BlackBerry phones

BlackBerry 8820

2009-04-16T00:44:00.000-07:00

In a nutshell: The BlackBerry 8820 is packed with a wide range of communication features, including phone, email, instant messaging, GPS, maps, web browser, a wealth of personal organiser functions, and even a media player. It's the most businesslike of the BlackBerry series, but lacks 3G.

The BlackBerry 8820 is the big beast of the BlackBerry series. There's no camera, no attempt to make this monster fit into your pocket, and no pretence that this is anything other than a very powerful mobile communications device. In a way, this is BlackBerry at its best - certainly in its purest form. With no distractions, the 8820 just gets on with the job.

The 8820 may not be something you want to show off in a pub, but it's definitely worth showing off in a conference room. It's surprisingly stylish, considering its utilitarian function, with a hint of curves, and thinner than you might expect. At 134g, it's definitely one of the heaviest smartphones around. The display is a good size, although the resolution is not as high as some of the latest smartphones, and incorporates user-selectable font size.

The 8820 is packed with a wide range of communication features, including phone, email, instant messaging, GPS, maps, web browser, a wealth of personal organiser functions, and even a media player. Connectivity options include WLAN (802.11b/g), as well as Bluetooth 2.0 and USB.

The advanced phone features include a speakerphone and voice activated dialling, user-definable convenience keys and dedicated Send, End and Mute keys, making it more like an office phone than a standard mobile. With voice dialling and a Bluetooth headset, it's capable of fully handsfree operation. The full 35-key QWERTY keypad and trackball make it the best mobile platform for writing texts and emails - frankly its virtually the same as using a laptop on the hoof. The BlackBerry push email software supports virtually all types of enterprise and personal email servers and standards, including popular webmail systems such as Hotmail and Gmail. Security is given full attention, with password protection and a keyboard lock, plus full support for encryption when using BlackBerry Enterprise Server to access data.

The 8820 isn't quite all work and no play however. There's a media player built in, so you can listen to some music or even watch a video on the train or between meetings. You can plug in stereo headphones or use a Bluetooth wireless headset.

Battery life is excellent, with a heavy duty battery giving a theoretical standby time of 528 hours. In practice, the 8820 may not reach this limit, but has plenty of juice for continuous working throughout the day.

Weaknesses include the limited amount of memory available - just 64 Mbytes, although you can expand this with a microSD memory card - and the fact that there is no 3G connection, just EDGE. This makes for relatively slow data transfer, most noticeably when web browsing or sending/receiving large attachments. This does significantly limit the phone's capabilities as a mobile email platform for corporate users. The new BlackBerry Bold fixes this issue.

The 8820 is now obsolete. The newest BlackBerry is the BlackBerry Storm - a toucbscreen phone with 3G HSDPA and plenty of other features too! Read this BlackBerry Storm review for a taster! The BlackBerry Bold is similar to the Curve series and features a full QWERTY keypad. Read this BlackBerry Bold review for more information.

Features of the BlackBerry 8820 include:
LCD display: 320 x 240 pixels, 65,000 colours
Media player
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, push email with attachment viewer
Built-in speakerphone
Voice dialling
Voice memo recorder
MP3 ringtones
GPS with BlackBerry Maps
Personal organiser functions
Vibration alert
Internet: Web browser, GPRS, EDGE
Connectivity: WLAN, Bluetooth 2.0, USB, RIM wireless modem, 3.5mm stereo headset port
Memory: 64 Mbytes plus microSD memory card slot
Size: 114 x 66 x 14 mm
Weight: 134g
Quadband
Talktime: 5 hours
Battery standby: 528 hours

BlackBerry Curve 8320

2009-04-16T00:42:00.000-07:00

In a nutshell: The BlackBerry 8320 incorporates push email, a full keypad, a camera, media player and expandable memory. With both Bluetooth wireless connectivity and a WLAN connection, the 8320 is the best connected of the Curve series too.

The BlackBerry Curve 8320 incorporates virtually all of the features of the BlackBerry 8310, so read our review of the 8310 for an in-depth look at what this device can do. The one difference between the two is that the 8320 doesn't have GPS satellite navigation, but it does have WLAN connectivity. This means that you can access broadband internet speeds when within range of a WLAN-enabled computer (at work, at home, or in a WiFi zone such as Starbucks.) This could be handy for synching data with your home or work PC, as well as fast downloading of emails or web browsing.

The BlackBerry Curve is now available from Dialaphone.

