Smartphones are changing on what seems to be a daily basis. Manufacturers must adapt or risk being left in the dust. Phones don?t necessarily need a complete makeover when a quick freshening up will do. If a phone already performs above the competition, it is beneficial to keep what works and make some adjustments. Research in Motion took this approach when developing the Blackberry Curve 2.
The Blackberry Curve 2 is basically an update to the Curve 8520. As a matter of fact, the shell is the same, the only change to be found on the back of the handset. It is a smooth, checkered pattern that gives the Curve 2 a slick feel, but not so much that it feels as if the phone can be dropped at any time. The device is also a mite thinner than its Curve cousins with a thickness of 0.5 inches, down from 0.6. The keyboard configuration is nearly identical to the Bold, something that will please users of previous that phone. Although the QWERTY keyboard is on the small side, it still outperforms other handsets, so that is of little concern. The camera shutter and volume buttons are located on the right side of the Curve 2 and the camera lens is found on the back. SIM and microSD card slots can be found under the battery cover, but there is no need to remove the batter to access them.
Because the Blackberry Curve 2 is a GSM, quad band smartphone, it can be used worldwide wherever GSM is found. The speakerphone on the Curve 2 is nice, but one of its strongest features is UMA calling. UMA calling is the type of calling done on WiFi networks. A number of carriers let the customer set the Curve 2 to automatically utilize UMA service in WiFi areas. When the WiFi signal fades, the device transitions back to GSM seamlessly. In addition to UMA calling, the Blackberry Curve 2?s WiFi 802.11 b/g connection makes for effective internet browsing. The phone operates on OS 4.6, which is the same as the Bold, but Curve 2 loads web pages better. The Curve 2 is powered by a speedy 512 MHz Xscale CPU. And what would a Blackberry be without push email? The Curve 2 accommodates both BES and BIS services, allowing for companies possessing Blackberry servers to operate or for users who want their carrier to provide Blackberry services.
The Blackberry Curve 2 updates its predecessors into a handset that provides the latest technology. RIM has built on a series of phones that users like and are familiar with. The Curve 2 will satisfy those looking for the next step in Blackberry devices.
