Convergence is the buzzword and the Cyber-shot Walkman affair-turned-marriage is busy producing offspring. And hey, the young Sony Ericsson W995 sure makes the first-born W902 look like a helpless orphan.
Easily the best equipped feature phone of the house, Sony Ericsson W995, still more popular as Hikaru, packs in all there is to find at the top of the company portfolio. The full set of connectivity options, the biggest screen on a Sony Ericsson feature phone to date, GPS, Wi-Fi and the great user interface make a sweet enough package on their own.
But in the case of W995 they're just the perfect background for the unprecedented blend of music and imaging. The Cyber-shot line is graciously lending its 8 megapixel triumph, while the music dowry includes the latest Walkman 4.0 player, with all the bare Walkman necessities such as Shake control and SensMe. And there's more to make it even sweeter. We called it a marriage and Sony Ericsson have taken due care of the wedding presents. We don't know what else to call the kickstand and the on-board 3.5 mm audio jack.
So Sony Ericsson W995 has it all, doesn't it? Now let's see if it gives it all.
Sony Ericsson W995 official photos
Key Features:
Brushed metal body parts
Quad-band GSM, dual-band HSDPA
2.6" 256K-color TFT display of QVGA resolution
8.1 megapixel camera with autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging, face detection
WQVGA video recording at 30fps
Built-in GPS with A-GPS functionality
Wi-Fi with DLNA support
Bluetooth (with A2DP) and USB v2.0
Accelerometer sensor
118MB of internal memory and M2 memory expansion (8GB card included)
Stereo speakers
3.5 mm audio jack
Kickstand
Walkman 4.0 music player with Shake control and SensMe
FM radio with RDS
Multi-tasking support
Smart dialing
Comfortable keypad, nice sliding mechanism
Main disadvantages:
Video recording limited to WQVGA
No lens protection
No DivX/XviD video support (though it's touted as a video-centric phone)
Kickstand construction could've been more reliable
No office document viewer
Sony Ericsson W995 at ours
Since the phone is expected to hit the market by Q2 2009 (which is just around the corner) and Sony Ericsson didn't mention any price, we can only guess how much it will sell for. It's fair to expect a price tag around the same as the similarly equipped Nokia N86 8MP, which will start shipping at the same time at an estimated 375 euro (before taxes and subsidies).
As we said, the Nokia N86 8MP offers almost the same features. Almost. The camera is 8.1-megapixel and sports autofocus, but it also comes with Carl Zeiss optics, dual-LED flash (W995 has a single-LED) and the exciting wide-angle lens and variable aperture.
The N86's screen is also 2.6" but it's based on AMOLED technology (not TFT) and shines with 16M colors (not just 256K). Both devices have kickstands but the one on the N86 seems more reliable based on what we saw at the MWC.
And last but not least, let's not forget that the N86 8MP is a Symbian smartphone with all the possibilities for expansion this entails. It's in the best interests of the W995 that we don't extend this comparison any further!
Nokia N86 8MP
Another competitor of the SE W995 is the smart Samsung i8510 INNOV8, which packs all the Sony Ericsson W995 does, but adds some extra features on top which are well worth checking out. Follow the link to our in-depth review of the INNOV8.
Samsung i8510 INNOV8
It seems that the Sony Ericsson W995 has some pretty strong competition so the decision about which to choose ain't gonna be easy.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Sony Ericsson C903 review: Slider-shot
Inspired by the Sony T-series point-and-shoot digcams with an elegant lens cover, the Sony Ericsson C903 is a compact and attractive cameraphone. The C903 is packed with features you'd expect of a high-end phone and it behaves like one as well. A GPS-enabled 5 MP slider with a nice large display, nifty feature-phone interface and friendly size is a welcome addition to the company portfolio. And yes, we think the Glamour Red version will be a favorite with the ladies.
