In a nutshell: An entry-level BlackBerry Curve, with a new-fangled
Trackpad to replace the annoying trackball on previous Curve models.
The 8520 offers a full QWERTY keyboard, mobile e-mail, a basic camera
and a media player, plus good memory and connectivity. But it cuts
corners with the display, camera and lack of high-end features that
are common in many smartphones. Best buy:
*Free* with free line rental from Mobiles.co.uk
(Black) or Mobiles.co.uk
(Violet) or Dialaphone
(Black) or Dialaphone
(White); or £148.95 on PAYG from the Carphone
Warehouse (Black or Violet) or £149.95 from Dialaphone
(Black or White).
Review:
August 2009.
BlackBerry are trying hard. People like us have
been moaning for ages about the trackball that featured in previous
curve models. The trackball that often gets stuck and develops a
mind of its own. And now they've come up with an alternative: a
touch-sensitive Trackpad. Good work, but somehow they've fumbled
the keyboard, and the beautifully responsive keyboard that appeared
on the 8900 has been replaced
by one that just doesn't quite have the same sureness of feel. What
a shame! Still, the combination of trackpad plus QWERTY keyboard
isn't a bad one, and it sure beats struggling to write an email
with a conventional alphanumeric keypad!
Anyway, we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's
take a step back and survey the BlackBerry 8520. What is it's place
in the BlackBerry family? It's not a 3G phone like the BlackBerry
Bold, and it's missing features like GPS that appear in the
BlackBerry 8900. No, this is an
entry level member of the curve family, equipped with a basic screen
and a really clunky camera. But it does have several strongpoints
- the push email application and QWERTY keyboard that have made
BlackBerries famous, excellent connectivity and some decent memory.
The connectivity includes WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data
Rate, plus the benefit of a 3.5mm audio jack for connecting headphones
or plugging into your car stereo.
As a budget BlackBerry, the 8520 has its place
in the line-up, but the cost saving compared with the 8900 isn't
very much. On balance, we'd prefer the BlackBerry
8900 to the 8520, despite the trackball vs trackpad issue. The
8900 is a better featured phone in several ways, and the outstandingly
good keyboard on the 8900 is a major plus for anyone serious about
mobile messaging.
Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR, USB,
modem, 3.5mm stereo headset port
Memory: 256 Mbytes plus microSD memory card
slot
Size: 109 x 60 x 14 mm
Weight: 106g
Quadband
Talktime: 4.5 hours
Battery standby: 400 hours
BlackBerry
8520 Consumer Reviews
Love
your mobile? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other
people choose the phone that's best for them. Please do not review
this phone if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a
forum, so please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear
words or offensive language, and please, no advertising!
Reviewed by Duncan Maile from UK on
14th May 2010
I've had this phone a total of 5 hours and I am impressed with it.
I thought long and hard with it up against a 9700 but the fact I
didn't want to enter a contract swayed me to the 8520, and I'm not
disappointed. I got mine on T-Mobile with 6 months free web & BIS
(had trouble setting it up due to clueless customer service reps,
but asked nicely for the money back for the calls). I recommend
turning the font down to 7 in the settings, and upgrading to the
5.0 firmware (google it) as it will give you a boost in speed and
some nice extras. I live out in the sticks so 3G isn't much of an
issue to me & Google Maps & Blackberry Maps can lock on to a rough
location to find things around you. Try it, you won't go far wrong. Rating:
Reviewed by Gavin from England, UK on
13th May 2010
I've avoided getting a mobile phone of any type over the years,
but because of family member health reasons, I've finally caved
in and today bought myself a Curve 8520. For someone who's never
used a mobile, it was suprisingly easy to use and navigate through.
