BlackBerry Curve 8900 Phone, Titanium (T-Mobile)

By BlackBerry on June 24th, 2009

Amazon.com Widgets

BlackBerry Curve 8900 Phone, Titanium (T-Mobile)

Customer Rating: Rating 4.0 out of 5

(54 Reviews)

List Price: ~~$499.99~~

* as of Saturday July 31, 2010 17:26:17, America/Chicago

Product information Brand: Blackberry
Publisher: Blackberry
Category: Wireless
Release Date: February 6, 2009
Model: 8900 Curve

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Features

Access all your e-mail and messaging with the sleekest, lightest, thinnest full-QWERTY keyboard BlackBerry yet featuring a high-resolution 480 x 360-pixel LCD screen
Wi-Fi connectivity for Web browsing and access to T-Mobile's Hotspot Enabled unlimited calling service
3.2-megapixel digital camera with flash and video capture; Bluetooth for hands-free communication and stereo music streaming; microSD memory expansion up to 16 GB
Up to 5.5 hours of talk time, up to 360 hours (15 days) of standby time
What's in the Box: handset, rechargeable battery, charger, wired hands-free stereo headset, 256 MB microSD card, BlackBerry Desktop software, quick start guide

Accessories

Editorial Review

Amazon.com Product Description: Updating the look of the Curve with a sleekly styled titanium finish, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 for T-Mobile is the thinnest and lightest full-QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone yet. In addition to its stunning good looks--with titanium-colored finish accented by chrome highlights--the Curve 8900 is packed with communication and location features. The built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) supports both voice and data, making it easier to stay connected to family, friends and colleagues using T-Mobile's Unlimited HotSpot Calling service, while the built-in GPS supports location-based services including turn-by-turn navigation.

With its stunning titanium-colored finish and chrome highlights, the sleek and slender design of the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone dresses it for any occasion (see larger image). Check out the Curve 8900 101 video demo.

And, of course, you'll enjoy all the communication and connectivity features you've come to expect from a Blackberry phone--including e-mail served up by the BlackBerry Internet Service and a full menu of messaging options (SMS, MMS, and IM). The handset's advanced multimedia capabilities include a 3.2-megapixel camera with image stabilization, digital zoom, flash and the ability to record video and play video. Other features include a hot-swappable microSD/SDHC memory card slot (for cards up to 16 GB; 256 MB card included), Bluetooth for hands-free communication and stereo music streaming, multi-format digital audio player, and up to 5.5 hours of talk time.

T-Mobile Service Options
With T-Mobile HotSpot Enabled service, you'll effortlessly transition between Wi-Fi calling and T-Mobile's wireless network while you talk. You can get unlimited nationwide calls over Wi-Fi--at home via your wireless router or at any U.S. T-Mobile HotSpot. You can also use the HotSpot Enabled service via most open, or unsecured, wireless routers, as well as any secured wireless router for which you have access to the password from the owner. This phone is compatible with the 802.11b/g Wi-Fi standard as well as the following Wi-Fi Alliance certifications: WPA/WPA2 Personal and Enterprise, WMM, WMM Power Save, Wi-Fi Protected Setup. Whenever you're not using a Wi-Fi network, the Curve works just like a regular mobile phone, using your Whenever Minutes under your T-Mobile voice plan.

Additionally, this mobile phone operates on GSM 850/900/1800/1900 networks and can handle high-speed data connectivity via T-Mobile's EDGE network (which stands for "Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution"). As a quad-band world phone, this phone supports international roaming, extending the ability to stay connected while traveling abroad. This high-speed, mobile data and Internet access technology is fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services (with average data speeds between 75-135Kbps), including full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and e-mail on the go.

Download cool new games, HiFi Ringers (real songs by today's hottest artists), MegaTones (instrumental versions of songs), and wallpapers quickly, as well as stay connected via the Web, instant messaging, and e-mail.

The Curve 8900 includes Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth stereo music streaming, GPS navigation capabilities, microSD expansion to 16 GB, and more (see larger image).

Staying Connected
With BlackBerry's push e-mail technology, your e-mail will find you without having to initiate a connection. BlackBerry devices are designed to remain on and continuously connected to the wireless network, notifying you as new e-mail arrives. In addition to the text, you can also receive and view attachments in a wide range of popular file formats, including Microsoft Office, Corel WordPerfect, and Adobe PDF.

Browse the web with the integrated, full-featured browser, which quickly and efficiently displays HTML pages as well as enables you to set up RSS feeds to stay connected to up-to-the-minute news and blog posts. And keep up with your contacts using a variety of instant message (IM) networks, including the integrated Blackberry Messenger as well as downloadable clients for Google Talk, Yahoo! Messenger, and Lotus Sametime.