The C903 official announcement served the humble purpose of warming the crowd up for the Sony Ericsson deployment at this year's MWC. Obviously no match for the Idou and Hikaru, the C903 simply completes the Cyber-shot lineup of the house featuring some welcome upgrades over the C902 like screen size and GPS. There's a distinctive design highlight too and the Sony T-series digicam back styling may as well be a strong selling point.
Sony Ericsson C903 Lacquer Black and Glamour Red
Key features:
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and dual-band HSDPA/ tri-band HSDPA in US version
5 MP AF camera with dual LED flash, geo-tagging, face and smile detection, active lens cover
Built-in GPS with A-GPS support, Wayfinder Navigator software, geotagging
Dedicated camera mode switch and gallery keys
Scratch resistant 2.4" 256K-color TFT display
Backlit D-pad shortcuts in camera mode
Accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate
Bluetooth (with A2DP), USB v2.0
FM radio with RDS and enhanced TrackID, YouTube client
Threaded conversations in messaging
Smart dialing
Main disadvantages:
Video recording limited to QVGA resolution at 30fps
M2 card slot under the battery cover
Camera key has almost no feedback at full press
The glossy surface is a fingerprint nightmare
No cover for the USB port
No office document viewer
No video-call camera
Sony Ericsson C903 has its candybar counterpart in the face of the C901. Presented in a joint launch last month, the two handsets are trying to meet a diverse mix of cameraphone demand in the higher-midrange.
Form factor aside, the major differences boil down to GPS and the camera flash solution. We can't help but note that xenon could've been more at home in the T-series-inspired C903. But no sir, Sony Ericsson C903 is GPS-enabled instead while the more conservative C901 bar flaunts the better camera flash.
The lengthy spec sheet of the C903 only omits Wi-Fi support, while everything else is on board: GPS with Wayfinder 7 software, 5 megapixel AF camera with dedicated setup keys, a large 2.4" display and accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate.
Sony Ericsson C903 at ours
Now then, we're all set for a closer look at the C903, so buckle up and hit the jump.
The C903 official announcement served the humble purpose of warming the crowd up for the Sony Ericsson deployment at this year's MWC. Obviously no match for the Idou and Hikaru, the C903 simply completes the Cyber-shot lineup of the house featuring some welcome upgrades over the C902 like screen size and GPS. There's a distinctive design highlight too and the Sony T-series digicam back styling may as well be a strong selling point.
Sony Ericsson C903 Lacquer Black and Glamour Red
Key features:
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and dual-band HSDPA/ tri-band HSDPA in US version
5 MP AF camera with dual LED flash, geo-tagging, face and smile detection, active lens cover
Built-in GPS with A-GPS support, Wayfinder Navigator software, geotagging
Dedicated camera mode switch and gallery keys
Scratch resistant 2.4" 256K-color TFT display
Backlit D-pad shortcuts in camera mode
Accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate
Bluetooth (with A2DP), USB v2.0
FM radio with RDS and enhanced TrackID, YouTube client
Threaded conversations in messaging
Smart dialing
Main disadvantages:
Video recording limited to QVGA resolution at 30fps
M2 card slot under the battery cover
Camera key has almost no feedback at full press
The glossy surface is a fingerprint nightmare
No cover for the USB port
No office document viewer
No video-call camera
Sony Ericsson C903 has its candybar counterpart in the face of the C901. Presented in a joint launch last month, the two handsets are trying to meet a diverse mix of cameraphone demand in the higher-midrange.
Form factor aside, the major differences boil down to GPS and the camera flash solution. We can't help but note that xenon could've been more at home in the T-series-inspired C903. But no sir, Sony Ericsson C903 is GPS-enabled instead while the more conservative C901 bar flaunts the better camera flash.
The lengthy spec sheet of the C903 only omits Wi-Fi support, while everything else is on board: GPS with Wayfinder 7 software, 5 megapixel AF camera with dedicated setup keys, a large 2.4" display and accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate.