I live out in the country as well so was suprised even more to find
that I can connect to the Net through it. The only annoying thing
so far is how to get to your text inbox folder. So...unless there's
a shortcut way of doing it, I'll just have to get used to it. But
all in all, I'm very happy indeed; and for £15 a month; well I must
say I've scored a pretty good deal there! Rating:
Reviewed by Josh from UK on 9th
May 2010
I lost my Blackberry 8900 so was able to claim a temporary Blackberry
Curve 8520. I was shocked at the difference! The 8900 seemed easier
and better to use in all areas. Typing was easier, trackball I preferred
(although this is personal prefrence). And i felt lost without my
GPS. Its worth shedding about a few more pennies to get the better
Blackberry 8900, the 8520 REALLY IS A BUDGET BLACKBERRY! Rating:
Reviewed by Sabina from England on
9th May 2010
I loveee it soo much, it is actually the best phone that I've ever
had! It's my first blackberry and I love it! I've only had it for
a week now and it is soo much fun just playing with it, you can
never get bored! I would recommend this phone to absolutely anyone.
I thought the phone would be really hard to use (it is a blackberry)
but to my surprise I actually got used to it in the first 10 minutes!
:) If anyone needs a new phone, YOU HAVE GOT TO BUY THIS ONE :D Rating:
Reviewed by Kay from England on
8th May 2010
Guys, If only you'll believe me...buy BB Bold 9700. It's worth the
extra pay. I feel bad for buying this phone when I realised what
a huge diff b/w this and BB Bold 9700. Trust me, 8520 is a low quality
phone. Rating:
Reviewed by Jay from England on
4th May 2010
Absolutely amazing phone. This is the first blackberry phone ive
purchased and its brilliant. People complain that its not as good
as other blackberrys but it is an entry level phone. Im 23 and its
perfect for internet, emails, uploading pictures to facebook etc
on the go. The aps are great as well. Get one, you wont regret it.
:) Rating:
Reviewed by kim from uk on 3rd
May 2010
i just got it and bb does not work do you have to pay for this extra
:SSSS Rating:
Reviewed by Miley from America on
1st May 2010
I swear it is awesome!!!!!!!!The blackBerry curve 8520!!!! I swear
swear swear swear swear swear Rating:
Reviewed by CiCi from U.K on
27th Apr 2010
I also used to be committed to Nokias like other reviewers, and
was going to get the E71 but all my friends told me to get this
BB. Taking the risk was a very good decision! It's perfect for a
student with the £25 a month 02 Dolphin plan, so I'd definitely
recommend it to the younger generation who aren't generally fussed
about tech. The camera isn't bad at all, everything is easily accessible
after you get used to it which doesn't take long and the bonus is
that you can get some fancy little covers for it! The best phone
I've had so far. Rating:
Reviewed by Josh from United Kingdom
on 25th Apr 2010
The phone itself is a brilliant piece of technology. It's light
easy to use BUT there are a few things they don't tell you when
you get it. (I'm on orange pay as you go but I believe that it's
the case for other networks aswell.) 1) They don't tell you that
if you want "unlimited internet & blackberry messenger - as advertised"
you have to pay and extra £5 a month. E.g. if you top up £10, 5
of that goes towards your internet. 2) The unlimited internet is
only 50MB :S 3) Blackberry messenger doesn't work til after a few
days. But after all that hassle it is a brilliant phone! Rating:
Reviewed by Anilu from Brazil on
21st Apr 2010
Ok, I have to confess that I'm addicted to technology but I don't
have the money to afford the latest so I usually go for the next
best thing... I have a DELL Studio XPS, instead of a MAC, I have
an iPod touch instead of an iPhone and I have to have a smartphone
because I can't live without Internet and all the perks (messenger,
e-mail, Facebook, Twitter). I bought my first BB in 2008, a Pearl
with no WiFi, no GPS, lousy camera and a difficult keyboard. Yet
I learned to work with it and became my bestest friend. Then it
was stolen (I live in Brazil, what can I expect) and I got a Nokia
E63, which is a good smartphone but after using the BB I felt like
I was stuck at my grandma's house during vacation. It may be sweden,
wifi, fast, 3G, and blah blah blah, but I love my BB too much and
just couldn't get used to it. Besides, if you run more than 3 apps
at a time, it just crashes, and then you have to pay a pretty penny
to get it fixed. So after a loooot of complaining I finally got
my carrier to feel sorry for my frustrations and decided to give
me enough credit to get a new phone. My options were Bold 9700,
Bold 9000 and this beautiful Curve 8520. My husband has the 9000,