Features of the BlackBerry 8320 include:
2 megapixel camera with flash and digital zoom
LCD display: 320 x 240 pixels, 65000 colours
Media player
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, push email with attachment viewer
Built-in speakerphone
Voice dialling
Voice memo recorder
MP3 ringtones
Personal organiser functions
Vibration alert
Internet: Web browser, GPRS, EDGE
Connectivity: WLAN, Bluetooth 2.0, modem, 3.5mm stereo headset port
Memory: 64 Mbytes plus microSD memory card slot
Size: 107 x 60 x 15.5 mm
Weight: 111g
Quadband
Talktime: 4 hours
Battery standby: 400 hours

BlackBerry Curve 8300

2009-04-16T00:41:00.001-07:00

In a nutshell: The BlackBerry Curve 8300 is an excellent device for keeping in touch with your email whilst out of the office. With extensive push email support and a full QWERTY keypad, emailing on your phone becomes a completely practical possibility. Other features such as a 2 megapixel camera, media player, Bluetooth connectivity and expandable memory complete the package.

The BlackBerry 8300 is exactly the same as the BlackBerry Curve 8310, except that it doesn't have GPS navigation. Read our review of the 8310, since all of the comments apply equally to both phones, apart from this one difference.

We have given the BlackBerry 8300 a slightly lower rating than the 8310 and 8320 since it lacks the more advanced features of these models. Since most people will get it free on contract, why not choose one of the more advanced models instead?

Features of the BlackBerry 8300 include:
2 megapixel camera with flash and digital zoom
LCD display: 320 x 240 pixels, 65000 colours
Media player
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, push email with attachment viewer
Built-in speakerphone
Voice dialling
Voice memo recorder
MP3 ringtones
Personal organiser functions
Vibration alert
Internet: Web browser, GPRS, EDGE
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0, modem, 3.5mm stereo headset port
Memory: 64 Mbytes plus microSD memory card slot
Size: 107 x 60 x 15.5 mm
Weight: 111g
Quadband
Talktime: 4 hours
Battery standby: 400 hours

BlackBerry 8800

2009-04-16T00:38:00.001-07:00

In a nutshell: The BlackBerry 8800 is packed with a wide range of communication features, including phone, email, instant messaging, GPS, maps, web browser, a wealth of personal organiser functions, and even a media player. It's the most businesslike of the BlackBerry series, but lacks 3G and WiFi.

The BlackBerry 8800 is the same as the 8820, except that it is missing WLAN. Read our 8820 review for a full description. The BlackBerry Curve 8900 updates the 8800.

Features of the BlackBerry 8800 include:

LCD display: 320 x 240 pixels, 65,000 colours
Media player
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, push email with attachment viewer
Built-in speakerphone
Voice dialling
Voice memo recorder
MP3 ringtones
GPS with BlackBerry Maps
Personal organiser functions
Vibration alert
Internet: Web browser, GPRS, EDGE
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0, USB, RIM wireless modem, 3.5mm stereo headset port
Memory: 64 Mbytes plus microSD memory card slot
Size: 114 x 66 x 14 mm
Weight: 134g
Quadband
Talktime: 5 hours
Battery standby: 528 hours

BlackBerry 8220

2009-04-16T00:36:00.001-07:00

In a nutshell: A BlackBerry in a clamshell form factor! Not our favourite BlackBerry, as the Pearl series is looking rather dated now, but still a good compact phone/PDA for mobile email, with a camera and MP3 player thrown in!

We've been a bit slow to review the 8220 Pearl, considering that it first appeared in the last quarter of 2008! That's because we assumed that it was just intended for the US market, and we didn't think that it was going to appear in the shops here in the UK. Well, it has appeared but it seems that most people feel the same way as us, because not many are buying it.
The 8220 is basically like the other Pearl devices (the 8100, 8110 & 8120) except that it's a clamshell. It's fatter as a result, and we find that the clamshell form isn't ideal for using this kind of keypad. It's also heavier than the other Pearl phones. But it does have the advantage of a larger internal screen. It's equipped with BlackBerry Maps too, but it doesn't have a GPS receiver.

Basically, if you like the BlackBerry Pearl series, but prefer the clamshell form factor, then this is the BlackBerry for you. Personally, we feel that the whole of the Pearl series is looking rather dated now, and we'd steer you in the direction of the 8900, which is a cracking phone with a full QWERTY keyboard.

Features of the BlackBerry 8220 include:
2 megapixel camera with flash and digital zoom
Internal display: 240 x 320 pixels, 65000 colours
Media player
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, push email with attachment viewer
Built-in speakerphone
Voice dialling
Voice memo recorder
MP3 ringtones & LED call indicator
Personal organiser functions
Vibration alert
Internet: Web browser, GPRS, EDGE
Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, USB, modem, 3.5mm stereo headset port
Memory: 128 Mbytes plus microSD memory card slot
Size: 101 x 50 x 17.5 mm
Weight: 102g
Quadband
Talktime: 4 hours
Battery standby: 360 hours

BlackBerry 8100

2009-04-16T00:33:00.001-07:00

In a nutshell: If email on the go is your top priority, and you don't like the size and weight of the big BlackBerries, then the 8100 could be a good choice. However, the 8100 lags behind other smartphones when it comes to most features, and it isn't the easiest phone to use either.
Best buy: *Free* from the Carphone Warehouse.

