BlackBerry smartphone devices gained popularity among businesspersons because they were among the first basic PDA style phones with email and internet capabilities. However, through the evolution of the company, BlackBerry devices are now used by all demographics. The BlackBerry Curve is designed as an easy to use smartphone that features a stylish design and fast data speeds, whereas the Torch is the first BlackBerry smartphone with a touch screen and full physical QWERTY keyboard.
BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300
The new Curve 3G is the upscale model of the popular 8500 and 8300 Curve series. With faster data and phone speeds, the Curve 3G is the obvious choice among the casual user.
Pros Over the Torch
• Price- the Torch, currently only available on the AT&T; wireless network, is priced at $199.99 with a two-year contract. However, the Curve 3G is priced as low as $49.99 on the Sprint network. Although the major cost of any smartphone is with the monthly contract fee, it is important to note the price difference in the event that you have to replace the phone during the two-year contract.
• Design- the Curve 3G gets its design cues from the stylish BlackBerry Curve 8900, but adds a modern touch. The colored plastic outer edge flows nicely, while the keys are slightly larger, which makes navigation and typing effortless.
• QWERTY Keyboard- Although the Torch comes well equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard, we found that the keys were a bit cramped in comparison to the Curve. This is due largely in part to the addition of the touch screen on the Torch, but for users who send many IMs, texts and emails the larger key spacing is a great advantage.
• Dedicated Media Keys- the Curve 3G features dedicated media keys on the top of the phone. These keys make switching between songs effortless. On other models, the volume keys would have to be pressed down for 2 seconds in order to switch between songs without accessing the phones display, which was a hassle.
BlackBerry Torch 9800
Pros Over the Curve 3G
• Display- Featuring a 480 x 360-pixel display, the Torch provides excellent clarity for the size, compared to the 320 x 240-pixel display of the Curve.
• Camera-The 5.0MP digital camera on the Torch is excellent, the picture quality is very clear for a camera phone. However, the 2.0MP camera on the Curve 3G is outdated and the quality is subpar in comparison to even budget smartphones.
• Touch Screen- Having owned BlackBerry devices all of my adult life, I was very impressed with the ease of use of the touch screen on the Torch. I was used to using the trackball and trackpad for navigation, but the included trackpad and touch screen makes the device much easy to navigate.
• Memory- A problem with BlackBerry smartphones is that they have very low memory. Although the Torch and Curve have the same 512MB onboard memory, the Torch comes with an included 4GB microSD card.
• Design- Depending on what you prefer, the design on the Torch is modern and on par with most of the premium smartphones on the market. However, for users that prefers a conservative stylish design, the Curve 3G delivers.
Which is the best pick?
If you prefer using a touch screen for navigation, the Torch is the obvious choice. However, if you want a compact and usable design, the Curve 3G is the better choice. However, users who want higher end features, such as a 5MP digital camera and larger included memory card, the Torch is best. We recommend the Torch for anyone who has the money, but for budget conscious consumers, the Curve 3G is still a formidable smartphone.
Sources:
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-details/?device=BlackBerry%C2%AE+Torch+%28TM%29&q;_sku=sku4790237
http://shop.sprint.com/NASApp/onlinestore/en/Action/DisplayPhones?INTNAV=ATG:HE:Phones
www.blackberry.com
