BlackBerry Curve 8330
Average Ratings
Not many problems
I've had the phone for about a year and a half and the only real problem I've had is the trackball sticking. Other than that I haven't had any problems with the software or anything else. Just that darn trackball
Best phone I never paid for...
I carry a Curve as my company phone. At first, I thought the lighter weight made it feel cheap compared to any other BB I'd had, but after carrying this thing around from NY to LA and back a few dozen times, you learn that lighter is better. Additionally, the phone is anything BUT cheap. The smaller, lighter design, combined with the full QWERTY keyboard make this a great alternative to the World Edition. The biggest draw-back being that the Curve is not a global phone. But hey, it Does come with a camera (if you need that sort of thing). My email works great, text messages too...never had a problem with phone call quality or dropping calls. At the end of the day, this isn't a bad phone for someone in the business world (or just another crackberry head, looking for a new toy). It's not as fancy as the Tour or the Storm, but it does what it's intended to do, and hey, isn't that what you want in a phone?
Late-blooming with a transition device
I just bought a Sprint 8330.
I'm a late-bloomer by choice and also know that the 2nd-half of 2009 gives me so many choices when my contract is due this Xmas. Unfortunately, life and business are taking off and I've had to scramble for a "transitional" device between my Treo 755p and my next choice of a bleeding-edge toy which I'll be chained to for the next 2 years.
Here's where the Curve comes in. I got it off the street, with accessories, for a steal.
CONS:
- Buttons aren't beveled enough like they are on the Treo.
- That scroll ball is aggravating. Loved the Treo D-pad before.
- Don't understand RIM's product labeling with >1 phone being called "Curve." I guess "Curve" is considered a product category, and "8330" the product number. But then the "8330" is classified under the "8300" series of phones. This makes troubleshooting & research a pain.
- I've got big paws, and I'm developing a case of "Berry Thumb syndrome. The Treo filled out in my paws nicely. I'm sure the rest of the population will find its footprint quite nice.
- I don't think we'll ever see the old Treo hotkey system ever again, so minor con for the Berry.
PROS:
- Comprehensive support & community.
- Mucho apps.
- TRUE Multitasking! I snicker at the iPhone. I also snicker @ the Treo & Palm OS for trying to take "multitasking" credit but having 4 built-in apps + Opera Mini crash the phone.
- And sorry, Palm Pre, but RIM's had "Synergy" for nearly a year now. Sure, it isn't automagical, but it's there.
- Tethering... so simple, so elegant, so seamless.
Verizon BB Curve, It Will Grow On You
This is my first smartphone. Before that I had Samsung A950, Samsung Juke, and LG Choco 3. Since other reviewers have highlighted Curve's features, I would like to relay my general impressions of this phone from a standpoint of a first time user of smartphones.
I mostly use my phone for, well, to call people. Occasionally, I would browse the web for weather and send some texts to friends. At first, when I bought BB Curve I hated it, because I thought my regular phone did all that the Curve did and did it better. But I stuck with it during the 30 day trial period and I am now appreciating the subtleties of Curve more and more.
In terms of functionality and ease of use, I would put the Curve somewhere between a smartphone like Samsung Omnia and a regular media phone like LG Choco 3. Meaning that Curve lacks the full computer like functionality of a smartphone, but it definitely gives you more functions than a simple phone.
For example, I really love the instant email message feature of BB. You just can't beat it and the ability to set up 10 email accounts is a definite plus. Also, Curve allows you to input more information about a contact person than a regular phone (e.g., you can input full addresses for home and work, input company names, numerous email addresses, etc.) A definite plus for professionals.
However, Curve is not a smartphone like the Omnia. Because it doesn't have Windows, it lacks certain functionality that you would expect in a computer/smartphone (like viewing PDF files). But you know what, try browsing a big PDF file in Omnia and you will soon realize the true limitations of all smartphones the size of a business card.
And that's when I realized that BB Curve is a perfect balance between a smartphone and regular phone. Curve does more than a regular phone, and just enough useful features of a smartphone to allow a user to use their phones beyond just calling and texting.
TOTALLY INTO.................
BLACKBERRY! A few weeks ago I decided it was time for a change, and decided to switch cellular companies, as I was highly attracted to the Samsung Instinct. After about a week at odds with the phone, not to mention I had already returned one the second day I had it, I ha d hoped that third times a charm. When I went in, I told the sales rep, that seeing how this is the second time I had been in to return a phone, hopefully third time would be a charm! He told me he would give me another instinct, and I had said that I wanted a real PDA/Smartphone and that the instinct wasn't doing it for me. He told me to go look at the phones, and if there were any that jumped out at me, to let him know. I looked at a few blackberries when I came across the 8330. I asked the sales rep about it, and he said that they haven't seen any problems with them as of yet.
