Cellphone Reviews Blog

Samsung Rugby A837 Phone Yellow ATandT

Ideal for on-site field services, the ruggedized Samsung Rugby for AT&T can take just about anything you can throw at it. This highly durable handset is certified to Military Standard MIL-STD 810F standards that’s perfect for users like construction foremen and landscape designers. In addition to access to AT&T Navigation turn-by-turn direction service, the Rugby also features compatibility with Push to Talk communication, Enterprise Paging, and AT&T’s breakthrough Video Share calling services. This quad-band GSM phone runs on AT&T’s dual-band 3G (HSDPA/UMTS) network, for fast downloads and seamless video calls. It also offers a 1.3-megapixel camera, microSD memory expansion to 8 GB, Bluetooth for handsfree communication and stereo music streaming, access to personal email and instant messaging, and up to 5 hours of talk time.

The ruggedized Samsung Rugby is certified to Military Standard MI-SID-810F, withstanding dust, shock vibrations, rain, humidity, solar radiation and altitude and temperature extremes.

AT&T Service Options
This AT&T phone can handle high-speed data connectivity via AT&T’s 3G mobile broadband data network, which is available in most major metropolitan areas. The AT&T 3G network uses the dual-band UMTS 850/1900 MHz network (also known as WCDMA), making it possible to enjoy a variety of feature-rich wireless multimedia services. It also gives AT&T the advantage of offering simultaneous voice and data services.

In areas where the 3G network is not available, you’ll continue to receive service on the AT&T EDGE network, which offers availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. Providing average data speeds between 75-135Kbps, it’s fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services, including video and music clips, full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the go. You’ll also enjoy quad-band GSM connectivity, which allows you to make calls in more than 190 countries and access data applications in the more than 135 countries where AT&T offers international data roaming.

With 3G connectivity, you’ll be able to access AT&T’s Video Share service, which enables you to send a live, one-way video stream to another compatible phone during a standard voice call. The service also allows you to switch the direction of the video stream during the same phone call. (Customers must be in an area served by the company’s 3G network and have a Video Share-enabled phone.) A majority of users in the architecture, engineering and construction industries rated the ability to share live video through Video Share highly, according to research commissioned by AT&T. Video Share lets you see progress on a job site or review the day’s work without having to drive from an office or other site to do so.

This 3G-enabled handset is compatible with AT&T’s Video Share calling.

You can take advantage of the AT&T Navigator GPS software and service, a full-featured premium navigation application that includes audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and re-routing options, and 3D moving maps (additional charges applicable). AT&T Navigator offers several other features to make your commute more enjoyable and reliable, including mobile access to Yellowpages.com. Additionally, AT&T Navigator is the only mobile phone-based GPS service that provides integrated speech recognition for address entry and points of interest search.

With 3G connectivity, you’ll be able to access AT&T’s Cellular Video (CV) service and the Internet while on the go. Cellular Video features content from CNN, The Weather Channel, iFilm, Comedy Central and exclusive premium content from HBO and much more. And you get access to AT&T Mobile Music, which enables you to buy tracks while on the, access the Napster subscription music service, stream music video, discover what’s playing with Music ID song-recognition software, and find out what’s hot with The Buzz music news portal. (A MEdia Max subscription bundle is recommended for accessing AT&T’s Internet, video, and music services.)

The phone has a built-in web browser for MEdia Net downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T’s MEdia Net service enables you to receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more.

Small business and enterprise customers also have the option to use AT&T’s Enterprise Paging to connect quickly to its workforce from a central location. Enterprise Paging is an AT&T-hosted service that allows a centralized dispatch system administrator to build customized group distribution lists of workers in the field and to send group notifications via text messaging. Workers can respond immediately or take the appropriate action in the message.

With its built-in A-GPS, you can use the optional AT&T Navigator service to get you to your destination with points of interest and turn-by-turn navigation.

The Rugby features a rubberized and metal casing that is easy to grip.

Phone Features
The rugged clamshell Rugby is certified to military standard MIL-STD-810F to withstand dust, shock, vibration, rain, humidity, solar radiation, altitude and temperature extremes, and it features a rubberized and metal casing that is easy to grip. The exterior of the phone has a large speaker for easy Push to Talk (PTT) communication as well as a small LCD screen that displays current time, incoming calls, signal strength, and battery life. The interior 2-inch LCD screen has a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels and a 262K color depth. The phone has a 128 MB internal memory, which can be expanded via optional microSD memory cards (up to 8 GB in size). The phonebook can hold up to 1000 contact entries with up to 6 numbers per entry. It also offers 8 one-touch dialing numbers and support for picture and ringer ID.

Handsfree communication is easy thanks to the integrated full duplex speakerphone–perfect for conference calling from the office or on the road. This phone provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0), and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, and file transfer. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking–surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server.

The 1.3-megapixel camera provides three resolution choices (1280 x 960, 640 x 480, and 320 x 320 pixels), and it features a 4x digital zoom, multi-shot capabilities (up to 9 shots in a row), brightness adjustment, and a self-timer. Additionally, you can capture videos in QCIF resolution up to 1 hour in length (as well as audio clips of that length), as long as you have space available on your memory card.

Whether on a trip to a new job site or looking for a place to eat lunch in a new area, Rugby is aGPS-capable, which means AT&T Navigator can get you there with points of interest and turn-by-turn navigation. Assisted-GPS technology allows Rugby to locate itself to get you headed in the right direction quickly.