For corporate users, the Curve delivers all the enterprise e-mail and messaging capabilities you've come to expect. It's supported on BlackBerry Internet Service, giving you access to up to 10 work or personal e-mail accounts (including most popular ISP e-mail accounts), as well as BlackBerry Enterprise Server, enabling advanced security and IT administration within IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise environments.

Phone Features
With a refined design, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone supports both your professional and personal mobile communication needs to help you enjoy a more organized, balanced life. In addition to a sleek, stylish design, the powerful new smartphone includes a large, vivid display--the highest resolution available on a BlackBerry smartphone--as well as a 512 MHz next-generation processor for fast and responsive performance.

The striking 2.4-inch, 480 x 360-pixel display (65K colors) serves up crisp images, text and maps so information is easier to read, even when you're on the go. It also includes a light-sensing feature that automatically adjusts backlighting for indoor, outdoor and dark environments. Like other Curve models, the Curve 8900 includes a trackball navigation system located on the top of the QWERTY keypad, and it features an integrated spell checker with a customizable dictionary to help maintain accuracy.

You can snap vivid photos as well as video clips using the 3.2-megapixel camera on the back of the Curve, which also features a 2x digital zoom, auto focus, image stabilization, and a flash. Transfer pictures and videos between your smartphone and your desktop computer easily using the USB cable that comes with the smartphone, or via Bluetooth technology.

You can also capture video clips on the go, with two resolution choices--480 x 352 pixels for saving to your PC and 176 x 144 pixels for sending via MMS messaging. In addition to recording videos, the Curve 8900 also supports mobile video streaming as well as videos saved from your PC. It's compatible with DivX, XviD (MPEG4 Advance Simple Profile), H.263, and WMV3 formats.

Listen to your favorite music using the included stereo headset, or use an optional wireless headphone thanks to the Curve's support for the Bluetooth stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP). The Curve is compatible with a wide variety of file formats (.3gp, WAV, MIDI, AMR-NB, G711u/A, GSM610, PCM, MP3, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA9/10 Standard/Pro) and dedicated volume controls are conveniently located on the side of the handset.

Handsfree communication is easy thanks to the integrated speakerphone. This phone also provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0 + EDR), and includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and file transfer. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking--surf the Internet, send e-mail, and access files from a server.

With the Voice-Activated Dialing (VAD) feature, you can initiate a call just by telling the Curve who to call from your contact list--either via the integrated speakerphone or using an optional Bluetooth wireless headset. Other advanced phone features include advanced sound technology that cancels out background noise and echo, dedicated volume and mute keys, and the ability to customize the Curve with polyphonic and MP3 ringtones.

Capture high-resolution photos and videos with the 3.2-megapixel camera on the back.

The BlackBerry Browser on the Curve 8900 is designed to make on-the-go Internet browsing fast and fun--you can even start a search right from the home page. Navigate sites and zoom in on content using a trackball-controlled pointer, set bookmarks and view your history. Plus, the BlackBerry Browser works with a host of other applications to make things like online purchasing and tracking information on your favorite pages easier.

The easier a map is to read, the easier it is to follow. Together with BlackBerry Maps, the crisp, colorful screen of the Curve 8900 is designed to make it easier to find the location of businesses, restaurants, concert venues, parks and more by allowing you to check maps and get driving directions quickly and conveniently. When you're connected to the network, you can even launch maps from your address book. BlackBerry Maps is also designed to help make trips easier by providing route options like fastest or shortest and displaying directions visually along with text-based turn-by-turn instructions.

Whether your instant messaging (IM) account is with Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ or Windows Live Messenger, you can bring your IM community wherever life takes you. Like the desktop versions, these programs offer features like avatars and emoticons. And, because BlackBerry applications work together, you can also start an IM chat from your address book, call or e-mail an IM contact while chatting or even check your calendar right from a chat.

Other features include:

Easily synch with Microsoft Outlook: Stay in synch with your Contacts, Calendar, and Tasks in Microsoft Outlook
Edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files: Just download attachments and start typing. You'll enjoy many of the same features you do on your computer--copy and paste, font size and color, even bullets and numbering and more.
Remote Search: If you prefer not to carry all your e-mail on your Curve 8900 smartphone, Remote Search can be used to find e-mails that are still stored on your BlackBerry Enterprise Server using name, subject and other options to narrow the field.
BlackBerry Media Sync: Sync your desktop iTunes music files with your BlackBerry smartphone.
Free/Busy Lookup: View your colleagues' calendars to see who's available at what time right from your BlackBerry smartphone.
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds support: With RSS, you don't need to check important websites for updates, new content can be pushed to you automatically.
Send and receive text and picture messages (SMS and MMS)
Bluetooth version 2.0 + EDR with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), DUN (dial-up networking), FTP (file transfer), PBA (transfer contacts)

Vital Statistics
The Blackberry Curve 8900 weighs 3.9 ounces and measures 2.4 x 4.3 x 0.5 inches. Its 1400 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5.5 hours of talk time, and up to 360 hours (15 days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies.

