| | |  | GIDON'S PICKS | Home » » BlackBerry Curve 8330 Phone, Titanium (Sprint) | | | | | | | Description: | | Adding a fashionable touch to Research in Motion's formidable arsenal of telephonic, PIM, and media tools, the BlackBerry 8330 Curve for Sprint is also the smallest, lightest BlackBerry phone that includes a full QWERTY keyboard. This amalgam of the svelte BlackBerry Pearl and the more business-oriented 8800 combines RIM's long-valued corporate e-mail and messaging platform with a host of advanced multimedia features, including a 2-megapixel camera and stereo Bluetooth (for listening to music via wireless headphones). It also offers GPS navigation capabilities for accessing the optional Sprint Navigation turn-by-turn direction service. Compatible with microSD memory cards for expansion, this package includes a 1 GB microSD card to give you the room you need for larger work files, presentations, reports, documents or fun files like photos and music. Sprint Service
Supporting the EV-DO high-speed data standard, this phone enables you to download and stream high-quality video, straight onto your phone. Where coverage is available, EV-DO connectivity provides average download speeds ranging from 400 to 700 Kbps, with peak rates up to 2 Mbps. With Sprint TV, you can make your cell phone your always-on source for news, weather, sports and more. This comprehensive video service combines high-quality streaming audio and video from channels including ABC, The Weather Channel, Fox Sports, E!, CNN, The Discovery Channel, and more. This phone also provides access to Sprint Football Live--free for any phone with a data plan. You'll be able to follow all the live play-by-play action with the Live Game Center for both pro and college football games, as well as stay on top of the pro football draft with a Live Draft Tracker and in-depth analysis and bios on nearly 500 top prospects. Access by texting "FOOTBALL" to 7777 on the handset to download Sprint Football Live from Sprint Digital Lounge (standard text messaging and data rates apply). The Sprint Music Store enables you to buy, download, and then jam out wherever you are with new songs or old favorites. Offering a growing selection of more than 1.6 million songs, the store provides you two copies of each song--one for the phone and another for the PC, as well as the ability to burn songs to a CD using Windows Media Player. Save your songs to a memory card with a capacity that's right for you. 
The Curve's full QWERTY keyboard and the innovative trackball navigation system (placed above the keyboard) makes accessing your data and writing e-mail a breeze. | 
The 2-megapixel camera makes it easy to capture pictures to send via e-mail or upload to your online photo collection. | This GPS-enabled phone provides optional access to Sprint Navigation for driving directions on your mobile phone--by voice and onscreen. Along the way, turn-by-turn directions will be announced in a clear voice and displayed on your phone. For example, Sprint Navigation will say, "Go 1.2 miles and turn right on Elm Street." As you approach the turn, you will hear, "Turn right on Elm Street." Sprint Navigation also provides proactive traffic alerts with one click re-routing. And it's easy to find restaurants, banks, cafes, hotels and more from over 10 million points of interest across the U.S. Phone Features
The Curve 8330 is fashioned with subtly curving corners and chrome highlights. Measuring 4.2 x 2.4 inches, the Curve is just as slim as the Pearl (0.63 inches) and weighs in at 4 ounces. It features a bright 2.5-inch color TFT screen that provides 65,000 colors and a 320 x 240-pixel resolution, and it includes a light-sensing feature that automatically adjusts backlighting for indoor, outdoor and dark environments. Like the BlackBerry 8800, the Curve includes a trackball navigation system located on the top of the QWERTY keypad, and it also features an integrated spell checker with a customizable dictionary to help maintain accuracy while on the go. It has 96 MB of internal ROM memory, and is expandable using microSD/microSDHC memory cards (up to 8 GB in size). You can snap vivid photos (though no video) using the 2-megapixel camera on the back of the Curve, which also features a 5x digital zoom, built-in flash, self-portrait mirror and full screen viewfinder. It can capture images in up to three picture quality and size resolutions that can be shared instantly by e-mail, MMS or BlackBerry Messenger, or even uploaded to your Flickr account with the Yahoo! Go service. Photos can also be immediately set as a unique caller ID or Home Screen image. You can edit photos and create albums within the Curve using the PhotoSuite application. Pictures can be cropped, rotated and straightened, and flaws can be fixed by removing redeye or changing the brightness, contrast, and saturation levels. Listen to your favorite music and watch downloaded videos using the included stereo headset, or use an optional wireless headphone thanks to the Curve's support for the Bluetooth stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP). The Curve is compatible with MP3 and WMA audio files, and dedicated volume controls are conveniently located on the side of the handset. With the Voice-Activated Dialing (VAD) feature, you can initiate a call just by telling the Curve who to call from your contact list--either via the integrated speakerphone or using an optional Bluetooth wireless headset. Other advanced phone features include advanced sound technology that cancels out background noise and echo, dedicated volume and mute keys, and the ability to customize the Curve with polyphonic and MP3 ringtones. The BlackBerry Maps application enables you to view maps and driving directions as well as e-mail maps to other BlackBerry users and launch maps from your address book. It also includes a local search capability that allows users to find local businesses, such as banks, hotels and restaurants, within a short driving distance. Other features include: - Instant messaging and SMS text messaging
- Use the included USB cable to connect to laptops for a wireless modem, or choose to run this capability via Bluetooth with no USB cable requirement.
