RIM BlackBerry Curve 8520 Review Paisley
RIM looks to bring BlackBerry to the masses with this affordable handset, but the 8520 brings some innovations of its own to the party. Does it do enough to impress us?
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RIM BlackBerry Curve 8520 Review
Before the likes of Apple stomped into the mobile phone market with the iPhone, BlackBerry pretty much had the business market sewn up thanks in the main to keyboard equipped designs and its unrivalled instant email support.
A couple of years ago, RIM started to increase the feature count adding Wi-Fi or GPS, with the Curve 8300 series and these proved very popular. Does this newest version of the Curve live up to the standards of its forebears as a must have corporate device?
The BlackBerry Curve 8520 is not at the high-end of BlackBerry’s product line. It’s a budget version which means compromises in certain areas compared to higher end models. For example, its screen resolution is only 320 x 240, and while it’s adequate, it’s noticeably less sharp and vivid than the one on the Bold 9000.
Also in an effort to slim down the device, RIM has decided to leave out both GPS and 3G. However, unless you’re intending to browse a lot, the absence of the latter is less of an issue, due to the efficient compression techniques RIM applies to email.
However, even with these taken into account, there are certain elements that make this budget model a bargain.
The first thing to leap out at you is the lack of BlackBerry’s signature navigation tool, the wheel. Instead the 8520 replaces this with a track pad that we found both responsive and simple to use, and in fact preferable to the ball of previous generations.
Perhaps the only criticism of it is that it’s too responsive – making it a tad over sensitive at times. Overall though, we see this change as a positive move for the model.
Yet the grease factor is a major issue with this phone. The casing is a mixture of reflective black plastic and now features a unique rubber frame which, although pleasing to the eye, seems to be in the wrong places. The shiny plastic is positioned for where you hold the phone leaving it to slip and slide and pick up moisture from your fingers and palms. The rubber however, which would have helped increase stability when holding the device, actually only covers the side and top mounted buttons.
Yes, indeed, in a brand new BlackBerry feature, there are three buttons at the top of the device that enable track skipping and play/pause, and open up the phone’s more than adequate music player for more regular use. Usefully, there’s a regular 3.5mm headphone socket at the top left and MediaSync, which lets you sync your Blackberry to iTunes, is included in the box.
On the right side of the device there are also two rubber covered volume buttons, as well as a quick access button for your camera and we were pleased to find that photos could be taken in a matter of seconds, with virtually no load time.
The camera and video recorder in themselves are of solid quality. Although only 2-megapixels the picture is clear enough for basic needs and the video isn’t too jerky or grainy. Certainly this isn’t a phone you would buy for the camera or music capabilities but these features do at least increase the appeal.
The full QWERTY keyboard is, as ever, a must for most corporate users. However, we did find the keys a little too small to type with ease, letting our fingers slip onto neighbouring keys at times. It may only let in the odd typo every few sentences but if this was your main phone for correspondence it would surely get frustrating.
The menu is clearly laid out with the option of six shortcuts available on the main screen. Although not the highest of resolutions the screen is a decent size, measuring 2.46in (50mm x 38mm) and web browsing or even media playback is decent, if not up to Blackberry Bold levels of excellence.
Blackberry has also gone up against the competition with its own app store, easily accessed by the 8520. A decent variety is on offer, from the more frivolous games and shopping apps to more handy travel and news information. The one flaw here is that you must have a PayPal account to purchase any. Although this does help you keep better track of what extras you are spending rather than putting it on your bill at the end of the month, it makes the process more drawn out, having to enter your details (every time) rather than just a quick click solution.
Push email is incredibly easy to set up, which is imperative for the market this phone is aimed at.
Social networking is also made simple on this phone with the ability to ‘tweet’ or check Facebook well catered for.
The browsing itself is well-designed, albeit sparse. On opening you merely have to start typing and your previously visited websites are listed handily in the address bar if you need to jump back. The track pad again added to ease of use here, enabling quick movement to click on links. Websites loaded quickly and the browser coped admirably with both mobile and full sites.
Charging is via mini USB but we actually didn’t have to do this too often. Battery life claims stand at 17 days standby and 4.5 hours talk time, and under fairly heavy use we only had to charge every three days, which is better than most smartphones.
Behind the battery cover you’ll also find a microSD card slot, and fortunately you don’t have to remove the battery to switch cards. There’s 256MB of fixed flash memory already built-in though.
If you are new to the BlackBerry family this might be a good way to enter as it’s available for free on both Vodafone and Orange on reasonably priced contracts of £25. At the price, it’s likely to attract Blackberry virgins, so it’s fortunate that one of the strengths of the phone is the simplicity of the interface with options clearly laid out, often just in black and white. This means less time getting to know your phone and more getting on with your daily tasks.