You might think that BlackBerry's mission statement for the 8100 Pearl series sets up expectations that are impossible to meet: "BlackBerry Pearl 8100 Series smartphones are designed to help you do everything you want with your life." As the baby in the BlackBerry range, the 8100 Pearl is a much more compact device than the 8300 or 8800 series phones. In fact, with a weight of just 89g, the 8100 is very light compared with other smartphones. But it still offers nearly all of the functionality of the big Blackberries. BlackBerry have achieved this by the Pearl's distinctive SureType® keypad, which is a compromise between a full QWERTY keypad and a conventional numeric keypad. The SureType keypad can be used to enter text more rapidly than a conventional phone keypad, and the trackball is used to navigate around the screen and select options.

Now, the BlackBerry may look like a normal mobile phone, and BlackBerry's marketing guys are clearly trying to present it as such, but really it's a much more sophisticated type of device. At its heart it's more like a mini laptop, equipped for emailing, messaging, browsing and organising. It's a corporate kind of device that has more in common with the enterprise IT function than with consumer mobile phones.

The key feature that sets the BlackBerry apart is its ability to manage email on the move. That's why most people choose to buy a BlackBerry, and that's why it needs a special keypad. And the BlackBerry 8100 has all the wireless email features of the bigger 8300 and 8800 series devices. It supports up to 10 different email accounts. It's a push-email device, which means that each mailbox is automatically updated whenever you send, delete, file or read messages. Messages are delivered automatically to the phone and you can be notified as soon as they arrive. The BlackBerry email management system is outstandingly good, and lets you work your email just as easily as if you were behind a laptop. You can view attachments too. The BlackBerry supports all kinds of email, including web-based mail such as AOL Mail, Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo! Mail. You can set up your business email account to work with your BlackBerry using the BlackBerry Internet Service, or enterprise customers can set it up using a BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Of course, the SureType keypad also makes the BlackBerry an excellent choice if you prefer to send text messages rather than email.

Email and MMS is what you buy a Blackberry for, but it can do other things to, even if "helping you do everything you want with your life" is hyping it rather too much. As a SmartPhone, the 8100 has a wealth of applications available, that let you do all kinds of things on the go, such as managing your calendar and address book, browsing the web, social networking, and even running a range of enterprise applications. And because the BlackBerry synchs well with other devices, you can use it as the glue to bind your desktop with your laptop and your business with your personal life.

The 8100 makes phone calls too (we nearly forgot to mention that!) and is equipped with a digital camera and music player. The camera is only 1.3 megapixels and doesn't record video, but it's fine for quick snaps. The phone also has a full range of features that mobile users expect, including voice-activated dialling, a speakerphone, Bluetooth connectivity and an expandable memory. Bonus features include BlackBerry® Maps and user-selectable fonts. The phone also incorporates password protection and a keypad lock.

The BlackBerry 8100 provides quadband support, allowing for international roaming between North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

The battery life of the 8100 isn't quite as high as the larger 8300, but is perfectly respectable.

The 8100 is the most compact BlackBerry, and inevitably some compromises have been made in fitting the technology into such a small package. The keypad isn't a full QWERTY layout, and the screen is a lower resolution than the bigger BlackBerries, which makes web browsing less satisfying. Menus can be counter intuitive and generally speaking this isn't an easy phone to use. The camera is also of poor quality, although this probably isn't such a big factor for most users. If email on the go is your top priority and you don't want the bulk of the bigger 8300, then the 8100 is probably the next best thing. The 8100 can't compare with smartphones from Nokia when it comes to multimedia, so choose it for its push email and keypad, and be aware of its limitations.

The BlackBerry Pearl 8110 has the benefit of GPS satellite positioning, to be used in conjunction with BlackBerry Maps. The BlackBerry Pearl 8120 has WiFi. The BlackBerry Pearl 8220 Fip is a flip version of the Pearl.

Features of the BlackBerry 8100 include:
1.3 megapixel camera with flash and digital zoom
LCD display: 240 x 260 pixels, 65000 colours
Media player
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, push email with attachment viewer
Built-in speakerphone
Voice dialling
Voice memo recorder
MP3 ringtones & LED call indicator
Personal organiser functions
Vibration alert
Internet: Web browser, GPRS, EDGE
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0, USB, modem, stereo headset port
Memory: 64 Mbytes plus microSD memory card slot
Size: 107 x 50 x 14.5 mm
Weight: 89g
Quadband
Talktime: 3.5 hours
Battery standby: 360 hours

BlackBerry 8120

2009-04-16T00:31:00.001-07:00

In a nutshell: If email on the go is your top priority, and you don't like the size and weight of the big BlackBerries, then the 8120 could be a good choice. However, the 8120 lags behind other smartphones when it comes to most features, and it isn't the easiest phone to use either.
Best buy: *Free* from the Carphone Warehouse.

