Ask Engadget: Best BlackBerry handset right now?

Make no mistake, the hottest thing going in the mobile realm just now is the Palm Pre, but that's not to say RIM hasn't gained a lot of attention with its most recent outpouring of smartphones. Max has chimed in with this week's Ask Engadget question (which was sent in via ask at engadget dawt com), and it's all about the latest and greatest BlackBerrys.

"I'm considering purchasing the BlackBerry Bold, but the news about the Storm and even the Curve has me intrigued. Which would your readers recommend for a new BlackBerry owner, and why? Pros and cons for each would be excellent."

We don't need to reiterate just how high the pedestal is on which the Curve 8900 sits (yes, even today) in the minds of the BB faithful, so we've no doubt that it should be included in this conversation. Go on fanboys, defend your dialer below.

[Reggie @ Jan 15th 2009 9:16PM]

My wife got the BB Bold and I am impressed with it. Not enough to give up my Xperia X1 but love it. I tried the Storm at the stores and it was very nice but the Bold has just the right feel, and applications, and reliability to make it my choice of the BB phones. The curve does not have HDSP - and the storm does not have the Qwerty keys. The Bold has the great new display

Reggie

[Thats What He Said @ Jan 15th 2009 9:38PM]

*HSPA


?

[austin @ Jan 15th 2009 10:32PM]

**HSDPA

[Kevin K @ Jan 15th 2009 10:41PM]

Someone bought the X1?

[NineT9 @ Jan 15th 2009 11:05PM]

man im jealous you have the XPERIA :(

Of every phone out there, thats the one I want :/

using a BlackBerry 8120 now

[ImaYam @ Jan 15th 2009 11:15PM]

Bold, then [the new] curve, then of course, the one that introduced the BB to the "average" eye; the Pearl!

[katatonic @ Jan 16th 2009 1:10AM]

have you tried Nokia E71? best smartphone ever.

[conor @ Jan 16th 2009 9:01AM]

Blue Berry FTW!

[Ravnos @ Jan 16th 2009 10:51AM]

@Austin: HSDPA only refers to downloading. HSPA is correct because it refers to both HSDPA and HSUPA/EUL.

[Liverpaul @ Jan 16th 2009 11:18AM]

Got a Bold, Lurve it so it would have to be

1) Bold
2) Curve
3) Old Curve
4) Tried 6 Storms and only 1 worked!
5) iDogandBone

[Arpie @ Jan 16th 2009 12:19PM]

what carrier/network are you running the X1 on..in the US? att? 3g?

[Anton Wahlman @ Jan 15th 2009 9:27PM]

I believe the correct answer is the 8900 (aka Curve2) for the following reasons:
1. Unlike the 9000/Bold, it has MicroUSB connector.
2. Unlike the 9000/Bold and 9500/Storm, it has 256 Mb application flash memory (not storage), compared to 128 Mb.
3. Its 480x360 resolution is greater than the 9000/Bold's 480x320.
4. Its 3.2mp camera is greater than the 9000/Bold's 2.0mp.
5. It shares its 1400 MAh battery with the 9500/Storm. While lower capacity than the 9000/Bold's 1500 MAh battery, it is a newer design.
6. On T-Mobile USA, Rogers and Orange, the 8900 offers UMA over WiFi.

[natsume @ Jan 15th 2009 10:17PM]

I seriously do not think the blackberry curve is a viable option BECAUSE of it's much less common MicroUSB slot.
Nor do I think that the 'newer' design/ release of the curve's 1400mAh battery holds much of any advantage over the earlier released Bold and it's battery.

Just my thoughts, while reading and replying to this post on my Bold.

[ALCie @ Jan 15th 2009 10:53PM]

I think microUSB is a plus, but it definitely shouldnt be a deciding factor, there will the accessories for it.

The Bold has a bit bigger screen and 3G, so it should drain the battery faster, but then it has a bigger battery so these may cancel each other out (I have no experience with the Bold's battery).

[aceofblitz @ Jan 15th 2009 11:19PM]

I agree with everything you said.
I own a blackberry bold and my friend owns the new curve, its like using the exact same phone only one is smaller and packs a bigger punch while maintaining a longer battery life. Still doesn't mean the bold is bad, its just that the curve is a better deal technically.