Sony Ericsson C903 at ours
Now then, we're all set for a closer look at the C903, so buckle up and hit the jump.
Samsung S5600 preview: First look
Samsung have quite wisely decided to make the complacent LG Cookie smile go away. And they have released not one, but two devices to compete with it. The Samsung S5600 is one of them and luckily we have the opportunity to play with it for a while with the Samsung S5230 soon to follow.
Attacking the midrange market the Samsung S5600 is a member of the new affordable touchscreen gang. Quite reminiscent of the HTC Touch with its size, shape and display, the Samsung S5600 is actually not a smartphone. It run on the proprietary Samsung TouchWiz user interface, and while it's not a high-end phone, it still has some decent equipment.
Samsung S5600 official photo
Samsung S5600 at a glance:
General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/2100 MHz, GPRS/EDGE class 12, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
Form factor: Touchscreen bar, no keypad
Dimensions: 102.8 x 54.8 x 12.9 mm
Display: 2.8-inch TFT, QVGA resolution (240 x 320 pixels)
Memory: 80MB, Non-hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
Camera: 3 megapixel fixed focus camera with LED flash and smile detection
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS
Misc: Accelerometer sensor, FM radio with RDS, Find Music recognition service, DNSe, gesture lock
Battery: 1000 mAh battery
Samsung S5600 was first spotted at MWC 2009, but no details were released by that time. In fact, it was so conspicuously displayed, that we even missed including it in our detailed coverage of the event.
The Samsung S5600 in our studio
The Samsung S5600 is not a ground-breaking device and probably won't create much hype, but still it's one of those devices that sell… and these devices sell in quite some volumes.
Join us on the next page for a walkthrough of the Samsung S5600 exterior and ergonomics. Just bear in mind to take it easy on us and the S5600 - it's still a rather early pre-production unit and changes are possible (and highly likely) at all hardware and software levels.
Attacking the midrange market the Samsung S5600 is a member of the new affordable touchscreen gang. Quite reminiscent of the HTC Touch with its size, shape and display, the Samsung S5600 is actually not a smartphone. It run on the proprietary Samsung TouchWiz user interface, and while it's not a high-end phone, it still has some decent equipment.
Samsung S5600 official photo
Samsung S5600 at a glance:
General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/2100 MHz, GPRS/EDGE class 12, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
Form factor: Touchscreen bar, no keypad
Dimensions: 102.8 x 54.8 x 12.9 mm
Display: 2.8-inch TFT, QVGA resolution (240 x 320 pixels)
Memory: 80MB, Non-hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
Camera: 3 megapixel fixed focus camera with LED flash and smile detection
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS
Misc: Accelerometer sensor, FM radio with RDS, Find Music recognition service, DNSe, gesture lock
Battery: 1000 mAh battery
Samsung S5600 was first spotted at MWC 2009, but no details were released by that time. In fact, it was so conspicuously displayed, that we even missed including it in our detailed coverage of the event.
The Samsung S5600 in our studio
The Samsung S5600 is not a ground-breaking device and probably won't create much hype, but still it's one of those devices that sell… and these devices sell in quite some volumes.
Join us on the next page for a walkthrough of the Samsung S5600 exterior and ergonomics. Just bear in mind to take it easy on us and the S5600 - it's still a rather early pre-production unit and changes are possible (and highly likely) at all hardware and software levels.
BlackBerry Storm 9500 review: Berry-go-round
It's not everyday that you see a BlackBerry review on our homepage but it's not like RIM routinely churn out devices like the Storm either. Messaging is still the legendary name but… well… touchscreen is the game. Keeping the business appeal of its siblings, the 9500 Storm sure stands out in the Berry crowd. But it also tries to set itself apart from the other touchscreens by promising a whole new touch experience.
