Blackberry | Computer, Electronics, Gadget, Software Reviews

Manufacturer: BlackBerry
Sale Price: $385.70

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A sleek new twist on a classic style. You can keep your finger on the pulse of what¿s important to you with the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone. The striking 480x360-pixel screen offers up crisp on - the-go video, images, text, maps and more. With a refined design, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone is an easy-to-use device that delivers expanded functionality and reliable results. Balance work, life and everything in between with the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone.Move your mouse over the glowing hotspots to the left to discover the great features of the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone.When you need help finding your way - or the nearest coffee shop-use the built-in GPS. It¿s designed to work with BlackBerry Maps and other location - based software, to help you figure out where you are and how to get to where you need to be. Use a Wi-Fi network to check email, shop online, stream videos and music or even make phone calls.6,7. Wireless home networks and public hotspots can give you access to all of your BlackBerry services.Setting up Wi-Fi networks on the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone is easy and switching back and forth from your carrier service can be seamless.

Product Details

This unlocked cell phone is compatible with GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile. Not all carrier features may be supported. It will not work with CDMA carriers like Verizon Wireless, Alltel and Sprint.
Unlocked Quad-band cell phone compatible with 850/900/1800/1900 GSM plus GPRS/EDGE data capabilities
Access all your email and messaging with the sleekest, lightest, thinnest full-QWERTY keyboard BlackBerry yet featuring a high-resolution 480 x 320 pixel LCD screen
Wi-Fi connectivity for Web browsing; GPS for turn-by-turn directions using BlackBerry Maps; 3.2-megapixel digital camera; Bluetooth stereo music; MicroSD expansion to 16 GB
Up to 5.5 hours of talk time, up to 356 hours (15 days) of standby time

Customer Reviews

The smallest, lightest, and best Blackberry around.

Review Date: February 8, 2009

Reviewer: Tarun Chachra, Hillsborough, NJ

HI All.

I have used a blackberry for over 10 years now...give or take. I have always been impressed by the devices they have created in the past and the current line of devices. Since I like to be on the bleeding edge of tech, I just had to get a 8900.

Most of you know by now what the new feature sets are of blackberries that are out today. The bold, the storm, and now this one The JAVELIN.
I wont go into too much detail but I will give you my quick run down.

The Javelin is perhaps the thinnest, lightest, small footprint blackberry that I have ever used. It sports a great look and the feel to the hands is awesome. It is after all the curve II. Screen comparison to the bold is that this unit has a higher resolution then the bold but a smaller physical screen. The higher resolution definitely adds some clarity to the screen...but it should be duly noted that the BOLD's screen is also beautiful. Yes I own both.

The Javelin is a EDGE/Wi-FI device...it does not have 3G capabilities. Technically you only need 3G if you want to be on the phone and receive/send emails at the same time when using your mobile connections...I personally have never needed that functionality. However, please note that if you are connected to WI-FI you are able to be on a telephone call and receive/send email etc over wi-fi....works perfectly.

The Javelin has a new processor which makes the device FLY. Yes the processor is slower then the one in the Bold, but one can hardly tell the difference....I have used both for weeks...and I can honestly say you will not notice the speed difference.

I have a 8gb MicroSD card installed in the device and use the software available from blackberry to synchronize all of my DRM free music from iTunes to the Blackberry. A must buy if you want to carry one device that does it all. Amazon has great prices on micro-sd cards.....

Here are what I consider to be the best features on the Javelin:

1. AUTOFOCUS 3.2mp Camera - It is AWESOME. Picture taking, due to focus, is a bit slower....however, the clarity and quality of the picture make it all worthwhile.

2. FOOTPRINT - Great looking device with a great size.

3. High Resolution screen - Awesome clarity....

4. The functionality of a blackberry has always been a pro..and this one makes it better with a faster processor and more zippy feel.

The three BAD things:
1. The speaker on this thing is so TINNY....that it hurts my ears with certain tones.....there is NO bass what so ever. That is to be expected in a device this small....so maybe some new tones need to be tested out.

2. Micro-USB - Why take something like mini-usb and replace it with something new. Now I have to get all new chargers, travel chargers, etc.... Upsetting but bareable.

3. The holster in the BOX is simply a pleather pouch of sorts...no belt clip etc... You will need to buy an aftermarket leather/plastic holster if you wish to attach to your belt. Not a deal breaker...but should be mentioned.

I am posting some images for your review also.

Overall this is a great 5 Star Device.

T-Mobile 8900 Review--Mediocre Voice Quality Mars Otherwise Good Performance

Review Date: February 17, 2009

Reviewer: Satcha, Chicago, IL USA

I have now had a few days to check out the new T-Mobile Blackberry 8900. I will be comparing my most recent Blackberry, a T-Mobile 8800.