Other features include:

• Push to Talk (PTT) enables you to pull an entire work group into a wireless call from a PTT session as well as set one’s own status to available, unavailable, do not disturb and more.
• Organizer tools: Calendar, Calculator, Currency Converter, Tasks, Note, Alarm, World Time
• Instant messaging services: AOL, Windows Live, Yahoo!
• Access to personal email
• SMS text and MMS multimedia messaging
• T9 predictive text entry
• Music playback formats: AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, WMA, 3GP, MP4, M4A
• Any key answer
• 64-chord polyphonic ringtones, real music ringtones, and vibrating alert
• Multi-lingual display (English, French, Spanish)
• Bluetooth version 2.0 with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), BPP (basic printing profile for text, email), DUN (dial-up networking), FTP (file transfer), OPP (object push for business cards, calendar items, and pictures)

Vital Statistics
The Samsung Rugby weighs 4.66 ounces and measures 3.95 x 2.05 x 0.9 inches. Its 1000 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5 hours of talk time, and up to 250 hours (10+ days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as 850/1900 MHz 3G frequencies (UMTS/HSDPA).

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Not As Tough As It Looks
THE YELLOW MODEL MAY NOT BE A GOOD CHOICE. With the military specs and all, I thought this phone would be a tank. In the first hour after I bought it, I placed the phone in my pocket with my old phone, a Sony Ericsson W810i. I later noticed scratches all over the front plastic panel of the Rugby. Over the next few weeks, I also noticed mysterious dark stains appearing on the yellow rubberized coating. It appears that whatever this colored material is made of is picking up stains that can’t be removed, almost as if the coating was wearing off to expose a darker material beneath. It’s worth noting that I keep this phone in a zipper pouch designed for a small digital camera, so there is no friction applied to the phone. I treated my phone’s exterior to Vinylex protectant in hopes this will reduce the absorption qualities of the yellow coating. Looks like a snap-on cover will be required for true protection. I also noticed that the hinge has more play than I would have expected for this type of phone and more than I would like to see.

Otherwise, the phone isn’t bad. I like the size and feel of the keypad – with the exception that the clear key is too close to the navigation keys; a small ridge between the two would help prevent pressing clear when you had wanted to hit the down function of the navigation key. Talk quality is good as is the battery life. Push-To-Talk does not have a means to shut it off, so you will constantly hit the button by mistake and be prompted whether you want to accept the charges of that feature. I was surprised that the small 1.3mp camera actually takes pretty good pics.

Actually a good phone overall, but it would be more durable with a protective cover – which then would eliminate the novelty of the yellow “DeWalt tools” color scheme.

UPDATE (2/8/09): YELLOW MODEL WAS A BAD CHOICE. I now know that the yellow coating absorbs anything with grease or dyes that it comes in contact with. The black and red from the inside of the carrying pouch I keep this phone in is being soaked up by the yellow coating. Again, this staining cannot be removed. It appears that Samsung neglected to do proper R&D on this coating – anything else on the phone? A hard yellow plastic shell would have been far superior. Unless you purchase a clip-on cover (which I am looking into), this phone can only be stored in something like a cotton bag that has not been dyed – unless you don’t care if the phone looks dirty and old. Functionally the phone might be military spec, but esthetically it is the least durable phone I’ve ever seen. Samsung blew it with their choice of cover material. Also, I’ve seen a demo model of this phone in an AT&T store where the speaker grill on the front was badly dented and the paint scratched off. It’s unfortunate when you spend a lot of time researching something only to find out after you finally bought it that you made the wrong choice. If you want the Rugby, get it in black.

4 Stars Not for Mac Users
I like this phone but I wish I would have known in advance that I would not be able to install ring tones and other Mac sounds/music on it. Had I known this I would have purchase and IPhone instead.

3 Stars Great potential, but it falls way short
Received the Rugby in 2 days. I knew it didn’t support voice dial, figured I could get used to that. But what really suprised me, and is a constant annoyance is the outer display. It turns completely off within 5 seconds of closing the phone. There is nothing in setup to configure it differently. What is the point of even having an outer display, especially a 65,000 color display, if it is never on for more than 5 seconds? Furthermore, the display does not respond to any buttons on the outside of the phone. You have to actually open, then close the flap to check the time, or to see if you have missed a call.( a two handed operation). It does not even light when connected to the charger. It appears dead unless it is handled constantly.

This complaint may seem insignificant, but I am a carpenter/ woodworker, I use loud machinery, so I miss a lot of calls, and I do not wear a watch. I keep my phone on the bench near where I am working, and often glance at the phone to check for missed calls, or the time. Sometimes I have glue on my hands- even paint- I can’t be picking up and manipulating the phone every few minutes. This phone is being marketed as a workingman’s device, but it falls way short.

It is a fairly large size, a bit large for jeans pocket, but one could get used to it. The speakerphone is excellent. Loud. Very Loud. I would be extremely satisfied with this phone if not for the front display issue.

1 Star Don’t be disappointed
I bought this phone for its rugged specifications. I’m an active person (firefighter) and I thought I’d like some additional protection. The specs are nothing more than window dressing. The phone got wet, admittedly immersed, and failed.

When warranty work was sought, Samsung simply voided the warranty for the reason of “moisture.”

Worthless company, worthless product.Samsung Rugby A837 Phone, Black (AT&T)Samsung Rugby A837 Phone, Yellow (AT&T)

3 Stars A bit of a letdown
This refers to the MAROON model but color shouldn’t be a factor.

I purchased this phone primarily because of its ruggedness, and on that score it’s fine. As an old guy (not old enough for a Jitterbug), I won’t use 90% of the features but those I want are lacking. I wanted voice dial: nada. With all the bells and whistles available, why can’t we record a call? How often are you in a position to jot down info a caller provides?

