26 replies to this topic

[Josh'Grizzly'Gregory]

I'm looking at purchasing my first Blackberry to see what all the fuss is about, I'm looking at getting the 8520 just to see what the basics are like and if I like it I'll upgrade to a better model. I have considered getting the new Curve but don't want to get it and realise I don't like it, so what are peoples opinion on the Blackberry and the 8520 in particular.

[L.i.am]

I've got one and they are nothing special. They don't have anything better than any other phone and don't even have 3G!

Good for texting though!

Edited by LiamAbbott94, 02 April 2011 - 12:27 AM.

[Cheetah]

Once you go Black(berry) you'll never go back.

No experience of the 8520 but I LOVE my Bold. If you want apps and games then it's maybe not for you but if you want a tool for SMS, e-mail and other grown up things then a Blackberry is the way to go.

[Josh'Grizzly'Gregory]

I'm actually fed up with app heavy phones, I've had Android os related phones in the past and have found I'm not really a fan. The main reason I am looking at Blackberry is because of the email etc capability.

[Sam_McCully]

Josh,

I have a bold Didnt think I would like it! I love it. Would never go back now

See you next week
Sam

[Giraffe]

I've had a number of BlackBerrys over the years, and each time I upgrade I barely give a passing glance to other models of phone. I currently have the 9300, which is basically the same as the 8520 but is 3G (which as someone's already said, the 8520 doesn't have).

Not having 3G will mean it's slower to browse the web on it, but won't really make a noticeable difference when sending / receiving e-mails, and if you've not had 3G before you won't miss it anyway.

[King Scotts]

They are great phones, no doubt about that. Great for SMS, emailing etc as said above. I currently have an iPhone 4 but miss my Blackberry as it's better for push emails etc.

As our long necked mod said that model doesn't have 3G, I've used 2G models of Blackberry(curve range) and found it fine to use.

http://www.blackberryforums.com/ has loads of info and well worth a look, even has forum areas dedicated to each model.

Scotts

[SC Ben]

I have the 8520 too and love it

[Josh'Grizzly'Gregory]

I've decided to invest in one and see what all the fuss about Blackberry is about Just shopping around for the best deal, so far Phones 4 U has the cheapest deal so far might nip down after Cheers guys.

[fruitandveg]

I got a BlackBerry and it's been really useful - get all my personal and uni emails on it, changes to timetable, tasks etc...the hardware is great such as the keyboard and great battery life, my only criticism is the lack of fun apps you can get on iPhone. But, I suppose you can't have it all!

[Giraffe]

I got a BlackBerry and it's been really useful - get all my personal and uni emails on it, changes to timetable, tasks etc...the hardware is great such as the keyboard and great battery life, my only criticism is the lack of fun apps you can get on iPhone. But, I suppose you can't have it all!

There are some addictive games you can get (for free) for it though. The ones I have (the first three came with the phone) are:

Brickbreaker
Klondike
Word Mole
Texas Hold em (poker)
Sudoku
The River Test
Minesweeper
Pixelated
Chess
Copter

[fruitandveg]

There are some addictive games you can get (for free) for it though. The ones I have (the first three came with the phone) are:

Brickbreaker
Klondike
Word Mole
Texas Hold em (poker)
Sudoku
The River Test
Minesweeper
Pixelated
Chess
Copter

I'm not really a games kinda person, I just mean completely pointless stuff like something for iPhone called "Talking Carl" - you say somethign to the iPhone and Carl says it back in a funny voice. My mate's iPhone did this at a pub quiz once to what the announcer had just said much to everyone's amusement!

[Cheetah]

I just mean completely pointless stuff like something for iPhone called "Talking Carl" -

Although you'll find that most Blackberry owners are a little more mature than a 7 year old.







**runs and hides**

[Ben.]

Although you'll find that most Blackberry owners are a little more mature than a 7 year old.







**runs and hides**

Ohhhhh I sayyyyyyy!!!!!!!

[Josh'Grizzly'Gregory]

Slight change in plan I've decided to go for the Curve 3G 9300, just had a fiddle with a friends (ooo er mrs) and seems like a funky bit of kit.

Edited by Josh'Grizzly'Gregory, 02 April 2011 - 08:31 PM.

[Stratos]

I could never own a Curve after having a Bold. The first thing I notice when using someone else's Curve is that compared to my phone the display looks naff. Although if you've never owned a Bold you probably wont notice that.

Blackberries are brilliant for texting and email, but they all have a couple of bugs that annoy me (the main one being the phone taking me to the middle of a conversation instead of to the newest message and me having to scroll all the way to the bottom, but this only happens in very long text conversations). This problem existed with my 9700 and with my 9780 and I've been told effects the Curve and Torch too (so both OS5 and OS6). I'm hoping they resolve it with a software update soon.