Good Points:

1. Nice screen; very good resolution; and good readability. Good for viewing attached documents.

2. Nice industrial design and small form factor.

3. Wifi (but it seems much slower than the Iphone or an old T-Mobile Dash I have around the house).

4. Pretty good camera. There is considerable shutter lag; but the photos are fair. Note that I cannot seem to be figure out how to turn off the annoying shutter sound. I tend to use a camera phone for reminders of a product or article that interested me. The shutter may be required by law in some locations; but I don't think it's required where I live.

5. Audible works a bit better. I am an Audible fan. (I also download audio books from Net Library, but they require a protected WMA format, which the 8900 does not support). I finally can downloads audio books directly to the device. There are still glitches, such as updating the My Library list, but it improved from essentially "non-functional" to "somewhat usable".

6. UMA--T-Mobile's voip option, worked quite well. Voice quality was so so (probably device limited) but setup was simple and it seems to work at various wifi sites without use of minutes or special hardware. I am excited to try this in Japan and on other international trips.

7. 3.5 mm headphone jack, started with the original Curve. Quite good sound though my headphones.

Not So Good Points:

1. Mediocre voice quality. My 8800 had exceptional voice quality. It was better than my Cisco Voip phone at work. The voice quality of the internal speaker for the 8900 is not nearly so good. I found myself continuously re-positioning the phone vis-a-vis my ear to try and hear better. This is a big problem; and makes me think about returning it rather than suffering through a year of poor voice calls. I have been with T-Mobile for seven years or so in the Chicago area (from right after Voicestream came to town). I find their service much better than AT&T and Verizon and rivaled only by Sprint (this may sound funny, but it is my experience). Anyway, this is probably the worst voice quality I have had on any of several Blackberry phones.

2. No 3G. May not mean so much for routine Blackberry functions, which are highly compressed, but for web browsing or downloads, lack of 3G is a big minus.

3. Annoying change from mini-usb to micro usb for device connections. I have several devices, such as M3P players and another phone that use mini-usb; now I need to have another cord just for the 8900 and buy some extra chargers and cords for when I travel. I note that the media-sync was much faster on the 8900 than my 8800. I don't know if this is because of better software, drivers or the micro usb (versus mini usb).

4. Annoying, audible phone dialing sound. In normal and other non-silent profiles, there is an annoying and very audible rapid dial sound that everyone around you can hear. My convoluted work around, found on line, is to use vibrate mode, and then have it ring. This is silly and annoying. It is representative of the settings limits for this phone that seriously detract from individual usability and customization.

5. The included case is a definite letdown. It is too small, leaving the top 1/2 inch of the device uncovered. It is too tight, making the phone tough to extract when answering a call, and there is not a belt clip.

6. Web browser--still bad. Bookmarks are a pain, locked in to useless T-Mobile sites, and browsing is not so good. I loaded Opera Mini but it doesn't seem to be well integrated. This may be the side effect of using an Iphone; by comparison the 8900 browser, even tough introduced more than a year after the Iphone, is so poor.

7. Reception seems to be worse than the 8800. It is difficult to compare exactly, but it seems that reception at home and work is a notch worse than my 8800. Not as bad as an Iphone, though, on AT&T.

Returned the QWERTZ but love the QWERTY

Review Date: January 27, 2009

Reviewer: Tarun Chachra, Hillsborough, NJ

HI All.

I have used a blackberry for over 10 years now...give or take. I have always been impressed by the devices they have created in the past and the current line of devices. Since I like to be on the bleeding edge of tech, I just had to get a 8900. Unfortunately, my lack of knowledge led me to purchase one with a QWERTZ keyboard (GERMAN). I had to return it and find a QWERTY keyboard unit. I did get one.....

Most of you know by now what the new feature sets are of blackberries that are out today. The bold, the storm, and now this one The JAVELIN.
I wont go into too much detail but I will give you my quick run down.

The Javelin is perhaps the thinnest, lightest, small footprint blackberry that I have ever used. It sports a great look and the feel to the hands is awesome. It is after all the curve II. Screen comparison to the bold is that this unit has a higher resolution then the bold but a smaller physical screen. The higher resolution definitely adds some clarity to the screen...but it should be duly noted that the BOLD's screen is also beautiful. Yes I own both.

The Javelin is a EDGE/Wi-FI device...it does not have 3G capabilities. Technically you only need 3G if you want to be on the phone and receive/send emails at the same time when using your mobile connections...I personally have never needed that functionality. However, please note that if you are connected to WI-FI you are able to be on a telephone call and receive/send email etc over wi-fi....works perfectly.

The Javelin has a new processor which makes the device FLY. Yes the processor is slower then the one in the Bold, but one can hardly tell the difference....I have used both for weeks...and I can honestly say you will not notice the speed difference.

I have a 8gb MicroSD card installed in the device and use the software available from blackberry to synchronize all of my DRM free music from iTunes to the Blackberry. A must buy if you want to carry one device that does it all. Amazon has great prices on micro-sd cards.....