Customer Reviews

Non RIMM Consumer Changes Mind!

by Always Samsung 2009-03-27, 8 people found this review helpful

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R11BO1AQQG43G I've been a long time AT&T costumer. I thought I could live without having an actual keyboard when it comes to texting, but after a week without my Sidekick Keyboard - I decided to ditch my Samsung Eternity for the Blackberry Curve 8900.

I was hesitant about purchasing this smart phone because I was never a fan of Blackberry's (RIMM). I had a BB during their initial boom in the early part of the new millennium. However, the poor browser, poor cell phone network, lackluster screen color, non desirable keyboard, awful battery life, whack OS, & lack of T9 predictive text just couldn't win me over.

After I realized that I couldn't text on a touch screen phone, unless it was the iPhone. I decided that I must have a cell phone device with an actual qwerty keyboard, if I expect to survive my text message & email addiction. So I decided to do the unthinkable & switch over to T-Mobile (The Worlds 4th Place Cell phone provider). Was I ready to leave AT&T behind? After getting this phone, I can safely say yes.

I've had T-Mobile in the past & after all these years, the company actually spent time building new signal towers to improve their service and not lose any customers. I picked up the Blackberry 8900 with my corporate discount and walked away with a nice high phone at a very reasonable price. I have to say that I really enjoy the web browser on the new BB. You can zoom in & out with ease. I thought no browser could compare to the iPod Safari besides the Android G1, but after getting this device - I can safely say that this browser is also one of the best. Its right behind the safari and G1. Prior models were confined to small screens, thirty-five dollar internet only data plans, and no ability to zoom in or out. You were subjected to a small screen and reading small text till your eyes was squinting like grandmas.

Pros:
Big vibrant screen
3.5 MM headjack
New OS
Decent call quality (No issues yet)
Excellent new broswer
Mini SD up to 16GB (Wish it was 32GB)
Use your songs as ringers
Wi-Fi
Personal Email (Up to 10 accounts can be added)
IM
Themes
Applications (Coming on April 1st)
My Favs
Full HTML Web Browser (Sometimes)
Excellent Multimedia Player (Accepts every format possible)
Video & Camera (3.2 Megapixel as oppose to 2.0)
Includes 2 chargers (Wall Charger & USB charger)
Includes ear phones and leather carry case
T-Mobile offers the best minute and data plans on this planet

Cons:
For long time BB users, this device is really just a cosmetic upgrade with a new OS (Flashier Icons)
Micro USB (No more Mini USB)
Non RIMM Consumer Changes Mind!

For anyone who has wanted a BB but held off on getting one, this is the model to get. Everything about it is an upgrade. The device is basically the BB Bold with a different casing. The battery life could still use some more juice. With excessive email checking & non stop texting, the phone usually needs a charge after a day and a half of usage. I have to hand it to T-Mobile because they are the last carrier in the US. However, they do offer the best mobile minute plans on earth & their data plan is probably the cheapest around. They are fully aware that they lag behind the competition & in doing so, make up for it with its more cost friendly services, which usually offer an abundant amount of minutes, unlimited data, internet, email, text etc for a lot lower cost then its competition.

One complaint from other phone techs is the lack of 3G. Yes, i was disappointed that the device is only on EDGE & Wi-Fi, but if you have a 3G enabled phone with only 1 signal bar - The chances of having a 3G signal is pretty slim. The EDGE browser signal on this device is fine & works just fine. I havent encountered any issues & comparing it with a 3G phone - the thing almost runs at the same pace. NO major biggy at all!

I pay under seventy bucks a month for a decent amount of mins & unlimited everything else. My friend has a similar plan on Verizon, its not unlimited, and her bill is always over a hundred each month.

The best blackberry so far

by Sam Stone 2009-02-17, 21 people found this review helpful

I just bought this phone from Amazon. A great deal which is cheaper than buying from the T-Mobile site.

The best features of this phone are :

1) Making phone calls over WIFI for free once you add the $9.99 unlimited hot spot calling to your plan.

2) Very slim and sleek compared to previous Blackberry phones

3) Gorgeous display screen

4) You can even switch off the wireless portion and use it strictly on Wifi for voice calls and Internet/Email access (however bear in mind if you are on WIFI only and you are using an Internet application like Flycast any voice call will end up going to voice mail.