- 3.5mm headphone jack; stereo headset with microphone and mute switch included
- Make a voice note and send as an e-mail .wmv file attachment
- Bluetooth version 2.0 with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), DUN (dial-up networking)
Vital Statistics
The BlackBerry Curve 8330 weighs 4 ounces and measures 4.2 x 2.4 x 0.63 inches. Its 1150 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5.9 hours of talk time, and up to 264 hours (11 days) of digital standby time. It runs on the 800/1900 CDMA/EV-DO frequencies. | | | Features: | |
• Smallest, lightest BlackBerry with full QWERTY keyboard features GPS turn-by-turn directions via Sprint Navigation
• Sprint Mobile Broadband Network via EV-DO connectivity; Sprint TV and Sprint Music Store enabled; access personal and corporate email
• 2-megapixel camera/camcorder; Bluetooth for handsfree devices and stereo music streaming; MicroSD expansion up to 8 GB
• Up to 5.9 hours of talk time and up to 264 hours (11 days) of standby time
• What's in the box: handset, rechargeable battery, charger, USB cable, 3.5mm headphones with microphone, 1 GB MicroSD card, quick start guide
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 4.6 inches | | Product Width:
| 2.4 inches | | Product Height:
| 0.63 inches | | Product Weight:
| 0.25 pounds | | Package Length:
| 7.2 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.5 inches | | Package Height:
| 3.1 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.15 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 10 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
0 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 I'd Rather Carry a Phone Book Than This Piece of JunkJan 30, 2010
I loathe and despise this phone. It's operating system makes booting it take forever, and when it finally finishes booting it operates at incredibly slow speeds. I have to make sure to exit out of my applications after finishing any task, because if I'm running more than 2, it starts locking up on me.
I'd bought a 8GB card for it; waste of money. If I wanted to access the media on it, it has a load time nearly as long as the original boot. The Sprint Store crashes my phone 50% of the time.
My receiver started going out on me after two months of use; if I want to talk, I have to insert my headset, because no one can hear what I'm saying without it. This is by far the most agravating aspect of this phone.
I was excited about owning my first smartphone, as I've been waiting for years for cellular technology to reach my expectations. I'd heard so much buzz about the Curve, I decided that the time had finally arrived; it was the worst $300 purchase of my entire life. I don't know what smartphone I'll end up buying next, but it won't ever be a Blackberry again. They pillaged my wallet for the first and last time.
1 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Big mistakeOct 19, 2009
This is a terrible phone for a man to try to use. the keyboard is too small. the smart keys try to do too much for you and you end up calling people you never intended. I hate it.
21 of 21 found the following review helpful:
 Very Nice!Jun 11, 2009
This is my first time purchasing a smart phone and after much searching (I read and watched hundreds of reviews on various smart phones) I decided on the Blackberry Curve 8330 from sprint. After using it for the past month or so here are some of my thoughts.
FIRST THE GOOD:
I am quite happy with my purchase. The Curve does a splendid job of nearly everything it promises to do. Setting up email was a piece of cake and they show up in my phone in real time. Call audio was crystal clear (probably the best I've ever heard). It syncs easily with my Lotus notes which is a huge plus for me since I can never remember what meetings I am supposed to be at and when when I am out of the office. It also syncs very quickly with my Bluetooth and my headset can go probably 30+ feet from my phone without hearing a lot of crackling. The battery lasts for a long time, even when using Bluetooth. I find that with my use, (about 90 minutes a day of talk time and another 20 minutes using the internet and maps functions) I can get about two days, possibly more on one charge. The OS works pretty quickly, I never feel like I am waiting on programs to open or anything. The camera is stellar. It is so nice to have a flash but don't count on it lighting anything beyond 5 feet when it is dark out. The video is pretty cool too. GPS is functional, though it refreshes rather slowly compared to a Garmin (I'd say once every few seconds or so) and of course the voice commands cost extra from sprint. The QWERTY keyboard is sufficiently sized and I have no problem using it with my somewhat large fingers (my thumb is a little wider than a nickel).