Buy/More Info

HTC Touch PRO Phone Black Sprint

Get down to business and stay close to all your most important contacts and documents while on the go with the HTC Touch Pro Smartphone for Sprint, which combines a slide-out QWERTY keyboard paired with HTC’s intuitive, graphic-rich TouchFLO 3D touchscreen user interface. The TouchFLO 3D user interface responds perfectly to your finger gestures when scrolling through contacts, browsing the web, and launching media–all vividly displayed as photos and artwork on the 2.8-inch screen powered by the 3D graphics processor. And with the power of the updated Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system, you’ll stay easily connected to your business and personal data on the go with support for a wide variety of email accounts as well as the ability to edit Microsoft Office documents.

With the TouchFLO 3D interface, album artwork, calendar items and snapshots are brought to life for you to interact, play and launch at your fingertips.

The HTC Touch Pro for Sprint provides a mobile Internet experience that uses the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network (EV-DO Rev. A). You’ll also enjoy GPS navigation capabilities for accessing the optional Sprint Navigation turn-by-turn direction service as well as access to Sprint TV’s video-on-demand with full-motion video and vivid sound. Other features include built-in Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), a 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth for handsfree devices and stereo music streaming, and up to 4 hours of talk time. Compatible with MicroSD memory cards for expansion up to 16 GB, 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 Rev. A 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 Rev. A connectivity provides peak network download data rates of up to 3.1 Mbps and peak upload data rates of up to 1.8 Mbps; average download speeds range from 600 kbps to 1.4 mbps and average uplink speeds range from 350 to 500 kbps.

With Sprint TV, you can make your cell phone your always-on source for news, weather, sports and more. This comprehensive service allows you to access your favorite channels and networks within seconds to watch live TV or video-on-demand with full-motion video. Choose from more than 50 live television channels and watch programs such as CNN mobile, FOX sports and E! Entertainment; access NFL Network and special programming via Sprint Exclusive Entertainment.

Sprint brings you closer to this season’s NFL action with NFL Mobile Live, which enables you to listen to the live radio broadcasts of every NFL game throughout the 2008 regular season. Sprint is making it easier to follow a specific team by carrying a live radio broadcast for each game, including pregame and postgame reports in most instances. NFL Mobile Live also allows NFL.com fantasy owners to monitor the performance of every player in real time directly from their phone. Key information for individual players will be easily accessible, including real-time game and season cumulative stats, rankings, player profiles and photos. NFL Mobile Live is free of charge to Sprint data subscribers.

The slide-out, backlit QWERTY keyboard makes sending email and editing documents fast and familiar.

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.

The Sprint Mobile Sync service enables you to store and manage up to 5,000 contacts in your Sprint Mobile Sync address book, including phone numbers, addresses, notes and other fields. After your phone is activated, every change you make to your address book will be automatically saved on the Sprint network and every change you make online will be updated on your phone. Create and manage personal Group Connect groups to instantly reach up to 20 other users, at the same time, via Nextel Direct Connect or texting. Import contact fields to your address book or synchronize them with your Microsoft Outlook contacts.

Phone Features
With the TouchFLO 3D interface, HTC has taken a great leap forward in touchscreen innovation. It’s designed for one-hand operation using simple, gesture-based navigation, allowing you to simply touch, hold and slide along the screen tabs. A quick slide on the home screen quickly activates the most used features such as e-mail, text messaging, music player and camera. This instinctive interface extends to the powerful Web browser, where a useful “zoom in, zoom out” feature makes it especially easy to access the Web via the included Opera browser, which provides for desktop-like Web page renderings and user interactions. An integrated accelerometer senses when you change the position of the phone from portrait to landscape viewing, and it auto-rotates the screen’s orientation.

The HTC Touch Pro features a sharp, 262K-color 2.8-inch VGA touchscreen (480 x 640 pixels) for touch-sensitive navigation control, complete with three-dimensional animated transitions. For email, messaging and other data input, the HTC Touch Pro also comes equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard that slides out from the smartphone’s side.

Business users can choose from several popular platforms to access your corporate e-mail. The Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional platform offers seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook information including email, contacts, calendar and to-do lists. You can access and edit email attachments using mobile versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint.

In addition, the HTC Touch Pro supports scores of industry-specific applications as well as Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager (MDM), an enterprise-grade mobile device management solution that also provides security, mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) and software distribution for Windows Mobile devices enabled for Windows Mobile 6.1. For maximum flexibility, customers can choose to use either the classic Windows Mobile interface or HTC’s acclaimed TouchFLO 3D graphical interface, which makes popular applications easily available at the swipe of a finger.

This phone provides Bluetooth version 2.0 wireless connectivity with EDR (enhanced data rate), and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, and audio/video remote control. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You’ll also be able to access open Wi-Fi networks in offices and hotspots via the integrated 802.11b/g wireless connectivity.

Other features include:

• 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus; video capture up to CIF resolution (352 x 288 pixels)
• Windows Media Player compatible with MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, WAV file formats
• 512 MB of ROM, 288 MB of RAM
• Compatible with ActiveSync 4.5 and Windows Mobile Device Center
• Support for polyphonic ringtones as well as real-music ringers
• Voice command capable.
• MicroSD memory card expansion (up to 16 GB capacities)
• WorldCard Mobile business card reader
• USB 2.0 connectivity with mass storage capabilities
• Bluetooth version 2.0+EDR with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), BPP (basic printing profile for text, email), DUN (dial-up networking), FTP (file transfer), HID (support for mice or joysticks), OPP (object push for business cards, calendar items, and pictures), PAN (personal area networking), PBA (transfer contacts)
• Hearing Aid Compatibility = M3

Vital Statistics
The HTC Touch Pro weighs 4.94 ounces and measures 4.17 x 2.04 x 0.71 inches. Its 1340 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4.0 hours of talk time, and up to 350 hours (14.6 days) of standby time. It runs on the CDMA 800/1900 frequencies as well as Sprint’s EV-DO Rev. A data network.

