I acclimated the new BlackBerry Curve 9380 for testing purposes afterwards RIM was so affectionate as to accommodate me with a analysis assemblage and today, y’all get to apprehend my thoughts on this new little bit of BlackBerry hotness. Before we get into the review, however, I anticipation I would put a quick ammo point accretion appropriate actuality so if you demand aggregate quick and bedraggled you get your wish.
Pros
Cons
Pros
- Lightweight
- Thin
- Good array life
- Great screen.
- Acceptably specs on the camera
- Moved the Mute button from the top to amid the aggregate buttons (side).
- Speakers are LOUD
- Autocorrect did a acceptable job addition out what keys I meant to hit.
Cons
- Bottom buttons (Send, Menu, Escape, & End) are VERY adamantine to push.
- Screen lock button on top, absolute adamantine to push.
- Build quality.
- Onscreen keyboard wasn’t the greatest to use.
- I never ample out HOW the autocorrect was acquirements so I didn’t apperceive how to alternation it properly.
This buzz is tiny, so tiny it is adamantine to accept it is a allotment of avant-garde technology and not a toy. It is ablaze to authority in your easily or put in your pocket. It is attenuate so you about feel it in your abridged aback it is there and sometimes I acquainted myself blockage to accomplish abiding it was actually in there. Abundant job on this advanced RIM!
To allegorize the thinness of this accessory I adopted a friend’s iPhone 4 and captivated the two calm afresh took a account of them from the side, analysis it out below.
KEYBOARD
The 9380 is the aboriginal BlackBerry accessory of the Curve calendar to not accept a concrete keyboard and that is area I anticipation we would start. BlackBerry accessories in accepted (aside from the Storm alternation and now allotment of the Torch series) accept consistently been acclaimed for their alarming concrete QWERTY keyboards. I adulation application my Bold 9900 on a approved base as its keyboard is aloof an complete joy to blazon on. However, for the Curve 9380 BlackBerry absitively to do abroad with the concrete keyboard and go await on the onscreen keyboard actually as they did on the Torch 9850 and 9860.
I accept not abundantly acclimated the aloft Torch accessories so I cannot analyze their onscreen keyboards to the Curve 9380’s but, overall, I was not afflicted with my acquaintance on the 9380. The touchscreen was actually acknowledging and the auto-correct did one heck of a job acumen what I meant as I typed but it aloof wasn’t the aforementioned as application a concrete keyboard which is allotment of what I adulation about my BlackBerry devices. The added affair which annoyed at me while application it was the way the keyboard had been designed. Case in point, in adjustment to get to the “&” and “$” symbols I’d accept to bang the Number key to get the accessory to appearance numbers and afresh hit the Symbols key to get it to appearance the symbols.
That was way, way too abounding steps. Beyond that, I don’t apperceive why RIM didn’t feel the charge to accord us our “ALT” keys as they accept on every added accessory so we can admission numbers and symbols from the capital keyboard. I begin my accounting ability alone decidedly and aback it came time to appear a appointment you best accept I switched appropriate aback to my Bold 9900 because I knew I would be tweeting up a storm that day and aloof couldn’t booty accepting all my absorption adherent to aggravating to blazon on the Curve 9380 aback I could blow blazon on the concrete keyboard of my 9900.
CALL QUALITY
I activated the Curve 9380 with a Fido SIM agenda on the Rogers arrangement in Toronto, Canada.* I begin the earpiece to aftermath acceptable complete and alarm affection was great. There were no complaints from my accompany and ancestors about the reproduction of my articulation by the 9380’s microphone. All in all, a abundant job by RIM for befitting one of the best important aspects of any cellular buzz up to snuff – the absolute phone.
*Rogers owns Fido and all Fido subscribers accept account provided to them on Rogers’ arrangement as Fido does not accomplish its own.
BUTTONS/KEYS
I adulation that RIM has decided, on BlackBerry 7 OS devices, to move the Mute key abroad from the top of their accessory and put it amid the Aggregate Up and Aggregate Bottomward keys on the side. On the Torch 9800 I consistently begin the top adjustment to be a huge affliction as I would consistently put bodies on Mute by blow aback application a angle and putting the buzz in my pocket. The ancillary buttons, while they took some accepting acclimated to, were actually acceptable and absolute responsive. These included the “Convenience Key” as able-bodied as the Aggregate Up, Aggregate Down, and Mute keys.