The BlackBerry Pearl 8120 is almost identical to the 8100, so read our BlackBerry 8100 review for full details. The 8120 has the advantage of a WLAN connection, and is available in Silver.

The BlackBerry Pearl is now available from Dialaphone.

Features of the BlackBerry 8120 include:
2 megapixel camera with flash and digital zoom
LCD display: 240 x 260 pixels, 65000 colours
Media player
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, push email with attachment viewer
Built-in speakerphone
Voice dialling
Voice memo recorder
MP3 ringtones & LED call indicator
Personal organiser functions
Vibration alert
Internet: Web browser, GPRS, EDGE
Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, USB, modem, stereo headset port
Memory: 64 Mbytes plus microSD memory card slot
Size: 107 x 50 x 14.5 mm
Weight: 91g
Quadband
Talktime: 3.5 hours
Battery standby: 360 hours

BlackBerry Curve 8310

2009-04-16T00:23:00.000-07:00

In a nutshell: If you want to keep in touch with your email on the move, then the BlackBerry Curve is the choice for you. With a full QWERTY keypad and BlackBerry's renowned push email applications, you really will have a mobile office in your pocket. It also includes a camera, a media player, Bluetooth connectivity and a memory card slot. The BlackBerry 8310 is our pick of the Curve series, as it also includes GPS navigation.

The BlackBerry 8310 is our favourite of the current Curve series of BlackBerries. More compact than the 88xx series, yet with a full 35-key QWERTY keypad, the Curve series treads the line between dedicated business machine and consumer-friendly smartphone. The 8310 retains the core features that made BlackBerry into a household name and indispensable business tool: full keypad and push email. It also adds some new features that make the Curve more like a multimedia smartphone: a camera, media player and GPS satellite navigation. It is this last feature - the GPS navigation - that distinguishes the 8310 from the other Curves (the 8300 & 8320).

All of the BlackBerry Curves are essentially the same, except that the 8310 has GPS navigation, the 8320 has WiFi and the poor little 8300 has neither. It's obviously a personal choice as to whether GPS or WiFi is the more useful tool. In our opinion, the GPS is more useful, but that's just us! The GPS implementation in the 8310 is a good one, and can be used both on foot and in the car.

Looking at the core features of the 8310, we really love the full keypad. Really, serious mobile emailing is out of the question without one, in our opinion. The BlackBerry Curve delivers, and takes mobile communication to another level - whether by email, or text messaging. The one thing that we dislike about the Curve is the trackball, which is used to navigate around the screen and select options. When it works, it works well. But when it doesn't, then it can be really annoying. We've deducted one mark from our rating because of the trackball. Apart from the trackball, the Curve works well ergonomically. The display is large, at 2.5 inches across, and high resolution. It's not in the premier league of LCD displays (the iPhone has double the resolution and most smartphones now have 16 million colour screens), but it's good enough. One thing that we definitely like is the user-selectable font size. There are other features such as password protection, user-definable keys and voice dialling that make the whole Curve experience that little bit better. The Curve is large, and you'll need both hands to use it, but the keys are easy to press and the overall experience is positive.

Obviously, most people buy a BlackBerry to keep in touch with their email. The BlackBerry 8310 handles email very well indeed. Not only is the system very easy to use (pretty much as easy as on a PC), it supports all of the systems and protocols that people will need:
BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for Microsoft® Exchange
BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for IBM® Lotus® Domino®
BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for Novell® GroupWise®
Integrates with an existing enterprise email account
Integrates with existing personal email account
Integrates with new device account
Support for AES or Triple DES encryption when integrated with BlackBerry Enterprise Server

The 8310 also has a decent web browser. However, with no 3G or WiFi, it's unlikely that anyone would make extensive use of this feature. 3G is conspicuous by its absence. In fact the only connectivity is Bluetooth.

What's new about the latest Curve series is the multimedia features that help to bridge the gap between the traditional BlackBerry and the modern multimedia smartphone. The 8310 incorporates a 2 megapixel camera and a media player. BlackBerry are not at their strongest in this area: the camera can't complete with the cameras on most other smartphones, and there's no video recording capability (although you can play back video.) Nevertheless, it's a move in the right direction. The media player supports features like playlists and shuffle, and you can listen to music whilst using other applications. On the positive side, there is a 3.5 mm stereo headset port that will fit standard third-party headsets, and the 8310 is also compatible with Bluetooth stereo headsets.

