sundogg99's Full Review: RIM BlackBerry 8310 Smartphone
I’ve reviewed several BlackBerry devices over the past few years. After discarding my first-generation BlackBerry as a clunky annoyance, I have become a steady (if slow) adopter of the RIM's smartphone device as a valuable productivity tool. However, like the incidence of twins and some diseases, BlackBerry innovations seem to skip a generation.
I’m now using a BlackBerry Curve, RIM’s ugly stepsister to the sleek, sexy Storm. As is traditionally the case with ugly stepsisters, the Curve offers plenty of instructive examples of what not to do. Before this, I used a BlackBerry Pearl which, although not without warts, was a pretty successful device for me. The Curve, not so much.
To give credit where it’s due, many of the things that previously bugged me about BlackBerrys are being addressed. Phone quality continues to improve, as does the user interface, screen resolution, and overall functionality of the device. But my expectations continue to rise as well, and there are things about this Curve that really bug me.
The good: · Battery life. I can usually go 3-4 days between charges. When I need to recharge the device, it takes about an hour. · The “Pearl” pointing device. Way superior to the older click wheel thingy. Although it feels a bit flimsy, I’ve had no problems whatsoever with this technology, which is fast, accurate, and reliable. · Display. The Curve’s screen, at 2-1/2” by 1-3/4” is significantly larger than my old Pearl, which makes reading certain applications much easier. The display is crisp and bright in all but the most direct sunlight. · Phone. Good sound quality, both transmitting and receiving. Maybe this is more a function of my AT&T plan, but I experience fewer dropped calls. · GPS capability. Coupled with some freeware (see below), absolutely fantastic capability. · Software setup. I was up and running with my Curve in about 15 minutes with no hassles.
The bad: · The keyboard. Egads. Unlike the Pearl and other BlackBerry devices that use a condensed, multi-purpose keyboard, the Curve uses a semi-traditional QWERTY keyboard. Packed onto a form factor that’s only 3” wide, three rows of miniscule keys pretty much guarantee that you’ll make a lot of typos. Further, the numeric keypad shares space with the left side of the keyboard, so whenever you need to type numbers (not when dialing, thank goodness) you need to precede each number with the “Alt” key – very slow and frustrating. · The camera. Granted, I’m not the greatest photographer in the world, but even with a built-in flash, the BlackBerry’s camera is embarrassingly lame. Images are grainy, colors are muddy, and the camera is exceptionally sensitive to movement. Basically worthless. And there’s even a video camera that allows you to make short videos – based on the horrific quality of pics, I’ve never even tried it. · The bundled junkware. In addition to the stuff you’re likely to use (email, phone, calendar, alarm, to-do list, etc) the BlackBerry Curve comes bundled with a heaping helping of absolute crap: most are “Shop” applications that take you to various for-purchase add-ons, such as ring tones, games, graphics, and all sorts of other nonsense. Fortunately it’s possible to hide these annoyances so that you can navigate among only the apps you actually use. · Overall ergonomics. The keyboard is too wide for me to type with just one thumb, which is how I used my Pearl. As noted above, the keys are hard to read and hard to press.
The ho-hum: · A growing number of features that don’t interest me in the slightest: voice notes to myself, an online BB user community, multimedia capability, and the still-lame BlackBerry Browser. I do a minimal amount of surfing from my BlackBerry and I never cease to be amazed at how cumbersome it is. With one notable exception…
The awesome: · Google Maps. So cool! Download this free application, activate the Curve’s built-in GPS functionality, and you can find yourself anywhere on Earth. Well, at least in North America and Europe, which are the only two places I’ve tried it so far. More importantly, you can find restaurants, subway stations, laundromats, museums, hotels… you name it. In Paris, the device was accurate to within 3 meters of my actual location. Even in rural parts of France, we were still able to locate ourselves within 10 meters. You can’t imagine how useful this application is until you start using it – then it’s hard to imagine stopping.
Conclusion: RIM continues to improve the overall functionality of the BlackBerry device – it’s easier than ever to take advantage of the device’s core smartphone features. However, the ergonomics of the Curve are definitely not for everyone, and I’d strongly recommend trying a slimmer model such as the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 and the touch-screen Storm before you settle on the Curve.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): free Recommended for: World Travelers - Works Anywhere and Everywhere!
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