Powered by Windows Mobile 6.1
Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 6.1 offers a number of handy features that make searching through email, editing Microsoft Office documents, and staying on top of your most important communications even easier. Emails can now be viewed in their original rich HTML format and now offer the ability to visit embedded links. It also includes Windows Live for Windows Mobile, which provides a full set of Windows Live services, such as the Windows Live Messenger IM application, which now enables you to chat with more than one person at one time or send a file.

With Windows Mobile 6.1, your phone will finally be able to emulate the power and features of your PC’s Microsoft Office suite. You’ll be able to neatly view, navigate and edit Word documents and Excel spreadsheets in their original formatting–without affecting tables, images or text–as well as view PowerPoint presentations.

• Microsoft Office Word Mobile features include spell-check, Find and Replace commands, bulleted lists, text formatting, and support for tables for the first time.
• With Excel Mobile, you’re not just confined to editing charts: with the new Chart Wizard you can create charts quickly and easily.
• PowerPoint Mobile allows you to view the full presentation, rehearse timings, check the order and any live links you may have in your presentation. You can then email comments back to the team or communicate via MSN Messenger for an immediate response.
• After creating or editing a Word document or Excel spreadsheet, you can synchronize it with your PC and it will automatically be converted to the PC version.

All Windows Mobile 6.1 powered devices include Direct Push Technology for up-to-date e-mail delivery and automatic synchronization of Outlook calendars, tasks and contacts through Microsoft Exchange Server. It also offers a set of important device security and management features that include the capability to remotely wipe all data from a device should it be lost or stolen, helping ensure that confidential information remains that way.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Best phone
Ok I have gotten into the world of PPC’s with a real old model,

This is by far the best phone, and the wife loved it so much she had to get it. Now for thoose not used to a ppc it might feel a bit clunky with the interface, but do to all it can do it will.

I will say battery life could be better, although there are registry tweaks and such that greatly help ([...]). There are certain programs to help with the TF3D feel. Overall I highly recomend this to someone with the need and use for a powerfull phone, and business use.

Dave

1 Star Amazon Customer Service
Amazon customer service is terrible. If THEY have a problem, they just simply cancel your order without notification and tell you “if you really want the product, you just have re-order online because there is nothing else we can do”.

It is a shame because Amazon’s price is great for this phone. If I ever get this phone, because this will be the 4th time I’m ordering it, I’ll rate the actual phone in another review.

But shame on Amazon!!! Their customer service is weak.

3 Stars Noob perspective – it’s a computer not a phone
I recently switched from a traditional cell phone to this phone because of the reportedly good web experience. It does have a good web expereince, but alas I miss having a phone. This is a warning to all you “phone only” users wanting to transcend to a higher plain…this might not be the one for you.

Pro: fast internet and good browser experience

Cons: weak battery and clumbsy phone interface.

Short story: this device is less of a phone and more of a very small computer. Still bleeding edge in IMHO.

1 Star Flashy, but……
I must concur with fellow reviewer Neil Brown. The interface of this phone is an inconsistent mess. Coming from the Palm OS, I was always presented with a consistent user interface, just one example: the save and cancel key buttons always in the same place, regardless of the feature. The HTC buttons change functionality and position with each program; even the basic buttons work differently. The OK and cancel buttons (tiny! keep your fingernails long) appear almost randomly on the top and bottom of the screen. The back arrow sometimes takes you back to the previous screen and sometimes it doesn’t. Furthermore, the same program will act differently with the pull out keyboard than with the phone in the vertical position. The TouchFlo feature is useless because of the delayed inconsistent screen feedback. Unfortunately, the HTC was chosen by my company as THE phone for us to use.

5 Stars Best phone on the market
For people who want a device that is a computer in their pocket this is the right device for you. For those of you who aren’t comfortable with computers and there make-up and don’t know how to customize things to your liking on a windows mobile device than this device is not for you. The great thing about windows mobile is there are so many customizable options you have out there and the programs you can install are limitless. If you don’t like how a certain program functions install a different one. There are tons of custom rom’s (operating systems) You can install to turn this machine into a beast that cannot be touched by any other phone out there today.

Buy/More Info

Samsung Trance Phone Red Verizon Wireless

The successor to the popular Juke music phone, the Samsung Trance slider phone for Verizon Wireless is designed for anyone who has an ear for music and an eye for style. Sound technology by Bang & Olufsen ICEpower transforms your playlist into a performance while one-touch music access puts your personal concert right at your finger tips. A unique music sharing capability also enables you to listen to music from one Samsung Trance through two Bluetooth stereo devices simultaneously, so you can share your music experience with friends.

The Samsung Trance slider phone has an ear for music with a unique Bluetooth Music Share feature, Bluetooth stereo music streaming, and access to the Verizon Wireless V CAST Music with Rhapsody service.

It’s also compatible with the VZ Navigator turn-by-turn direction service and includes a 1.3-megapixel camera, 1 GB internal memory, and MicroSD expansion up to 16 GB.