The battery life of the BlackBerry 8310 is excellent, especially when compared with most other smartphones. Despite this, and despite the large size of the device, it's weight is surprisingly low. Really, it's in many ways a very practical device. If email on the move is your priority, then the BlackBerry 8310 is our top recommendation. It may not have all the bells and whistles of some other phones, but it does its core job amazingly well and does most other things well enough too. Consider the BlackBerry 8320 as an alternative if the WLAN appeals.

Features of the BlackBerry 8310 include:
2 megapixel camera with flash and digital zoom
LCD display: 320 x 240 pixels, 65000 colours
Media player
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, push email with attachment viewer
Built-in speakerphone
Voice dialling
Voice memo recorder
MP3 ringtones
Personal organiser functions
Vibration alert
GPS navigation
Internet: Web browser, GPRS, EDGE
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0, modem, 3.5mm stereo headset port
Memory: 64 Mbytes plus microSD memory card slot
Size: 107 x 60 x 15.5 mm
Weight: 111g
Quadband
Talktime: 4 hours
Battery standby: 400 hours

BlackBerry 8900

2009-04-16T00:16:00.000-07:00

In a nutshell: Smaller than the Bold, but packing in nearly as many features, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 is one of our all-time favourite BlackBerries. Ideally-sized, with a brilliant QWERTY keypad and a hi-res screen, this is an almost perfect device for mobile email. Other top features include a 3 megapixel camera with autofocus, a video camera, a music player, GPS, a heavy duty battery, WiFi, and plenty of memory. The only significant thing missing is 3G.

The BlackBerry 8900 is the latest in the BlackBerry Curve series, and is one of the best BlackBerries ever. Its name suggests that it slots into the BlackBerry range just below the BlackBerry Bold, but although it lacks 3G, in some ways its even better than the Bold.

Like the others in the Curve series, the 8900 features a full 35-key QWERTY keypad with a trackball. It looks almost identical to the Bold, except that it's smaller and lighter, making it about the same weight as many ordinary mobiles, and compact enough to fit easily into a jacket pocket, or even into a jeans pocket. This fact alone makes it into a much more mainstream device than the old Curves or the Bold.

Before we start our review proper, let's just take a moment to admire the ergonomics and construction of the 8900. Unboxing the 8900, you can't help but admire the build quality of the device - it just feels so solid and well constructed. Unlike so many phones, taking the back off to insert the sim card and battery is so easy. The keys are admittedly small, but they move crisply and anyone with fingers in the normal size range for a Homo Sapien should have no problem with them at all. You can even use it single-handedly. The trackball is just like with previous BlackBerries - some love it, some are less keen. We aren't 100% in favour of the trackball, but it does the job.

Let's move on to the display next. It's enormous! At 2.44 inches across and a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels, this is just the kind of screen that we need when reading emails or browsing the web (not to mention viewing photos or watching videos.) This screen matches the iPhone 3G and outperforms just about anything else in existence. The menus are reasonably simple too, and once you've got used to the trackball and the overall size of the device, you'll find that the 8900 is almost the perfect phone, ergonomically speaking. For us, it's the closest that BlackBerry have ever come to perfection. Just a little more work on the menus and a smoother trackball, and it would be 100%.

Now, of course, the key selling point of a BlackBerry is email on the move, and the 8900 doesn't disappoint. There's little difference here with previous BlackBerries, so we'll just reiterate that the BlackBerry implementation of mobile email is the best in the business. It is compatible with virtually all email standards. It also supports attachments, with a viewer and editor for Microsoft Office documents. Combining this with the huge screen and the QWERTY keyboard means that you get the best mobile email experience currently available. It's also a brilliant environment for text messaging.

But the 8900 does a lot more than just mobile messaging. For one thing, it has the best camera to appear on any BlackBerry to date. With 3.2 megapixels, a LED flash and autofocus, it's the same quality as the camera on the BlackBerry Storm, and outperforms even the camera on the Bold. It may not be an 8 megapixel replacement for a digital camera, but it will produce excellent print quality images, and is a very welcome addition. It marks one more way in which the 8900 Curve is almost a mainstream handset. The phone has a media player too, of course, and with features like playlists, shuffle and organising by artist and album, it's a very usable MP3 player. It's very loud too! The 3.5mm headphone jack allows you to plug in any compatible headset, in addition to the one supplied. You can also use a stereo Bluetooth headset if you prefer. With a 1GB microSD card supplied as part of the sales package, and the potential to expand this to 16GB, you certainly won't be short of storage for music or videos. The video player works well too, with support for DivX & XviD, and flicker-free playback on the high quality LCD display. There are even 5 games included (from Sudoku to BrickBreaker), although we didn't get round to testing these (all work, no play at Mobile Phones UK!) There is also built-in GPS, so you can find your current location, and this can be used with the BlackBerry Maps application.

