BlackBerry Curve 9370 Pro Reviews

It's a shame that the BlackBerry Curve 9370 has to run… well, the BlackBerry OS. I say that because beyond the dreadful operating system that the device runs, there's a lot to like about it as an entry-level smartphone. It has an excellent build that's sleek, light, and easy to pocket. Email and messaging still live up to the golden BlackBerry standard, the screen size isn't compromised by the compact form factor, the battery life is incredible, and it has an extremely affordable price point of $100 with contract when ordered online. Sure, its entry-level nature is reflected in aspects like its relatively underpowered processor, meager amount of included storage, and subpar camera. But I would still say that aside from the OS, you could get a lot worse for a hundred bucks.

BlackBerry 7 OS is certainly an improvement over BlackBerry 6 OS, and the Curve 9370's design, 5-megapixel camera, and NFC support give this year's model some bonus cred. However, it isn't enough to rate a phone compared with where it was before; you have to compare it with its contemporaries. It's there that the Curve 9370 trips up. It isn't a bad smartphone on its own, and it's a great value when weighed against the high-end Bold. However, if it's a keyboard you're after, you don't feel tied to BlackBerry OS, and you're on a budget, the Motorola Droid Pro is an Android phone specifically designed to compete with RIM's phones like the Curve. Verizon is offering the Droid Pro for free at the time of this review. Without a larger, touch screen, LTE support, and a more flexible OS, a $100 entry-level smartphone just isn't that desirable, especially when its clones cost $80 and $50, respectively, for T-Mobile and Sprint.

The BlackBerry 9370 from Research In Motion excels at the cell phone basics: The battery life is excellent, the signal performance is very good, and voice calls sound loud and clear. As a piece of hardware, the controls are mostly good with a few exceptions (icky-feeling side buttons, stiff keys). The screen is way too small for me, but the 9370 is a small phone meant for smaller hands and smaller needs than mine. The BlackBerry experience is aging rapidly. I have no patience for the time it takes to use the trackpad to interact with the user interface on this non-touch smartphone. It slows down everything. I want to touch apps, contacts, or actions and see things jump to life in an instant. Though they are costlier, the Bold 9930 or the Torch 9850 are better choices if you absolutely must have a BlackBerry -- if for no other reason than that they add touch powers.

The BlackBerry Curve 9370 is a fitting send off for BlackBerry 7 OS in the face of the upcoming QNX-based BlackBerry 10, but anyone who like apps should buy an Android device or an iPhone.

We would have been more interested with the BlackBerry Curve 9370 if it came out last summer, but with it being released months after the Curve 9350 and 9360, it is really outdated. Not only that, but we believe the $100 on-contract price is asking more than it should be. If you currently own the Curve 9330 and want to stick to BlackBerry, it might be worth the upgrade to the 9370, but for new customers, it doesn’t offer anything exciting over the competition.