BlackBerry Curve-8320 Titanium Review - Usability & Performance

Usability & Performance

T-Mobile’s Curve performed very well as a telephone.  I was able to pull in strong signals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and UMA calls using the T-Mobile branded WiFi router I was given also worked quite well.  T-Mobile’s “HotSpot@Home” UMA plan allows for unlimited voice calling when using a compatible handset connected to a WiFi network.  This is a great option if you’ve given up your home landline or are a small business owner who relies on your cellphone for all of your calls — get a UMA phone like Curve and you won’t have to worry about spending monthly minutes when you’re within range of an open WiFi network.  Curve also works with T-Mobile’s myFaves calling plans.

The handset worked well with the included wired stereo headset, and I was also able to easily pair it with a variety of mono and stereo Bluetooth headsets.  Voice quality and wireless range was strong - on par with the best results I’ve gotten when trying any of the headsets with other phones.  Voice quality was also good using both the internal earpiece and integrated speakerphone.

As mentioned, the 8320’s backlit QWERTY keyboard was quite comfortable for thumb typing, and the overall Email experience was excellent whether connected via EDGE or a WiFi network.  The QVGA display features a light sensor that automatically adjusts screen brightness depending on conditions, and I generally had no trouble reading LCD screen except in bright, direct sunlight.  While not quite on par with iPhone, SE’s Walkman series, or Nokia’s N-Series, Curve’s media player worked quite well for both listening to music and watching video clips in standard or full-screen mode.  The simple inclusion of a standard headphone jack actually makes Curve one of the more attractive music phone solutions out there, at least in my book.  And the 2MP camera is a nice touch - performance was generally pretty good, and made better by the flash assist light.

Rumors have been swirling around some potential new touchscreen and sliding-keyboard designs forthcoming from RIM, and while it’s hard to argue that BlackBerry needs to reinvent itself a bit to keep up with industry trends, there’s a reason the things are so popular.  BlackBerry’s OS looks a bit antiquated compared to today’s state of the art smartphones, particularly when you get into the lower-level menu screens, but it works.  Navigation makes sense, response is pretty snappy, and Email is rock solid (so long as the network is up).  This Curve lacks GPS and, as I mentioned, there’s no out of the box office suite, but the 8320 is generally a very solid all-around performer.

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