[azn2mit @ Jan 16th 2009 2:00AM]

the bold has a 480x360 screen.
the bold has a faster processor: 624mhz vs. curve 8900's 512mhz (newer doesn't necessarily mean better)

bold also has:
better connectivity options for wireless networks bands.
3mm headphone jack

[Da_Shaggy @ Jan 16th 2009 4:01AM]

Wait.i'm confused. How is micro-usb better? Considering that the most common standard is mini-usb, I would take that as a negative. I have a Bold right now, and love how I can charge it through my car charger for my Garmin GPS which is mini-usb, and through my PS3 cable which is also mini-usb, and about everything else like my Canon SD850is. So atleast for me, I love the mini-usb, because I always have a ton of cables for it, and many ways to charge those devices. I saw the Curve2 and I really liked it. Definately a competitve phone. But not good enough to sell my current handset and buy that one. Pretty content with my Bold for now.

[Derry Quinn @ Jan 16th 2009 5:00AM]

Weird,

In Europe, not a lot of people use blackberrys/blackberries (we laugh at your futile efforts, North America) I think it's because most of the stuff they do, and a lot more available in a free candybar phone from your network.

Anyhow, over here, MicroUSB is far more widespread in newer phones of the last year or two than MiniUSB. MiniUSB is so...Big.

[Ack @ Jan 16th 2009 10:32AM]

I am in agreement with this answer. It is my opinion that the Storm is very mediocre and that your choice of carrier will limit your choices of which BB to buy past that. I am in love with the Blackberry OS at this point. It is an excellent combination of Phone and Email / Web client.

[Anton Wahlman @ Jan 16th 2009 11:24AM]

MicroUSB beats Mini for 3 reasons:
1. 20x more reliable.
2. If/when it does break, it breaks on the side of the cable, not on the side of the device.
3. It is the standard going forward, with very few exceptions (Apple and perhaps someone else).

[Thats What He Said @ Jan 15th 2009 9:37PM]

it depends where you live. Where i live for example, VZW gets best coverage, though most of it is just RTT. I personally do not like the Storm at all, however. Just too many flaws. If you really want or need VZW however, i personally would recommend the 8330 or 8830 Global. Both are incredibly stable and reliable. If you live in a strong ATT area, then the Bold seems the way to go, as it has gotten very good reviews (this site included). If you dont need (or care) about 3G, and live in decent TMO coverage, then i would have to say get the Curve. It seems to be the most stable of any of the new BBs.

[hofstetm @ Jan 16th 2009 12:34AM]

I agree with location. I currently have the Blackberry 8330, on the Verizon network, in a larger city and I absolutely love it. I CAN notice a difference in speed using 3G from other handsets I've had, noting that the new Curve 8900 is lacking in the 3G category. However, the new Curve will utilize Wi-Fi, which my 8330 does not have. In my opnion, why use Wi-Fi, when for quick browsing and reading e-mails can be done quickly with 3G?

In any case, I love my provider, though I'd definitely cash in for a Bold if VZW ever came though.

[worldbfree4me @ Jan 16th 2009 11:00AM]

I'll second that curve (8830) vote. It was free at Best(sometime)Buy and I'm running a 4.5 OS, a Bold Theme soon to be updated to the Droid Theme. 3G, Sprint TV, 8Gb Micro SD, what more do you need?

[Allyson @ Jan 15th 2009 9:40PM]

Alright, first things first - you have to choose your carrier when you're looking at 3 devices on 3 very different carriers.

Now, most carriers have some kind of variant of the curve. For me, AT&T is my choice carrier. Simply because I switch phones too often so GSM/SIM was a must for me. That's just me though.

Either way - never choose a phone before a carrier. Pick which carrier is more beneficial for you. Now in this situation, if you choose Verizon, your choices are pretty much Storm or Curve since you can't unlock the Bold or the 8900 to work on their service.

If you choose T-Mobile or AT&T, you can technically use whichever BB you want considering the Storm can be unlocked (sans 3G service of course unless you get the 9500 Vodafone version). And the Curve 8900 will be able to be used on AT&T I'd imagine.

Then it comes down to preference.

Personally for me, I chose the Bold because I wear glasses. The Bold's screen is big enough to wear I don't have to put my glasses on to read a text or just browse RSS feeds. The 8900 screen may push that with me.