Here are what I consider to be the best features on the Javelin:

1. AUTOFOCUS 3.2mp Camera - It is AWESOME. Picture taking, due to focus, is a bit slower....however, the clarity and quality of the picture make it all worthwhile.

2. FOOTPRINT - Great looking device with a great size.

3. High Resolution screen - Awesome clarity....

4. The functionality of a blackberry has always been a pro..and this one makes it better with a faster processor and more zippy feel.

The three BAD things:
1. The speaker on this thing is so TINNY....that it hurts my ears with certain tones.....there is NO bass what so ever. That is to be expected in a device this small....so maybe some new tones need to be tested out.

2. Micro-USB - Why take something like mini-usb and replace it with something new. Now I have to get all new chargers, travel chargers, etc.... Upsetting but bareable.

3. The holster in the BOX is simply a pleather pouch of sorts...no belt clip etc... You will need to buy an aftermarket leather/plastic holster if you wish to attach to your belt. Not a deal breaker...but should be mentioned.

I am posting some images for your review also.

Overall this is a great device. Please be certain you know what you are buying...a QWERTZ or a QWERTY.

I thought I selected a 5/5 review...but only 4 stars are lit up. THIS IS A 5 STAR DEVICE.

Great PDA, messager, and best of all a great phone

Review Date: June 11, 2009

Reviewer: L. Witherill, Los Angeles, CA USA

Pros: Reception and call quality!, interface, beautiful screen, syncs with Mac, keyboard, terrific sound on media player, decent camera, and intuitive user interface.

Cons: Battery life could be better, can be slow at times with multiple applications open, the Mac syncing software from Blackberry is finicky though it eventually works, no 3G network support :(

Summary: This phone is wonderful. My last two smartphones were Windows Mobile and this Blackberry completely blows them out of the water. The interface is wonderful and the OS is really reliable. I put battery life under cons, though it gets about forty hours with one charge on heavy text, email, internet, and phone usage, so this is really a minor complaint.

All in all I love this device. Compared to my girlfriend's previous gen Blackberry, this little gadget is a beauty and a top performer. Keyboard is about the same, but the 8900 wins in just about every other category: build, reception, screen, interface, camera.

Versus the Bold
I ultimately chose this over the Bold for a few reasons: keyboard, form factor, price tag, and screen. The Bold's edge over the Curve 8900 is its support for 3G, though I find browsing the internet on a phone painful so it had no impact on my decision. I prefer the smaller size of the Curve 8900 too, and it feels like it's built better than the Bold.

Versus the iPhone
I'm a Mac user, though I chose a Blackberry. Why? First of all, I already own an iPod Touch so I'm familiar with the interface of the iPhone and I can tell you how frustrating it is to type on the screen! I wanted the full physical keyboard interface, and with the growing Blackberry app store it is quickly gaining ground on the iPhones flexibility. I find the trackball quick and I make less errors with it than on the touch interface. Of course, the touchscreen has its perks, but I find that I don't miss it here. I also wanted to avoid the iPhone's lackluster battery, and I'm happy I did because the Blackberry easily lasts a full day and the next without a charge. I also know that iPhone's don't get the greatest reception, and this 8900 gets the best reception of any cell phone I've owned (which is probably at about ten total phones over the years).

Conclusion:
This is a great phone. I highly recommend it. I did a lot of research before making this decision and am very happy I settled on the Curve 8900.

T-Mobile's best device

Review Date: March 25, 2009

Reviewer: M. Johnson, Northridge, CA USA

Thought about getting the Bold, but I've been with T-Mobile forever and I love their rates and their coverage so I got the 8900 instead and I'm loving it! I do love the Bold's keyboard better and I do find myself wishing I had some 3G love at times, but that's about it. I experimented with a G1 for a week but I returned it for many reasons, with one being that T-Mobile's 3G was just not quick enough in my area. I've got Wi-Fi at work, home, and school so 90% of the time I'm happy with browser speed.

You've surely heard about the 8900's beautiful screen, and they're not lying. It's packing a 480x360 resolution and is definitely the best screen I've ever seen on a phone. It's like a plasma screen with pictures showing up in HD. The camera is also sharp, and better than the Bold's, and BlackBerry in general has done a great job of making it possible for their devices to be complete multimedia devices. I've got a 4GB MicroSD card in here that holds my most necessary songs for when I don't feel like bringing along the iPod.

Cons: loose keyboard, sometimes loose trackball, no Pandora support. In the end, T-Mobile's great coverage and excellent customer support put this device over the top for me. I renewed my contract for just 1 year because I know in a year 3G support will be a lot better and EDGE is going to be completely obsolete..so that's when I'll pick up a 3G device. But until then, the 8900 is all I need.

UPDATE: Pandora is now available for the 8900...yes!