Taking my chances, I chose the red blackberry, and to say the absolute least, I have NOT been sorry yet! Everyone has their own expectations of what they want their phone to do, when I was a bit younger, I bought phones for the color, or "coolness" of them, now I buy phones for their overall quality, how are the calls, reception, signal, how sturdy are they, and lately what they can offer me.
A few things that may help you decide on whether this phone is for you nor not:
PROS:
*Small and Sturdy, I would rather not drop this phone, but if I did I believe it would hold up nicely!
* Big colorful screen.
* Full Qwerty keyboard (major plus for me!)
* Call quality is great!!! (Very important for me as I travel every 2-3 months)
* Signal strength could be a bit better, however, even when only on one bar I still get excellent reception.
* The internet works great I totally love how clear it is.
* Camera is unbelievible! It has a flash, and even in a dark setting the picture comes out beautiful.
* Comes with 1GB memory card
CONS:
* The first few start-ups the phone moves a little slowly.
Overall I love this phone! And definitaly would recommend it!
AWESOME
I have had this a for less than a week with alltel and it is the best. I previously had the 8130 but it had to many issues and this definitely made up for it. The only down fall I can find so far is that you have to program one of your speed dials for voicemail. But I can live with that.
Aweful batter makes phone useless
I am on my second curve from Verizon and still after charging the battery until it is full then I go to bed and wake up only to find it missing 1 out of 4 battery dashes. My friends have the curve from AT&T and Sprint and theirs last more than 2 days even though they get more emails than I do and use it for text more often!
Another disappointing thing about it is that it doesn't have a feature I've seen in other phones where you type and it offers you some continuation options for the word from your past typing history.
Don't Buy A Blackberry 8330 Ring Volume Stinks
I wanted a truly pocket size phone with a pda. For 2 years I had a Palm 650 and found it very convenient. I had my data and phone all in one. I saw the AT&T Blackberry being used by a number of my associates and kinda got hooked on it. I went to the Verizon store and they had nothing with a camera like the AT&T 8310 curve. I decided to try one even though I have been with Verizon ever since I can remember. I bought the 8310 for about 3 months after getting used to it, I fell in love with the ease of operation and the confort of it's size.
Verizon shortly after the 3 months came out with the 8330 and here was my chance so I purchased one. I had the phone for about one week and returned it. All of the functions were great, the size of the icons were also larger then the 8310. The one thing about all blackberry's from Verizon that turned me off to the 8330 was their poor volume ring tones.
You can't even hear it ring in the holster
and Verizon gives you no way to increase the volume. I love my 8310 Curve but am very
intrigued by a touch screen like the Verizon Dare. Verizon has been given an exclusive on the Blackberry Thunder and I hope they will release it on October 13th. I hope the complaints have tought them a lesson. I hope the Thunder is as loud as the 8310 and then Verizon will have a winner for everyone and the volume will allow Verizon to remain the exclusive supplier. Verizon has in my opinion, the best service but likes to nickel and dime you to death by selling us their ringtones and restricting the phones functions. Verizon must give us what we need in a phone not only what makes money. Quality and Customer Satisfaction should be Verizon's goal so we can receive the very best for our hard earned money.
Not what I'd expected
I am coming from Treo 700p and needed a smart phone with e-mail, calendar and large volume contact list support from Outlook.
BB Curve seemed like a nice alternative to Palm. After I received the phone (ordered through telesale), I found out that phone shell is not durable at all. It is not that I am planning to drop the phone but I would expect better quality materials than one used on Curve. It is made of very cheap thin plastic than gives way as you hold the phone in your palm.
Features wise this phone has everything that I need but coming from touch screen, I defiantly noticed a difference.
Sound quality was good (just like my Treo); however, signal strength was constantly reporting one bar below what Treo did.
Web surfing was in par with Treo, fast enough for me to retrieve daily news, weather, and a quick search on Google.
I won't say that Curve is a bad phone, but it is not what I had expected from it (hardware quality wise). I am sending it back and drafting Treo back to service.
Unfortunately, Verizon smart phone's lineup is poor and everyone of them has one sort of cons or another that makes me stay away from it. Until I will see something more durable and feature reach, I will be staying with Treo. I just hope that it will last for me long enough while I am waiting for that "perfect phone".
LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!
I've had blackberries b 4 for sprint, 4 nextel an 4 t-mobile, it's all really simple
it does everything and anything a blackberry from any other company would do with an added bonus of not having to pay all that EXTRA crap like internet and data packet or the ever so famous BLACKBERRY PLAN.
i absolutely love the fact that yeah my phone was pricey ($400) but think of all the $$ u save when all u pay is $63 a month (u knw; with taxes and stuff)it practically pays itself back in the process, don't u agree?
