iPhone 3GS from AT&T. Free Shipping
CNET editors' review
-
CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 01/15/2009
First introduced at CTIA Fall 2008, the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8350i is finally available through Sprint. This is particularly good news for Nextel Direct Connect users, who haven't seen a new push-to-talk (PTT) BlackBerry model since the RIM BlackBerry 7100i, which was introduced back in June 2006. In addition to supporting the iDEN network for use with Direct Connect and Group Connect PTT services, the BlackBerry Curve 8350i brings a number of much-needed updates, including the addition of Wi-Fi, the latest BlackBerry operating system, an HTML Web, and full GPS. There were a couple of performance hiccups during our test period, including some general lag and e-mail issues, but in the end, the Curve 8350i delivers a full-featured PTT smartphone to Nextel customers. The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8350i is available now for $149.99 with a two-year contract and after rebates and discounts.
Design
The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8350i has the same shape and design as other Curve models, but given all the features packed into the device, it's slightly bigger. The smartphone measures 4.4 inches high by 2.4 inches wide by 0.7 inch thick and weighs 4.7 ounces, compared with the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330, which measures 4.2 inches high by 2.4 inches wide by 0.6 inch thick and weighs 4.2 ounces. It doesn't quite have the rugged casing of some other Nextel phones, such as the Motorola i365, but the Curve 8350i is a solid handset and features a soft-touch finish along the outer edges to make it easier to grip.
The Curve 8350i features a 2.4-inch, QVGA, nontouch display with a 65,536-color output and 320x240-pixel resolution. It's a sharp-looking screen that's complemented by the updated user interface of BlackBerry OS 4.6. One minor complaint we have is that a lot of the menu icons look similar and though there's a description when you scroll over the icon, it's hard to distinguish on the fly. Like the latest BlackBerrys, the Curve 8350i has a light-sensing technology to adjust the display's backlight depending on your environment and you can customize the home screen with various themes and background images.
Below the display, you'll find a traditional navigation array of Talk and End keys, a Menu shortcut, a back button, and a trackball navigator. The trackball is set a little deeper than previous Curves, so it's not quite as comfortable to scroll side to side, and pressing in to select an item takes a little more effort. It may also take some acclimation for those upgrading from the BlackBerry 7100i, which had a side jog wheel. The full QWERTY keyboard is a welcome addition over the SureType keypad on the 7100i. It features smallish buttons that feel a bit plasticky, but since there's a fair amount of spacing between the keys, most people should find the keyboard easy to use.
On the left side is a 2.5mm headset jack, a mini-USB port, and a Direct Connect button, while on the right is a volume rocker and a user-programmable shortcut key (set to camera by default). The top of the unit has a mute button, and the camera, flash, and self-portrait mirror are located on the back. Finally, behind the battery, you'll find the microSD/SDHC expansion slot and SIM card slot.
The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8350i comes packaged with a travel charger, a USB cable, a wired stereo headset, a SIM card, a 1GB microSD card, a swivel belt holster, a software CD, and reference material. For more add-ons, please check our cell phone accessories, ring tones, and help page.
Features
With two years between the RIM BlackBerry 7100i and the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8350i, the Curve finally brings Sprint Nextel customers up to date with a number of improvements and additional features. In fact, it's the first push-to-talk (PTT) BlackBerry to offer built-in Wi-Fi and Nextel Group Connect for instant group conversations.
Since Nextel is known for its PTT capabilities, we'll start with those features. As a Direct Connect handset, the BlackBerry Curve 8350i offers the aforementioned Group Connect, which allows you to instantly set up a PTT group conversation with up to 20 contacts. In addition, there's something called Talkgroup that connects groups of up to 200 people within the same local market or Nextel fleet. And Internal Direct Connect gives you PTT capabilities with other users in Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru.
Other phone features include a speakerphone, voice-activated dialing, speed dial, text messaging, and finally, multimedia messaging. The address book is limited by the available memory only, with room in each entry for multiple phone numbers (including Direct Connect numbers), e-mail addresses, work and home addresses, job title, and more. For caller ID purposes, you can assign a photo to a contact as well a group category--business or personal--or one of 45 polyphonic ringtones. Bluetooth 2.0 is also onboard for use with mono and stereo headsets, hands-free kits, and Bluetooth peripherals. A Bluetooth GPS receiver won't be necessary, however, since the Curve 8350i has built-in GPS. The GPS is both autonomous and assisted, using satellites and cellular triangulation to find your position. You can get maps and text-based, turn-by-turn driving directions with apps like BlackBerry Maps and Google Maps for Mobile, but if you want any real-time tracking and voice-guided instructions, you'll have to use a location-based service like TeleNav GPS Navigator.
Continue readingMost helpful user reviews
- Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 35 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 3 of 35 user reviews
-
5 out of 5 people found this helpful
-
4 out of 4 people found this helpful
-
3 out of 3 people found this helpful
- See all 35 user reviews Write review
Submit your review
%20Smartphone%20reviews%20-%20CNET%20Reviews&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/rim-blackberry-curve-8350i/4505-6452_7-33254382.html){kind=small}