5) I have not used previous Blackberry's for listening to Music but with this one the sound is great and you can download some great applications for Blackberry like Flycast and Slacker Mobile to listen to Music. I hooked it up to my Ipod docking station and it sounds great.

6) Battery life is good as with prior Blackberries. It lasts three days if I don't play any music and use it strictly for voice and email.

7) The keyboard is easy to type on and feels solid.

Awesome phone with some kinks

by Gabriela Perez 2009-04-30, 10 people found this review helpful

I had never owned a phone of this type before this one, and it was really an unusual purchase for me. In the first place, I'd called my carrier, T-Mobile, to ask about when my contract was up because I was considering switching carriers. In the course of the conversation with my customer service rep, I was offered this phone at a pretty hefty discount, along with a couple of other incentives that led to me deciding to go with it and upgrade both phone and plan (I have the $25 Blackberry plan that comes with 400 messages/month). I've been pretty satisfied with T-Mobile, for the most part, and my biggest complaint with them has been that they seem to not get really pretty phones like other companies do.

Well, this phone exceeded many of my expectations.

I love the following:

1) the ease of checking email and receiving instant messages--I went to a conference last week and had no trouble keeping up with my work email and communications with my staff--awesome!;
2) the look and feel of the phone (the shiny silver parts are chrome, I think, not cheap-feeling plastic, and I really love that);
3) the real QWERTY keyboard (not like the one on the Blackberry Pearl, where one key really works for more than one alpha letter--yuk!);
4) the wireless capability (although this led to one of the drawbacks; see below);
5) the excellent clarity of sound (both coming and going--I had several people remark that I must be on a landline because I certainly couldn't have been on a cell--made me wonder how bad I'd sounded pre-Blackberry--heh);
6) wonderful clarity of pictures taken with the awesome camera (which has an actual flash--yay!);
7) micro-SD slot--double yay! I love that I can save music and photos to one of these tiny little cards and then enjoy the results; and
8) the beautifully clear and sharp visuals on the (admittedly small) screen--beautiful!

Drawbacks/stuff I'm not so fond of:

1) battery life if you're running some of the lovely apps, like wi-fi and Bluetooth and using the Curve to listen to music--I would have to charge the set every day in order to get any meaningful use out of it, as just having all of the above going for over an hour would almost exhaust the power supply--sheesh);
2) headphones absolutely suck--they literally hurt my ears the very first time I used them, but then earbuds never work for me;
3) difficulty getting SIM card out of its slot--and I mean DIFFICULTY as in practically having to grab a knife and pry it out;
4) the non-intuitive nature of some of Blackberry's menus (I'm used to fairly basic menus, and Blackberry piles some stuff together that doesn't seem to match up in my mind);
5) the buttons on the side of the phone and how hard they make it to do certain things without, say, turning on the camera by mistake; and
6) VERY flimsy back cover (it's practically light enough to fly away if you're not keeping an eye on it whilst messing with your battery or SIM card);
7) the lack of availability of things like the holster that's supposed to help you conserve energy by powering down the unit (I can't find a single T-Mobile store that carries it, and I can't find a picture of it anywhere so that I can verify that I would get maximum use out of it); and
8) the high cost of Blackberry applications! Yowsa! There are some free ones (I especially like Pandora and IheartRadio, but they drain the battery something awful), but most cost money, and not a tiny amount, either. Someone else already mentioned the high cost of a weather application--OY!; and
8) the going-blind factor when using the internet on this baby (the text is teeny tiny eeny weeny).

All in all, I love my Blackberry, in spite of the fact that I just exchanged it for another one (the battery was proving problematic, they think, but they couldn't be sure, so they just sent me another one). I have only been without my first one for about 2 hours, and I already miss it.

I must add one thing here, and it's about T-Mobile. I know we all have different experiences with different carriers, but I have nothing but raves for the customer service reps with whom I've spoken recently. The deal they gave me when I asked about my contract end date was superb, and I'm basically spending the same amount to have my Blackberry with its special plan that I was spending before. I did pay for the phone, but not much, and definitely a very reasonable amount for this type of phone. Also, when I started having problems with my Blackberry's power, I got nothing but good customer service--overnight shipping on the replacement, easy instructions for returning the original one I received, etc. Just superb. I've always had good experiences with T-Mobile, but this just reinforces the reasoning I use when deciding whether to move to another carrier.