It’s compatible with Verizon’s V Cast Music with Rhapsody service, which allows you to side-load music downloaded from Rhapsody on your PC to the Trance’s 1 GB internal memory or to an optional MicroSD memory card. This phone also offers an A-GPS receiver, which enables you to access the Verizon Wireless VZ Navigator service for turn-by-turn directions. Other features include a 1.3-megapixel camera for still photos, Bluetooth for handsfree devices and stereo music streaming to optional headphones and speaker docks, MicroSD memory expansion up to 16 GB, access to mobile email and instant messaging, personal organizer tools, and up to 4.5 hours of talk time.

Verizon Wireless Service
This phone is compatible with the Verizon Wireless V CAST Music with Rhapsody, which enables you to access this exclusive digital music service for RealNetworks and for MTV Networks. V CAST Music with Rhapsody delivers unlimited monthly access to music on up to three Rhapsody-compatible mobile phones and players and online on multiple PCs and Web browsers. For a monthly fee (billed on your Verizon Wireless bill), you can load and reload your subscription songs from your PC to your V CAST Music with Rhapsody phone as often as you want, and take your music on the go. On your computer running the Windows XP or higher operating system, you can also browse, preview and purchase music using the V CAST Music with Rhapsody software, which is available as a free download from the V CAST Music with Rhapsody download website.

With this GPS-enabled phone, you’ll be able to access the Verizon Wireless VZ Navigator service (additional charges applicable) for voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, heads-up alerts, local search of nearly 14 million points of interest in the US (such as landmarks, restaurants and ATMs), and detailed color maps. And the Chaperone service lets you easily locate your loved ones from your Verizon Wireless phone or PC in real time. After defining a zone, such as an area designating a school or summer camp, you’ll be sent an alert via text message when the Chaperone handset enters or leaves the zone.

Phone Features
The Samsung Trance slider phone has a 2.1-inch LCD screen with a 176 x 220-pixel resolution and support for 262K colors. Below the display, lighted touch navigation buttons appear only when touched or the phone is moved, and controls include a four-way navigator, two soft navigation keys, and a dedicated music play key. The face slides smoothly up to reveal a standard alpha-numeric keypad that’s complemented with send/end keys and a dedicated camera button.

The Trance comes with a built-in 1 GB of memory (actual formatted capacity is less) for storing music as well as a 64 MB of RAM and 128 MB of flash memory for storing applications. You can expand the phone’s memory via optional MicroSD memory cards (up to 16 GB in size). The internal phonebook can store up to 1000 contact entries with multiple numbers per entry as well as support for caller groups and photo/ringer ID. Other features include display of the last 90 incoming/outgoing/missed phone calls, embedded ringtones, compatibility with 72-chord polyphonic and real-music ringtones, and silent/vibrate modes.

The digital audio player supports a full range of music files, including MP3, AAC, M4A, AAC+, EAAC+, WMA, WMA Pro, and WMA Pro Plus. You can repeat one song or the whole playlist, shuffle music, or listen to a playlist in order. Other features include the ability to create and manage playlists while on the go, multi-tasking while listening to music (such as sending text messages or email), and PC synchronization.

It also includes Bang & Olufsen ICEpower, the world’s most advanced digital amplification technology, which utilizes less power and produces less excess heat while creating a more powerful and crystal clear sound. It offers superior audio quality comparable to professional audio systems with total harmonic distortion under 1 percent and a signal-to-noise ratio of -80dB. The 3.5mm headphone adaptor enables you to connect any type of earphone.

With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. This phone also includes a unique Bluetooth Music Sharing capability, which allows you to listen to music from one Samsung Trance through two Bluetooth stereo devices simultaneously–so you can share your music experience with friends (Music Sharing does not allow you to transfer any music files via Bluetooth technology).

Handsfree communication is easy thanks to the integrated speakerphone. You’ll also enjoy handsfree communication when using optional Bluetooth communication headsets and handsfree car kits. It also includes profiles for object push (vCard and vCalendar only) and basic image and phonebook access.

The 1.3-megapixel camera shoots still photos only, and it offers six resolution options (1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480, 320 x 240, 160 x 120, 128 x 96 pixels) as well as a digital zoom, Night Shot capabilities for shooting in low-light situation, multi-shot, brightness adjustment, and a self-timer.

Stay in touch with friends while you’re on the go using SMS text messaging. When used in combination with the phone’s built-in still camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. The phone comes with a built-in web browser for downloads and mobile web browsing. It’s also compatible with accessing mobile and web email as well as popular instant messaging services.

Other features include:

• Threaded messaging for organized, easy-to-follow text conversations
• Personal Organizer: Calendar with Scheduler, Note Pad
• Tools: Alarm Clock, World Clock, Calculator with Converter, Stop Watch
• Voice Commands: Voice Dial, Menu Readout, Digit Dial Readout, Text Message Readout, and Call Alert
• Bilingual interface: English/Espa

Samsung Instinct s30 Phone Charcoal Sprint

The sleek successor to the iconic Samsung Instinct touchscreen phone, the Samsung Instinct s30 raises the bar with built-in instant messaging, an improved Web-browsing experience through both the default browser and Opera Mini 4.2 and pre-loaded demo games including Guitar Hero World Tour. It also offers a thinner streamlined design for a smoother feel in your hands along with a 3.2-inch touchscreen with haptic feedback. You’ll enjoy the blazingly fast speeds of Sprint’s EV-DO Rev. A Mobile Broadband Network as well as GPS navigation capabilities for accessing the optional Sprint Navigation turn-by-turn direction service and access to Sprint TV’s video-on-demand with full-motion video and vivid sound.

The Samsung Instinct s30 offers a built-in instant messaging, an improved Web-browsing experience and popular game demos.

