RIM Blackberry Curve 8300

RIM Blackberry Curve 8300, the latest smart phone from the blackberry stable, has all the traditional blackberry features plus an improved music player, an array of multimedia features, a 2 mega pixel camera, and all these without compromising on its typical long battery life, the one aspect that made Blackberry the favorite amongst email addicts.

The RIM Blackberry Curve 8300 has the same thickness as that of Pearl, even though it is a tad heavier (3.9 ounces). But it fits into the pocket well without bulging out much. However, more importantly, as opposed to Pearl, the noticeable difference in Curve is its full-sized backlit keyboard that is more user-friendly and reliable than the Pearl’s. The menu navigation is trackball controlled, just as in Pearl and the 8800. The fluent movement of the trackball is specially felt while skimming through web pages on the inbuilt browser. But, be prepared to not to get irritated if the cursor moved too quickly.

The 2.5-inch, 320 x 240-pixel display is simply superb. Gone are the days of muddy displays in Blackberry. Other features are pretty straight forward; USB port, 3.5mm stereo jack, and a push-to-talk key are to the left side of the Curve, and camera-launch key and the volume buttons are on the right side. If there is some feature that is not positioned well, then it is the microSD slot, which is located beneath the battery.

As mentioned already, the RIM Blackberry Curve 8300 comes loaded with an enhanced multimedia package, lead by the Blackberry Desktop Media Manager software tool that easily facilitates the transfer and organizing of video and audio files, and basic multimedia functions such as CD ripping and image editing. The music quality is good enough, and the device supports a wide range of audio (MP3, AAC, WMA) and video (MPEG-4, WMV, H.263) files. Speaker output is ok, but to enjoy the full impact of the music, it is advisable to pair the smart phone with a Bluetooth stereo headset. Another plus with using the Bluetooth stereo headset is that one could skip a track with a single button press, as opposed to the two step process while operating through the menu.

The 2 mp camera produces good enough pictures for 4 x 6-inch prints.

It is easy to set up the email account with the help of the setup wizard – the smart phone supports ten corporate and personal email accounts – and there is this additional spell check facility and a customizable dictionary. However, web browsing speeds are a tad sloppy with its EDGE connection (understandable without Wi-Fi or HSDPA). There is always a 10-15 second gap between the text and image loads in the same webpage. Other negatives – for serious spreadsheet support or word processing, one may have to turn to one of the reliable third-party apps. Also, navigation software is missing in Curve.

To conclude, the Blackberry Curve 8300 has enough power in its belly to compete with its rival, the Samsung Blackjack. It offers good functionality, form factor, style, handy, and at $199, it is reasonably priced as well. Overall, a true value for money phone!