Five things to know about the BlackBerry Curve 8900

Hitting the shelves this month

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10 December 2008 11:04 GMT / By Chris Hall

You’ll be seeing it on trains all around the country as commuters get their hands on the latest BlackBerry on the block. Here are the five things you really need to know about it.

There is no 3G or HSDPA here
That’s right. Unlike the Bold and the Storm handsets (and many other smartphones) the new BlackBerry Curve only features GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity. This means that those craving lots of full fat internet action, or to use it as a modem, might be disappointed. However, BlackBerry do optimise data usage, so this is no slouch when browsing on the move.

You get Wi-Fi and GPS built-in
But if you are in a Wi-Fi hotspot, like at home or work, or in public Wi-Fi areas, then perhaps none of that matters, because the b/g Wi-Fi radio will still give you fast data access. You also get to benefit from the GPS, so finding your way to that meeting or party will never be a problem.

You get the same OS as the Bold and Storm
That’s right, the new slick look of the Bold and Storm find their way into the new Curve. With a much more modern and consumer-friendly look, the new v4.6 OS is a great step forward from the awkward coloured icons of the previous version. You can easily customise the shortcut icons on the home page too, so getting to your favourite applications is easy.

New 3.2MP camera with video
The last Curve didn’t do video, a feature on even the most simple of phones. But that’s all changed with a new 3.2-megapixel camera supporting video capture. You even get auto-focus and a flash, but it lacks the options you’ll find on the latest bunch of camera phones like the Sony Ericsson C905 or Samsung Pixon.

There’s no shortage of apps either
Apps (or applications) have been available for BlackBerry users for ages and there is no shortage of options to get the phone doing exactly what you want. If you are into social networking, then Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, Twitter, and so on all have apps to download for instant access to your virtual life. You can even grab instant messaging apps too, so you can connect with your IM buddies on the move.