we call it "the brick". I've played a while with the 9700 and let's
be honest here, I'm a culinary arts student who works part time
and the other part time I spend with my kids and friends, I don't
have nor need a corporate email account, I use my gmail and that's
it, I use Facebook, Twitter and Weatherbug so why do I need to pay
so much for the 9700? Just 'cause it's pretty and a little bit more
sturdy than the 8520? Nooooo!!!! So, to those who are complaining
about having a cheap look, go and buy the 9700; to the ones who
say that you can't download this and that (which is a breeze, seriously!),
go and get an iPhone; and to those who say that the camera is bad,
go and buy an actual CAMERA! This is a phone people! Smart, yes,
but that's it, you just make sure that you can read your mail, update
your status, maybe listen to some music (or get an iPod), maybe
sync your schedule, but that's it. This is a really good phone because
it has the BB OS which is excellent, it's fast enough for the aforementioned
tasks and it's light and pretty I might add. Like it was stated:
ENTRY LEVEL PHONE. If you are a big corporate guy/lady, then ask
your company to provide you with the fastest, best BB. If you just
need a phone, get a RAZR. But if you want to be connected, don't
like to struggle with size, yet look cool with a BB in your hands,
then get this phone 'cause it's totally worth it. My only complain
and actually concern is the escape key, feels like I have to really
push it to make it work and I'm afraid I'll break it... anybody
else has this problem? Rating:
Reviewed by Mr Singh from UK on
19th Apr 2010
Absolutely tremendous i must, perfect entry level phone, ease of
use for those less technical minded. 10/10! Rating:
Reviewed by Sara from ... on
19th Apr 2010
I love my phone very much. Buy it you wont be sorry :D Rating:
Reviewed by Crystal from T&T on
19th Apr 2010
I got my BB 8520 today - I avoided getting a BB for the longest
while, for fear of becoming a slave to it - but I'm mandated now
to get one.So far I like the feel of it - its not as large my husband's
9000, which fits my hand in an odd way, making me fear dropping
it. Its my first BB, and it took me all of 5mins to start maneuvering
like I'd had it for years. The camera is decent - my last phone
had an 8mp camera and photography is a hobby, so this a huge step
away from what I'm used to - but it's not bad. I look forward to
my BB and I spending alot of time together. Rating:
Reviewed by steve n from uk on
18th Apr 2010
i bought a blackberry 8520 on payg vodafone,but i cant download
apps useing software cd provided,it tells me my phone's software
not compatible. Rating:
Reviewed by em from uk on 17th
Apr 2010
i got my blackberry curve 8520 yesterday and i love it it is the
best phone i have ever had except for the quality of the camera.
i found it quite difficult to get my head around finding things
at first and there still some things i haven't figured out but its
a great phone!!!!!!!! Rating:
Reviewed by elie maamary from lebanon
on 16th Apr 2010
i got this phone yestderday .... this thing is so amazing that it
can do anything (but not ANYTHING just anything :) ) Rating:
Reviewed by azz from uk on 12th
Apr 2010
hey, i love my phone, in good it fits in my pocket when im on the
ramps with a bmx, it does what i want it to do and its very trustworthy!
hasnt broken, YET! LOL but ye i love it and i would advise getting
it, u can get it for 15pounds a month at tmobile, this is a uk based
company Rating:
Reviewed by crispar from australia on
11th Apr 2010
umm... ofcourse you'd rather the 8900 it's the top end curve, that's
like saying you'd prefer a top of the range car compared to the
base which is obvious. My previous phones have been an iPhone and
a HTC Dream my blackberry curve 8520 has an outstanding battery
life compared of both of them, the camera is better in the HTC Dream
which is a top end phone. And my dad has a 8900 the key boards are
exactly the same except for the detail. god! Rating:
Reviewed by angie from grand cayman
on 7th Apr 2010
I love my. Blackberry. So much I do not. What I. Would. Do. With
out. It Rating:
Reviewed by gigi from united States
on 7th Apr 2010
LOVE IT !!! i even like it better then the bold 9700.... <3 Rating:
Reviewed by Roti Sulthan from UK on
4th Apr 2010
Wifi does not work unless one takes a mobile phone plan which includes
internet. If one has internet already on the phone; it is then pointless
to have Wifi. Bluetooth does not work especially when one is trying
to send mp3 files or pictures to another phone via bluetooth. The
only way to add picture, ringtones or mp3 files is by taking the
memory card out and insert it in a pc and transfer the files across.