NOW THE BAD:
I have to say that the user interface for Blackberry is not the most intuitive. I consider myself a pretty techy guy but customizing a lot of the options was a pain and took a while. I find the track ball skips at times when moving side to side which can be annoying when it happens but not too annoying. The curve that comes from sprint does not come with the handy dandy holster like the other curves (shame on you sprint). I also don't like the reminder functions on the blackberry. It reminds you one time for each calendar entry. ONE TIME! I need something that will keep reminding me and reminding me until I say it's done. I have heard there is an application out there for this, but haven't bought one yet. Sigh. Lastly, the phone automatically turns off when you drop it (which is good) but sometimes it is too sensitive. For example: if I place the phone down on the desk to hard while I am on my headset it thinks it has been dropped and shuts off. This is annoying but I am slowly getting used to being more gently with it.
NOW THE UGLY:
I can't stand the voice activated dialing from Blackberry. It is the WORST thing about the phone. The phone has the hardest time determing which person I want to call and gets it wrong about 70- 90% of the time depending on the name of the person. My old sprint Katana was ten times better. I tried adjusting everything from my voice tones and vowel sounds to setting different levels of sensitivity on the phone (nothing worked). FYI I have a very normal voice. I spent hours on the web looking for help, all to no avail. Blackberry would have done better by their customers had they stuck with the old voice software which allows you to program in your own voice for peoples names. This was a deal breaker for me and I nearly returned the phone had it not been for finding an awesome and free application (see next).
Applications worth getting:
1.OperaMini (free internet browser that replaces blackberry's crappy one)
2.GoogleMaps (its free and does a better job of finding businesses then
the blackberry maps app.)
3.VLINGO (this voice recognition software is absolutely incredible, it recognized any command I could give it without a problem and gets better over time. It will even convert your audio into text messages or emails and is completely free and improves the curve experience drastically. This app made me truly love my blackberry. Even if it guesses incorrectly which word you used once you correct it, it almost never gets it wrong again. I have tried sending progressively more and more complicated texts and emails to friends and it gets the words right about 90% of the time)
OVERALL:
I give the phone 4 ½ stars. The cool apps you can get for it mitigate most of it's short comings and probably make it a five star phone. Definitely worth the money.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
One of the best things I've ever bought in my entire life...May 22, 2009
I absolutely LOVE my new BlackBerry Curve 8330 from Sprint. I can finally keep track of all of the after-hours e-mail traffic associated with my job without being tied to my computer all evening--no more waking up to an overflowing inbox. And all four of my e-mail accounts (including two Microsoft-based accounts) were a breeze to set up.
Great picture, great sound, and a lot of available apps--including Sprint TV. Plus, I like having a real QWERTY keyboard (as opposed to the touch-screen).
Web pages show up great. Sure, they could load a little faster, and the trackball can be a bit aggravating (especially when trying to edit an e-mail or text). And it's a little slow waking up in the morning (kind of like me). But those are my only complaints.
I'd recommend the Curve to anyone, especially if e-mail's your thing. And Sprint offers unlimited data (and a reliable network) at a GREAT price.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Sweet phoneMay 13, 2009
Loving my Blackberry Curve 8330. I've had a BB 8700g before and liked it very much but this phone blows it and my Palm Centro that I upgraded from right out of the water. I'm quite pleased with the BB Curve 8330. Not for nothing, Sprint's Curve is the best one to have because it has far more features than any other cell phone carriers' Curves. Sprint didn't hold back featurewise. My friends are a bit jealous because of the amount of features my phone has compared to their Curves. Here's the breakdown of what I like and dislike.
Pros:
- Attractive looking and the titanium or charcoal color looks great
- Very clear and vivid video and pictures
- Great call quality
- Nice, loud speakerphone
- MP3 sound quality is superb
- Has standard 3.5mm headphone jack which is great. No need to buy those special 2.5mm headphones.
- A USB port
- Snappy bluetooth pairing with my bluetooth headset when with many other phones it seemed like it took forever for the two devices to find each other
- Expandable to 16GB with 4.5 OS
- Speedy email retrieval
- Camera and video camera is pretty good especially outdoors but the indoor photos are not too shabby
- Decent battery life
- Trackball makes for easy navigating
- 96MB of internal ROM memory which is a nice amount of storage and I'm able to fit a lot of third party software with room to spare
- A lot of awesome features and apps that came with the phone plus plenty you can download
- Nice rendering of doc, pdf and ppt files
Honorable mention: The Sprint GPS TelNav(which I thought I didn't need)on this phone rocks. It really can go toe to toe as far as navigation with my Garmin GPS plus it finds signals a lot quicker than my Garmin. I've used it while driving and while walking and it has been on point with fantastic accuracy.
Cons:
- Internet videos, particularly YouTube, displays very small and doesn't take up the whole screen and there's no way to make it full screen like I was able to with my Palm Centro
- Video camera does not shoot videos using the whole 320x240 screen. It only takes the videos at 240x176. Therefore the videos you shoot never take up the whole screen.
- The browser could be a bit faster
- Hangs and freezes on some websites
- Rebooting is way too slow
- Wish the camera had more features
- Voice dialing is bad and doesn't register spoken names very well. Luckily I use another app to handle that.
All and all...this is a very nice phone.
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