Please bear in mind I am not a professional reviewer or experience Blackberry user. I am a technophile with some BB knowledge.
HARDWARE:
Body is slim and sleek, nice lines and curves. It easily fits in the pocket. Slimmer and lighter than my mothers previous 8330, I think she will like it. Buttons seem a tad smaller than previous Curves, but still easy to press. The menu buttons also have a nice click to them even though they are flat and flush with the body.
This was my first time using the newer trackpad on blackberry's and it was nice. Seems a little weird at first but it actually better when you become accustomed to it. Center button clicks nicely and no accidentally rolling around when you try to hit it. Camera and volume rockers are also the newer style, built into the body. They press easily as does the top lock button, also built in (not sticking out). Call quality is good, as can be expected on BB's. Camera is OK but I dont put much stock in phone cameras so am not inclined to thoroughly test them. Screen is absolutely gorgeous. Brighter than any other BB I've seen except the Torch. Colors are nice, resolution is good enough for pics and video. Havent tried any games since I would need a BB account and this is going to be a gift anyway. WIFI is fast but not all the apps seem to take advantage of it (more on that later). Tmobiles 3G is properly taken advantage of but of course, your mileage may vary. I dont know if this unit supports AT&T's 3G network.
I love having a multicolored indicator light on the top, wish more phones would do that.
Battery strength is as good or better than any other Blackberry, it charges quickly as well. Got a full days use but not using GPS, Bluetooth or NFC. In fact I havent seen any stores or found anyone else using a phone with NFC, so theres no way to tell how good it is.
SOFTWARE:
I am not an expert on BB OS 7 but I can see the differences. Main screen is less cluttered but you can still see all the important items. Accessing settings and finding the essentials is easier than ever. In particular, disabling all or individual radios is much simpler now. Settings menu is also less cluttered and you can do more without digging into as many subsections. Your home screens of icons can be customized a lot compared to earlier versions of BB OS. You can set up as many custom screens as you like. Scrolling through items is always very smooth, due in part to the new OS and faster hardware. Everything looks a little nicer, easier on the eyes without seeming too cute for a proper business phone. The email is unified and looks nice. Blackberry messenger is much sleeker and easier to use, but I dont think is integrated with the other messaging programs. Social networking is also unified though you can choose to use individual apps for twitter and facebook and others. Everything is a little easier to use than in previous versions. The youtube app is really just a link to the mobile web page. Vids do look good especially for being on a small screen. Audio is acceptable over the speaker but if you plan on seriously using this thing for music and vids you should probably plug in the headphones. All the usual apps are here like To do and memo and Office to go. Most of them seem to be improved a little, easier to see important stuff and create new documents. You can even create PP presentations from scratch which is something office apps for other platforms lack. There is a file browser (at least on the unlocked phone I purchased) but it only allows you to view media files you've copied over or documents you've created. Only power users will care about that but it should be noted. Voice notes work well, as does the password protector app.
Games look great but only 2 are included and you need a BB account to get any more, even the free ones.
Search is now universal like on most modern smartphones, and its also easy to specify where you wish to search (web, local device, contacts, emails, etc.) A VERY nice touch to serious BB users who have tons of junk and cant always make time to sift through it. Big improvement here and RIM should be proud.
Theres also some basic network diagnostic tools which is nice to see, again mostly for power users, but also good if your IT person is trying to setup your corporate phone and doesnt want to download additional apps for this.
NITPICKS:
Box did not include a nice protective case like the last BB curve I bought. But they did include a 4gig micro SD card and it was already installed. No self-portrait mirror on the back but it did have a flash which not all BB's use, even some of the newer models.
Battery case was weird to get off. It would seem theres a little indentation on one side of the body that you gotta dig in to pop off the back. Almost ripped the body apart before I figured out how to work it, even with the little picture showing me the process. My last Curve had a little button you could press easily to make the back open. You can access the SD card while the phone is on but I think it gets upset if you do.
Apparently the new OS 7 lacks backward compatibility with old apps, which is nice if you thought blackberry needed a total refresh but if you have a bunch of old stuff (especially paid) you may be unhappy with the change and lack of modern apps in the market. It will take time for developers to catch up.
The Curve 8330 lets you specify cellular only, prefer cellular, prefer wifi, or wifi only. I couldnt find such a setting on the new OS, and in fact when there no cell coverage (which can happen with TMobile) it doesnt seem to want to use the Wifi at all. When trying to use the web or mobile store it gives me troubles, complains theres no data service even though I can clearly see its connected my home wifi. This is actually a serious issue and not a nitpick. Needs to be corrected.
- FINAL THOUGHTS -
Overall a great update to the Curve line. If you love Blackberry's and like the small Curve you will love this one. Latest OS and new apps plus advanced stuff like NFC make this a winner. BUT, if you still prefer iphones or Androids this wont likely encourage you to switch. Experienced users will appreciate that it feels basically the same but with plenty of improvements, newcomers will like how simple and neat everything is compared to a messy Android desktop.
- UPDATE! -
Completed my tests on the battery. This bad boy lasts 9 whole days with all the radios off, and 6 & a half days with all the radios on, including NFC which is basically useless right now.
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Manuel
Buena relación precio-rendimiento. Muy recomendable
Reviewed in Spain on September 15, 2018