BlackBerry Storm official photos
The Canadian manufacturer RIM is walking an unbeaten path by adding unique clickability to the fluid precision of the capacitive touchscreen technology. The award-winning SurePress screen may not be everyone's cup of coffee but we're not talking teacup either, just yet.
Key features:
3.25" 65K-color capacitive touchscreen of 360 x 480 pixel resolution
A new touchscreen experience thanks to SurePress screen
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 2100 MHz 3G with HSDPA support
3.15 MP autofocus camera, LED flash
BlackBerry OS 4.7
624 MHz CPU, 128 MB RAM
Built-in GPS and BlackBerry maps preloaded
1 GB internal storage
Hot-swappable microSD card slot, ships with an 8GB card
Landscape virtual QWERTY keyboard goes as close to hardware keys as we have seen
Great build quality
Solid looks
3.5mm standard audio jack
Bluetooth and USB v2.0
Really nice web browser
Document editor
Excellent audio quality
Main disadvantages:
No Wi-fi
No email support without BlackBerry Internet Service account
Interface not as quick as competitors
Chubbier than most touchscreen phones
Mediocre camera
No FM radio
No Flash support
Fingerprint-prone front panel
No video-call camera
Now, this isn't one of those all-about-email BlackBerry reviews where the 9500 Storm gets only compared to its own kind, for the lack of meaningful competition. We are more than confident that the Storm does its BlackBerry thing just fine, so instead of focusing on it we'll try to give a different view of the device. Our objective is to see how it fares against all those other "regular" touchscreens that have the crowd's attention: Apples, Renoirs, Omnias, Diamonds and the likes.
BlackBerry Storm 9500 views
Well, our approach may seem like comparing apples to oranges but only at first sight. The first thing about the Storm 9500 is the attempt to reach beyond the core group of diehard BlackBerry users. We're talking stealing some market here, so if Blackberry are playing to win, they should well be ready to take some hard beating too. First-rate email is nice and all, but the Storm will only be as good as its user interface and multimedia. For the rest (which means WLAN too) there's Curve and Bold.
The BlackBerry Storm 9500 next to the Samsung i900 Omnia and Apple iPhone 3G
BlackBerry Storm official photos
The Canadian manufacturer RIM is walking an unbeaten path by adding unique clickability to the fluid precision of the capacitive touchscreen technology. The award-winning SurePress screen may not be everyone's cup of coffee but we're not talking teacup either, just yet.
Key features:
3.25" 65K-color capacitive touchscreen of 360 x 480 pixel resolution
A new touchscreen experience thanks to SurePress screen
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 2100 MHz 3G with HSDPA support
3.15 MP autofocus camera, LED flash
BlackBerry OS 4.7
624 MHz CPU, 128 MB RAM
Built-in GPS and BlackBerry maps preloaded
1 GB internal storage
Hot-swappable microSD card slot, ships with an 8GB card
Landscape virtual QWERTY keyboard goes as close to hardware keys as we have seen
Great build quality
Solid looks
3.5mm standard audio jack
Bluetooth and USB v2.0
Really nice web browser
Document editor
Excellent audio quality
Main disadvantages:
No Wi-fi
No email support without BlackBerry Internet Service account
Interface not as quick as competitors
Chubbier than most touchscreen phones
Mediocre camera
No FM radio
No Flash support
Fingerprint-prone front panel
No video-call camera
Now, this isn't one of those all-about-email BlackBerry reviews where the 9500 Storm gets only compared to its own kind, for the lack of meaningful competition. We are more than confident that the Storm does its BlackBerry thing just fine, so instead of focusing on it we'll try to give a different view of the device. Our objective is to see how it fares against all those other "regular" touchscreens that have the crowd's attention: Apples, Renoirs, Omnias, Diamonds and the likes.
BlackBerry Storm 9500 views
Well, our approach may seem like comparing apples to oranges but only at first sight. The first thing about the Storm 9500 is the attempt to reach beyond the core group of diehard BlackBerry users. We're talking stealing some market here, so if Blackberry are playing to win, they should well be ready to take some hard beating too. First-rate email is nice and all, but the Storm will only be as good as its user interface and multimedia. For the rest (which means WLAN too) there's Curve and Bold.
