RIM BlackBerry Curve 3G Pro Reviews

The BlackBerry Curve 3G doesn’t offer anything we haven’t seen before, but given that it’s an entry-level model this is perhaps to be expected. It’s certainly a great phone for emailing and text messaging and with GPS and 3G onboard it offers a decent feature set. However, it’s very awkward to use for web browsing and with Android touchscreen handsets now appearing on the market for around £100 on PAYG, we’re not quite sure there’s enough here to attract those new to the BlackBerry platform.

The BlackBerry Curve 3G adds 3G to the Curve line of smartphones, and brings GPS into the Curve mix too. But the camera is poor, the screen resolution low, and the keyboard build is not quite at the top notch standard we anticipate from RIM. Maybe RIM should have waited a bit and released the BlackBerry Curve 3G with OS 6 on board.

The BlackBerry Curve 3G not flashy or revolutionary, and doesn't include top-of-the-line features, but it is a great refresher of a classic. The Curve has always been the smartphone equivalent of the Toyota Camry -- reliable, durable, cheap, but decidedly boring.

Taking in account its multimedia limitations, the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 remains a predominantly business-centric phone. It has a generally fuss-free and simple user experience and a decent battery life of slightly over a day with constant pulling of social feeds from Twitter/Facebook, emails, and multimedia usage. If you are one of those who barely touch your mobile phone, save for checking emails and the occasional calls, the device is definitely an apt choice.

The BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 is the first 3G capable BlackBerry Curve model for GSM/UMTS carriers like T-Mobile USA and AT&T. While new, the device is nearly identical in looks to the Curve 8520 that launched on T-Mobile in August 2009. The Curve 3G 9300 adds a few new features that include additional on-board memory, support for 802.11b/g/n networks (wireless-N is added), and GPS. Priced at $79.99 on T-Mobile USA, the Curve 3G 9300 is $50 more than the Curve 8520, but it's still a budget friendly phone. Research In Motion has also said that it plans to upgrade the Curve 3G 9300 from its current BlackBerry 5 operating system to the latest BlackBerry 6 OS sometime in 2011, an upgrade that's not currently planned for the Curve 8520. While its features, such as its low-resolution display, lack in comparison to other smartphones on the market, including the Bold 9700 on T-Mobile, it's an affordable BlackBerry that Curve fans will appreciate. If you're looking for a first-class web browsing experience, however, look elsewhere. You'll find a video of the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 after the Table of Contents, below.

RIM has added 3G connectivity and GPS to its entry-level Blackberry Curve, but everything else remains almost identical to the earlier model. This is yet another BlackBerry release that lacks a wow factor, but the upcoming BlackBerry 6 OS update should add a bit of spice to a recipe that is starting to taste a bit stale.

For a mid-range handset, the BlackBerry Curve 3G stands up well. If you're after an email-machine with occasional web browsing and a spot of media playback, then it'll suit you down to the ground without costing you a fortune – and with BlackBerry OS 6 just around the corner, things can only get better.

We liked the Curve 8520 when we saw it, but we are now a year ahead and essentially you get GPS and 3G in the same bundle, which compared to rival handsets isn't anything to get excited about: it is simply par for the course. Assuming the prices are as affordable as they were for the 8520 then it makes sense - you get a well connected device that will be smart enough to adapt in the future, if not at the same rate as something like Android phones will.