BlackBerry Curve 8520 review

BlackBerry is known for its excellent messaging devices and the BlackBerry Curve 8520 may well be on the lower end of the pricing scale, but it's certainly one of the most accessible smartphones out there.

The consumer-focused, low-cost handset doesn't feel low cost though.

The corners are much rounder and smoother than on previous BlackBerry smartphones, making the device feel a little more casual in comparison to the flagship devices.

The finish on the BlackBerry 8520 is a little plasticky, but that's something we'll overlook in this instance.

There's no touchscreen on the BlackBerry Curve 8520. Instead, RIM has applied a 2.46-inch screen above a Qwerty keyboard.

Below the screen, there's a touch sensitive navigation button that doubles as a select button. By tracing your finger over the optical trackpad, you can navigate around the 8520.

The benefit this has over other navigation options (such as the trackball on previous BlackBerry devices) is that it doesn't get sticky after a long period of use and it won't fall off either.

Around the navigation button, there are the usual call answer and end buttons, a BlackBerry menu key and back button.

The Qwerty keyboard, like all BlackBerry devices, is a comfortable way of inputting text. The angled keys give you more grip and allow you to quickly tap away when writing lengthy emails.

The overall finish of the BlackBerry Curve 8520 is glossy. This, although looks good, provides massive headaches when you're trying to keep it clean. Greasy fingerprints show up everywhere and you'll find yourself wiping and polishing often.

The Blackberry Curve 8520 is much lighter than other BlackBerry and this is one area we really like. At 106g, it's the lightest BlackBerry yet.

The BlackBerry Curve 8520 may sit lower down the scale compared to other BlackBerrys, but that doesn't mean it misses out on features.

Inside, you'll find Wi-Fi and EDGE, along with GPRS for slower browsing speeds.

The Curve 8520 is more aimed at consumers than business users and you'll notice this when checking out the Curve 8520's multimedia features.

There's a 2-megapixel camera, which is a little below par in our opinion, but the music keys along the top provide quick access to your music collection.this can be synched from a computer using the BlackBerry Desktop Manager Software.

The Curve 8520is also designed for social networking and there's a whole IM folder, including BlackBerry Messenger, AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, Yahoo Messenger or Windows Live Messenger apps to get online and get chatting to your friends quickly. We would have preferred one application allowing you to access any IM application from the same application.

Other preinstalled applications include Documents To Go, with Word To Go, Sheet to Go and Slideshow To Go for accessing all your Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on your device.

What did impress us on the BlackBerry Curve 8520 was the battery life. The battery lasted an amazing three days, even with moderate to high usage, although this isn't surprising, considering the lack of 3G connectivity.

The BlackBerry Curve 8520 is a top choice if you're just breaking into BlackBerry. Priced at Rs. 14,000, it's a top choice for social networkers and email ers alike.