My first BlackBerry and I love it...sometimes...

by Cleo 2009-02-11, 107 people found this review helpful

[I purchased the 8900 directly from T-Mobile (TMo) and not Amazon]
[Updated March 2, 2009]

I was able to purchase this phone about a week before its official release. I was excited that I could get my hands on a piece of equipment before it was available to the general public. I had high expectations on this product due to all of the hype surrounding its United States release. I believe the phone was already available in Europe and Canada since late last year. It is known as the Javelin outside of the US. In addition to the 8900, I was also purchased the 8320. I guess I can give a preliminary comparison of the two, although the 8320 is not primarily used by me. It was given to someone else as a gift. But I have played around with it for a bit. Before going into the details, I have to say that the phone call quality is good. But that all depends on your coverage area with T-Mobile. You can check your coverage here:[...] . It's been a month and I haven't had a drop call yet. With Sprint/Nextel, drop calls were the norm.

Pros:
1. Noticeably smaller and slimmer than any of the current BlackBerrys (BB). It is lighter than the 8320 but I didn't feel a big difference
2. The screen is super sharp and detailed. It sports a 480x360 (4:3) screen. I believe the BB Bold and iPhone is 480x320. Even though the screen is much smaller than its competitors, its bright and very detailed. It includes a one minute video clip of a John Mayer concert to show off its display qualities.
3. The processor is noticeably quicker than the 8320. With the 8320, you have to wait a second or two longer for just browsing the phone's numerous menus and applications.
4. The numbers are highlighted in red and not that flashy black/white style found in other BBs. I believe the not-yet-released AT&T 8900 will have that keyboard.
5. Great photo camera (see Cons section for comments on video quality). It even has auto-focus. If you press the camera button halfway, you can see the camera focusing on the subject, just like a regular point & shoot digital camera. The very bright LED flash is an added bonus. You could use it as a small flashlight, if needed.
6. Has both Wi-Fi and GPS. The TMo 8320 only has Wi-Fi.
7. Improved home screen and icons. The 8320 looks a bit cartoonish. Of course, you can change the "theme" and icons. But most users won't bother or even know how to do that.
8. Comes with BB Maps. It's pretty good. It's even better than my Garmin nuvi 660 because the 660 fails to display the name of the street that you're driving on when you're not in navigation mode.
9. The micro SDHC card is no longer located beneath the battery as in the 8320. So, you can remove the card without having to remove the battery.

Cons:
1. Too many browers. The BB is a bit confusing in terms of the number of different internet browsers installed on the unit. It has a different browser depending on which internet service you're using. For example, if you're using normal EDGE internet service, it's called Internet Browser. If you want to use Wi-Fi, you have to switch to Hotspot Browser.
2. Even though BB and Amazon describes the 8900 as being compatible with DivX and Xvid (video codecs), not a single Divx or Xvid file has worked on the 8900. I think Research in Motion (RIM) allows very early versions of those codecs to work, none of which is used by the mass public these days. Hopefully, RIM will fix the 8900 with future firmware updates.
3. The shift key is smaller than the 8320. I don't know why they made it smaller. There's empty room on the keyboard to accomodate a larger shift key.
4.Keys are not as raised as in the 8320. The 8320 is slightly easier to type with.
5.Video recording is weak. You would think that since the phone has a great camera, it would take better video footage. Not the case. The highest resolution is 240x180. That's right: 240x180. That's preposterous. At least it has video recording. The much acclaimed iPhone doesn't.
6.Wi-Fi browsing is not as fast I'd like. It's still far slower than using a laptop computer over Wi-Fi. Probably has to do with the fact that the phone is a phone first then laptop/camera/video recorder second.
7.There's no setting available to have the phone vibrate and ring at the same time. You can only alternate the vibrate and ring. Very strange.
8. Battery life is below average compared to the 8320 and other non-smart phones. This is due to the faster processor over the 8320, more detailed and vivid screen, and a multitude of applications running in the background. Many smartphones suffer from this battery issue as well. Remember to put the phone into standby by either inserting it into the supplied OEM holster (a magnet in the holster activates standby) or press the mute button for about 1 second). There is some speculation circulating on the internet about the supplied OEM holster draining the battery when the 8900 is inserted, even though it is supposed to conserve the battery by initiating standby mode.

I'll update this review as I'm still learning the ins and outs of this new great phone!!!! [Updated March 2, 2009]

Just Ok... too hard to text on for me.

by Todd W. Van Lom 2009-03-18, 68 people found this review helpful

BlackBerry users are without a doubt a loyal crowd. I had heard from numerous people that this was the phone to get because of it's email capability and fast processing speed. So when the new 8900 came out, I jumped on it right away. At first, I enjoyed it. However, I think I was just more excited by the stunning screen and the fact that I had now joined the loyal BB fold than anything else.