The 8900 has a full choice of connectivity options, including Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate, USB and WiFi. The WiFi connection is very easy to set up, and lets you access email, the web, or data on your PC. This is probably the best way to make use of the built-in web browser.

The 8900 has a whopping heavy duty battery, which contributes to its weight quite significantly, but gives it plenty of power to last even with heavy use. You can recharge it from the mains or via a USB cable on your PC.

The 8900 is a quadband phone, which means that you can use it worldwide, and usefully it is provided with an international charger too, so no worries about forgetting to pack your travel socket. But the one feature that is very obviously missing is 3G. The Bold has 3G, the Storm has 3G, so why not the 8900? For some this may be a show stopper, and it certainly is a pity to have to rely on 2G data transfer with a device this powerful.

Finally, it's worth pointing out just what a polished device the Curve 8900 is. As well as the physical build quality, the usability factor is very high, with the 8900 being the latest in a mature evolution of business devices. Unlike some competitors, there's very little about the 8900 with a "beta" feeling. Nice features include the wide choice of ringtones and alerts (both audio and visual), the wealth of status indicators on the home screen (e.g. missed calls, unopened messages, connection status, and calendar alerts.)

This is definitely one of our favourite BlackBerries of all time. The 8900 really is an accomplished multimedia device and can become a one-stop shop for communication, music, media, photography, web browsing and GPS too. Oh, if only it had 3G! Apart from the missing 3G, this really is the best BlackBerry of all time.

Before buying, consider the Nokia E63 too.

Features of the BlackBerry Curve 8900 include:
3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, LED flash, image stabilisation and 2x digital zoom
Video recording (240 x 180 pixels)
LCD display: 480 x 360 pixels, 65,000 colours (2.44 inches)
Media player (Supports MP3, WMA, MIDI, AMR-NB, WMA, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, 3GP formats plus DivX & XviD support)
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, push email with attachment viewer
Built-in speakerphone
Voice dialling
Voice memo recorder
MP3 ringtones plus a wide choice of alerts and visual indicators
GPS with BlackBerry Maps
Personal organiser functions
Vibration alert
Internet: Web browser, RSS feeds, GPRS, EDGE
Connectivity: WLAN, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, USB, RIM wireless modem, 3.5mm stereo headset port
Memory: 128 Mbytes plus 1GB microSD memory card (up to 16GB)
Size: 109 x 60 x 13.5 mm
Weight: 110g
Quadband GSM (1900/1800/900/850 MHz)
Talktime: 5.5 hours
Battery standby: 356 hours

BlackBerry 9000 Bold

2009-04-16T00:05:00.000-07:00

In a nutshell: The BlackBerry Bold is the best BlackBerry yet, although its size and weight mean that its for serious users only. If you're a serious user, you'll love the full keypad, outstanding email support, high-res display with user-selectable fonts, 3G HSDPA, 1GB of built-in memory, WiFi, satnav and many other features.

At last - A 3G BlackBerry! Whilst BlackBerry is the undisputed king of mobile email, the lack of 3G in its devices was beginning to look very obvious. Enter the BlackBerry Bold, with full support for HSDPA-enabled 3G, making fast data transfer a reality. No more waiting while email attachments are sent!

The BlackBerry 9000 Bold takes the best of everything that BlackBerry has previously produced, and adds in 3G. It's also the biggest and heaviest BlackBerry, so is suitable only for heavy duty users. Weighing 136g, it's very slightly heavier and thicker than the BlackBerry 8820, which it replaces. In practice you can't tell the difference in size between the two devices. Despite its size, it's an attractive design, with its shiny black and silver finish, and some nice curves to (literally) take the edge off its bulk. The benefit of having such a large device is that there's plenty of room for a full QWERTY keypad, so there are no compromises here when it comes to the ease of text entry. The keypad combined with the trackball together provide the best UI that we've seen for serious emailers and texters. We're also delighted to see that BlackBerry have increased the resolution of the display from 240 x 320 pixels on previous models to 480 x 360 pixels on the Bold. With a 65,000 colour transmissive TFT LCD and user-selectable font sizes, this gives the Bold one of the best displays available, with only the iPhone offering a higher resolution.

The advanced phone features include a speakerphone and conference calling. With voice activated dialling and a Bluetooth headset, it's capable of fully handsfree operation.

Email is BlackBerry's forte, and the Bold fully supports all email standards:
Push email (messages are delivered automatically to your smartphone and you can be notified as soon as they arrive)
Works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for Microsoft® Exchange
Works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for IBM® Lotus® Domino®
Works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for Novell® GroupWise®
Integrates with an existing enterprise email account
Integrates with existing personal email account
Integrates with optional new device account
Web-Based Email Access (AOL Mail, Windows Live Hotmail, Gmail or Yahoo! Mail)

You can view attachments in the following formats: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, WordPerfect, HTML, zip.) WordToGo and SlideshowToGo let you edit Word and PowerPoint files. Security is given full attention, with password protection and a keyboard lock, plus full support for encryption when using BlackBerry Enterprise Server to access data.