Other features include a 2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth for handsfree communication and stereo music streaming, MicroSD memory expansion up to 16 GB, voice dialing capabilities, and up to 4.6 hours of talk time.

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 the NFL Network, ABC, The Weather Channel, Fox Sports, E!, CNN, The Discovery Channel, and more.

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. You also get several streaming-radio applications, including Sprint Radio with more than 150 channels.

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.

With Sprint Mobile Email, you’ll get easy access to your favorite home email services including AOL, Yahoo!, Gmail, and MSN/Windows Live Hotmail and more. And Sprint Mobile Email Work enables you to access email from corporate servers, including Microsoft Exchange 2000, 2003, 2007 and Lotus Notes Domino versions 6.0, 6.5 and 7.0 (with the latest software update).

The handset also features a 2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth stereo music streaming, MicroSD memory expansion (to 16 GB), and Visual Voicemail.

Phone Features
Ideal for those looking to simplify and increase the productivity of their business and personal lives, the Samsung Instinct s30 brings your most-used applications and contacts within a single finger tap. With the Instinct, you don’t have to listen to voicemail anymore. Just one quick glance at the Visual Voicemail display and you’ll know who called and when–and even delete messages without having to listen to them first. It has a high-tech look with large, vibrant 3.2-inch touchscreen a 240 x 432-pixel resolution and support for 262K colors for excellent depth. And the Instinct s30 responds to every touch with a slight vibration. This localized tactile feedback, called haptics, transforms the virtual QWERTY keypad and other screen interactions into a sensory experience.

The Instinct s30 offers a Speech to Action button, which provides many functions using voice activation including call, text, picture messaging, traffic, movie, sports, news and search. Speech to Action brings seamless integration with Sprint Navigation, powered by Telenav, with GPS-enabled audio and visual turn-by-turn driving directions, one-click traffic rerouting and more than 10 million local listings.

Tips and Tricks Sharing GPS Directions It’s simple to share driving directions. Just touch Main > Navigation > Drive to > Recent Places, then select a previous destination and pick any recipient with a mobile phone number. Touch Share and send it to an email or a mobile phone. Find Movies Near You To find out what’s playing in your area, touch Web > Movies. See an updated list of what’s showing by title or find out what’s playing near you.

This sleek, stylish device offers three dedicated keys on the lower portion of the device to make operation of the device very straightforward and easy to navigate–phone, back and home. The phone key always takes you back to essential voice calling and features including speed dial, visual voicemail, contacts and the dial pad. The back key is a consistent way to take a step back in the operation.

Handsfree communication is easy thanks to the integrated speakerphone. This phone also provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0), and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, and file transfer. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking–surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server (additional charges or subscription applicable).

The 2-megapixel camera can capture images up to 1600 x 1200 pixels for prints up to 8 x 10 inches. It features a 2x digital zoom, “fuzzy picture” warning that lets you know if you’re about to take a bad picture, and easy viewing of photos by simply swiping your finger across the screen to move from one photo to the next. It also includes a video camcorder function that lets you record video clips up to 2 MB (approximately 6 minutes) for sending via messaging or for as long as you have space on an inserted MicroSD memory card for saving.

The music player is compatible with MP3, WMA, and AAC/AAC+ digital audio formats, and it will play in the background even while sending text messages, browsing the Web, or playing a downloaded game. This phone is also compatible with 72-chord polyphonic ringtones, and it includes a vibrate silent mode.

See larger image.

Other features include:

• Live Search for Sprint, powered by Microsoft, provides easy access to directory information on-the-go, GPS-enabled directions, interactive maps and one-touch click to call access
• Visual Voicemail allows you to listen to messages in their order of preference and manage them with a simple tap of the screen
• True HTML Web experience from both the enhanced embedded browser and the addition of Opera Mini 4.2 with a desktop-like browsing experience
• Store up to 600 contact entries, each with fields for five phone numbers, an email address, a web site, and notes
• Messaging services: SMS text, MMS multimedia, instant messaging, email
• Personal Organizer: Calculator, Calendar (sync with Outlook or personal), Alarm Clock, World Clock, Stopwatch and Notepad
• MicroSD memory expansion (up to 16 GB)
• Speed dialer can store up to 99 numbers
• 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), FTP (file transfer), OPP (object push for business cards, calendar items, and pictures), PBA (transfer contacts)

Vital Statistics
The Samsung Instinct s30 weighs 3.88 ounces and measures 2.17 x 4.57 x 0.48 inches. Its 1000 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4.6 hours of talk time. It runs on the 800/1900 CDMA/EV-DO frequencies.

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BlackBerry Curve 8330 Phone Silver Verizon Wireless

Adding a fashionable touch to Research in Motion’s formidable arsenal of telephonic, PIM, and media tools, the BlackBerry 8330 Curve for Verizon 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 email 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 VZ Navigator turn-by-turn direction service.

The Curve’s full QWERTY keyboard and the innovative trackball navigation system (placed above the keyboard) makes accessing your data and writing email a breeze.

Verizon Service
Getting on the Internet is easy using Verizon’s Mobile Web 2.0 package, which allows you to read and send e-mails, exchange instant messages and view your favorite web content on your phone. Verizon’s Get It Now wireless download service is also fully compatible with this phone. This pay-per-download service features application downloads, games and productivity tools. You can also personalize your handset with ringtone downloads using the Get It Now service.

Get to any location with audible turn-by-turn directions from the optional VZ Navigator service.

With this GPS-enabled phone, you’ll be able to access Verizon’s VZ Navigator service (additional charges applicable) for voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, heads-up alerts, local search of nearly 14 million points of interest in the US (such as landmarks, restaurants and ATMs), and detailed color maps.