The BlackBerry Storm 9500 next to the Samsung i900 Omnia and Apple iPhone 3G
Sony Ericsson Media Go review: First look
Introduction
Now, what's with the software review on the GSM Arena homepage, you might ask. Well, last week you could have said that for Blackberry as well. We guess it's time for another first. Today however we're getting a closer look at Sony Ericsson's Media Go desktop multimedia management software.
Back in February Sony Ericsson promised to revolutionize the way users transfer and consume video on the company's feature phones. The newly announced Media Go multimedia manager not only keeps your music in order, but it also crunches every multimedia file you throw at it to a format that's easily digestible by a regular mobile phone.
Media Go did cause a lot of commotion in the comments section of our recently published Sony Ericsson W995 review. It's the first phone to come bundled with Media Go and some users felt that we didn't stress enough on the potentially overwhelming capabilities of this new software.
Well, truth be told, we didn't really think such software is the kind of feat to write home about, so we just didn't share that enthusiasm. But guess what what we did as soon as we acquired a working beta copy of Media Go. That's right, we went writing about it.
Getting started with Media Go
Our first surprise with the new piece of software is that it's actually branded by Sony, and not Sony Ericsson. Perhaps, this will only be true for the beta version of the software, we are not really sure yet.
On first launch Media Go surely felt like a Sony commercial product. Much like the other Sony commercial products we've seen, you have to enter the supplied serial number and register with the Sony, in order to use the application.
Once that we were beyond the registration process, the software loaded up and was ready to roll. We connected our Sony Ericsson W995 and we were presented by the last surprise for the day.
Media Go cannot connect to the phone straight out-of-the-box. As it turns out, Media Go won't be substituting the regular Sony Ericsson PC Suite despite our expectations. Instead, both applications should be installed on your desktop computer, as PC Suite is the application that actually takes care of the needed USB drivers, etc.
After we sorted that out as well, it was time to finally take a deeper look at the new Media Go application and the way it's put to use by Sony Ericsson phones.
Now, what's with the software review on the GSM Arena homepage, you might ask. Well, last week you could have said that for Blackberry as well. We guess it's time for another first. Today however we're getting a closer look at Sony Ericsson's Media Go desktop multimedia management software.
Back in February Sony Ericsson promised to revolutionize the way users transfer and consume video on the company's feature phones. The newly announced Media Go multimedia manager not only keeps your music in order, but it also crunches every multimedia file you throw at it to a format that's easily digestible by a regular mobile phone.
Media Go did cause a lot of commotion in the comments section of our recently published Sony Ericsson W995 review. It's the first phone to come bundled with Media Go and some users felt that we didn't stress enough on the potentially overwhelming capabilities of this new software.
Well, truth be told, we didn't really think such software is the kind of feat to write home about, so we just didn't share that enthusiasm. But guess what what we did as soon as we acquired a working beta copy of Media Go. That's right, we went writing about it.
Getting started with Media Go
Our first surprise with the new piece of software is that it's actually branded by Sony, and not Sony Ericsson. Perhaps, this will only be true for the beta version of the software, we are not really sure yet.
On first launch Media Go surely felt like a Sony commercial product. Much like the other Sony commercial products we've seen, you have to enter the supplied serial number and register with the Sony, in order to use the application.
Once that we were beyond the registration process, the software loaded up and was ready to roll. We connected our Sony Ericsson W995 and we were presented by the last surprise for the day.
Media Go cannot connect to the phone straight out-of-the-box. As it turns out, Media Go won't be substituting the regular Sony Ericsson PC Suite despite our expectations. Instead, both applications should be installed on your desktop computer, as PC Suite is the application that actually takes care of the needed USB drivers, etc.