The Bold also incorporates some fun features, in particular the camera and media player. The camera is rated at just 2 megapixels, so this is no replacement for a digital camera, but it can take snaps and video clips. The media player offers light relief between meetings, and can play music and videos. Software is provided for ripping music off CD's and for synching your phone with your PC. In common with previous BlackBerries, there's a 3.5mm headset jack, so you can plug in any third party stereo headphones - a feature that's still surprisingly rare in the mobile phone world. GPS navigation is also included, and works with Blackberry Maps. This is another welcome feature, and can in principle be used as satnav for a car, but perhaps a more obvious use is navigating around a city by foot or public transport, as most Bold users probably already have a proper satnav system in their car.

BlackBerry have also done the right thing when it comes to memory, equipping the Bold with a full 1 GB of built-in memory, plus 128 MB of flash memory and the ability to expand this further by adding a microSD memory card. This gives plenty of space for storing and working with data, and is what a device of this power needs.

Connectivity options include WLAN (802.11a/b/g), as well as Bluetooth 2.0 and USB.

The battery life is not quite as long as the BlackBerry 8820, due partly to the larger screen, and partly to the fact that it's a 3G phone. However, we don't anticipate that this will be a major problem, provided that you charge the phone regularly, and condition the battery properly at the start.

All things considered, we love the BlackBerry Bold. It was fairly obvious what BlackBerry needed to do to bring their devices bang up to date (add 3G, a higher resolution screen, more memory and a faster processor), and they've done precisely that. The result is a brilliant communications device and all round PDA. Highly recommended. If you can live without the 3G network and would like a more compact device, then we would also highly recommend the BlackBerry 8900. We have noted that several of our users have reported the Bold's tendency to drop the 3G signal. We believe that this is a network issue that is not present in sim-free handsets, and can possibly be fixed by updating your sim card or talking to your network.

Features of the BlackBerry Bold include:
2 megapixel camera with LED flash and video recording
LCD display: 480 x 360 pixels, 65,000 colours
Media player (Supports MP3, WMA, MIDI, AMR-NB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, 3GP formats plus partial DivX support)
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, push email with attachment viewer
Built-in speakerphone
Voice dialling
Voice memo recorder
MP3 ringtones / 32 voice polyphonic ringtones
GPS with BlackBerry Maps
Personal organiser functions
Vibration alert
Internet: Web browser, RSS feeds, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA (3.6 Mbps)
Connectivity: WLAN, Bluetooth 2.0, USB, RIM wireless modem, 3.5mm stereo headset port
Memory: 1GB on-board + 128 MByte flash memory plus microSD memory card slot
Size: 114 x 66 x 15 mm
Weight: 136g
Quadband GSM (1900/1800/900/850 MHz) plus UMTS (2100/1900/850 MHz)
Talktime: 5 hours
Battery standby: 312 hours

BlackBerry Storm

2009-04-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

In a nutshell: Built on BlackBerry's reputation for the best in mobile email and web browsing, the Storm has a brilliant touchscreen user interface that incorporates a full virtual QWERTY keyboard. The Storm includes a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and flash, video recording, a media player, GPS navigation, Bluetooth wireless connectivity, 3G with HSDPA and 1GB of built-in memory plus the ability to expand the memory with a microSD card. However, the Storm is generating a lot of negative reviews from our users, so we have reluctantly downgraded our rating to 3 stars. Our opinion - it's worth a try, you might love it!

For the past couple of years, RIM (the makers of BlackBerry) have been chasing the mass market. They've glued cameras, music players and even GPS navigation systems onto their business smartphones. But still the mass market eluded them. Now, with the BlackBerry Storm, there's a real chance that they've created a genuine mass market product.

The BlackBerry Storm (aka BlackBerry Thunder) is the first BlackBerry to have a touchscreen user interface. In one fell swoop, finally here's a BlackBerry that looks like a mass market product. Ever since Apple released the iPhone and iPhone 3G, every phone manufacturer has been trying to produce an iPhone killer. Here's BlackBerry's answer.