With BroadbandAccess Connect (subscription required), you can use your smartphone as a modem for your notebook when you connect the two using a USB cable–or open a Bluetooth connection–enabling you to access the Internet or your company intranet. The tethered modem capability is ideal when you’re traveling and need to use your notebook to check email, access corporate networks, or download large files like presentations and reports. And with BroadbandAccess Connect, you won’t have to buy an extra PC Card or other devices. Staying Connected
With BlackBerry’s push email technology, your email will find you without having to initiate a connection. BlackBerry devices are designed to remain on and continuously connected to the wireless network, notifying you as new email arrives. In addition to the text, you can also receive and view attachments in a wide range of popular file formats, including Microsoft Office, Corel WordPerfect, and Adobe PDF.

Browse the web with the integrated, full-featured browser, which quickly and efficiently displays HTML pages as well as enables you to set up RSS feeds to stay connected to up-to-the-minute news and blog posts. And keep up with your contacts using a variety of instant message (IM) networks, including the integrated Blackberry Messenger as well as downloadable clients for Google Talk, Yahoo! Messenger, and Lotus Sametime.

For corporate users, the Curve delivers all the enterprise email and messaging capabilities you’ve come to expect. It’s supported on BlackBerry Internet Service, giving you access to up to 10 work or personal email accounts (including most popular ISP email accounts), as well as BlackBerry Enterprise Server, enabling advanced security and IT administration within IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise environments.

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 email, 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. Other features include:

• Works with the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution (BES) to provide functionality such as single mailbox integration, remote address book look-up and more
• BlackBerry 4.3 Desktop Software. Integrated Email, Phone, SMS, Browser, Calendar, Address Book, and additional organizer applications
• Music playback: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA
• 96 MB Flash Memory/32 MB RAM
• Bluetooth version 2.0 with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets)

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 4.3 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 (not Rev. A Upgradeable).

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars The Best Phone I Have Ever Owned
I got the Blackberry 8330 (my color is pink) at the end of December (after I saw my daughter’s phone same model, black color) This phone is terrific! It does take a little time to find out everything it does (I’m still learning), but it is worth it! This is my first venture with texting. The buttons are a little small, but once you get used to them, there is no problem. I love the trackball, which makes going from one app to another very easy. The address book is easy to set up. The camera is not too bad and it has a flash. I’ve send pictures to others and it was so simple. The sound is clear and volume is easily adjustable. It is very easy to surf the web using Google. I used to think, why would you need to surf on your phone when you have a computer/laptop. I had major surgery in December and had to go to a physical therapy rehab nursing facility and they did not have internet service (I could not believe it. There wasn’t even the dreaded dial-up). My husband gave me the Blackberry and it was great. Also several times when there is a disagreement on when you are with friends and you can just Google it and all is well. It is somewhat annoying that you have to go under the battery to get to the micro s/d card, but if you have more GB (takes up to a 8GB s/d) that should not be a problem. There are the usual calendar, alarm clock, voice recorder and message pad. With the icons they are very easy to find and use. Finally, as I said earlier, I got the pink one which alot of people didn’t know they had. Also since there was a difference in holding this phone compared to my old phone I would suggest you get a case to cover it. I found that a snap on case and the one from “Seidio” is the best and only costs about $8.00 to $10.00 on the net. It is hard plastic with a rubberized finish the keeps the phone from sliding from your hand. There are cheaper imitations but they are not well made and crack very easily. I would definately get this phone. I’m a Baby Boomer and I learned to use it quickly. Of course, I really like Verizon service. I have had other services and there is no comparison.

4 Stars Full of Features
I anxiously awaited the arrival of my new Blackberry… but had mixed feelings once getting it in my hands.

PROS:

I think it can do just about anything, perhaps even fly a plane.

Great size – I was expecting it to be as awkward as holding the iphone – but it was much more comfortable.

Camera shot nice quality photos.

Screen was large and easy to read.

Nicely made, lightweight, but a substantial feel in the hand.

Though a silly comment, the ringtones are great.

CONS:

The set up time was lengthy. Entering new contacts would also take a while. (transfer from your existing phone if you can.)

The key pad is a bit small – what would happen if the print rubbed off the keys? Plus the trackball was a little hard to get used to.

I live in a rural area, so the network was a bit slow, even though according to Verizon it was as fast as it would be in an urban area. Apps timed out or froze often.

Offering so many options made it clumsy to navigate quickly. Less intuitive than other smartphones.

Obviously, this device is for someone who might use it as a mobile office, needed document access or needs to maintain large contact information. It can do almost too much – not the best choice for someone mainly interested in a phone & texting. I found that many apps needlessly overlapped other devices that I have, so I decided to return it for something else. Great phone, just not for me.

5 Stars I have Blackberry Curve with Verizon Wireless and I honestly wonder how I lived without it!
I have Blackberry Curve with Verizon Wireless and I honestly wonder how I lived without it! It is such a useful tool for email, social networking, like twitter and facebook. The camera is good so you can send pictures and videos to anyone. I use it on fires to send pix and updates from the fireline via twitter and facebook. Before this phone I used a Motorola Q and the Curve blows its doors off. I purchased an 8 gigabyte Micro SD Card for less that $[...] to store photos and videos. Its packed full of features that I have yet to discover.

[...]

