T-Mobile was kind enough to send me a BlackBerry Curve 3G for review, and outside of some design changes, it's very similar to the Curve 8520. That said, I noticed the following things in my initial impressions:
* The Curve 3G ships in the same small box as the Torch, and comes with an AC adapter module, USB cable, earbuds, instruction manuals, and a 2 GB microSD card.
* Design-wise, it's nearly identical to the Curve 8500 series, save for a revised bottom lip that's similar to the Curve 8300 line and non-partitioned navigation buttons. Personally, I'm a fan of the non-partitioned layout.
* The Curve 3G has a low-resolution screen, and after working with high-end devices like the iPhone, DROID Incredible, and even the Bold 9700, it's a noticeable difference. It's grainy, and a bit washed out.
* It's capable of running BlackBerry 6, which is a good thing, but it ships with the relatively outdated BlackBerry 5 operating system. Expect to see the new OS sometime this year, pending carrier approval.
* Otherwise, you get the usual array of messaging options with the Curve 3G - push e-mail, AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, Yahoo! Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, and BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). It is still shocking to me that RIM isn't installing BlackBerry App World out of the box.
* Call quality has been good thus far. Earpiece volume is loud, and reception has been strong in both the Charlotte and San Francisco Bay areas. When testing the device in a T-Mobile dead spot, I was able to make a call, though quality was extrememly choppy.
* The thing that improved the 8500 series battery life - the lack of 3G - is obviously not present in the Curve 3G. As expected, the additional connectivity options take a toll on battery life - I was able to make it through a day with moderate use including calling, text messaging, e-mailing, and browsing the web, but die-hard users will probably need an additional battery to make it through the day.
Read More @ phonedog.com
* The Curve 3G ships in the same small box as the Torch, and comes with an AC adapter module, USB cable, earbuds, instruction manuals, and a 2 GB microSD card.
* Design-wise, it's nearly identical to the Curve 8500 series, save for a revised bottom lip that's similar to the Curve 8300 line and non-partitioned navigation buttons. Personally, I'm a fan of the non-partitioned layout.
* The Curve 3G has a low-resolution screen, and after working with high-end devices like the iPhone, DROID Incredible, and even the Bold 9700, it's a noticeable difference. It's grainy, and a bit washed out.
* It's capable of running BlackBerry 6, which is a good thing, but it ships with the relatively outdated BlackBerry 5 operating system. Expect to see the new OS sometime this year, pending carrier approval.
* Otherwise, you get the usual array of messaging options with the Curve 3G - push e-mail, AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, Yahoo! Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, and BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). It is still shocking to me that RIM isn't installing BlackBerry App World out of the box.
* Call quality has been good thus far. Earpiece volume is loud, and reception has been strong in both the Charlotte and San Francisco Bay areas. When testing the device in a T-Mobile dead spot, I was able to make a call, though quality was extrememly choppy.
* The thing that improved the 8500 series battery life - the lack of 3G - is obviously not present in the Curve 3G. As expected, the additional connectivity options take a toll on battery life - I was able to make it through a day with moderate use including calling, text messaging, e-mailing, and browsing the web, but die-hard users will probably need an additional battery to make it through the day.
Read More @ phonedog.com