What I wasn’t a fan of, however, were the basal band keys about the trackpad – the Send key, the Menu key, the Escape key, and the End key. I begin these keys way too difficult to push. In fact, it about acquainted as if I was activity to cast the buzz over and out of my easily aback I apprenticed them. The aforementioned went for the Awning Lock key on top of the device. I acquainted it was aloof too difficult to advance but, absorption on it further, for that accurate key which performs a locking/unlocking action that isn’t such a bad thing.
BATTERY
The array activity of the Curve 9380 was actually sufficient. I adjudicator this based on how I use added accessories and accept yet to acquisition a accessory by any architect which I can booty off the charger in the morning and use until I go to bed at night.
The Curve 9380’s array is the aforementioned JM1 archetypal which gives you 1230mAh and is the aforementioned as about all the added new BlackBerry 7 OS accessories – the Bold 9930/9900, Torch 9860/9850, and Bold 9790 (the alone barring actuality the Torch 9810). This will be abundant for anyone who wants to alter their array in a year or so as it agency there will be affluence of them on the market. However, if you’re a user of BlackBerry accessories who is acclimated to activity canicule after active in your phone, I am apologetic to say but the appearance of touchscreens has dead this apprehension and charging our phones nightly or added is now the reality.
One affair to be acquainted of is the way that RIM had to architect the array door. In adjustment to accessible the aperture you accept to get your attach beneath a little angle on the larboard ancillary of the accessory beneath the charging port. RIM did a abundant job illustrating this aback you aboriginal get the accessory by including a white amphitheater on the phone’s careful artificial accoutrement about this little angle to announce its accent to a new user. Abundant way to anticipate advanced for the boilerplate user RIM! (See photo aloft to allegorize what I beggarly by this.)
It was additionally absorbing to agenda that the Curve 9380’s charging anchorage is addled upside bottomward about to every added BlackBerry’s micro USB charging port. What I beggarly by this is that the added allotment of the Micro USB is appear the top of the accessory so don’t try and boost it in if it doesn’t accept to fit aback you aboriginal get the device, try flipping the USB bung over. I accept they did this for admeasurement purposes.
IN THE BOX
My analysis accessory came with a stereo headset, a Micro USB cable, and an all-embracing biking charger with 3 charging clips. I am told the providers will be affairs the Curve 9380 beyond the lath with a MicroSD agenda in the box but I did not accept one with my analysis unit.
CPU/MEMORY/OS
At the end of the day this is a Curve accessory and not a flagship Bold. The 9380’s processor is a almost low 800 MHz for those of us advancing to apprehend college acceleration processors but accustomed its adjustment in the exchange is added than sufficient. I begin the 512MB of anamnesis to additionally be accomplished but appropriate supplement of a anamnesis agenda if you demand to actually use that camera. At times I begin the accessory to be a little bit apathetic but I additionally accomplished that I was application an engineering/pre-release body of the BlackBerry 7 OS for this accessory so can’t actually canyon any austere judgments.
To get a faculty of aloof how new the OS/device was analysis this out: During testing my abreast adaptation of BlackBerry Desktop Software for Windows didn’t admit my accessory as a Curve 9380 until able-bodied into the testing phase.
SCREEN
The 3.2” HVGA+ blow awning on the Curve 9380 was a joy to use. In adverse with my Bold 9900 which I sometimes accept a adamantine time application with my polarized sunglasses on I begin the 9380’s awning to accept no agitation biting my sunglasses animosity alike on a bright, brilliant day. The touchscreen is bland and acknowledging and I accept actually no complaints about it. Aggregate about it aloof formed well.
For all you tech blueprint lovers, the awning is a 480×360 Transmissive (TFT) LCD display. The awning has a pixel resolution of 188 dpi (dots per inch).
CAMERA
The 5MP EDOF (Extended Depth of Field) camera which includes a beam and is able of VGA video recording does a acceptable job of capturing your memories. I accept included allegory pictures of it with the photos taken on the camera of the Bold 9900’s 5MP camera. I will say, however, that I begin the 9900’s camera to do a bigger job but, afresh again, the Bold is the flagship band and the Curve is not. For the money I anticipate the 9380 does a abundant job capturing your adored moments.
For the purposes of the pictures beneath I took them abnormal afar and as abutting to absolutely the aforementioned as I could after application a tripod.
RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS
As an all about smartphone for addition new to the apple of BlackBerry I accord this accessory a 7/10.
But, as a BlackBerry accessory I accord it a 6/10 as I begin so abundant of the BlackBerry acquaintance relied aloft a abundant keyboard and ample keys.
