BlackBerry Curve 8900

The everyman BlackBerry gets a big ol' consumer-friendly update

BlackBerry Curve 8900
The much-anticipated BlackBerry Curve 8900, previously codenamed Javelin, is here, replacing the old 8300 series as RIMs mainstream full-keyboard device. And, as part of a push into the consumer market, it comes with a whole heap of cuddly features.

Firstly, theres an updated look, with chrome and shiny black plastic replacing corporate greys, a more rounded, sleeker chassis clearly from the same mould as the higher-end Bold and Storm handsets.

Inside job

Internal changes include a more powerful processor and a boost to the internal memory (up to 256MB) to keep things more responsive. Theres also now a GPS receiver on-board, bundled with the BlackBerry Maps application.

Youll find a 3.5-megapixel camera round the back, with autofocus, a flash for improving indoor shots and even image stabilisation. Its not going to replace your compact camera (particularly with the two-second shutter delay), but its fine as an everyday snapper and will also shoot video.

The tidily put-together media player is carried over from the Bold and Storm, includes support for DivX, XviD, H.263 and WMV video, as well as AAC, WMA9 and MP3 audio And, joy of joys, theres also a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and a hot-swappable microSD slot taking up to 16GB.

Push me, poke you

BlackBerry is famous for its email, and its here in all its glory, as well as supporting just about any other email provider youve already got. There are also applications for various instant messaging and social networking services, including Windows Live Messenger and Facebook. Youll also find a set of applications capable of reading and editing DOC, XLS and PPT Office files.

Internet browsing benefits from a very capable browser too, with most sites rendered in a recognisably computer-like way save any Flash-based elements, which arent supported.

And here comes the Curves only real disappointment no 3G only quad-band GPRS/EDGE. There is Wi-Fi, though, and the device does use some clever compression techniques to make even GPRS browsing possible at non-hair-tearing speeds.

Conclusions

It all adds up to a solid-feeling, good-looking smartphone with a decent feature set, all tied together with a very mature operating system.

If emails important to you, its an excellent choice but Blackberrys impressive steps into areas besides its email core strength are starting to pay dividends.

The BlackBerry Curve will be available from the Carphone Warehouse from December 20, from free on contract.
Author:Ross Burridge
Copyright 2009 Dennis Publishing All Rights Reserved.
BlackBerry Curve 8900



Local Articles
Telecommunications
Home