Curve 8520 Sim Free Smartphone - Black

My first 'smartphone', and I am glad I chose this one - it oozes quality at a reasonable price. Yes, it is SIM-free, but make sure your provider supports the Blackberry BIS - mine didn't, so I had to change from Tesco to O2 in order to access full e-mail and browser functionality. Once your e-mail(s) is/are set up, you can delete messages on the handset alone, or on any of your e-mail accounts as well The screen is very good and clear, sound quality is excellent, and the menus are really easy to use once you get used to them - it is different from previous phones I have used, and I think I prefer it that way. Text messages appear in an e-mail-like string, rather than as separate messages in an inbox and outbox, which takes some getting used to, but again I think I prefer it. The camera is basic, but perfectly adequate for outdoor shots - if you want superb resolution, flash etc, then buy a camera! I worried about typing on such small keys with fat fingers like mine, but the keys are raised and I find I make very few mistakes and can enter data quite quickly. The supplied software CD allowed me to transfer all my contacts and diary entries from a Palm Tungsten onto the Blackberry quickly and without any problems at all. I bought a larger capacity micro SD card (8Gb - the phone was supplied with a 2Gb card) to ensure more than adequate memory, and I would advise investing in a silicon skin protective cover - this is a snug enough fit that the phone can still be used with the Blackberry pouch case.

We all have different reasons for buying a particular phone. I had a Blackberry a couple of years ago but was enticed away by some of the more exciting features on other phones. They offered email, but it rarely worked as it required a strong G3 signal and I got increasingly frustrated. So I'm back to a Blackberry as it works brilliantly, first as a phone and secondly, for email on-the-move. It offers a Facebook app for those who want it and offers others as well - but for business people on-the-move it's a very cost effective business tool that sits happily in my shirt pocket. Navigation is good and positive using the small track-pad and it's easy to access multiple email accounts; contact lists and memos backed-up from Outlook. So I can carry my office PC in my pocket. I can't comment on this particular model compared to other Blackberry's but this gives me everything I need at a reasonable cost and I'm delighted with my purchase.

My phone was set up for T-Mobile, so whilst its sim free I was still unable to alter the home web page setting which takes you to T-Mobiles mobile web page, with their banners. This included a banner for 'exotic' material which is earning someone cash. Given the phone might have been going to a child I think this is actually immoral if not even illegal. I gave the phone one star for that reason - and because I'm returning the phone I've not set it up so I can only guess at how cool it is to email and send BB messages and so on. Beautiful looking phone which is actually a mini computer. The quality of the calls was sound and the screen itself allows people struggling to see phone screens reading with ease. Internet is a snap - my connection was immediate. Faster than my laptop! As for the T-Mobile home page, this is apparently hard coded into the phone - you cannot change it in the options. If anyone knows how to change this in the options then let us know. Right now I have no mobile phone as I got another Blackberry off Virgin and that order got stopped due to communication problems with the call centre staff. This is the first item I've returned to Amazon, I'm not a serial complainer. That said, offering soft porn ads is beyond the pale really and I will take steps to complain to whatever authority oversees the mobile phone standards (if there actually are any in the UK)

A nice little phone but there are issues with internet use. You will need the blackberry service or bolton for using it on wap. If you dont have blackberry services you wil find that when you put a sim in the phone your ability to connect to wi-fi will stop. You can however get around the wi-fi problems by adjusting a few settings. Dont be put off by this, its just a matter of finding the settings information to get your wi-fi working again. I searched for about half an hour until I found the answers on a bb forum. Also I noticed that it locks up when you attempt to view certain pictures. I concluded that the problem was with SLR compatibility. When I deleted the pics that were taken with an SLR camera it no longer locked up. Other jpegs and bmp's were fine. The email client is dependent on having the bb service and there is no PDF viewer. Other than the little hiccups... The sim free blackberry boots up quicker than the branded one! Im happy with the phone for the price.

Coould not get past first screen. Good comms with company, sent phone back refund sent immediatly. Tnanks

I have always used a Motorola V3 but the last one developed a fault and my husband (a Blackberry enthusiast) persuaded me to look at the handsets so we need only take one charger when travelling. I was very impressed with the look of the Blackberry and although the keys are small the design is such that it is very easy to use. I did not find it difficult to convert from the Motorola menus and have found the Blackberry uncomplicated and very functional. The camera works well and it browses fast and well. I am not so keen on the Off (hang up )key which is sometimes tricky to use - I prefer the off function in the menu but otherwise I think it is great value for money,a very attractive item and functional without being overloaded or fussy.

got my son this for Xmas. Chose sim free one as Virgin network only do them on a contract package which wasn't good........only 100 mins and 500 txts per month for £15 (my son has unlimited txts, internet access and 400 mins for the same price). Having phoned Virgin 3 x, and being told he can't have Blackberry Messenger cos he's not on a BB package with them, FINALLY on boxing day i was given the right advice from a Virgin customer advisor- to enable Blackberry Messenger you have to send the word yes to 789333 - which then activates the BBM etc. So he's extremely pleased with his new toy - and so am i cos he can use all its functions! recommended for moody teenagers!

This is an absolutely brilliant phone...No issues whatsover with setting up various things ...except, To set up your personal email etc you need to contact your network provider to turn on the services ...this is not written anywhere in the manuals and so had to google why those things are not working ...apart from that its a dream to use ....

Bought the phone for my wife as she likes to text often. She prefers the qwerty keyboard instead of touchscreen. She has always wanted a blackberry and I think she loves this phone. It is constructed with more plastic than most blackberry models but she likes it because it is not too heavy. Phone performs flawlessly and would recommend. It is a refurbished phone but looks just like new.

Hab mir mein erstes BB gekauft und muss sagen ich bin sehr zufrieden. Mit meinem Samsung Phone natürlich nicht zu vergleichen, aber als Alternative zum Touchscreen sehr empfehlenswert. Wer also kein kleines Handy haben mag und mit dem Touchscreen beim schreiben nicht so ganz zurecht kommt ideal. Manko, aber das kann man sich denken, das kleine Display. Zum surfen Im Net nicht zu empfehlen und die Schnelligkeit. Aber die Handhabung hat man ziemlich schnell drauf und dann ist die Bedienung ein Kinderspiel. War ein guter Kauf für mich!

Très surprise lorsque j’ai découvert ce BlackBerry minuscule (10,5 cm). Impossible d’écrire un texto tellement les touches sont petites. Les dimensions n’étaient pas spécifiées. C’est la raison pour laquelle je retourne cet article que je n’ai pas déballé ainsi que tous les accessoires encore sous plastique. Dommage. Je n’ai rien contre Amazon.

I'm always skeptical about buying products online. To my surprise, when I received the BlackBerry it was as the seller stated. It was a New cell phone and packaged just like out of the factory line! I was worried though since I had read that it does not have Spanish language capability. Fortunately, it gave an option on what language I wanted it in on start-up and Spanish was one of the options (Since this phone is a gift for someone in the Dominican Republic). It's working just as it was built to do and works brilliantly in the Dominican Republic. Overall, I'm satisfied with this product and the packaging and the seller.

Habe Handy nur zum telefonieren gebraucht, und dieses Handy ist genau das richtige. Gute Bilder Qualität hat es auch, es gibt aber auch Mängeln: Buchse für die Kopfhörer passt nicht einmal fü die mitgelieferte Kopfhörer, was ich total komisch fand und Spracheinstellungen funktioniert nicht für Deutsch (Englisch, Spanisch...) weil ich grade Spanisch lerne passt sogar, aber trotzdem.. Also wer wenig Ansprüche hat -gute und ziemlich günstige Alternative.