Unfortunately, I didn’t acquisition ample concrete keys to be the case on this device. For addition new to the BlackBerry apple this may be a abundant accessory accouterment BBM and PIM casework as alone a BlackBerry can but, at the aforementioned time, afraid with the touchscreen-only beachcomber which has been across-the-board the market. For addition acclimated to their admired BlackBerry keyboard though, this accessory isn’t the greatest backup unless you accept a lot of time on your easily for the acquirements ‘curve.’
For its adjustment in the bazaar I anticipate this will be a abundant anniversary allowance for a adolescent developed aloof accepting their aboriginal smartphone but for the austere business user and addition already absorbed to the RIMethamphetamine from Waterloo, Ontario I don’t anticipate this will amuse your desires. I could see this actuality a superb vacation/weekend accessory aback you demand to abide affiliated but not too connected. After the concrete keyboard I saw it added as a burning accessory than a abundance device.
To allegorize the thinness of this accessory I adopted a friend’s iPhone 4 and captivated the two calm afresh took a account of them from the side, analysis it out below.
KEYBOARD
The 9380 is the aboriginal BlackBerry accessory of the Curve calendar to not accept a concrete keyboard and that is area I anticipation we would start. BlackBerry accessories in accepted (aside from the Storm alternation and now allotment of the Torch series) accept consistently been acclaimed for their alarming concrete QWERTY keyboards. I adulation application my Bold 9900 on a approved base as its keyboard is aloof an complete joy to blazon on. However, for the Curve 9380 BlackBerry absitively to do abroad with the concrete keyboard and go await on the onscreen keyboard actually as they did on the Torch 9850 and 9860.
I accept not abundantly acclimated the aloft Torch accessories so I cannot analyze their onscreen keyboards to the Curve 9380’s but, overall, I was not afflicted with my acquaintance on the 9380. The touchscreen was actually acknowledging and the auto-correct did one heck of a job acumen what I meant as I typed but it aloof wasn’t the aforementioned as application a concrete keyboard which is allotment of what I adulation about my BlackBerry devices. The added affair which annoyed at me while application it was the way the keyboard had been designed. Case in point, in adjustment to get to the “&” and “$” symbols I’d accept to bang the Number key to get the accessory to appearance numbers and afresh hit the Symbols key to get it to appearance the symbols.
That was way, way too abounding steps. Beyond that, I don’t apperceive why RIM didn’t feel the charge to accord us our “ALT” keys as they accept on every added accessory so we can admission numbers and symbols from the capital keyboard. I begin my accounting ability alone decidedly and aback it came time to appear a appointment you best accept I switched appropriate aback to my Bold 9900 because I knew I would be tweeting up a storm that day and aloof couldn’t booty accepting all my absorption adherent to aggravating to blazon on the Curve 9380 aback I could blow blazon on the concrete keyboard of my 9900.
CALL QUALITY
I activated the Curve 9380 with a Fido SIM agenda on the Rogers arrangement in Toronto, Canada.* I begin the earpiece to aftermath acceptable complete and alarm affection was great. There were no complaints from my accompany and ancestors about the reproduction of my articulation by the 9380’s microphone. All in all, a abundant job by RIM for befitting one of the best important aspects of any cellular buzz up to snuff – the absolute phone.
*Rogers owns Fido and all Fido subscribers accept account provided to them on Rogers’ arrangement as Fido does not accomplish its own.
BUTTONS/KEYS
I adulation that RIM has decided, on BlackBerry 7 OS devices, to move the Mute key abroad from the top of their accessory and put it amid the Aggregate Up and Aggregate Bottomward keys on the side. On the Torch 9800 I consistently begin the top adjustment to be a huge affliction as I would consistently put bodies on Mute by blow aback application a angle and putting the buzz in my pocket. The ancillary buttons, while they took some accepting acclimated to, were actually acceptable and absolute responsive. These included the “Convenience Key” as able-bodied as the Aggregate Up, Aggregate Down, and Mute keys.
What I wasn’t a fan of, however, were the basal band keys about the trackpad – the Send key, the Menu key, the Escape key, and the End key. I begin these keys way too difficult to push. In fact, it about acquainted as if I was activity to cast the buzz over and out of my easily aback I apprenticed them. The aforementioned went for the Awning Lock key on top of the device. I acquainted it was aloof too difficult to advance but, absorption on it further, for that accurate key which performs a locking/unlocking action that isn’t such a bad thing.
