Blackberry Curve 3G 9300 deals & review

In a word or two

The BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 is an affordable and traditional BlackBerry smartphone with 3G connectivity.

The Design

Smart and friendly in looks and interface, the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 is designed for those who want all that RIM has to offer in a smartphone without the heavy cost of a high-end device. It is an update on earlier Curve handsets like the 8300 and 8310 and is similar in design to these models – but boasts a touch-sensitive trackpad like the 8520, instead of a trackball.

Like the 8520, the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 is all about communication, work and entertainment. There are dedicated music keys inbuilt into the frame of the 9300 – which is also known as the Curve 3G – so you can access and control music and media features easily.

Smaller and lighter than the BlackBerry Torch device which debuts a touchscreen-slider format, the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 has a 2.46 inch screen and QWERTY keypad. It is fairly classic BlackBerry in its styling, although it comes in a choice of black or red. With the black option, the handset is black but the front of the phone is framed by a chrome-style material; and with red, the case is black but a vibrant red frame surrounds the front.

Specifications

One of the highlights of the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 is that although it currently runs on the BlackBerry OS 5, it is upgrade-enabled. So when the new BB OS 6 lands, the Curve 9300 can operate on this platform. This brings a number of benefits that the high-end smartphone, the Torch, showcases – for example, this OS is faster and allows for better multi-tasking. It also comes with a WebKit browser for improved online experiences.

This feature is especially good on the Curve 9300 as it comes with an array of connectivity options for browsing online. There is support for 3G and Wi-Fi, and you also have Bluetooth and GPS onboard. For navigation, the smartphone comes with BlackBerry Maps too, to help you plan journeys and find your way.

You can communicate through email, instant messaging and text messaging on the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300. And the full QWERTY means you can type quickly and confidently, as each key is nicely spaced. This Curve also comes with the BlackBerry Messenger app for sending unlimited messages to fellow BlackBerry owners.

Considerations

Apart from the 3G support and a few tweaks, the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 does not offer a huge amount of new features compared to earlier Curve handsets.

Verdict

As an entry-level smartphone, the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 is appealing. The design is traditional BlackBerry and manages to strike a balance between being stylish and professional; and there are some decent features onboard including BBM, access to the BB OS 6 when it’s launched, and good connectivity support.