BlackBerry Curve 8520 user reviews (black, T-Mobile)

Pros Blackberry manufacturing
Updated Blackberry OS
Removes some complications to enhance first time smartphone buyer experience
Wi-Fi included even on a beginner smartphone!

Cons Took out a little too much???
Not for the corporate user
Trackpad can be a little hard to use
Plastic casing reminiscent of older Curve phones
Feels like you're using a Curve 8320 (physical)
Camera (worst on a Blackberry Phone)

Summary My I.T. Tech friend who (as stated in other reviews) works for a local firm here in Los Angeles got his hands on the Blackberry Curve 8520 from TMobile and since I have and am faithful to my Blackberry Bold thought I would like to have some hands on time with the phone.

I have to say that I was impressed at how much Blackberry added to what some call a "Beginner's" smartphone. I thought it was excellent that they included Wi-Fi since TMobile's 3G Network doesn't function in all areas. The phone itself was incredible to use and was incredibly fast (probably because it isn't running everything a Blackberry Bold or Tour does).

The trackpad is interesting to use. Some newer phones are incorporating these in them and some work better than others. I don't have any complaints to make against them since I think they work well on phones like the Samsung Epix from AT&T. DON'T EXPECT IT TO FEEL LIKE THE TRACKBALL ON A BLACKBERRY CURVE however. It's a different touch (literally) and takes some acclimation but if you're going to be using this phone as your main device you'll get used to it and will learn its tips and tricks.

Moving to another physical aspect of the device. The construction of the phone is satisfactory though I felt a little disappointed. If you've used a Blackberry Curve 8300 series phone then you'll know what I mean when I say that it brings back the rubberized and plastic feel that I think held the 8300 series back. The edges have that soft touch casing on them which I am not a fan of. Another part of the phone I didn't understand was the camera. If you watch Bonnie Cha's review, note when she turns the device around to show the viewers the back. I have never seen such a bad camera on any current Blackberry phone. Blackberry usually has beautiful styling when it comes to the camera in terms of placement, design, and features. This one however looks like someone just stuck it there on the back. There is no flash and the surroundings don't look too nice.

Something I found interesting however is that this device seems to be marketed as a smartphone/multi media device and even includes the built in media player controls so I would expect that they should add a better camera to keep the theme constant. I don't know if everyone would agree with that but that's just my thought on that.

The media controls were a nice surprise. I don't use my phone as a multi media device since I have an iPod but I have to say with the added functionality of the media controls atop the unit if you needed a media player while say you were looking for an iPod or a new media player this phone would do well. I didn't use high quality earphones with the phone so I can't say for sure that the sound quality meets or surpasses the iPods but Blackberry usually includes high quality hardware so I'm sure it'll do well. One complaint I did have with the media controls is that they feel a little cheap and can be a little stiff to press. I don't know if there's a way to lock these to prevent accidental pressing since i only had the phone for about 48 hours (at the most).

The keyboard was a BIG disappointment. I have smaller fingers and I had a hard time using it. The buttons again were reminiscent of the Curve 8300 series and so they didn't feel all that great when pressed. I prefer the Bold's more substantial keyboard.

Moving on inside the phone is impressive in its functionality. The screen isn't as good as say the Bold's or the Curve 8900s screen but since it's an entry level phone it's to be expected. (It's still better than some found on Samsung smartphones though!). Inside the battery doesn't seem as strong as the Bold's but will do the job since most will not use this device rigorously. I was able to use the phone from the time my friend passed it to me to the time I returned it to him without charging it and the battery showed to be about 20% when I returned it.

Continuing inside the phone's performance as I said before is EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE!!! I found that as far as loading applications and using the general navigation the phone performed faster than my Bold. Impressive. Call quality was descent as well, TMobile's coverage in my area isn't all that great and I found that UMA made it worse. Oh before I forget that's another thing that this baby has packed in it! Wi-Fi with UMA support in case signal in the area is poor. It works but it's better if you don't rely on it.

The Bold's stereo speakers cannot be beat though the speaker on the Curve 8520 did quite well when used as a speakerphone but music sounded a little blurred and metalic (sorry I don't really know how to explain it). But anyway it works for what it needs to.

This phone is great for those who want to try adding a smartphone to their life or students who are in high school or college or even adults who want to add a little more functionality to their phones. Blackberry once again produced a winning device but just not for the business user!

Updated on Aug 7, 2009

An update which I forgot to add to the review:

(As stated in Bonnie Cha's review) TMobile will be opening this device up with a price tag of $149 while Walmart and Best Buy may drop the price for you. Check with authorized retailers because honestly (even though this is a Blackberry) the price tag is too high for that you could get a Curve 8900 with added functionality and better construction.