T-Mobile announces BlackBerry Curve with WiFi, we check it out

RIM decided (and we tend to agree) that it could improve upon the already solid BlackBerry 8300 Curve by adding GPS or WiFi -- carrier's choice -- in the form of the 8310 and 8320, respectively. T-Mobile has announced today the release of the 8320 variant, offering @Home branded UMA service and speedy data to supplement T-Mobile's EDGE network (in hotspot range, anyway) in your choice of "titanium" and carrier-exclusive "pale gold." We've had a few minutes to play around with the champagne hued version, and with WiFi added into the Curve's already solid mix, it pretty much goes without saying that this is the best BlackBerry yet. Setting up our wireless network on the Curve was a breeze, though we had some trouble keeping calls from dropping over an Airport Extreme; fortunately, T-Mobile's offering up optimized Linksys routers for a song, and you can always set it up as a separate network if you can't bear to tear down your 802.11a/n setup. We've heard some intermittent reports of Curves starting to show up in retail locations, but we can expect them to start shipping everywhere in early October. In the meantime, check out our hands-on gallery over on Engadget Mobile!

Update: T-Mobile's bumped the release date up to today -- no complaints here -- at an on-contract price of $249.

[BrianB @ Sep 24th 2007 12:08AM]

What's with the large font?

[Joe @ Sep 24th 2007 8:57AM]

Ewe... buttons

[Ryhan @ Sep 24th 2007 12:30AM]

umm... thanks?
why couldn't they just add both wifi AND GPS....?
They could also lose some of the cryptic names... :D

iPhone comparisons in 3,2,1...

[oGMo @ Sep 24th 2007 1:05AM]

Seriously... what is up with these ridiculous tradeoffs? Are the telcos like "we won't take any phone that has *all* the features people want... make sure it's missing at least one"?

[xman @ Sep 24th 2007 10:12AM]

I agree! The 8820 just launched on AT&T has both wifi and GPS, just no camera. So what's the problem on the 8320???? This is the reason I'm never too quick to upgrade my phone. In the matter of a few months they will release a better version and even drop the price sometimes.

[oldsv6 @ Sep 24th 2007 12:43AM]

Actually I bought a silver T-Mobile 8320 Friday night. They release was schedualed for Monday Sept 24th, but thanks to Blackberryforums.com, I found out they were already shipped to the stores and in the computer systems for sale! It is great I went from a T-Mobile dash (hacked of course) to the 8320! Love this phone!

[Paul @ Sep 24th 2007 12:58AM]

I can't wait for this one, I am looking for an upgrade to my razr and this seems perfect!

[Mike @ Sep 24th 2007 1:16AM]

julie can be in my 5 anytime

[Constable Odo @ Sep 24th 2007 9:59AM]

Stand in line for sloppy seconds. She's mine. Julie, Julie, Julie.


So this new BlackBerry is the new "you know what" killer. Not bad.

[Darnell @ Sep 24th 2007 1:22AM]

I'm seriously looking for a smartphone. How does this compare to the Wing? I'm debating going to AT&T for the Tilt. Would it be worth it?

[i.c. weiner @ Sep 24th 2007 9:04AM]

I think that you should wait for the tilt. The wing is overrated. AT&T's customer service is garbage, but reception is good, better than T-mobile.

[z @ Sep 24th 2007 1:20AM]

Nice, I've been waiting for better UMA phones before jumping in.

[Tim Kartes @ Sep 24th 2007 1:41AM]

i have had this phone for the last 36 hours. this by far is the BEST blackberry on the market, i would gladly give up the gps for the wifi. free call anyone?

[phoneguy @ Sep 24th 2007 1:43AM]

too expensive!

Over $1200 after the two-year contract.

[Dan @ Sep 24th 2007 2:07AM]

Why do your links never go to the actual company or story?
It's like some kind of closed loop of links to nowhere but you.
Why do we always have to mouse around or google around
to find T Mobile or Blackberry or whatever? It's like you are
afraid people will leave your site for rest of the web world.
Very strange for an information site.

Dan

[tnkgrl @ Sep 24th 2007 5:25AM]

Check out my unboxing: http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2007/09/24/unboxing-the-blackberry-8320-curve/

Also, give me some tips on how I can get my data working properly (see link above).

[netposer @ Sep 24th 2007 9:43AM]

According to The Boy Genius Report the WiFi sucks total ass:
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2007/09/23/blackberry-8320-wi-fi-vs-blackberry-8300-edge-speed-test/

I'm still waiting on more info on why the WiFi is slower than the Edge network.

[bombastinator @ Sep 24th 2007 10:00AM]

the wifi is crap.

I was looking hard at one of these till i found out that T-Mobile is ONLY allowing the wifi to be used at an official T-Mobile hot spot.

That means if you want to use your wifi you need to get one of their routers for home (at a significant monthly cost) or go to a starbucks. I think there are a total of 4 or 5 T-Mobile hotspots in my city that are not starbucks.

I hate starbucks. That makes the wifi more or less useless to me. I am wondering about an unlocked one though, but I still don't know if (a.)I can even get one, and (b.) if I can will it have the same problem as the locked phones.

