BlackBerry Curve 8330

You don't need to shell out big bucks for the latest, greatest smartphone to get a great feature set. Case in point: The BlackBerry Curve 8330. This excellent phone includes plenty of features for both work and play. And you can get it from Sprint for $100 (after a mail-in rebate) when you sign a new service contract.

Design

PROS: The 8330 features the same design as past Curves: It is petite, with a slightly rounded design, and sports a Pearl-like trackball directly below the 2.5-inch screen for navigation. The QWERTY keyboard is small, but I found it sufficient for thumb typing. The case of the 8330 is titanium, a slight change from the lighter gray of the original Curve.

CONS: The 8330 features a nice-looking screen, but it pales in comparison to the stunning screen found on the newer Blackberry Bold. Graphics are not as crisp or clear.

Making Calls

PROS: Voice quality is very good; I had no problems hearing my callers and they said the same thing about me. The 8330 is light (it weighs 4.2 ounces) and comfortable to hold during conversations, despite its slightly blocky shape.

Browsing the Web

PROS: The 8330 supports the 3G EvDO network, which helps improve video performance, and made surfing the Web noticeably speedy.

CONS: Some sites can be difficult to view on the 8330's browser, which is an older version of the BlackBerry browser.

Messaging

PROS: Like all BlackBerrys, the 8330 excels at messaging. It supports up to 10 personal or business e-mail accounts; adding one is a snap. The 8330 also adds supports for consumer instant messaging clients, like AOL's AIM, Google Talk, and Yahoo Messenger.

Software

PROS: The 8330 supports the Sprint Navigation service, which provides turn-by-turn directions.

CONS: Unlike some of the newer BlackBerry phones (such as the Bold or the Storm), the 8330 does not come with a productivity suite. If you'd like to edit Office documents, you'll need to go out and get your own software application.

Multimedia

PROS: The 8330 supports Sprint's TV service, which offers a mix of live channels (showing the same content you'd see on your TV) and content that has been specially packaged for viewing on your mobile phone. Sprint says it service offers access to more than 70 channels. Other features include a 2.0 megapixel camera that can capture still photos and video clips, and a music and video player.

CONS: When watching Sprint TV, I found the video quality was mixed, whether I was watching live TV or pre-packaged mobile content. I had to wait while files buffered, and the picture often looked blocky and sometimes broke up completely. Performance is largely related to network strength, though.