My main grip about this unit is the tiny key pad for texting. I'm not a freak of nature, but I do have fairly large hands. For me, this unit was just WAY to difficult to text on. I was told to use my finger nails by a TMobile salesperson. I'm a guy... I don't have nails.

My other complaint is the image size for web page viewing. You have the option to use a magnifying glass to 'zoom' in while on the web, but it takes awhile and you have to use it just about every time. Just so you know, I'm in my early 40's but scored 20/20 on my last vision exam about a year ago. I don't think my eyes have gone that quickly. And as long as we're on the topic of web browsing, I'm just not a fan of the abbreviated page views. I prefer full web browsing features like I would get on my laptop and/or iPhone.

Finally, no 3G and most of the downloadable applications are fee based. I don't get why TMobile would exclude this phone from accessing their new 3G network.

Pros: Quick email access, high-definition display, very decent audio/media playback, you can upgrade to 16gb of storage, it's a BB.

Since I'm a TMobile customer, I traded my BB 8900 in for the G1 and I love it. Much easier for me to type/text on and I have full web page browsing on the 3G network.

Ex Iphone user, and I love this phone!

by Ryan 2009-04-02, 184 people found this review helpful

My first Amazon review. Let me say this. I've owned a couple of Blackberrys in the past, and although I enjoyed them I am a mac user which means I could never fully enjoy all the features like the music player.

When the Iphone came along I bought it as soon as I could (Leaving Tmoble to do so), and I loved it. Still do actually. I don't understand how many people say things like "the iphone sucks". Really? What does it take to please some people? Some flaws, sure, but finally there was a phone that not only was designed FOR mac users, but also raised the bar for all the other companies. Many of the coolest features on other phones are a response to the iphone.

With ATT my phone bills went up on average 40%, and the customer care was horrible. They suffered a bit from the "you're on contract so what you gonna do" syndrome. That coupled with the fact that as a Mac User there weren't a ton of smart phone options, so I was stuck.

Then I found the Curve 8900!
With all the New Blackberry's there is finally some real competition, which is a good thing for Mac users. It finally seems like other companies realized that MAC people are some of the largest and most loyal consumers of electronics, and it doesn't take much to make us feel included. I couldn't use the CD that came with the phone on my computer, but I just hopped on the web and did some downloads and now I can use all the features on my Macbook, including itunes syncing and photos. Which is great because the camera is awesome. The only thing is you need the newest OS on your mac to use the software from the website, but if you don't have that you can also download Pocketmac, which works pretty well.

I find the browser works great, and if you don't like it you can download another if you want. Opera mini is pretty good too. I just like being able to choose for myself, which is something I couldn't do on the Iphone. The Iphone is still probably the best web surfing phone on the market in my opinion, but the Curve is still great! I mean there comes a point when you may as well just crack the Laptop if you are going to do hardcore surfing. That being said, I still go to all the same websites and it is just as fast as my iphone was. The smaller screen means WAY better battery life. I still charge it every day, but this phone has made it two days on pretty heavy use, and you can actually change the battery if you needed to which is a real plus.

Expandable memory is a huge plus! I've got 16 Gb in mine now.

Blackberry just launched there own App store, that is much like the one found on the iphone, so now I have all the same things I had before on my iphone like Pandora, and Shazam.

Going back to Tmobile was an easy choice too. My wife is with them, and the customer care has been great. And the plan they have me and my wife on is cheep! I actually unlocked my iphone and gave it to her and now she is running it on Tmobile much cheaper, and because I had the 2g Iphone I actually think the data is faster on Tmobile. Also the Curve switches to make calls over WiFi (on certain plans) saving you minutes. That feature is so seamless you wont notice the switch.

Yeah, yeah. Some people say things like, 3g is a must for me. But let me say this. Lots of people are whiners who don't know what they are talking about. The Curve has a fast processor, and great WiFi capability, and it is super fast. Call quality is great.

It's also less fragile then the iphone. Touch screens are glass and I actually smashed my first iphone by dropping it from two feet. YIKES!

The Curve also feels more professional to me. I can do Word documents on it, and although I can still play games and surf the web, I do less of the time wasting I did on the Iphone. You know what I mean? The usless surfing like "Hey, whats the tempurature in Australia?

All up I am very happy with the switch. If I had to pick a con, I'd say that the locking on the phone is a bit of a pain. It can become unlocked in your pocket, but that was solved by putting a password on my phone. I just hate picking cons because these phones are so great now a days!

I also loved the Iphone, but the price and AT&T was getting to me! A little competition keeps them all working harder to for us the consumer.