Regret buying a blackberry. Should have stayed with Nokia. Picture
quality is appalling. Rating:
Reviewed by beb from india on
3rd Apr 2010
Great phone... although it does feel a bit cheap and plasticy compared
to other blackberry models Rating:
Reviewed by Sean from england on
3rd Apr 2010
This phone is terrible absolutely rubbish I hate this phone so much.
It's so annoying. Rating:
Reviewed by haris from england on
31st Mar 2010
it is a good phone but a little bit heavier. Rating:
Reviewed by m wyatt from england on
30th Mar 2010
Found the set up information in the booklets very vague but the
biggest disapointment was finding out that to send and receive pictures
you have to pay to go on blackberry services and pay a monthly fee,this
can not be right,I am now selling the phone and blackberry will
not be getting any more custom in future. Rating:
Reviewed by martin from england on
29th Mar 2010
get one best phone i have ever had perfect. Rating:
Reviewed by anita from scotland on
26th Mar 2010
this phone is great. a had the 8900 but this one is a lot better
the only thing a miss about my 8900 is the camera :):):):) Rating:
Reviewed by a.k from uk on 25th
Mar 2010
have always had nokia phones, thought id give myself a change and
have a blackberry, BIG MISTAKE!! sould have stayed with nokia, not
what i expected at all from a blackberry!! will be defo going back
to nokia.... Rating:
Reviewed by Eilidhdawn from scotland
on 24th Mar 2010
This phone is amazing. The battery life lasts for days unlike normal
modern phones!! You can search for a word throughout your messages
which is great for me! I've had mine for just under a year and never
had a problem with it! Rating:
Reviewed by nvdude from india on
18th Mar 2010
hmmm.... bb 8520, is just a amazing phone, have more features for
making convenient on the go n more convenient while using desktop
manager, it does lots of work by its own by just click , like backing
up the personal stuffs, updating the softwares, uploading media
or downloading media from n to desktop, directly can download media,
files, pics into phone using internet. Rating:
Reviewed by charlie from Lesta on
18th Mar 2010
wicked phone Rating:
Reviewed by Brian Nicholas from Wales
UK on 17th Mar 2010
Key pad to small for big fingers Rating:
Reviewed by chelsie from england on
15th Mar 2010
LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT :):):):):) Rating:
Reviewed by william w from stoke on
12th Mar 2010
i had the phone just yesterday and the phone is very very good i
know that some apps are basic but the phone is sleek and slim best
phone iv had in a while i had iphone that was just a nightmare!!
id reccomend this phone for everyone!! Rating:
Reviewed by Chris from Uk on
7th Mar 2010
Excellent phone for what really is a budget BB. For £20 a month
on Virgin I have to say this is much better than the Nokia E63 IMO.
To Matt ref 5.0 upgrade - didn't think the 5.0 OS (offical) was
available yet and am reluctant to try an unofficial version as not
sure how safe/network provider specific the software is? Where did
you upgrade yours from? Rating:
Reviewed by Matt from Uk on 2nd
Mar 2010
Good battery life camera poor texting + e-mailing easy Signal good
web browsing excellent Rating:
Reviewed by Mathew Aitken from Scotland
on 23rd Feb 2010
this is actualy the first phone iv had in the past 5 years, with
loads of features that all work! everything just does what its supposed
to do and with the 5.0 update it gets even better :D Rating:
Reviewed by Jesse from UK on
13th Feb 2010
This is my first bb and i have to say that it is better then expected;
it has everything you need in a mobile phone Rating:
Reviewed by greatBB! from UK on
6th Feb 2010
Well, this phone is fabulous it isnt as hi tech as the other recent
BlackBerries, but it is great and anyone ca use it, yeah the keys
are quite small, it is for anyone who is on a budget, on orange
it is only £149.99 + credit £20.00 it's really good + it has Blackberry
messenger to keep in touch really easily for free! Love the phoone
and planning on getting it!! Rating:
Reviewed by David S from U.K on
5th Feb 2010
I really like this entry level B.B I have big digits and was worried
about the small key board but after an hour or two I realised that
if you type away, 99% of the time you hit the right key due to the
raised keys. Simple to use compared with many other phones does
what it says on the packet. Really like it so far.Camera not great
but you know that before you get it if you read the spec!! Rating:
Reviewed by Ryan from England on
3rd Feb 2010
Its a decent phone. Takes a while to get used to the keyboard but
you get there in the end and the trackpad is best when set to sensitive
leve 40 or 50. The canera is decent to and adding wifi is great.
