Blackberry - Curve 8330 Cell Phone Review

Blackberry Curve 8330 Cell Phone

I had been using/sharing a Blackberry with my husband for his home based business.  I really liked it a lot but I need a Blackberry?  When it came time to renew my cell phone plan, we decided I did and went with the Blackberry Curve.

Blackberry Curve:

-comes in pink, black and silver (Mine is black.)

-is about 4 inches by 2 1/2 inches (Larger than what I was used to but still doesn't seem big.)

-the thumb ball lets you move fast

-has a nice size screen

-has a keyboard style set up that I like (It's called QWERTY.)

-has raised keys (They looked really small to me but are surprisingly easy to use.  I think it is because they are raised.  Even my husband, who has much larger figners, has no problem with typing on the Blackberry key pad.)

-has voice command options that really work

-has so many applications that I really use (calendar, note recorder, alarm clock)

-has a surprisingly great camera (Holds limited photos but they are quality)

Battery Life:  I use my phone quite a bit for reading or writing quick e-mails.  I am by no means on the phone all day but do have some long conversations at night.  I find that my Blackberry Curve has to be recharged about every third night.  This is by far the best cell phone battery that I've ever experienced.

U.S. Cellular assisted me to set up my Blackberry Curve so that one of my e-mail accounts came up on my Blackberry.

You can (for an additional charge) tether the internet from a Blackberry Curve.  Didn't work for us because we use Macs and U.S. Cellular doesn't support the tethering with Mac.  (We know people who have gotten it to work with a Mac but it didn't work for us.)

What I really like about the Blackberry Curve:

When I get an e-mail to my "important" e-mail account, I get a red blinking light.  You can also choose a ring tone but I didn't want to interrupt or be interrupted, I just wanted to see it myself.  I am a freelance writer working from home and the red blinking light means there is an assignment or an offer on an assignment or an editor wants to get in touch or so on.  The red blinking light means I know quickly, can respond quickly and don't have to be sitting at my computer to stay in the loop for work.

One bummer is that after days of having this phone, I dropped it and there is a small crack on the screen.  It doesn't affect function and I know that is user error but I've had cell phones for up to four years and never had that happen. I'll have to live with it.

The Blackberry Curve comes with a wall charger and an ear bud heat set.

My Viewpoint: I am not all that techno-minded but with a little help with set up at the U.S. Cellular office, I found my Blackberry Curve to be easy to use.  I use the many applications on the Blackberry Curve more than I have ever used on any cell phone and the e-mail alerts means I am more production even when I am not "working."