BlackBerry Curve 8330 Phone, Titanium
- Smallest, lightest BlackBerry with full QWERTY keyboard features GPS turn-by-turn directions via Sprint Navigation
- Sprint Mobile Broadband Network via EV-DO connectivity; Sprint TV and Sprint Music Store enabled; access personal and corporate email
- 2-megapixel camera/camcorder; Bluetooth for handsfree devices and stereo music streaming; MicroSD expansion up to 8 GB
- Up to 5.9 hours of talk time and up to 264 hours (11 days) of standby time
- What’s in the box: handset, rechargeable battery, charger, USB cable, 3.5mm headphones with microphone, 1 GB MicroSD card, quick start guide
Amazon.com Product Description
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 email and messaging platform with a host of advanced multimedia features, including a 2-megapixel camera and ste… More >>
BlackBerry Curve 8330 Phone, Titanium
Popularity: 5% [?]
This is my first Blackberry. I got it for free for work, even though I don’t really need to be in contact that often.
This phone is like a swiss army knife with 50 tools. Technically, it can do many things, but it does none of them well. The menus are a jumbled mess of indistinct icons, and the drop down menus contain endless items to scroll through to get to the one or two you actually use. There are lots of options screens with lots of choices, but they are so disparate and poorly laid out you will always have to hunt around to find the setting you are looking for. Overall, the device’s software seems like a project where several different teams worked separately, never talking to each other until the day before it shipped, when they hurriedly pasted it all together.
Navigation with the little thumb stick is ok, often not very precise, and frequently frustrating. The small keyboard is actually not bad, and I have big hands, though I hear others at work who have the same model complain about it. Battery life is also just ok. I don’t make many calls and I have to recharge every couple days. Call quality with Sprint is good and I haven’t had any problems with reception. The web speed is also ok. Email sync methods leave a lot to be desired, but I wouldn’t blame RIM for that.
If it were my money, I would have bought an iPhone or the Google phone. I have tried them and they are much more elegant and user friendly. The Blackberry is crude tool at best, and at worst it’s a lot of frustrating scrolling and clicking trying to find what you are looking for.
Rating: 2 / 5
This is a terrible phone for a man to try to use. the keyboard is too small. the smart keys try to do too much for you and you end up calling people you never intended. I hate it.
Rating: 1 / 5
I loathe and despise this phone. It’s operating system makes booting it take forever, and when it finally finishes booting it operates at incredibly slow speeds. I have to make sure to exit out of my applications after finishing any task, because if I’m running more than 2, it starts locking up on me.
I’d bought a 8GB card for it; waste of money. If I wanted to access the media on it, it has a load time nearly as long as the original boot. The Sprint Store crashes my phone 50% of the time.
My receiver started going out on me after two months of use; if I want to talk, I have to insert my headset, because no one can hear what I’m saying without it. This is by far the most agravating aspect of this phone.
I was excited about owning my first smartphone, as I’ve been waiting for years for cellular technology to reach my expectations. I’d heard so much buzz about the Curve, I decided that the time had finally arrived; it was the worst $300 purchase of my entire life. I don’t know what smartphone I’ll end up buying next, but it won’t ever be a Blackberry again. They pillaged my wallet for the first and last time.
Rating: 1 / 5
I’ve been an user of cell phones from a long time ago, and I owned 6 different brands (Siemens, Nokia, HTC, Hyundai, Motorola & Sony Ericcson), and I got a new offer from my cell phone operator giving me this Blackberry. So far, after one month using it, I can’t be more surprised (and pleased) of the capabilities and the functioning of the cell phone. I highly recommend this Blackberry.
Rating: 5 / 5
Maybe the reason you’re looking the Blackberry Curve(BR) is your dissatisfaction of your cell phone system like mine. Perhaps you don’t care if it is Windows based program or not as long as it will satisfy the very core of your needs.
BR is not Windows based but I think it is better. I was not convinced until I switched from Palm Treo 700 Windows to Blackberry Curve. BR system is quick, logical, intuitive, and productive. During office breaks, I accomplish a lot in BR than in my Palm.
