echo, dedicated volume and mute keys, and the ability to customize the Curve with polyphonic and MP3 ringtones.
The BlackBerry Maps application enables you to view maps and driving directions as well as e-mail maps to other BlackBerry users and launch maps from your address book. It also includes a local search capability that allows users to find local businesses, such as banks, hotels and restaurants, within a short driving distance.
Other features include:
Instant messaging and SMS text messaging
Use the included USB cable to connect to laptops for a wireless modem, or choose to run this capability via Bluetooth with no USB cable requirement.
3.5mm headphone jack; stereo headset with microphone and mute switch included
Make a voice note and send as an e-mail .wmv file attachment
Bluetooth version 2.0 with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), DUN (dial-up networking)
Vital Statistics The BlackBerry Curve 8330 weighs 4 ounces and measures 4.2 x 2.4 x 0.63 inches. Its 1150 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5.9 hours of talk time, and up to 264 hours (11 days) of digital standby time. It runs on the 800/1900 CDMA/EV-DO frequencies.
Click here for more information about BlackBerry Curve 8330 Phone, Titanium (Sprint)
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