By adopting a touchscreen UI, the BlackBerry Storm offers all the benefits of a standard BlackBerry (i.e. full QWERTY keyboard and unrivalled email/web browsing), with the style and ease of use of an iPhone. Cleverly, the Storm incorporates two kinds of virtual keyboard: the full QWERTY keyboard seen in the BlackBerry Bold and the SureType® keyboard used in the "baby" BlackBerry Pearl. The keyboard switches depending on whether you're in portrait or landscape mode. The touchscreen on the Storm is a capacitive type - the same kind used in the iPhone. We find this easier to use than the resistive touchscreens used on most rivals. You get a better response when moving your finger around the screen, and the near-instantaneous response makes the user interface very intuitive. Rather than using haptics (vibrating feedback) to indicate when the screen is pressed, the Storm uses a new innovation called "ClickThrough". This means that the screen responds to pressure, so it feels almost like you're using a real keyboard. You know, this could genuinely rival the iPhone when it comes to ease of use. The display itself is massive and has the highest resolution of any phone that we've reviewed. With 480 x 360 pixels, you can fit a lot of information on screen, and view photos and videos in near-perfect detail. As with previous BlackBerrys, the font sizes are user adjustable - a feature that we love and wish was present on rival phones too.

BlackBerry phones enjoy an unrivalled reputation when it comes to mobile email, and the Storm is no different. Apart from the ease of entering text with the virtual keyboard, the Storm beats other manufacturers' email systems because of its ease of use, power, wide compatibility with all email protocols (including web-based mail and secure mail) and its support for attachments. There is even an attachment editor, so you can edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents on the phone. The Storm is also an absolutely brilliant platform for the mobile web. With HSDPA running at 7.2 Mbps, you have the fastest possible download speeds available on any phone. The huge screen and ClickThrough response is ideal for viewing web pages. And the Storm supports rich media, including YouTube videos. Built-in applications make it easy to access social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.

The Storm is a smartphone, just like previous BlackBerry phones, so there will be plenty of applications available for it. It also supports multitasking, so you can view a document or browse the web whilst talking on the phone. The Storm supports a range of advanced features including voice activated dialling, conference calling and voicemail attachment playback.

Any phone that wants to conquer the mass market needs to have a good camera and media player (a fact that Apple forgot!) and the Storm does. It certainly isn't the best camera phone around, but the camera has a resolution of 3.2 megapixels, and with autofocus and an LED flash, it will take reasonable pictures - good enough for print quality, provided that you don't zoom too much. The media player supports every common audio format and synchs with iTunes. The Storm has 1GB of built-in memory, which is plenty to get you started, and will accept microSD memory cards up to a whopping 16GB, which is enough to store around 4,000 MP3 tracks. There's full support for Bluetooth stereo headsets, and another great feature that is missing from many rival phones is the 3.5mm audio jack, which enables you to connect any standard stereo headphones. This means that you're not tied into proprietary headphones, but can connect to very high quality headphones for the best possible audio experience.

We mentioned the presence of GPS earlier. The Storm has a built-in GPS device and comes with BlackBerry Maps, so you can find your way around. With the large touchscreen, this combination works well, and is ideal for pedestrian use. With a proper satnav application installed it could even replace a dedicated in-car satnav. The Storm comes with a 6 month licence for Vodafone Find&Go Sat Nav .

Battery life is quoted to be 5.5 hours talktime and 360 hours standby. In the real world, using the phone heavily you'll get about a full day's use between charges. So if you don't like the hassle of charging each night, the Storm probably isn't for you. The Storm loses one star from its rating because of this.

Which brings us to the one other feature that we dislike about the BlackBerry Storm - its size. Even larger and heavier than the iPhone, the Storm weighs in at 155g, making it the heaviest smartphone currently on sale in the UK. Bigger is not always better, and we'd certainly like to shave a couple of millimetres off the Storm. But then again, you need a big device to have a big screen, and when you consider the number of features that have been crammed into this beast, it's a trade-off that we're happy to live with.

In conclusion, we love the Storm and we hope that it will be as popular as it deserves to be. BlackBerry is a niche brand that is highly respected in the business world, and that many aspire to. With this phone these qualities are combined with the feature-set that the larger market is crying out for. Vodafone have invested heavily in the success of the Storm, and there should be plenty of support for the phone from the network. The Storm launched in the UK at the beginning of November 2008. It is exclusive to Vodafone and is available free on a £35 per month tariff.

A footnote: the Storm is generating a lot of bad reviews from our users, and seems to be a love it / hate it kind of phone. We suspect that there may be a bad batch that is causing these bad experiences. Reading through the bad reviews that people have written it's hard to pin down exactly what the issue is. Some users complain about battery life, some about poor reception, some about the user interface, some about build quality. Other people, like us, love the Storm and find no problems (except the poor battery life mentioned in our review.) In our opinion it's a great phone that deserves at least 4 stars, but we have rated it at 3 stars to reflect the negative feedback.

Some Words about the Author of Blog

2009-04-15T04:09:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is Khaled Umer. I love to write blog, share my views with others. I have written many blogs and currently writing many others on different topics. Thanks to BLOGGER to provide such a great tool of writing blogs in such an easy way.

Following are my current list of blogs:

Online Money Making Schemes

http://make-money-on-internet-at-home.blogspot.com/

My favorite Blogs by other Authors

http://aqua-airliner.blogspot.com/