4 Stars Here’s Why I’m A Crackberry Addict!
The Good:

* Clear, reliable calls

* Extensive messaging capabilities

* Excellent usability – very intuitive

* Good bluetooth support

* Easy to add new apps with many available for free

* Good media support

The Bad:

* No option for repeat notification on unacknowledged text messages

* SD card slot not accessible without removing the battery

* GPS usage restricted to VZW apps

Bottom Line:

The Blackberry Curve for Verizon hits the mark as a very solid smartphone with only minor drawbacks. My detailed usage based review follows.

Messaging: This is the main reason that people look to a Blackberry as their phone, and the Curve does not disappoint. After contacting my Exchange Administrator, I was up and running with push e-mail from my work account to my Curve. If your company supports this, it is the way to go because it does require your desktop computer to be on and connected in order to receive your e-mail. However you do have the ability to run the desktop software to sync your e-mail if a direct connection to your corporate e-mail is not available.

Messaging does not stop there. The Curve also flawlessly supports SMS and MMS messaging as well. One of the nice features on the Curve that is not on most regular phones is the grouping of related messages into threads or conversations.

The one drawback on SMS is that the Curve cannot simulate a pager. Most people have ditched pagers at this point in favor of SMS. However if you are not in the room when you get an SMS message, the Curve will not nag you until you read the message the way a pager would. My Lg phones had a feature where you could have repeated notification every two minutes, and it would be nice to see a similar feature on future Blackberry devices.

Call Quality: The great messaging capabilities would fall flat unless the Curve was also a good phone. While the sound is a little bit thinner than what I’m used to on my Lg phones, it is still more than good enough. This is true whether in normal or speakerphone mode. The speakerphone quality is quite good on the Curve.

Bluetooth: It was easy to pair my Motorola T305 Bluetooth Portable Hands-Free Speaker (Black) with the Curve. Once connected, pushing the multifunction button on the T305 brought up the voice command prompt for hands free usage. Call quality with the Curve and the T305 combination had no drop off in performance.

Additional Applications: There are plenty of freely available add ons for the Curve, and most support over the air installation by point the Curve’s browser to the appropriate URL. I have added Google’s mobile app, Gmail, and Google Maps. The Gmail app is a nice upgrade over the WAP interface available through the Curve’s browser. The Google Maps app cannot be used as a GPS for navigation as Verizon has restricted access to the GPS. You are limited to VZNavigator or whatever other purchased app Verizon makes available. I have a Garmin Nuvi so this isn’t a big deal to me.

You can find other apps on the Blackberry site or by searching for what you need in Google.

Usability: This is a real strong point for the Curve. I have had various Palm and Windows Mobile devices – not all phones – and RIM beats both of these hands down. First, it is refreshing not to have to reset the Curve regularly or have it reset itself spontaneously. The crown jewel, though, is the trackball. It is such a better user experience to be able to scroll rather than have to hold down a sluggish five-way D-pad to navigate. It is very smooth and natural feeling by way of comparison. The Curve does not have a touch screen, and therefore has no stylus. Personally I prefer the non-touchscreen as this limits fingerprints and smudges on the screen. The keyboard is of adequate size. I occasionally hit the wrong key, but his is fairly rare. The menus and options are also fairly intuitive, and it is easy to set up folders and move things around to your liking.

Media Support: The Curve comes with a fairly standard media player capable of playing music and video, and it supports the use of microSD cards up to 8 Gb. The placement of the card slot is a bit annoying because you have to take the battery out to get to it. If you don’t have to access the card that often, it’s probably not that big of a deal. The speaker is not going to win any competitions, but the included headphones are pretty good. If you decide to upgrade the headphones, it is important to get the right kind. Even though the Curve has a 3.5mm jack, the plug needs to have three stripes rather than the two that come on most earbuds. If you use the ones from you iPod that only have two, you will eventually short out the jack.

You can also stream media from Slacker or view video clips on web sites. YouTube mobile worked without issue.

One thing that would have been nice is access to V-Cast music. For whatever reason, Verizon chose not to make this available although they did do so on the Storm which makes the decision on the Curve that much more puzzling.

Conclusion: There is a lot to like – if not love – about the Blackberry Curve from Verizon. It performs very well on its core functionality with a few minor annoyances, but these are not new to longtime Verizon customers. I highly recommend this for those seeking a good phone that integrates well with corporate e-mail. Using it can be addictive to the point that it could be called a Crackberry!

5 Stars Best Phone I ever owned
Unfortunately, I recently upgraded to the blackberry storm from my old, trusty, reliable curve. Though there are things I absolutely love about the new storm (world-wide calling namely), I very much miss my old Curve. This phone was extremely reliable, never missing calls and always keeping accurate call records. I am one of those people who receives thousands of email messaged per day, and my curve kept up with them all. The trackball was very easy to use and to play brickbreaker, probably the best game to ever come preloaded on a phone. I loved that all my messaged came into one inbox, emails and texts alike. Plus, the QWERTY keyboard was easy to type with and made sending long email messages a breeze.

There are, however, a few reasons not to buy this phone. First of all, if you need worldwide voice and data, you can’t get that with the curve. Secondly, if you like to send extremely long SMS (text) messages, the curve (and any blackberry I believe) has a strict 160-character single message field. To send more than one you must send the first and then send the second and so on and so forth (this is not applicable to email). Third, if you don’t like locking you phone, you may want to go with something that closes. There have been many times when I’ve accidentally forgotten to lock my phone and had my curve call people (generally the first “p” in my contact list). Lastly, if you don’t like putting full names into your contact list, this can make the way your address book reads very messy.

Overall, the Blackberry Curve was the best phone I ever had. I’d probably downgrade if it had international calling. I’d highly recommend you buy this phone.

Buy/More Info