Are you a picture taker? If so, you should seriously consider the 8900 over the Bold. The camera is better. That's the one thing I sorely miss about my N95. It took beautiful pictures on the go. So going to a 2MP camera was a little bit of a bummer to me.

Also, is 3G important to you? Keep in mind both the 8900, Bold, and the Curve 8320 will have wifi. If you are constantly in wifi areas like I am, 3G probably wouldn't be a dealbreaker for you, unless you travel a lot. To me, I prefer having 3G if I can but it isn't a deal-breaker considering I'm almost always in a wifi area.

Then think about form factor, the Curve 8900 by far has a more appealing form factor (in my opinion), but I've found my Bold pleasantly comfortable in the hand, and the keyboard is amazingly easy to type on.

I have kind of abandoned talking about the other Curve variants for the most part. Some Curve variants carry wifi, but some don't. No curve variant has 3G. So if that's important to you, you've knocked your decision to either a Bold or a Storm with Verizon (or buying an unlocked Vodafone Storm).

Either way - older curves, the 8900, the Bold, and the storm are all great phones.

The storm to me still has way too many bugs, and on top of that, it seems to be to be like the iPhone. (No not feature wise, but marketability wise). To me, the Storm is aimed at the general end consumer. Not the business user. To me, a touchscreen keyboard can NEVER replace a tactile keyboard. Tactile keys will always be more accurate and efficient. So if you plan on punching out tons of e-mails and need to do it quick, without error, rule the storm out. Then you're left with either a curve variant or a Bold.

But like I said, all are great phones and you can't really go wrong. It really boils down to personal preference and what you specifically need and want in a device.

[jack @ Jan 15th 2009 10:59PM]

your response was so painfully long, i decided not to read it but just complain about it.

[Canis_Minor @ Jan 15th 2009 11:17PM]

"No curve variant has 3G"

The 8330 has 3G.

[ED @ Jan 15th 2009 11:18PM]

To summarise jack:
TL;DR

Also, it seems that you like the Bold not because you wear glasses, but because you prefer to take them off.

[macjonny @ Jan 16th 2009 1:24AM]

Jack that comment was so F***ing funny I cried

[westley333 @ Jan 17th 2009 9:34PM]

I liked your review. It discussed limitations on choices per carriers. And you didn't seem too biased, unless you stated you have a bias. Very informative. I have VZW, so I can't do Bold and I hate touchscreens. But I want 3G... HELP!

[Wayne Schulz @ Jan 15th 2009 9:49PM]

If you travel overseas and want to dodge roaming costs -- get the new 8900 on T-Mobile with UMA which will use Wi-Fi just like a cell phone signal. You won't have to pay a penny extra for the privilege (it just deducts your normal plan minutes). Though if you're a heavy talker, T-Mobile will sell you an unlimited Wi-Fi calling for another $10/mo. Just beware that T-Mobile has the wimpiest footprint of all the US based cellular carriers so if you're not into Wi-Fi then I'd recommend the BlackBerry Bold for it's 3G speed and Wi-Fi capabilities as well as update BlackBerry OS.

[Bdad @ Jan 16th 2009 12:34AM]

I thought UMA calling was banned from out of country IP addresses?

[Anton Wahlman @ Jan 16th 2009 12:33PM]

My experience is that it's working just fine abroad. Such IP addresses appear to be NOT blocked, thank heavens. Saves me $100+ a day.

[Aaron @ Jan 15th 2009 10:02PM]

Regardless of carrier:

Curve
Pearl
Bold

Never never Storm. It's a POS, believe me, and I am a big BB fanboy.

[MONKEY @ Jan 15th 2009 10:48PM]

The Storm is a POS? I think you mean the firmware on the originally released Storm was a POS. They have since upgraded it and I'm not the only happy Storm owner around anymore.

[Kyle @ Jan 15th 2009 11:40PM]

No, he's right, the Storm is a POS.

[Trevor @ Jan 16th 2009 2:22AM]

Agreed.

[Aaron @ Jan 16th 2009 8:43AM]

The Storm is simply an ill-conceived product from BB, period.

BB should never fight the iPhone on the terms of iPhone.

BB shouldn't create a halo product that's so far from your roots and user base.