It wont run MSN though it says something about the phone not being
enabled but maybe thats cos im on PAYG. All in all a quality phone
I'd recommend it for those on a budget who wanna look flash XD Rating:
Reviewed by nick from England on
31st Jan 2010
Just getting the hang of it - it's my first blackberry. No problems
thus far, i think it is a excellent phone, and would recommend it
to anyone! :) Rating:
Reviewed by iluvBB from UK on
30th Jan 2010
has a real entry level feel about it and some of the features are
just not up to scratch considering what we have seen on previous
blackberry models, personally i am going to trade it in for a blackberry
bold which is actually worth the money you pay for it. Big mistake
blackberry... Rating:
Reviewed by rick from UK on 24th
Jan 2010
I am amazed that nobody has mentioned the surcharge that Blackberry
levies each month just for using the phone for what it is designed
for. My serice provider – 02 – offers me unlimited web
bolt-on as part of my package, and yet BB expects me to pay another
£10 to do the same thing.. The phone is good in may ways, but the
perspex screen is plasticky and cheap, ad I don't loke that way
it bends at the bottom when it doubles as the buttons. Definitely
has an entry-level feel, and in no way compares with any of the
vastly superior Nokias that I have had before. Would rather throw
it in the canal than pay BB for the internet. (Have you also noticed
the way they get you to advertise their service, after you hae paid
them for it, by placing a message at the end of each email, saying
that it has been sent on your Blackberry. Anyone who is si bewitched
by the Blackberry brand that they will oay to advertise it is being
conned.) Rating:
Reviewed by mohamed from u.s.a on
16th Jan 2010
This phone is amazing and recomend it to anyone!! Rating:
Reviewed by Adol Eusoffe from Malaysia
on 13th Jan 2010
An excellent phone, being an entry level BlackBerry it functions
as it suppose to be... Rating:
Reviewed by Yousuf from United Kingdom
on 11th Jan 2010
Excellent phone,as far as the camera is concerned i think its pretty
good for 2 mp camera,specially in natural light,i have taken some
brilliant pics with it.Other features,specially the mp3 player,
are good as any other BB and considering the price difference i
think its a bargain..would recommend it to any one. Rating:
Reviewed by Lexi_M from Philippines
on 10th Jan 2010
A good phone! =) Loving it! Rating:
Reviewed by Adam from UK on 9th
Jan 2010
I got this phone for Christmas and I think it's amazing. The screen
is very clear and nice to look at. As I've not even had it for a
month I'm still discovering new features everyday. Anyone thinking
of buying it, I would completely recommend this phone. If I had
to choose one downside, it has to be the camera, which is a bit
of a disappointment as I take lots of pictures, but I love the trackpad
thingy and the wifi/IM features ! Love this phone :D Rating:
Reviewed by Ella from Lincolnshire on
9th Jan 2010
This is an entry level phone and people are moaning about the lack
of features! ENTRY LEVEL PHONE states the obvious, don't buy it
thinking your going to be getting the works because your not, if
you want something that can do everything then buy a different blackberry,
don't sound so shocked about the lack of stuff!It's not as if blackberry
claimed it did everything! sorry about that moan :) but it needed
to be said :) Rating:
Reviewed by John from Weymouth on
8th Jan 2010
Its better than fantastic, its good! Rating:
Reviewed by Mark T from UK on
7th Jan 2010
This is the first smart phone that i have had & only had it for
9 Days, so just getting used to the features. Compared to a standard
mobile keypad the QWERTY pad is much faster to use. The only gripe
that i have is that i used the earphones supplied for the first
time, and now the internal switch is stuck, so the phone cannot
be used without them (Pants), so it has to go back. I can only give
it a 3 Star rating at the moment as i have not had a chance to live
with the phone properly and use the e-mail push function as Orange
Terminated my E-mail Address when i transferred from PAYG to Contract,
