The BlackBerry Curve 8300 smartphone is the smallest and lightest BlackBerry smartphone equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard. The rounded design of the Curve makes it pleasant to handle and it is small enough to hold for voice calls or use with single hand.
Text entry requires some concentration but the trackball navigator works perfectly and makes you feel in control of every movement. The bottom third of the unit is occupied by the QWERTY keyboard. At the top is a colourful 320 x 240 pixel display with a smart sensor that automatically adjusts its brightness depending on the light.
The BlackBerry 8300 comes with the downloadable BlackBerry Maps application and has built-in Bluetooth. Note that maps aren’t stored on the device, so you will have to upload them over the air which will likely mean downloading costs from your carrier.
The Curve supports two options: BlackBerry Internet Service and BlackBerry Enterprise Server. If instant email doesn’t fit, customer can also use SMS, MMS and BlackBerry Messenger services. Unfortunately the 8300 still can't show full HTML emails, displaying a text-only version instead. The onboard GPRS and EDGE data are good for synchronising an email inbox, but they're not fast enough for applications such as mobile video. 3G and Wi-Fi are not supported by the phone.
A 2-megapixel camera with flash LED can be found on the 8300 but the quality of pictures leaves much to be desired. Organizing your picture is a relatively nice experience with the Curve’s Desktop Media Manager software. To store the photos, you can use the Curve’s built-in flash memory (64MB) of take advantage of the microSD card slot on board.
Overall the BlackBerry Curve 8300 is friendly, neat and comfortable to use but the lack of 3G data capabilities or WiFi are disappointing.
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Michael Oryl, MobileBurnI was a very big fan of RIM's original mainstream consumer device, the BlackBerry Pearl 8100. It offered good functionality in a nice form factor, and had a great trackball for navigation. For as much as I loved that device, though, I love the Curve even more. It is neither the thinnest or most comp...
- Yardena Arar , PCWorldThe BlackBerry Curve 8300 is the latest chic smart phone to sashay down the cell phone runway
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the BlackBerry Curve 8300 user manual here.
BlackBerry backs up the Curve 8300 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Curve 8300 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact BlackBerry support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find BlackBerry's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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