On top of all that, it's simply not usable as a messaging device. For example, it is almost impossible to position the cursor so you can correct a misspelled word like Blockberry in an email, without using magnifier. Or the speed-dial is super buggie. The list of Storm's problem is pretty long.

At the end of the day, I had so much expectation for it and had hoped the Storm would just shut up Apple for once, and the Storm was not it.

[Bucky @ Jan 16th 2009 9:01AM]

We should believe that the Storm is a POS simply because you are "a big BB fanboy"? Or do you have any real life experience to back that up?
I agree, the Storm is not for everyone. I have it, use it for corporate email and personal use, and enjoy it tremendously. I have no problem 'clicking' out emails, the navigation works well, and I haven't had any problems yet.
But since I am not a big fanboy, like yourself, should they accept your fantastic opinion over my own? Keep the comments to what you know, and maybe Max (you know, the guy who asked the question, and is looking for HELPFUL advice) will be able to make a well informed decision.

[skant @ Jan 16th 2009 9:28AM]

Yeah I have loved my Storm, and haven't had much of aproblem adapting to the keyboard.That said, it still needs one more update and I've tried other peoples Storms and the screen is tougher to type on than mine.

[Shane @ Jan 16th 2009 10:39AM]

Count me as another happy Storm user. I have updated to release .85 so far, and pretty much all the issues from the original software have been corrected. I believe .86 has been leaked as well, but .85 has been so good I'm not going to update again until Verizon officially releases something.

It is true you can't type as fast on the touchscreen, but the benefits of such a large screen have far outweighed the slower typing for me. I am a business user, and I rely on my Blackberry to get me my important work email wherever I am. I couldn't be happier with it so far.

[Dave @ Jan 16th 2009 12:01PM]

I agree. I have a Storm and it's my first smartphone. I LOVE the click on the screen. I can type faster than I ever could using a T9 dumphone. The OS upgrades have improved it greatly since November 25th when I got it. Yes it takes some adapting to, but what new technology doesn't? If you spend a few days actually using a storm and not just picking one up in the store with preconceived notions that "it's crap" and searching out every miniscule flaw, you'd probably find that out too. It doesn't drop calls, the phone works beautifully. The web and browser are great and the Verizon network where I live/work is spot-on perfect.

[Aaron @ Jan 16th 2009 3:58PM]

I am an BB fanboy because I owned *every* model of their phone from their very first BB to the current the Storm (for 1 long month), and currently use the Pearl. As to how you want to take my opinion is your option; To answer the original question of this thread, if I am to get a new BB today, I would pick them in this order:

Curve, Pearl, Bold, and never never Storm.

[sims5487 @ Jan 17th 2009 1:53PM]

The Storm is not my first smartphone but I really really like it. Great if you have Verizon. It's no iPhone killer but hey, with Verizon, at the very least you've got a better network. Plus with the upgraded firmware a lot of the original problems have vanished.

[William Dobbin @ Jan 15th 2009 9:59PM]

For the life of me I cannot fathom why the 8900 won't have 3G/HSDPA.

[Ben @ Jan 15th 2009 11:29PM]

Well if you think about it why would RIM release a phone that is smaller, faster, has a better display, has better battery life, and all the features of the bold only months after the bold is released. That would probably hurt the sales of the Bold don't you think? The bold is the flagship blackberry phone so it has to have something that the others don't or no one would buy it.

[j.r. @ Jan 15th 2009 10:01PM]

i have had the pearl, curve, and now the Bold!! The Bold by far is the BEST! The keyboard feels great, the operating system is fast, and the WIFI option is great! i am with ATT so, if you are with ATT go with the BOLD! My friends have the Storm and the clicking keyboard is too slow for them. so there ya go.

[ojdurham @ Jan 15th 2009 10:08PM]

8900 of course! Its better than the bold in almost every way except for lacking 3G. If you're like the millions of Americans outside of 3G areas its a no brainer.

[Shlooky @ Jan 15th 2009 10:27PM]

Bold = screen too small
Pearl = screen too small, and no fully qwerty keyboard
curve=screen too small
Storm = just right, needs some getting used to, the new firware fixed alot of issues and it's now a pretty good phone

[David Hancock @ Jan 16th 2009 10:19AM]

You are probably A Storm owner..

[jonathan @ Jan 17th 2009 1:22AM]

Glasses?