After we sorted that out as well, it was time to finally take a deeper look at the new Media Go application and the way it's put to use by Sony Ericsson phones.
Samsung S5230 preview: First look
Samsung decided to compete with the popular LG Cookie not in one, but in two ways. We already gave you S5600 and now it's time to direct the limelight to Samsung S5230. Join us as we take a short stroll with the 3-incher S5230 and see what what it has to offer to the mainstream segment.
Samsung S5230 is obviously a no-nonsense phones design to appeal to the masses with both its price tag as well its looks, which remind of some the company's top mobiles. Targeting the midrange market Samsung S5230 joins the ranks of cheap touch phones and one thing's for sure. It's not thrown into the fight unprepared.
S5230 is stylish, runs on TouchWiz and can read your written words. Besides it's a casual snapshot taker with even the oh-so-popular Smile Shot mode and it can easily make your portable music player redundant. That seems enough for us - let's see with what weapons Samsung are planning to take on the midrange touch wars.
Samsung S5230 official photo
Samsung S5230 at a glance:
General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, GPRS/EDGE class 12
Form factor: Touchscreen bar, no keypad
Dimensions: 104.0 x 53.0 x 11.9 mm, 93.5 gr.
Display: 3-inch resistive TFT touchscreen, WQVGA resolution (240 x 400 pixels)
Memory: 87MB, Non-hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
Camera: 3 megapixel fixed focus camera with smile detection
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, USB v.2.0
Misc: Accelerometer sensor, FM radio with RDS, Find Music recognition service, DNSe, Gesture lock
Battery: 1000 mAh battery
Samsung S5230 at our office
The new Samsung S5230 is not something revolutionary; it even cannot be described as evolutionary. It's just the right kind of feature mix targeted at the midrange market with surgical precision. It seems an even more direct competitor to the already available LG Cookie than the Samsung S5600, but the real head-to-head will take place only when the phone gets out there and starts doing some actual sales. And it's almost destined to sell well, thanks to its expected low price and the helpful nifty little things that make it special.
Samsung S5230 compared to iPhone 3G and Samsung S5600
Join us on the next page for a walkthrough of the Samsung S5230 exterior and ergonomics. Just bear in mind that it's still a rather early pre-production unit and changes before the actual product is out are quite possible.
Samsung S5230 is obviously a no-nonsense phones design to appeal to the masses with both its price tag as well its looks, which remind of some the company's top mobiles. Targeting the midrange market Samsung S5230 joins the ranks of cheap touch phones and one thing's for sure. It's not thrown into the fight unprepared.
S5230 is stylish, runs on TouchWiz and can read your written words. Besides it's a casual snapshot taker with even the oh-so-popular Smile Shot mode and it can easily make your portable music player redundant. That seems enough for us - let's see with what weapons Samsung are planning to take on the midrange touch wars.
Samsung S5230 official photo
Samsung S5230 at a glance:
General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, GPRS/EDGE class 12
Form factor: Touchscreen bar, no keypad
Dimensions: 104.0 x 53.0 x 11.9 mm, 93.5 gr.
Display: 3-inch resistive TFT touchscreen, WQVGA resolution (240 x 400 pixels)
Memory: 87MB, Non-hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
Camera: 3 megapixel fixed focus camera with smile detection
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, USB v.2.0
Misc: Accelerometer sensor, FM radio with RDS, Find Music recognition service, DNSe, Gesture lock
Battery: 1000 mAh battery
Samsung S5230 at our office
The new Samsung S5230 is not something revolutionary; it even cannot be described as evolutionary. It's just the right kind of feature mix targeted at the midrange market with surgical precision. It seems an even more direct competitor to the already available LG Cookie than the Samsung S5600, but the real head-to-head will take place only when the phone gets out there and starts doing some actual sales. And it's almost destined to sell well, thanks to its expected low price and the helpful nifty little things that make it special.