While it may not be feature heavy, the Curve 8520 is simple, tasteful and practical, and even with its flaws works as a good entry-level device.
However, if you are a seasoned Blackberry user and want everything they can offer, rather than well chosen highlights, you may be better off stumping up for a higher end model.
A couple of years ago, RIM started to increase the feature count adding Wi-Fi or GPS, with the Curve 8300 series and these proved very popular. Does this newest version of the Curve live up to the standards of its forebears as a must have corporate device?
The BlackBerry Curve 8520 is not at the high-end of BlackBerry’s product line. It’s a budget version which means compromises in certain areas compared to higher end models. For example, its screen resolution is only 320 x 240, and while it’s adequate, it’s noticeably less sharp and vivid than the one on the Bold 9000.
Also in an effort to slim down the device, RIM has decided to leave out both GPS and 3G. However, unless you’re intending to browse a lot, the absence of the latter is less of an issue, due to the efficient compression techniques RIM applies to email.
However, even with these taken into account, there are certain elements that make this budget model a bargain.
The first thing to leap out at you is the lack of BlackBerry’s signature navigation tool, the wheel. Instead the 8520 replaces this with a track pad that we found both responsive and simple to use, and in fact preferable to the ball of previous generations.
Perhaps the only criticism of it is that it’s too responsive – making it a tad over sensitive at times. Overall though, we see this change as a positive move for the model.
Yet the grease factor is a major issue with this phone. The casing is a mixture of reflective black plastic and now features a unique rubber frame which, although pleasing to the eye, seems to be in the wrong places. The shiny plastic is positioned for where you hold the phone leaving it to slip and slide and pick up moisture from your fingers and palms. The rubber however, which would have helped increase stability when holding the device, actually only covers the side and top mounted buttons.
Yes, indeed, in a brand new BlackBerry feature, there are three buttons at the top of the device that enable track skipping and play/pause, and open up the phone’s more than adequate music player for more regular use. Usefully, there’s a regular 3.5mm headphone socket at the top left and MediaSync, which lets you sync your Blackberry to iTunes, is included in the box.
On the right side of the device there are also two rubber covered volume buttons, as well as a quick access button for your camera and we were pleased to find that photos could be taken in a matter of seconds, with virtually no load time.
The camera and video recorder in themselves are of solid quality. Although only 2-megapixels the picture is clear enough for basic needs and the video isn’t too jerky or grainy. Certainly this isn’t a phone you would buy for the camera or music capabilities but these features do at least increase the appeal.
The full QWERTY keyboard is, as ever, a must for most corporate users. However, we did find the keys a little too small to type with ease, letting our fingers slip onto neighbouring keys at times. It may only let in the odd typo every few sentences but if this was your main phone for correspondence it would surely get frustrating.
The menu is clearly laid out with the option of six shortcuts available on the main screen. Although not the highest of resolutions the screen is a decent size, measuring 2.46in (50mm x 38mm) and web browsing or even media playback is decent, if not up to Blackberry Bold levels of excellence.
Blackberry has also gone up against the competition with its own app store, easily accessed by the 8520. A decent variety is on offer, from the more frivolous games and shopping apps to more handy travel and news information. The one flaw here is that you must have a PayPal account to purchase any. Although this does help you keep better track of what extras you are spending rather than putting it on your bill at the end of the month, it makes the process more drawn out, having to enter your details (every time) rather than just a quick click solution.
Push email is incredibly easy to set up, which is imperative for the market this phone is aimed at.
Social networking is also made simple on this phone with the ability to ‘tweet’ or check Facebook well catered for.
The browsing itself is well-designed, albeit sparse. On opening you merely have to start typing and your previously visited websites are listed handily in the address bar if you need to jump back. The track pad again added to ease of use here, enabling quick movement to click on links. Websites loaded quickly and the browser coped admirably with both mobile and full sites.
Charging is via mini USB but we actually didn’t have to do this too often. Battery life claims stand at 17 days standby and 4.5 hours talk time, and under fairly heavy use we only had to charge every three days, which is better than most smartphones.
Behind the battery cover you’ll also find a microSD card slot, and fortunately you don’t have to remove the battery to switch cards. There’s 256MB of fixed flash memory already built-in though.
If you are new to the BlackBerry family this might be a good way to enter as it’s available for free on both Vodafone and Orange on reasonably priced contracts of £25. At the price, it’s likely to attract Blackberry virgins, so it’s fortunate that one of the strengths of the phone is the simplicity of the interface with options clearly laid out, often just in black and white. This means less time getting to know your phone and more getting on with your daily tasks.
While it may not be feature heavy, the Curve 8520 is simple, tasteful and practical, and even with its flaws works as a good entry-level device.
However, if you are a seasoned Blackberry user and want everything they can offer, rather than well chosen highlights, you may be better off stumping up for a higher end model.
Author: Jennifer Scott