BlackBerry Curve 9300 Review

We all know Research In Motion (RIM) haven't been been successful in the smart phone wars, loosing to Apple's iOS and Google's iOS, as of late. They just haven't been able to find a phone that is attractive to the mass market. However, where I live, BlackBerry smart phones are quite popular. This is mainly because of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), BlackBerry's native messaging app. For me, this is probably one of the biggest factors that is stopping me from switching, although I admire the phones of other competitors (*cough cough* iPhone).

About a month ago, I upgraded to the Blackberry Curve 9300, it was supposed to be a cheap replacement for my BlackBerry Curve 8330, it seems that I really like BlackBerries. Fortunately for me, the first was free since I won it and I ended up getting my money back for the second. So yeah, I guess YOU can say I like BlackBerries, but I say "When life gives you lemons, or BlackBerries, you make whatever you can from them."

Now, fortunately for you, I am done with the personal stuff and it's time to actually give my opinion, starting with the new BlackBerry (I will shorten it to BB from now on) OS7. One of RIM's latest attempt to regain the smart phone market has been BB OS7, a mobile operating system that was set out to be better than the other BB OS's. After using the old operating system for the last few years, the new OS was quite a surprise from the moment I started using the phone. What was previously a full screen menu that opened with the click of the BB logo key was now multiple "trays" on the home screen. You can now swipe across different trays: All, Frequent, Downloads etc; and open them up with a click of the BB's signature trackpad. What first seemed difficult is now extremely easy and is a feature I actually like. I also believe this feature would be even better on any of RIM's touchscreen phones.

Another key feature, which I feel compelled to talk about is BBM. It is one of the greatest things as you can keep up with friends without running up your data or getting billed for every message. BBM can also be kind of like a little social network, you can post statuses, personal messages and even profile pictures to show your contacts what you're doing. It's also a great file sharing service that lets you share pictures (on a more personal scale), files and even voice notes. So, as I said before, BBM is probably on of the key features in BB smart phones, although Apple is starting to use iMessage which is quite similar.

One of the best things about BB's is their simplicity. The devices are a full package deal with a full QWERTY keyboard, browser and a simple to use mail application. They can also easily fit in your pocket, unlike other smart phones that have gigantic screens. The simplicity can also be effective for some of the more business-type users; there is no need to worry about loosing time playing Angry Birds and other popular iOS /Android games, which may be suitable for businesses that want to keep productive.

All in all, I consider this a stable phone. It simplicity, which I believe is one of it's unique points, allows users to get what they need out of a smart phone without splurging on an overly priced iPhone. If you're still not sold, my mom uses a BB, not saying that their for old people, but instead for people who may not be as technologically inclined. It may not have the fasted dual-core processor either, but it also isn't running HD graphics and hand-held games. I know this wouldn't appeal to everybody, but some people can take full advantage of this device.

I wasn't going to add specs but some people may like to see them for comparisons.

Camera & Video Recording

• 2.0 MP camera (no flash)
• Fixed focus
• Video recording

Memory

• 256 MB flash memory/256 MB SDRAM
• Expandable memory—support for microSD card

Battery & Battery Life

• 1150mAHr removable/rechargeable
• lithium-ion cell
• Standby time: GSM® - up to 19 days,
• UMTS - up to 14.5 days
• Talk time: GSM - up to 4.5 hours,
• UMTS - up to 5.5 hours
• Music playback: up to 29 hours

Available Features

• 3G network support
• Optical trackpad
• Full QWERTY keyboard
• Email and text messaging
• BlackBerry® Messenger
• Instant Messaging
• Phone
• Browser
• Camera and video recording
• Wi-Fi®
• GPS
• Media player
• Organizer
• Bluetooth®

Display

• 320x240 pixel color display