BlackBerry Curve 8520 (T-Mobile) Review
The BlackBerry line of smartphones have evolved in many ways over the years, one of them being navigation. From the thumbwheel, where the term “BlackBerry thumb” was coined, to the trackball, and now to the trackpad. RIM has pretty much left the user interface of the BlackBerry the same, except for the icon design. In the new Curve 8520, was a trackpad really necessary when everything else in the smartphone world is going touchscreen? How well does the built-in Mac support work? We’ll tell you after the break.
In the box, you’ll find the standard micro-USB charger, a stereo hands-free wired headset, USB cable, BlackBerry Desktop software, and a 1GB SD card.
The Curve 8520 also has new dedicated media controls on the top of the phone, so right off the bat, the phone is clearly media-oriented. On the left side of the 8520 is a 3.5mm headphone jack, perfect for plugging in your favorite ear buds or headphones. On the right, the volume rocker and convenience key have changed from standard buttons to bumps along the surface, which does look interesting but works just as well.
Unlike the screens of the Bold 9000 and the Curve 8900 however, the 8520 has a lower-resolution screen which doesn’t have the same crispness and vibrancy but it’s still fairly bright.
We won’t be focusing much on the core BlackBerry features, as they have stayed relatively the same since the Curve was first introduced. If you’re looking for more information on those features and more, check out our previous BlackBerry reviews.
While change isn’t always good, the optical trackpad that the 8500 series brings is welcomed. In our tests, it was fairly responsive and nothing about navigating the user interface has changed. It does address the issue in older models of trackballs getting stuck and dirty. The buttons on the keyboard are fairly similar to the ones on the 8300 series (the first-gen Curve), and while it may be cramped for those with larger fingers; in our tests, we could type just as fast as on earlier models.
This is also the first BlackBerry with out-of-the-box Mac support, allowing full sync support with iTunes (playlists included), contacts, and calendars, as well as support for backing up, restoring, and adding applications to your device. The software was long-awaited by Mac fans, and now there is finally a solution. We tested the software on an iMac Core 2 Duo machine and it worked seamlessly.
This particular model does not have 3G support or GPS functionality, but does offer Wi-Fi, which can be used in conjunction with T-Mobile’s Unlimited HotSpot calling plan (an extra $9.99 a month), which uses UMA technology to connect phone calls using a Wi-Fi connection.
Image quality of the 8520’s built-in 2-megapixel camera was decent. Sample shots showed accurate white balance and color temperature, but lacking vibrant colors.
We used the Curve 8520 in the Sacramento metro area and experienced no background noise or distortion in sound, even with the speakerphone enabled. Our battery tests proved that the 8520 can receive around 7 hours of talk time, 2.5 hours more than the 4.5 hours that it is rated for.
You can get the BlackBerry Curve 8520 from T-Mobile today in black, white, or frost for $129.99 after a $220 mail-in rebate with an Even More plan.
Pros
- Built-in Wi-Fi.
- Out-of-the-box Mac support.
- Optical trackpad for navigation.
- Good call quality.
Cons
- No 3G or GPS support.
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