The BlackBerry Curve 9300 looks like yet another BlackBerry handset. Its full QWERTY keyboard sits below a 2.4-inch screen, with the 2-megapixel camera on the reverse.
Offering 3G connectivity as well as Wi-Fi, the handset promises fast internet browsing while apps and themes can be easily downloaded from the BlackBerry App World.
There's not much new to see on the BlackBerry Curve 3G. That famous physical QWERTY keyboard sits in a sensible-looking chassis with rounded corners and textured back, while the chrome-effect border panel houses the 480x360 LCD screen and a series of flush buttons alongside the optical track-pad.
The microUSB port nestles alongside the 3.5mm headphone connection and the left-hand convenience key, whose default option is the voice-dialer shortcut.
If you find yourself getting frustrated by repeated orders to "Say a command", you can easily change this in the settings. The camera button is housed on the other side of the handset, just below the volume controls.
The top panel features the BlackBerry Curve 9300's media controls – play/pause, skip forwards and skip back.
With BlackBerry's distinctive QWERTY keyboard and optical trackpad, the Curve 9300 is almost identical to the earlier Curve handsets like the BlackBerry Curve 8900, as well as posing as the younger sibling of the popular BlackBerry Bold 9700.
Connectivity is the name of the game, and the BlackBerry Curve 3G offers Wi-Fi and GPS along with its namesake 3G network (by which it's also known).
It's no secret that RIM is keen on showcasing the media features of its handsets, and the Curve 9300 is no exception.
With dedicated media buttons on the top of the handset, the BlackBerry Curve 9300 is clearly intended to be used as a media player, just as you would the iPhone or a Sony Ericsson W395 Walkman phone.
To this end, it's also reassuring to see a 3.5mm headphone jack giving you the freedom of using whatever headphones you like.
The 2-megapixel camera is nothing to write home about, and lacks the flash and autofocus found on the higher-spec BlackBerry Bold 9700.
As you'd expect from any handset in the BlackBerry family, the Curve 9300 features enviable email capabilities, and BlackBerry Messenger for instant messaging other BlackBerry users for next-to-nothing.
Your comments (3) Click to add a new comment
robindustygraves
Saturday at 04:40 UTC
3. I recently purchased the Blackberry 9300 from WIND Mobile in Vancouver, Canada, for cash, $200 +++ on an Unlimited everything plan -"pay as you go" prepaid type of plan. The review here, by Techradar is the best review I have ever seen of any cell phone, and I will check other reviews, since the people here truly dig into the heart of what they are reviewing. (Two thumbs up). I posted my own review on my tiny website, kidbots.com under the folder > kidbots.com/WEBADD/BLACKBERRY_9300_REVIEW/BB_9300_REVIEW.html < In general, WIND is having many difficulties in setting up a brand new set of Cell towers in Canada, and RIM is having difficulty in getting the programming of the DEVICE Software (Device OS 6.xxx) to actually WORK with the tiny memory of the 9300. I believe that both problems can be fixed. As it is programmed, the 9300 is incapable of ANY serious use, and generates hundreds of MEMORY TOO LOW errors... I cover many details that the reviewer on tech radar does not mention, and many aspects of purely WIND, Canadian, and Vancouver, Canada issues that likely will not apply around the world, but readers may be interested and fore- warned to avoid. It really pays off to do huge amounts of research before making a purchase, and Edward Walsh explained details extremely well that I never knew existed - I wish I had read reviews like his BEFORE I bought the 9300! Thanks to TechRadar and Mr. Walsh. The 9300, with many known flaws and poor Operating Device Software is just now being offered in Canada by many Companies (to my horror) and I advise everyone to read the reviews here carefully before spending hundreds of dollars - a few more dollars will get a much better Blackberry model that you will not be disappointed in! I would only recommend this model to a LIGHT, Occasional, user who wants to upgrade from a wretched PQRS7 keypad. Serious users should get a SERIOUS Blackberry model, which this is NOT!
Alert a moderator
monasim
November 11th 2010
2. Boring phone truly. Great for business staff if you don't want them wasting time surfing.
Alert a moderator
alwaysdownplodden
September 1st 2010
1. There's a mistake in the article somewhere. At the start you say the screen is 480*360, but then later you complain about the low resolution and quote the resolution as 320*240?
I'm assuming as the budget option it's 320*240, but perhaps you could clarify/correct?
Alert a moderator
Tell us what you think
You need to Log in or register to post comments