All About the BlackBerry Curve 8520
A lot of criticism has gone out regarding the design and construction of the new BlackBerry Curve 8520. Some online reviews are even saying that it looks nothing more than a highly complicated plaything. Our assessment is it actually isn’t that bad. But then again, it’s nowhere near the likes of its outstanding predecessor, the Curve 8900.
Budget Cuts
You need to remember that the Curve 8520 is a mid range BlackBerry device that is catered for the lower market segments (estimated retail price is at £80). This is why you shouldn’t expect all the cutting edge BlackBerry features on the Curve 8520. For starters, 3G is one of the most notable absences on the 8520. Although this actually wasn’t much of a surprise considering the fact that none of the Curve models in the past has ever sported 3G connectivity.
Another element that has been a victim of the budget cuts is the screen. Although at 2.64 inches it’s a bit wider than that of the 8900’s 2.4-inch display, the resolution has gone down to a rather unimposing 320 x 240 pixels (compared to the 480 x 360-pixel resolution of the 8900).
While the BlackBerry Curve 8520’s camera is also one to suffer at only 2 Megapixels (vs. the 8900’s 3.15-Megapixel snapper), a GPS receiver is missing as well.
Keying In
One vast improvement on the 8520 is the addition of a handy track pad as a replacement for the rather frail trackball technology. Performance-wise it is pretty much able to echo the responsiveness of the trackball, so you probably won’t miss it at all.
All in all, the BlackBerry Curve 8520 will be a good if it retails at less than £100. However, if you’ve got an extra 30 to 50 pounds to spare then it would be more than worth it to opt for the Curve 8900 instead.
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