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.