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A lot of people who see the specs of the Blackberry Curve 8520 will immediately be put off by the fact that it has no 3G and it is only an Edge device. But there will always be a place in the market for Edge-only devices (at least there will be until such time it is truly phased out), and RIM will need a mobile phone to fill this niche in the market; thus, we have the Curve 8520.

The Hardware

When you first look at the Blackberry Curve 8520, you will notice its sleek and stylish design. First of all, RIM has extended the LCD protector (that shiny covering that initially only covered the screen) all the way down to the keyboards and all the way up over the screen. The overall design is still very much loyal to the Blackberry feel but is also very stylish and modern as well.

The weight of the Curve 8520 is also very light. It has a 320 x 240 resolution display, which provides a decent enough quality for videos and photos alike. It is decent but it is definitely a step backwards if you are familiar with the quality the Bold, Storm, 8900 or the 9630 had. This is especially evident when one starts browsing the Internet; the ratio is simply not enough to provide an enjoyable experience.

The Blackberry Curve 8520 also has a full QWERTY keyboard, reminiscent of the 8900’s as well as media buttons (located on the top of the handheld). It also has a 2.0 megapixel camera that comes without a flash, 1150mAh battery, microSD slots, two notification lights, and a battery door that does not have a latch.

The Optical Trackball

Possibly the brightest spot of the Blackberry Curve 8520 is its dropping of the more traditional physical trackball and adopting the innovative optical trackball (trackpad would be more appropriate). Some might be a bit skeptical of this change but the new optical trackball is very smooth and pretty much acts in the same way as the physical one, only much cooler. The sensitivity can also be adjusted as well as select an option that allows for a “clicking” sound when navigating (since some will find it a little unsettling not hearing any noise when navigating). It also “clicks” down like the traditional trackball, when selecting an item.

There have been some mention of problems regarding this trackball, especially for those who have extremely sweaty fingers or when in a very, very bright light but these are manageable. The biggest benefit that this innovation has for the Curve 8520 is the fact that it reduces the amount of moving parts and instantly increases its durability.

The Verdict

The Blackberry Curve 8520 is a base model for RIM to fill a niche in the market. That being said, it is quite impressive. It is the perfect Blackberry for those who are just entering into the Blackberry community. It is light, trendy, and easy to use. If this is the base model, be prepared to be “wowed” by future Blackberry devices that will be coming your way. It may be an Edge-only device but it is still worth your time and money.