Blackberry Curve 8520, the casual RIM smartphone
Recently I experimented with the Blackberry 8520 (thanks to Rogers Wireless).
It's no Torch, but not everybody wants to pay $600 ($200 even with a 3-year term) for a smartphone, especially when they know they won't use all of its features. Studies have shown that the vast majority of smartphone users take advantage of only a select few of any given mobile device's features - so a simpler phone may not just be cheaper, but may also be sacrifice-free.
The 8520 isn't a new phone by any means, but it still holds its own against the competition. It's got a full keyboard and Blackberry's renowned email software, and that's what's most important.
PROS:
- Lightweight
- Cheap/affordable
- Good screen size (same as higher models)
- Wi-fi
CONS:
- Not a high quality feel (compared to higher models)
- Keyboard is kind of cheap feeling too (compared to higher models)
- Camera is only 2.0 megapixels (Higher models have 3.2 to 5)
- No GPS (higher models have built-in GPS)
Pricing: It's widely available from most carriers, including Rogers on a Pay-As-You-Go system, for fairly cheap (almost half the price of a Torch). Yes, it's going to get outdated, but so it every phone, and if you wouldn't use the fanciful new features of a fresh-to-the-market device, who cares? Status symbol smartphoners need not apply to this entry-level Curve.