Of the 43 phones I've burned through in 3 years:

by J. Medina 2009-05-09, 14 people found this review helpful

Hey all, I want to make a few things clear before I get too deep into my review. There's been a lot of myths about BlackBerry that quite simply aren't true. First and foremost, this phone is NOT just a business phone, it can be optimized and customized to whatever you'd like. As of the past 3 days, I haven't needed to use my computer for anything except writing this review. Like I said in the title, I've been through 43 different phones on 4 different networks in 3 years. I've seen everything from the BB Pearl to the iPhone to the Samsung Instinct. As someone that has had a lot of different phones, both low end and high end, I feel like I've seen quite a bit of good things and bad things on all phones. My review is unbiased, as all reviews should be.

The Pros:
-WiFi and WiFi calling is simply awesome. This is a must because I don't get any cell phone reception at my house. I had a G1 and although it had WiFi, it would not connect to my router and it didn't feature WiFi calling.

-Screen is beautiful. Don't let the size fool you, it IS smaller than an iPhone screen, but the fact is this screen is the closest you will find to true HD on a cell phone. Although HD currently doesn't exist on cell phones in the US, this phone has a very clear screen that just glows.

-Camera is AMAZING. For a cell phone camera, this thing blows my mind, it takes better pictures than my old digital camera of the same resolution. It's a 3.2 Megapixel, but I swear it's much MUCH better than that. I took a picture of a pair of shoes, and I could see the grains in the leather, I could see the finest details. Best camera I've EVER seen on a phone.

-Call quality is superb. With T Mobiles service, the reception area isn't as broad as I'd like, but even with the spotty areas of service, I haven't dropped a call yet. Great job with the quality, and shouldn't this be the most important detail of all?

-Applications: No, it doesn't have an app store nearly as immense as the iPhone, but rest assured, the BlackBerry faithful have found ways to make apps for all your favorite stuff. The phone ships with a complete mobile office suite. It comes with a word processor, spreadsheet reader, and all the other goods that you would want with a business phone. It's nice having that XLS reader/editor, because I can easily track and update the rosters on all my favorite teams from anywhere.

-Battery Life: WOW! That's all I can say, from the get go, you're going to notice the battery is quite a big larger than other cell phone batteries. Like most people know, when you're in the atmosphere of smartphones, a bigger battery almost instantly means better battery life, and this phone is no different. Thanks to the updated processor (which is incredible), the phone optimizes the phones different processes to make the battery life better. On the information above, it tells you that you can get 5.5 hours talk time, I got 7 hours of talk time on one battery charge. Most normal cell phones don't even get that.

One other thing a lot people are asking about is tethering, and while T Mobile doesn't technically offer it, there is an application called TetherBerry that will let you use the BlackBerry for tethering.

Overall: I know I've said a million different things up there, but the bottom line is this:

This phone can be anything you want it to be, whether it's a social networking tool, or a business tool. This phone does anything you want it to. It's the whole package, and I think I'm done seeing other phones, I'm ready to settle down with this one.

Good improvement over prior Curve models

by Wayne Schulz 2009-02-23, 14 people found this review helpful

Updated OS, 3.2 mp camera, restyled case.

Those the three main upgrades in store for anyone who previously owned a Curve. While the 8900 is a nice upgrade for sure - RIM still suffers from build issues in the Curve model line. The battery door on mine (and I've read elsewhere that others have this too) is loose and has "give" to it when I type (yes, you can solve this by sticking a business card between the battery and door).

I've been using the 8900 for a couple weeks now. I also have a BlackBerry Bold (which I prefer for the larger screen and different keypad which I find easier to use).

If you have small hands - the 8900 is a nice phone. It's size will fit in your palm just right and not be difficult to hold.

In practice I find the control keys (send, end, escape, menu) that are between the screen and the keyboard are difficult (perhaps uncomfortable is a better word) to press. If you don't press in the right spot - there's very little give and after a while continued use hurts your finger.

The smaller keyboard on the 8900 is less comfortable for me. I'm using a BlackBerry Bold whose keyboard I prefer because the keys are less pointed on the Bold. This will be a matter of preference - so you should try the 8900 keyboard yourself prior to making a final decision.

In testing the OS on the 8900 is fairly stable. I've owned T-Mobile UMA equipped BlackBerry's before and they all seem to have some tendency to sporadically lock up on incoming calls when on UMA (which is voice and data sent over Wi-Fi). The lock ups don't happen frequently (maybe once a week at most) - but they're annoying.

RIM's latest OS (4.6) has a major lag time when re-booting. I haven't run a stopwatch against my devices but both the Bold and the 8900 easily run 5 minutes to reboot. Hopefully enough people will complain and RIM will fix this. Earlier models of the BlackBerry had this same reboot lag but I do not remember it being this lengthy.