[Rynth @ Sep 24th 2007 10:07AM]

Pfft, you people and leaving your phones standard.

I'm sure it wouldn't take long to allow it to use any old wifi hotspot.

[john rogers @ Sep 24th 2007 12:59PM]

i have discovered a way to get around paying for wi fi access on tmobiles new blackberry curve. it seems crazy but tmobile wants the consumer to pay 19.99 a month to use the data plan which includes using a free wi fi hook up. the way around it is to take out the sim card and
then you can access whatever sites you want.
put the sim card back in and go the history icon.
you can then access the pages you previously viewed and
anything inside that website. for example
you can access the nytimes website with the sim card out. put the sim card back in and you can access new pages inside the nytimes site aside from the previously viewed page.

[john rogers @ Sep 24th 2007 1:00PM]

i have discovered a way to get around paying for wi fi access on tmobiles new blackberry curve. it seems crazy but tmobile wants the consumer to pay 19.99 a month to use the data plan which includes using a free wi fi hook up. the way around it is to take out the sim card and
then you can access whatever sites you want.
put the sim card back in and go the history icon.
you can then access the pages you previously viewed and
anything inside that website. for example
you can access the nytimes website with the sim card out. put the sim card back in and you can access new pages inside the nytimes site aside from the previously viewed page.

[AER @ Sep 24th 2007 8:59PM]

You're crazy. I have a Curve on T-Mobile, and it works fine with my old router. Any old wireless will work - you don't have to use the T-Mobile one.

On the other hand, they do charge $10/month for the privilege of using UMA, but that makes at least SOME sense, because they are losing out on those minutes.

[alandicho @ Sep 25th 2007 12:17PM]

Obviously, you don't know what you are talking about. T-Mobile's hotspot @home will work in any wi-fi router as long as it is not secured. And if it is secured and you know the code, just enter it in and it will work.

[oldsv6 @ Sep 24th 2007 10:32AM]

Thats not true. The wifi can be used where ever there is a open wifi system. I use it at home on my regular netgear router. I have also used it for free at the airport and Panera Bread. Comes in handy when I am watching tv and my girls on my laptop. It a really nice feature. BTW dont bother with the Wing. If you want a WMO smartphone get the Dash. I tried to upgrade from my dash to the wing and a returned it in 4 days...too slow of a processor. SO I waited for the Curve!

[kenny @ Sep 24th 2007 10:41AM]

Picked mine up yesterday in Salem, NH. Moved my SIM card from my old 7100t, attached it to my MacBook and sync'd my address book and calendar and I'm up and running.

Had no problem locating and attaching to the hotel's free Wi-Fi.

[Steve @ Sep 24th 2007 4:39PM]

Have you been able to make a wifi call using a bluetooth headset? Was there any interference? I had issues with the nokia 6086 model.

[Anthony Huff @ Sep 25th 2007 1:57PM]

Google needs to buy that frequency now. What is the point of wifi, if it is limited by the carrier? These barriers shouldnt exist and don't give me the incentive to even consider this phone. Tsk because I love it.

[tnkgrl @ Sep 25th 2007 7:17PM]

And here's some observations: http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2007/09/25/blackberry-curve-observations/

[Zach @ Sep 25th 2007 7:46PM]

Does anyone know when T-Mobile USA will finally roll out 3G in the USA?

[SB @ Sep 28th 2007 9:10PM]

Alright, here is the skinny on the Curve...

Pros
- You can use it anywhere there is Wifi (well almost)
- Free calls to the US from international wifi areas
- Does not count against minutes if you start in UMA (wifi) area and then leave to "roam" on the real cellular portion of the network (i.e. use the network)
- Auto recognizes networks so you don't have to do anything once you set it up
- Can act as a Powerbook G4 modem (most likely others, but I proved it on this model).

Cons
- DOES NOT WORK WITH APPLE AIRPORT EXTREME! Airport Extreme does not have the WMM portion of the router enabled (may not even come with this, I don't know). If Apple gets off their duff and figures this out then you could have a Blackberry that works on Airport Extreme.
- When outside of the UMA (wifi) area and have an ongoing call and then go into the UMA area it counts towards minutes even though you are on UMA
- Wifi does not get you blazing fast internet
- The phone is slower (especially in "Daily" theme)

Overall, it is a major disappointment and after a broken router (from TMO) and a broken phone (wouldn't recognize UMA after 7 hours of tech calls), I am going back to the trusty 8700.

BOTTOM LINE: The technology is not there yet. Unless you are a technogeek and have to have the latest and greatest and show your friends your piece of crap phone, wait a couple years for Wifi to improve. Who knows, maybe within the next 20 years WiMax will be real and not just a figment of some douche bag's imagination at Intel!

[scrotes @ Oct 7th 2007 10:41PM]

booooo apple extreme doesn't work, jeez c'mon apple help me out here!!!!!!

[kevin s @ Oct 17th 2007 2:03PM]

Does anyone know if you can call from an International wi-fi connection and get free calls? I spoke to t-mobile and she said no. It only works in the US. But I think maybe she is wrong and she meant you only get free calls if you call the US. It doesn't seem like it would matter where you are if you call back to US via the wi-fi connection.

Any ideas or experience with this?