Say the name ‘Blackberry’ or flash one in public and people may think that you’re a very busy executive who can be contacted anytime and anywhere via email or calls. The social stigma of having such a device means that you might be chilling one moment and working frantically the next also means that it’s not a really fun device to be had. Taking measures to erase such stigma is RIM’s first Blackberry for the consumer market; the Curve 8520.
Close to the Bold in measurements, this Blackberry at first glance, seems to be uniquely different from the rest, thanks to the lack of a scroll wheel and a rubberized coating which surrounds the device. Besides the keyboard, buttons on the Curve 8520 are mounted flush while the surface and side buttons are rounded nubs, making the device less of an irritant especially in tight pockets. The rounded shape feels good in the hand, and the weight distribution is great for single-handed typing.
Compared to other QWERTY-equipped devices, the Curve 8520’s keyboard isn’t the best in its class nor is it the worst. We could type fairly last fast on the rather small keyboard and the only time we made mistakes was when we were accessing the keys ‘A’ and ‘Delete’ at the extreme ends of the keyboard. Surprisingly, given the fact that its navigational button is now really an optical mouse, the device is easy to use.
The Curve 8520 allows for Internet connectivity virtually anywhere there is a mobile signal. Unfortunately, the device lacks 3G capabilities despite its consumer underpinnings, although it still supports EDGE networks as well as Wireless-G. Connecting to most wireless networks should be a piece of cake except for some instances where the device repeatedly asked for security certificates at a local Starbucks.
Multimedia performance is acceptable for such a handheld device, and despite the rather small screen, our movies still looked crisp. Its speakerphone is comparable to standalone car units, although the microphone is a tad less sensitive than those on regular devices. One gripe is that the rubber skin on certain parts of the device tends to react to sweat and heat, disfiguring it over time. The camera is placed too deep into the device, making it easy for pocket lint to collect and obscure the lens. Image quality is passable in available light, and it sorely needs a flash unit for acceptable images in low quality light. Battery life is rather good too, allowing the device to run slightly more than a day despite continuously downloading push email, RSS feeds and Twitter notifications apart from surfing. A significant release not only because it is a lot more affordable than your regular Blackberry Bold or Storm, it is built for the young and active people who can now be contacted in all forms no matter their location. Despite being a more affordable alternative to its bigger siblings, the Curve 8520 doesn’t skimp that much on features, giving users a solid platform on paper and in real-world performance.
Blackberry Curve 8520 Specifications :
Network Support : GPRS/EDGE/GSM Quad-band (850,900,1800,1900 MHz), Class 10
Multimedia : Media Player supporting most major formats
Display : 2.46” 65K 320 x 240 pixels TFT MCD
Connectivity : Bluetooth 2.0 (support A2DP/A/VRCP), microUSB Wireless-G, A-GPS
Camera : 2MP image sensor with video recording (3GP, MPEG4), VGA camera for 3G calls, Autofocus, Geo-tagging
Memory : 256MB on-board with microSD slot
Standby Time/Talk Time : 400 hours / 4.5 hours
Dimensions : 109 x 60 x 13.9mm
Weight : 106g w/battery
Popularity: 3% [?]
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