and have not been able reinstate it as of yet. Rating:
Reviewed by callum bushell from united
kingdom on 2nd Jan 2010
the blackberry cure 8520 is a very good phone especially for work
it has a good better life lasting up to two days very fast blackberry
internet and email outstanding blackberry keypad amazing value its
the best phone that i have had Rating:
Reviewed by Cait (pronounced 'Kate') from
UK on 31st Dec 2009
Blackberry forgot something here. The sides aren't curved unlike
the 8300 range :S confusing. Rating:
Reviewed by 364ll from UK on
30th Dec 2009
This phone is amazing ! Upon first receiving it ; it may seem a
little baffling and I do admit it takes some time getting use to
, but after you've figure out how to use the easy-to-use QWERTY
keyboard and use the Trackpad efficiently , your away and there
is no stopping you , addiction may occur , it did happen for me
! Applications such as Facebook and Windows Live Messenger works
seamlessly on this device , so you can easily keep in touch with
friends and family . Its also worth checking out BlackBerry Messenger
, another great feature allowing you to talk PIN-to-PIN with other
BlackBerry users you add as friends on your device . Other features
such as the media buttons on the top of the device , to the bright
, clear screen display makes this smartphone a lovable device .
This phone isn't just a business phone , it is an entertainment
device ! I am completely satisfied with this phone , I don't know
how I lived with out it before ! Rating:
Reviewed by vijesh pareek from india
on 29th Dec 2009
its nice n sleeem with good features. Rating:
Reviewed by shakira from west bank on
26th Dec 2009
nice phone, easy to use , but lack 3G, very important. Rating:
Reviewed by brokelk from uk on
26th Dec 2009
amazing but how do you get app store on it Rating:
Reviewed by Billy from London on
25th Dec 2009
I love this phone, takes a bit of getting used too. I love the music
keys at the top of the phone and the headphone port is the usual
3.5mm one so u can fit any type in. Buttons easy too use, nice and
easy to use with modern aspects peeking through! Rating:
Reviewed by liam fromon 25th
Dec 2009
:O I love this phone.. Reccomend to anybody :) Rating:
Reviewed by Ben from England on
24th Dec 2009
This phone is absolutely fantastic! having just upgraded from a
pearl 8120 it is a lot more user friendly for my age range (teenagers)
which is good as you can clearly see that is the target audience.
the wi-fi is good when you're wanting to browse the web for free
and the keyboard is so much easier to use than the pearl. the only
negative thing I have to say is with the headphones, my rubber bits
keep falling off! however it does have a 3.5mm headjack and got
a free pair of skullcandy headphones with my device on orange. Overall
it's a fantastic phone and I can't see me changing it for ages to
come :) Rating:
Reviewed by Roshelle from UK on
23rd Dec 2009
I LOVE THIS THING! Rating:
Reviewed by Rachel from Scotland on
23rd Dec 2009
I Think That All The People That Are Comparing This To The Other
Curves, Such As The 8900, And The 8300 Range, Are Just Stupid! This
Is An Entry Level Phone, Made For People That Maybe Haven't Had
A BB Before, And With It Being Entry Level, Of Course The Features
Aren't Going To Be As Good, So Stop Moaning! I LOVE My Blackberry
To Bits, And I Don't Know What I'd Do Without It. Rating:
Reviewed by Alan from U.K on
21st Dec 2009
Best phone ever after the iphone!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rating:
Reviewed by Emma from Doncaster, England
on 17th Dec 2009
After having a blackberry curve 8900 that was broken and unable
to repair, t-mobile gave me this phone as the only other option.
Although the trackpad is extremely responsive and easy to use, I
am dissapointed in the keypad, the buttons seem smaller and less
stable and harder to type on. The exit and return key are very hard
to push although this may just be me but overall it is a decent
smartphone worth having. Rating:
Reviewed by Nigel from Plymouth, England
on 11th Dec 2009
I got my BB 8520 + BIS after a good deal from my service provider.