Samsung S5230 compared to iPhone 3G and Samsung S5600
Join us on the next page for a walkthrough of the Samsung S5230 exterior and ergonomics. Just bear in mind that it's still a rather early pre-production unit and changes before the actual product is out are quite possible.
BlackBerry Curve 8900 review: Curved right
The sharp and compact BlackBerry Curve 8900 spells business and oozes with class. Easily the hottest looker in the Curve lineup - and possibly portfolio-wide - earns much respect as a massive functionality upgrade over its predecessors.
The distinct insider kind of charm of the BlackBerry handsets phases out into history as RIM are trying to take on the world and competitors with a new design language. OK, baptizing new converts was the Storm's job while the Curve 8900 seems the right stuff to inspire upgraders. Either way, we're happy to extend our BlackBerry streak and put the latest Curve through its paces.
BlackBerry Curve 8900 official photos
Key features:
2.4" 65K-color TFT landscape display with a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels
Comfortable four-row full QWERTY keyboard
Quad-band GSM support
Wi-Fi
BlackBerry OS v4.6
Trackball navigation
Built-in GPS and BlackBerry maps preloaded
3.15 MP autofocus camera, LED flash
512 MHz CPU, 256 MB RAM
Hot-swappable microSD card slot
Good build quality
DivX and XviD video support
Compact body
Good web browser
3.5 mm audio jack
Nice audio quality
Smart dialing
Main disadvantages:
No 3G
No email support without BlackBerry Internet Service account
Mediocre camera
No FM radio
BlackBerry 8900 Curve doesn't pack the groundbreaking punch of its Storm sibling. Despite the fact that it upgrades the older generation of Curves quite painstakingly the whole user experience implies evolution rather than revolution. But then, that might just be the right approach from an upgrader's point of view.
The BlackBerry Curve 8900 at ours
To begin with, there's both Wi-Fi and GPS, which was until now impossible to have in a single BlackBerry Curve 83xx handset. The screen resolution is also more than doubled and the device has become quite slimmer and so much prettier. Now that sounds like a pretty solid foundation for success but still doesn't mean the Curve can afford to be complacent.
User-friendliness and performance matter the most in reality and we know better than judging a phone before we have tested it.
The distinct insider kind of charm of the BlackBerry handsets phases out into history as RIM are trying to take on the world and competitors with a new design language. OK, baptizing new converts was the Storm's job while the Curve 8900 seems the right stuff to inspire upgraders. Either way, we're happy to extend our BlackBerry streak and put the latest Curve through its paces.
BlackBerry Curve 8900 official photos
Key features:
2.4" 65K-color TFT landscape display with a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels
Comfortable four-row full QWERTY keyboard
Quad-band GSM support
Wi-Fi
BlackBerry OS v4.6
Trackball navigation
Built-in GPS and BlackBerry maps preloaded
3.15 MP autofocus camera, LED flash
512 MHz CPU, 256 MB RAM
Hot-swappable microSD card slot
Good build quality
DivX and XviD video support
Compact body
Good web browser
3.5 mm audio jack
Nice audio quality
Smart dialing
Main disadvantages:
No 3G
No email support without BlackBerry Internet Service account
Mediocre camera
No FM radio
BlackBerry 8900 Curve doesn't pack the groundbreaking punch of its Storm sibling. Despite the fact that it upgrades the older generation of Curves quite painstakingly the whole user experience implies evolution rather than revolution. But then, that might just be the right approach from an upgrader's point of view.
The BlackBerry Curve 8900 at ours
To begin with, there's both Wi-Fi and GPS, which was until now impossible to have in a single BlackBerry Curve 83xx handset. The screen resolution is also more than doubled and the device has become quite slimmer and so much prettier. Now that sounds like a pretty solid foundation for success but still doesn't mean the Curve can afford to be complacent.
User-friendliness and performance matter the most in reality and we know better than judging a phone before we have tested it.
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