BlackBerry 8520 / 8530 Curve (Gemini) Review

Hardware

Construction

The original BlackBerry Curve wasn’t built incredibly well – dust would often work its way under the screen, and the sacrifices made to keep it lightweight often made it susceptible to impact damage. Luckily, the new 8520 is constructed so that there are no longer separate parts for the siding, which is now included in the single, solid back plate. Combined with the better-sealed screen, dust looks like it will no longer be a problem. The rubberized siding feels like it could take a punch better than the old 8300 series, as could the battery door, being a single slate.

The keyboard is about the same as the BlackBerry 8900; if anything, it’s a bit clickier and fits more loosely in the housing. The soft keys are now all built into the front screen, again emphasizing 8520′s one-piece solidity. Overall, the new Curve does feel a little plastic, but no moreso than other BlackBerrys on the market.

Aesthetics

The BlackBerry 8520 has made some pretty radical design changes, many that we’ll be seeing in future devices. Rubberized buttons are a logical extension of the new siding that started appearing since the Storm. The added grip is fantastic, and draping it over the side volume and convenience keys further helps the Curve’s smooth, seamless image.The battery door’s slick texture is noticeable, but turning into a common theme after the BlackBerry Tour’s similar style. I do worry that in time the sheen will wear out with scratches that would otherwise go unnoticed on a matte finish. The backlight is a touch weak, but very well may save battery life by staying low.

The key layout has changed a bit since the 8900 Curve and 9630 Tour. Both were very busy on the right side of the device, which hosted the volume rocker, convenience key, headphone jack, and microUSB slot. I’m glad to see they evened things out a bit and brought the headphone jack and microUSB slot back to the left, since it felt lop-sided otherwise.

The trackpad, of course, is the biggest deal of this smartphone, and merits a section of its own.

About The Author

Simon Sage

Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out.

Matthew Fernandes

The BlackBerry Curve 8520 has a very trendy look. It has all advanced features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a 2-megapixel camera. People will be satisfied with excellent features like Quad-band world roaming, smart dialling, conference calling, speed dial, and text and multimedia messaging. Having this phone is an indication of high status.
Buba

2.0 MP camera, 256MB flash memory …. Very good cell phone!
Rahul kadam

Best phone is affordable range of 10,000 Rs. to Rs 15,000.

Has vevrything required at the current age of cell phone trends
Dean

Blackberry is the phone that i love most. Although there is many competition such as I phone and HTC, I still love blackberry
tricia etu

BB is d best phone ever,I use curve 8520
Sandeepgurav09

what is the diff. between bb curve 8520 & 8530 gemini
pls make me understand
Qt_pie_jody

Is the sms settings different between them both?