It is the first smartphone I have ever owned. I used to have an
ordinary mobile and a HP iPaq 4150 PDA which didn't have any facilities
for making a phone call and a MP3 player. After my 4150 died on
me I decided to upgrade to a smartphone. I never did get the hang
of texting with my ordinary mobile, but I can now with the 8520
keypad! I don't like touch screen phones/PDA's because I could not
get on using finger only on my old PDA I always had to use the stylus,
which I found fiddly to find, got lost, broken etc. My new 8520
may only be entry level but it does exactly what I want. I need
a PIM (my memory is not what it used to be I am 50+!), a phone and
something to play my music on. I have now got one piece of equipment
instead of three (phone, PDA, MP3 player), ever tried holding a
PDA, MP3 with earphones attached, shopping and answering a separate
phone? Not easy. I LOVE my BlackBerry, I now get my emails, SMS
and phone calls all in one and I can make & answer phone calls whilst
listening to my music, Hooray! Also my BB conects to my WiFi LAN
and the internet is fast. Not so important is the camera, I have
a perfectly good DSLR for pictures. BlackBerry Apps are an unexpected
plus. Overall 10/10! Rating:
Reviewed by francesca from england on
9th Dec 2009
just got the phone today, and now ive got my friend to set everything
up for me i am loving it!! i am 16 and it is perfect :D Rating:
Reviewed by Elena from UK on
6th Dec 2009
I Got My blackberry today, its my first blackberry, and with my
big thumbs, I didn't want to get a pearl. So far all I can say is
that I think that its a great phone, and the trackpad really easy
to use. I think that the camera is good enough for me, and I think
that blackberry have made a great phone Rating:
Reviewed by David from UK on
5th Dec 2009
I had a BB 8320 before which was much better. I am very unhappy
with this model (8520).Build quality is poor, screen is of a low
quality, keyboard keys and difficult to text/email on in comparison
to other BBs. The camera does not have a flash. I can go on... In
short BBs are great but it is worth going for any of the other models.
I have gone through the positive reviews here and most of them come
from first time users and have not compared this phone to other
BBs. I would recommend that anyone considering buying this phone
looks at all the available models. Rating:
Reviewed by Himaank from India on
4th Dec 2009
yooo!! its an awesome phone plzz buy it and dont think about any
other mobile!!.... Rating:
Reviewed by andy rimmer from blackburn
uk on 1st Dec 2009
never owned one b4 but think this bit of kit is brill always owned
nokias ,but love the b/b just let down by the camera quality in
the year 2009 cud of done better but overall well pleased. Rating:
Reviewed by emmaa from england/newcastle
on 1st Dec 2009
I really love this phone! definatily worth the money!! I previously
had the lg cookie which was a night mare, cannot STAND touch screen
phones, this blackberry does everything i need it to do, i am a
fifteen year old girl so idont se it for business, simply for texting
and interent use! when im linked to a wifi conection the speed is
amasingly quick! faster than my laptop that i now rarley use due
to ther speed of this phone! Texting is great and is so much easier
to text on! wouldnt trade this phone for a thing! and this is a
rare thing for me to say as i usually change phones every month,
but this one is definatily a keeper! had it for four months now
and still loving it! definatily reccommend it Rating:
Reviewed by ryan from wigan on
1st Dec 2009
I got this phone today on contract and I love it, ok it only as
a 2.0 pix camara but it still takes good photos, I aint to botherd
about the camara anyway, the phone as a poor memory so I went and
bought a 8gb memory card. I realy like this phone! My last phone
was a nokia n95 8gb but I like the blackberry phones better, I would
rate this phone 8.5 out of 10 because of poor memory and 2.0 camara
but everything else is great Rating:
Reviewed by h from bristol on
29th Nov 2009
great phone does everything abit like a smaller version of a iphone
great 4 texting i advise you to get this phone Rating:
Reviewed by Hamant from England on
26th Nov 2009
Great phone, does everything a student needs, and I find the apps
are sufficient, I found an app to read mangas online, it has a facebook
app, youtube, everything that a smartphone has basically... I even
use it to take notes in lectures! And sure it has no gps, but it
has Google maps which has a gps feature in the app itself. The internet
speed is slow, but with wifi, it zooms along. You can get themes
for it too, the camera is fine as it is, and the keyboard is fantastic
along with the trackpad! Unlike other blackberrys, there's rarely
a need for a battery pull restart! And it's an entry level smartphone,
what did you expect for the price, an iphone? Rating:
Reviewed by Robert from england on
24th Nov 2009
I cannot understand other people`s negative reviews of this phone.