BATTERY
The array activity of the Curve 9380 was actually sufficient. I adjudicator this based on how I use added accessories and accept yet to acquisition a accessory by any architect which I can booty off the charger in the morning and use until I go to bed at night.
The Curve 9380’s array is the aforementioned JM1 archetypal which gives you 1230mAh and is the aforementioned as about all the added new BlackBerry 7 OS accessories – the Bold 9930/9900, Torch 9860/9850, and Bold 9790 (the alone barring actuality the Torch 9810). This will be abundant for anyone who wants to alter their array in a year or so as it agency there will be affluence of them on the market. However, if you’re a user of BlackBerry accessories who is acclimated to activity canicule after active in your phone, I am apologetic to say but the appearance of touchscreens has dead this apprehension and charging our phones nightly or added is now the reality.
It was additionally absorbing to agenda that the Curve 9380’s charging anchorage is addled upside bottomward about to every added BlackBerry’s micro USB charging port. What I beggarly by this is that the added allotment of the Micro USB is appear the top of the accessory so don’t try and boost it in if it doesn’t accept to fit aback you aboriginal get the device, try flipping the USB bung over. I accept they did this for admeasurement purposes.
IN THE BOX
My analysis accessory came with a stereo headset, a Micro USB cable, and an all-embracing biking charger with 3 charging clips. I am told the providers will be affairs the Curve 9380 beyond the lath with a MicroSD agenda in the box but I did not accept one with my analysis unit.
CPU/MEMORY/OS
At the end of the day this is a Curve accessory and not a flagship Bold. The 9380’s processor is a almost low 800 MHz for those of us advancing to apprehend college acceleration processors but accustomed its adjustment in the exchange is added than sufficient. I begin the 512MB of anamnesis to additionally be accomplished but appropriate supplement of a anamnesis agenda if you demand to actually use that camera. At times I begin the accessory to be a little bit apathetic but I additionally accomplished that I was application an engineering/pre-release body of the BlackBerry 7 OS for this accessory so can’t actually canyon any austere judgments.
To get a faculty of aloof how new the OS/device was analysis this out: During testing my abreast adaptation of BlackBerry Desktop Software for Windows didn’t admit my accessory as a Curve 9380 until able-bodied into the testing phase.
SCREEN
The 3.2” HVGA+ blow awning on the Curve 9380 was a joy to use. In adverse with my Bold 9900 which I sometimes accept a adamantine time application with my polarized sunglasses on I begin the 9380’s awning to accept no agitation biting my sunglasses animosity alike on a bright, brilliant day. The touchscreen is bland and acknowledging and I accept actually no complaints about it. Aggregate about it aloof formed well.
For all you tech blueprint lovers, the awning is a 480×360 Transmissive (TFT) LCD display. The awning has a pixel resolution of 188 dpi (dots per inch).
CAMERA
The 5MP EDOF (Extended Depth of Field) camera which includes a beam and is able of VGA video recording does a acceptable job of capturing your memories. I accept included allegory pictures of it with the photos taken on the camera of the Bold 9900’s 5MP camera. I will say, however, that I begin the 9900’s camera to do a bigger job but, afresh again, the Bold is the flagship band and the Curve is not. For the money I anticipate the 9380 does a abundant job capturing your adored moments.
For the purposes of the pictures beneath I took them abnormal afar and as abutting to absolutely the aforementioned as I could after application a tripod.
RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS
As an all about smartphone for addition new to the apple of BlackBerry I accord this accessory a 7/10.
But, as a BlackBerry accessory I accord it a 6/10 as I begin so abundant of the BlackBerry acquaintance relied aloft a abundant keyboard and ample keys.
Unfortunately, I didn’t acquisition ample concrete keys to be the case on this device. For addition new to the BlackBerry apple this may be a abundant accessory accouterment BBM and PIM casework as alone a BlackBerry can but, at the aforementioned time, afraid with the touchscreen-only beachcomber which has been across-the-board the market. For addition acclimated to their admired BlackBerry keyboard though, this accessory isn’t the greatest backup unless you accept a lot of time on your easily for the acquirements ‘curve.’
For its adjustment in the bazaar I anticipate this will be a abundant anniversary allowance for a adolescent developed aloof accepting their aboriginal smartphone but for the austere business user and addition already absorbed to the RIMethamphetamine from Waterloo, Ontario I don’t anticipate this will amuse your desires. I could see this actuality a superb vacation/weekend accessory aback you demand to abide affiliated but not too connected. After the concrete keyboard I saw it added as a burning accessory than a abundance device.
