Curve -- Engadget Mobile

BlackBerry Curve 8520 is a go for US, says FCC

by Ross Miller, posted Jun 30th 2009 @ 9:17PM

Whether or not it's coming to T-Mobile (spoiler: all signs point to yes), BlackBerry's Curve 8520 has now been ordained with FCC approval, clearing the hurdle for its sale stateside. Optical trackpad and EDGE connection your cup of tea? You know where to look, and for everyone else, there's always the Tour.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

BlackBerry Tour hands-on, wild sibling confrontation with Curve and Bold

by Paul Miller, posted Jun 25th 2009 @ 2:32PM

While some interesting things may or may not be happening under the hood, the freshly announced BlackBerry Tour for Verizon and Sprint (pictured in Verizon garb on the left) is hardly a departure on the surface. It mostly appears to be a minor modification to the Curve (right), though it does seem inexplicably thicker. The Bold seems positively overwrought in comparison. We didn't get much time to play with the OS, but the screen and the keyboard are pure new-generation BlackBerry charm.

Gallery: BlackBerry Tour hands-on, wild sibling confrontation with Curve and Bold

BlackBerry Curve 8520 with T-Mobile branding walks in front of a camera

by Ross Miller, posted Jun 15th 2009 @ 4:14PM

A BlackBerry 8520 bound for T-Mobile? Really, we're not surprised, having heard whispers not too long ago, and while not yet official, some gung ho Crackberry forum members have posted some shots of the branded phone in the wild, with just a dash of Mr. Blurrycam stylings for good effect. No indication of a release date here, but if you're really jonesing for a new 2.5G BlackBerry, last we heard it was coming fourth quarter of this year.

Update: That white trackpad isn't quite what it seems. According to the original poster, it's just a plastic covering. We hate to disappoint anyone who actually dug the new shade.

BlackBerry Curve and Bold getting price cuts on AT&T tomorrow

by Chris Ziegler, posted Jun 2nd 2009 @ 2:14PM

We've gotten word from a solid source that AT&T will be lowering prices on its two hottest BlackBerry models tomorrow, the recently-launched Curve 8900 and the Bold. Presently, the devices run $199.99 and $299.99 on contract after rebate, respectively -- but tomorrow you'll be looking at $149.99 and $199.99. Our understanding is that the pricing is only for a limited time, but with an unprecedented onslaught of high-end smartphones dropping both on AT&T and its competitors this summer, we wouldn't be surprised to see these new prices become semi-permanent.

BlackBerry Curve 8900 comes to AT&T this Friday for $199

by Chris Ziegler, posted May 20th 2009 @ 12:21PM

AT&T has just announced that the Curve 8900 -- which it had quoted for an "early summer" release -- will be made available both online and in stores starting this Friday. Interested parties who are adding a line or are eligible for a fully discounted upgrade should come equipped with a money clip bearing approximately $200 worth of dead presidents (not including tax) or a credit card with enough cap space to get the job done -- just don't expect any 3G out of the deal. Bold or Curve -- tough choice, isn't it?

BlackBerry Curve 8520 gets pre-reviewed

by Nilay Patel, posted May 4th 2009 @ 5:49PM

We've been dying to know more about that crazy BlackBerry Curve 8520 with the optical trackball in place of the usual spinner, and the crew over at CrackBerry's finally posted their pre-release review. Overall, it seems like a nice enough phone, and the optical trackball apparently works well, which is a nice surprise given our experience with them. On the downside, it's not nearly as nice as the Curve 8900, and while the overall design has been updated, components like the screen, battery, and camera are carryovers from the Curve 8300 -- a particular shame considering the raves RIM's been getting for its amazing screens lately. Of course, we can't complain too much considering this thing is EDGE-only and potentially destined to be a pay-as-you-go phone, but it sure does look nice, and we're interested in seeing how this design philosophy translates into higher-end sets... like, say, the Storm 2. Check the full review at the read link.

BlackBerry Curve 83XX overtakes iPhone 3G in US smartphone rankings

by Paul Miller, posted May 4th 2009 @ 10:34AM

The handset might've been surpassed in functionality and looks by its Curve 8900 successor, but nothing's got an edge on the BlackBerry Curve 83XX series in smartphone sales. According to NPD, the handset overtook the erstwhile champ iPhone 3G in the category for the first quarter of 2009, while BlackBerry's own Storm and Pearl handsets took the third and fourth slots, with the T-Mobile G1 rounding out the ranks in fifth place. Overall the smartphone market has grown from 17 percent of handset sales in Q1 2008 to 23 percent in Q1 2009. Compared to the previous quarter, RIM's gained a whopping 15 percent share of the US market -- owning nearly half of the entire scene -- while Apple and Palm both dropped 10 percent as they prep for their heroic mid-year launches.

RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8900 officially hitting AT&T in "early summer"

by Darren Murph, posted May 4th 2009 @ 9:27AM

Ah, ha! So the rumors were true. Just a day after we heard that RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8900 would be making its way from T-Mobile over to AT&T comes this -- official confirmation from the carrier itself. Loaded with WiFi, GPS and a 480 x 360 resolution display, this 'Berry includes free AT&T WiFi at over 20,000 hotspots (with an unlimited data plan, ironically enough) and a 3.2 megapixel camera. There's also a microSD / SDHC slot that supports cards up to 16GB in size, and while AT&T's not being very forthcoming with pricing (as in, there's no word given at all), loyal customers can expect it to land sometime in "early summer." In other words, all this release has done is extinguish the rumor fires -- 'preciate it, Ma Bell.

RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8900 hitting AT&T next month?

by Darren Murph, posted May 3rd 2009 @ 10:34AM

We're beginning to wonder if we'll ever see RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8900 hit the AT&T airwaves, but considering just how long it takes for a phone to navigate through the carrier's absurdly long certification process, we'll chalk this one up to technical delays. After spotting the so-called Javelin in AT&T attire way back in November of last year, Boy Genius Report now has it on authority that the handset will finally debut next month. Unfortunately for those hoping for a little bonus in exchange for their patience, it's said to be "a mirror" of the T-Mobile version outside of the bundled Bold themes. Pricing details are still under wraps, but if you've waited this long, do the dollars really matter?

BlackBerry Curve 8520 "Gemini" image surfaces

by Ross Miller, posted May 1st 2009 @ 5:30PM

Well, what do we have here? The folks at Crackberry seem to have gotten their hands on a pic of the BlackBerryCurve 8520, a.k.a. "Gemini." From what we can see and from what they tell us, there's an optical trackball, dedicated media player buttons, and a "rubberized" body. Lack of 3G is a big bummer, and we're sure the non-classic trackball is gonna ruffle some feathers, but the hardware's enticing enough for us to give it a look over. Intrigued?

Mobile Visor, for BlackBerry Curves on the pro tour

by Chris Ziegler, posted Mar 22nd 2009 @ 1:34PM

Golf claps, please.

[Via Engadget Chinese]

Motorola i9, others coming to Sprint this week?

by Chris Ziegler, posted Mar 9th 2009 @ 3:52PM

We've seen a number of launch date leaks for Sprint courtesy of partner Brightpoint in the past; generally, they tend to be pretty accurate, so we're going to go ahead and put some weight to this latest one. Looks like we can expect Nextel to pick up the Motorola i9 on Wednesday -- Boost got it a little over a month ago, you might recall -- along with the ancient i580 in yellow. Brightpoint also reels in the Palm Treo Pro a few days earlier than Sprint's official date, while the LG Rumor 2 launches a few days later on the 15th or the 29th; Brightpoint's wording is a little odd here, so it's hard to tell exactly how it'll shake out. Finally, we have a camera-free version of the BlackBerry 8350i in the works, a logical product for RIM to be taking on considering the phone's all-business roots.

[Via phoneArena]

Telus BlackBerry Curve 8350i review

by Sean Cooper, posted Feb 25th 2009 @ 3:35PM

The Telus Mike-branded BlackBerry 8350i Curve is a monstrous step in device technology for the Canadian giant as the only other BlackBerry in the lineup is the BlackBerry 7100i *cough*. So we'll start this off by saying goodbye to the year 2006, welcome Mike to the year 2009, and share a few thoughts -- and an enormous gallery -- about this new Direct Connect set.

Gallery: Telus BlackBerry Curve 8350i review

Continue reading Telus BlackBerry Curve 8350i review

BlackBerry Curve 8900 coming to AT&T this month, Pearl Flip in March?

by Ross Miller, posted Feb 13th 2009 @ 4:43PM

We've had sightings of BlackBerry's Curve 8900 running on AT&T before, and now comes word from a Boy Genius Report tipster that the pairing will be made official this month and the handset's SKU is already popping up in the carrier's systems. Additionally, the Pearl Flip 8210 is rumored to be making its debut on the network sometime in March. BGR expects the prices to be somewhere around $200 and $100, respectively. We can't say we'll be surprised if the Curve finds its way to AT&T, but we're excited at the thought of finally having a carrier-independent matchup between it and the Bold.

T-Mobile's BlackBerry Curve 8900s selling like hotcakes

by Chris Ziegler, posted Feb 11th 2009 @ 10:19PM

We've gotten tips from all over the country today saying that Curve 8900s are very hard to come by at T-Mobile locations, and now, we have a better idea why. T-Mobile hooked us up with an official statement on the situation saying that presales were "robust," which led to phones being available only in very small numbers in-store out of the gate. Naturally, we're sure T-Mob's working closely with RIM to get these suckers out to anyone who wants them as quickly as possible, but in the short term, going the online route might be your best bet if you want one in your hands on the double. See the full statement straight from the horse's mouth after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading T-Mobile's BlackBerry Curve 8900s selling like hotcakes