[Giraffe]

Slight change in plan I've decided to go for the Curve 3G 9300, just had a fiddle with a friends (ooo er mrs) and seems like a funky bit of kit.

Good choice!

I could never own a Curve after having a Bold. The first thing I notice when using someone else's Curve is that compared to my phone the display looks naff. Although if you've never owned a Bold you probably wont notice that.

Blackberries are brilliant for texting and email, but they all have a couple of bugs that annoy me (the main one being the phone taking me to the middle of a conversation instead of to the newest message and me having to scroll all the way to the bottom, but this only happens in very long text conversations). This problem existed with my 9700 and with my 9780 and I've been told effects the Curve and Torch too (so both OS5 and OS6). I'm hoping they resolve it with a software update soon.

Having had a curve, then a bold, and a curve again now, I agree about the screen not being as sharp on the curve, but you soon get used to it again fairly quickly. The bold is a little too big for my liking (although granted they are smaller than they used to be).

I've never had that problem with it taking me to the middle of a conversation, that is very odd. Maybe it's something in your settings? Assuming your BB works in the same way, have you tried pressing 'T' for top or 'B' for bottom, to help you get to the latest message received without having to keep scrolling?

[fruitandveg]

Although you'll find that most Blackberry owners are a little more mature than a 7 year old.







**runs and hides**

Cheeky!

Slight change in plan I've decided to go for the Curve 3G 9300, just had a fiddle with a friends (ooo er mrs) and seems like a funky bit of kit.

Na get a Bold 9700/9800 - the Curve has cruddy buttons and the roller ball which I hear breaks all the time!

[Giraffe]

Na get a Bold 9700/9800 - the Curve has cruddy buttons and the roller ball which I hear breaks all the time!

None of the new blackberry's include the rollerball, which frankly was the worst invention ever lol! The buttons aren't as smooth as the bold but are more asthetically pleasing, and the bold is just too big.

[Stratos]

Good choice!



Having had a curve, then a bold, and a curve again now, I agree about the screen not being as sharp on the curve, but you soon get used to it again fairly quickly. The bold is a little too big for my liking (although granted they are smaller than they used to be).

I've never had that problem with it taking me to the middle of a conversation, that is very odd. Maybe it's something in your settings? Assuming your BB works in the same way, have you tried pressing 'T' for top or 'B' for bottom, to help you get to the latest message received without having to keep scrolling?

Nah it's not a setting, I've looked into it and it's a confirmed bug with no fix yet. It only happens sometimes and only when opening very long text conversations. Although it took me a while to discover that pressing 'B' would take me straight to the bottom of a conversation without me having to scroll down

Edited by Stratos, 07 April 2011 - 02:29 AM.

[Waddle]

Thumbs up from me
Had a 8520 for just over a year now, I've found it to be a good basic blackberry phone. I will consider another model when my contract is up for renewal when I can upgrade. Although most people I know (blackberry users)are moving towards the iphone 4 at the moment.

PS
The only minus for me is the 2mp camera without flash.

Edited by Waddle, 07 April 2011 - 08:03 AM.

[Josh'Grizzly'Gregory]

FInally got around the getting the Curve 9300 3G, from what I've used and played with on the phone it seems like a very funky bit of kit. Don't think I'll be going to anything else in the future

[pmtts]

. They don't have anything better than any other phone and don't even have 3G!

Who cares!

I've defected from an iPhone to BlackBerry and glad I did. The email side of it is great, far better than an iPhone offered me. I can bounce it off numerous hubs and get a pretty quick Wi-Fi speed too. I've also downloaded some very quirky apps.

I've started with the 8520 as a get used to model and will be progressing up to higher specs very soon.

There's more to phone life than just an iPhone!!

[Cheetah]

Who cares!

I've defected from an iPhone to BlackBerry and glad I did. The email side of it is great, far better than an iPhone offered me. I can bounce it off numerous hubs and get a pretty quick Wi-Fi speed too. I've also downloaded some very quirky apps.

I've started with the 8520 as a get used to model and will be progressing up to higher specs very soon.

There's more to phone life than just an iPhone!!

I have never in my life given out anywhere near my daily quota of +1's and in fact rarely give them out at all.

That +1 was from me, welcome to the adult world

[King Scotts]

I hate to say it but I've sold my iPhone 4. All I was doing was using pointless apps. Sure the camera and display are top notch but I love the BlackBerry. I would have looked silly walking around with an iPhone 4 and a BlackBerry