- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 111 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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32 out of 32 people found this review helpful
5.0 stars
"If there is something better, I haven't seen it or used it."
Pros: Email, Outlook synching ?tasks, calendar, etc., 2.0 camera with video, QWERTY keyboard, Facebook, Expansion card that stores 8G of music, photo, video, etc. Your computer can access Broadband Internet
Cons: Does Not have WiFi and/or synchs with Microsoft OneNote. As I will mentioned below, I think WiFi is almost a useless feature on a phone but if you are in area where WiFi is important because of lack
Summary: Alright, to be honest, I?ve only had the phone for three days? but a lot of happiness just occurred over three days. I must first acknowledge my bias that Blackberry makes the best smartphones out there. I have owned Motorola?s Q?s, Razors, etc. [delays between switching between applications], LGs, and Samsungs [i760 and Alias]. Blackberry has a great community of support [Crackberry and PinStack] and they just know how to get it right. The only thing that the Blackberry phones from Verizon have been missing are the camera [except the Pearl] and QWERTY keyboard. Not anymore.
I was a Motorola Q 9m owner that has switched. My main reason for liking the Q 9m is that it integrated very nicely with Windows Outlook via Windows Mobile and also gave you a Digital Media Player with an optional 4G of storage for music/photos/videos, etc.
I did have the Blackberry Pearl but I couldn?t get used to the SureType with multiple letters in a limited number of keys. Family members needed to interpret the words that SureType put in my messages. To now have a phone with a complete QWERTY keyboard that doesn?t freeze or take 30 seconds to switch from application to application is worth the $390 [including rebate] if you don?t a two-year renewal that you can use to get it even cheaper.
Okay, time for the review of the 8330. Everything that Blackberry is known for is in this phone. Email, Outlook integration with your PC, Instant Messaging, Texting, QWERTY keyboard, 2.0 Megapixel Camera (5X zoom) with flash that can record videos, expansion slot for microSD, and Bluetooth. The storage limit [additional storage card you have to buy] in the expansion slot can handle 8G. Come on, after 4G the music that you would have on it would be not be in your top 1000 songs anyway. So storage is not an issue. It also works well with updating your Facebook [has a built-in application for that] and YouTube (via m.youtube.com). I use a Parrot Bluetooth 3200 in my car for making hands free calling and the Bluetooth application worked flawlessly. The QWERTY keyboard is better than others I have used [Q 9m, Pearl come to mind] where the keys are right next to each other. It?s nice to have them separated and be able to text a message with one hand. They could be small for people with big thumbs/fingers but it didn't take me much to get used to it.
Here?s the short and sweet. If you are a Verizon Customer that is looking for the best smartphone they have, this is it. Synchs flawlessly with Outlook ? emails, tasks, calendar, etc., 2.0 Megapixel Camera to boot. And unlike past Curves this one does video. It also comes with ability to use the VZ Navigator feature from Verizon ($10 a month) but I found that the Blackberry maps application is the only thing I need for getting places [very similar to the Google Maps in my past phone]. It doesn?t have WiFi [or Verizon isn?t letting it have WiFi] but I found WiFi [when I had it on the Samsung i760] to be a energy hog whenever I used it. If I want to power surf the net, I usually do it on a laptop anyway, the processors in phones are good but they still don?t match a laptop. I only surf the net via a phone when I?m checking sport scores, Fantasy Baseball/Football scores, quick Google check, Facebook, etc. which this phone does with no problem.
I have rated a number of phones in the past 7 years, but this is the first I?m giving a ?10? to. I realize the shortcoming of this phone not having WiFi and integration with OneNote. But that is not what I need a smartphone for or that I have assigned any value for, so no points off for that. A lot of my ?10? comes from just the way Blackberry ?forms? it?s phone. The dedicated keys for pictures, send/end calls, mute button, or a convenience key for whatever I want to assign it for. And the trackball beats the scroll wheel or arrow buttons on other devices.
- 3 replies to this review
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need to switch out from my samsung i760 but have been really anxious of losing my windows mobile flawless outlook synching. your comments on the syching have been helpful in easing my anxieties. also, your mention of the pearl's typing issues ruled that out for me (was only slightly leaning toward that side of the fence). thanks a lot. going to get this phone today!
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I have been a winmo user for eons... I have taken cnet and B. Cha's bias towards crackberrys with a grain of salt, mostly because it is so obvious, and her constant mention of vcast services being left out, (seriously, who the **** cares about vcast??) That said, I am considering a move to this device. I have the q9 now, and am just ready for a change... your review may have helped with my decision... (cheers amigo)
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thanks for the review - helps alot and nice to have an actual verizon customer with the actual phone reviewing. solid opinion.
Where to buy
RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Verizon Wireless):
$29.99
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$29.99 | Yes |
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