BR has many heavy duty extras like Internet, Free TV/music, Camera, GPS, Calendar, Alarm, MMS, Text, Appointment, Tasks, Word, etc but all of it has no use if the core need is not covered. My needs are push email technology, E banking, dependable phone, Wake-up alarms,& Contact management. BR fully covered it and who would complain for those extras? Seriously, while standing in the line for postage, grocery, etc, I watch TV. My network is Sprint and it is solid in its delivery. I used BR for more than 3 monts now and below are the brief lists that separate it from others.
Advantages
1. Email System – the best and when you have multiple email addresses, the more it gets best. You can send/receive email in 3 ways by 1) through Yahoo web site for example; 2)using your email addresses in the blackberry phone; 3) go to Contact Lists and send/read email directly from there
2. Email Set-up – no brainer and blackberry will configure intuitively in few minutes. Mine was ready to go in less than 3 minutes.
3. Contact Management – it is as near good as my Palm Treo. 1 field default for email address but the system will add more field if needed.
4. Screen Video is superbly rich – reading the text under the sunlight is pleasing and the TV video is amazingly rich too. In the dark, I used it as flashlight to see the theater steps and seats.
5. Adjustable fonts
6. One Stop Access – the missed calls, in/out calls, in/out emails, in/out MMS or text are in one icon folder. Very productive to quickly glance especially in the office time.
7. E-Banking convenience – easy inquiries for incoming/outgoing funds, pending/clear transactions. Transfer of Funds and Bill Payments are avilable but I did not use such option so far.
8. Clearer natural sound – the phone calls are clearer, seemed closer, and strong volume. From office/home drive, I just use its speakerphone (no wire or bluetooth) and it’s more than clearer to both parties.
9. History of the Contact – it’s the best. Whatever is not deleted, will show up the in/out calls, MMS, text, & emails complete with time & date.
10. Home Screen – Critical info are there like time, day, date, number of unread emails, battery meter, signal strength, calendar, contacts, email folders, speaker, GPS signal, & menu command. Your own phone number and duration of call are added info on top of above during your phone conversation. If emails/text arrive, sound/icon alerts will pop up to notify you even during conversation.
11. Handy shortcut – play with Control Key and push the Trac Ball to execute the copy/cut command in all fields.
12. Excellent Communications Tracking – the Contact’s in/out calls and in/out emails are tracked generously
13. Strong speakerphone volume – just 1 key stroke and it is available. Often times I don’t need the wire just the speaker phone and so far no complaint from the callers.
14. Small Computer – I used my BR to surf the net, to shop, yahoo chat, and instant messaging. I used it also to watch multiple free TV shows during out of town trips. I listen to its free radio music in the office too.
15. It is packed with practical multiple applications = Facebook, My Space, Voice Notes, Video, Music, Instant Messenger, Entertainment, Pocket Express,etc. I put-in the icons of my ebank, amazon, Google. It always remember my Garmin bluetoth.
Disadvantages
1. Battery drain – BR is designed not to turn it off to allow instant messaging. Mine needs every night charging.
2. Key pads are poorly lighted – hard to dial at night and to execute speed dials especially when driving.
3. The oral voice command instruction is partially Japanese lingo and then to English. It does not work.
4. The charger and the BR phone do not have a led light. You really need to investigate that your phone is being charged. A small arrow icon targeting the battery icon means it is charging – what a joke!
5. Commands are organized by icons and it needs patience to get acquainted. You’ll learn it quick because it is self explainatory too.
6. Users Guide Manual is incomplete but it is not needed anyway
7. One free boring game
8. Appointment Schedule – Big disappointment. You need to remember it because BR will display it only ONCE.
8. Additional Applications – I discourage you to add more apps for music/TV because it will considerably slow down the system. I deleted mine and be content with Sprint fast offerings.
9. SD Card – included is 1Gig HD card. I upgraded mine to 8 Gig (for $20 Transcend Amazon store) but the install took me 3 hrs. It will break if you forced it & you need 1 pair of small twizer. Is it worth it – not really.
10. Wire phone – my bluetooth is Garmin and occassionaly I need the wire. You can talk but the wire will not turm off the phone no matter how you depress the button.
Rating: 4 / 5