Overall here's my BlackBerry 8900 PRO / CON list:

PROS:

- Uses a much improved BlackBerry OS 4.6.x
- Vastly improved camera of 3.2 mp
- T-Mobile UMA allows calls via Wi-Fi when out of native T-Mobile coverage
- T-Mobile UMA allows data, sms, mms via Wi-Fi
- Re-designed form factor for those needing a smaller phone

CONS:

- Battery cover has give when pressed during normal use
- Lacks 3G capabilities
- T-Mobile cellular coverage in Northeast (and I believe elsewhere) is the worst of all carriers
- Sporadic lock ups while on UMA
- Smaller screen and keyboard may be too small for some (especially screen)
- Inserting micro-SD card requires removing battery cover (though not battery)

Is this a good phone to buy?

In a word - Yes. I think for the price Amazon offers it (after rebate) you have a hard time finding a better bargain. Given all the pros and cons I think you should zero in on the T-Mobile coverage first and be sure that you'll be adequately covered in your home usage area.

Also, first time BlackBerry buyers should be aware that there's a mandatory BlackBerry data plan required to use this phone. I've read lots (LOTS) of messages on discussion boards about people trying to get around this and while it seems that some do skirt the data requirement (and be aware that if you buy through Amazon you are required to keep data on your line for a period of time or you can be assessed a penalty) - most find that there's no good way around a BB plan.

Best Blackberry for Corporate Users

by Canadian in Cali 2009-03-04, 15 people found this review helpful

I have had this phone for 3 weeks now and absolutely love it. I constantly have to send emails for work and this is as close as a phone can get to being perfect for email.

Before I go to the pros and cons, I would say that this review is based on someone who uses the corporate side of the smartphone first, and browsing second. Nothing is better than an iPhone for browsing, but nothing beats a QWERTY pad for typing.

Pros
- Screen is great, a great improvement over the original Curve. If you send a lot of emails this makes a huge difference
- I don't really care for the screen to be widescreen, it's not a TV and I would rather have a bigger screen for emails then the wider one on the Bold
- It's barely bigger than the Pearl, which has half the keys
- It's nicer looking than the Bold, which is clunky and has that ugly leatherette on the back
- WiFi is great. If you're in an office with WiFi you won't miss 3G and not having 3G isn't that much of an issue since I don't really need to stream Youtube when I am walking around
- The battery life is better than my old Pearl, especially since I upgraded the firmware. Also for those who have issues with the battery life, it also depends on what apps you have in the background. The older BBs don't have the memory and processor to run things like IM in the background and all of these drain battery
- The keypad is great. It's as close to using a PC as you can get, which is amazing given the size of the pad. I love it
- The phone's camera is actually pretty good given it's not a proper-sized camera. It can actually take decent night photos with some light, which is not the case of many phones. The flash is actually pretty strong for a such a small device and can double as a little flashlight

Cons
- The big one is no 3G, though I honestly think this is overhyped. Half the people with 3G iPhones have to turn it off to save battery and if you use the phone for work, calling, or IM 3G doesn't make a difference. Yes you can get data and voice at the same time, but you can do this on WiFi and generally you wouldn't be on a phone call and sending an email at the same time. Still having 3G would have been better, as I would rather pay a bit more and turn it off then not have the option
- The browser is much better than prior iterations but Browsing has never been a BB forte. I use Opera Mobile, which is much better, but it's still not even close to using the UI of an iPhone

I admittedly cannot live without my BB and this phone is not helping with that. Nonetheless as smartphones go I think this thing is as good as it gets for corporate use, though 3G should have been put in.

This is a great BB, IMO, the best one RIM has ever made.

excellent! both amazon and the device

by Beruang 2009-04-14, 11 people found this review helpful

i purchased this phone from amazon last march and i have to say that the price is insanely low. even though the catch is you cannot add the number to the existing family plan like mine, this is still a good deal.

the item was delivered on time but it was defective, the n button doesn't respond as well as the other keys. it's utterly annoying because my first name begins with n. furthermore, the keyboard isn't as comfortable as blackberry bold and after a week of use, it lost its rigidness, i started to see this item as a 3 stars item.

so i called tmobile for replacement, i was transferred several times to do the troubleshooting only to find themselves unable to replace the unit. i ended up calling amazon and without asking any nagging question, they just sent me one right away, even a day faster than my purchase shipping method. what an excellent service amazon has, cheap, professional, and satisfying.

the replacement has a more rigid keypad than the first one. no defect at all. furthermore, i started to liking it. it has way more application memory than bold (119 vs 42mb), the design is fantastic, and the screen is way more vivid than the bold especially under the sun.

i have no regret having this blackberry.
i just wish they would make a better keypad for curve series.

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