To reply to other postings, 1) If you want a camera with a flash,
get a digital camera! 2) My 8520 came with a 2gb mini SD card, more
than enough storage space. OK, it is not 3g, but it connects to
wifi points and my router at home which gives fast internet speed.
OK, it`s not got GPS, so get a satnav if you want to. As far as
I am concerned, this phone is perfectly adequate for my needs and
is cool! Oh, and I also like the colour in case anybody really cares! Rating:
Reviewed by kevin from liverpool. on
24th Nov 2009
good phone Rating:
Reviewed by Shaun from U.K on
23rd Nov 2009
I am getting this phone in a couple of days and after reading all
the positive reviews i can't wait for it, i have been on this phone
before and it is great, for all those reviewers saying its not good
enough...it is not a top of the range phone...low entry model made
for other consumers. if you want a top of the range phone dont get
this to be dissappointed then sure it doesnt have 3G and no flash
but does that really matter when you have such a great phone as
the Curve 8520 no it doesnt so stop with your reviews saying that
it is rubbish and get a different phone if you are not satisfied!!! Rating:
Reviewed by Dee from U.K on 22nd
Nov 2009
I love my lil blackberry, i got the violet one after falling in
love with it. it does everything i need and like most reviewers
it is my first BB and i would say the only thing lacking is the
flash for the camera. i have a memory card for it which i needed
as being a mum of three i take a lot of photos.My phones are my
one vice i love them. and this will keep me sorted for the next
18 months hopefully xx Rating:
Reviewed by TomF from England on
19th Nov 2009
I had a BB before this the model , but it was a class above this
phone, its like a child version of a bb i loved my phone before
and upgraded for the track pad, mistake really, and my contract
provider will not change it for me, as far as phones go its a great
phone but in terms of blackberrys its not the georgie best, so i
would recommend waiting till the 8900 comes with track pad, the
new bold 2 which will have track pad or getting this phone if your
new to bbs you'll enjoy it but if have a bb wait for the bold 2
or new curve with trackpad!!! Rating:
Reviewed by Tilda from England on
14th Nov 2009
This is my first BB and its all very new to me. So far I've had
good reactions from other people but as 'Hannah from UK' said, "Dont
be fooled by the Blackberry label". Its memory is appalling; i cant
even take videos on it because that requires a memory card. I cant
keep more than 10 photos on it either. The blackberry case which
I was advised to buy, costed £15 from the Carphone Warehouse and
doesn't even cover the top of the phone - a pointless purchase as
somewhere down the line, the top of the handset will become scratched
despite being in its official case. The internet is lacking speed
- no 3G. If you are in places with little signal it is almost painfully
slow. Despite these little niggles, it is a really good phone. Personally,
my favourite features are the LED light that flashes when you have
a text, the trackpad which has alterable sensitivity, the wide and
bright screen, its keyboard - which makes texting a lot easier,
and the shape, feel and weight of the actual handset. Rating:
Reviewed by Marc from england on
12th Nov 2009
So far I am impressed with this phone. This is my first Blackberry
and it does take a bit of getting used to. Setting up my email account
was easy, as was setting up bluetooth and wifi. I do find the keyboard
alittle bit too small(probably OK for small fingers). Battery life
so far seems good.Camera and video are ok, not great. The Blackberry
chat application is brilliant! You can chat from Blackberry to Blackberry
anywhere in the world, and it is totally free!!! In summary, an
entry level Blackberry, but as far as I am concerned, it does everything
I need. Rating:
Reviewed by Hannah from UK on
8th Nov 2009
Oh my god I am so disappointed. I had a nokia n86, I got angry with
that and traded it in for this BB. Massive mistake. This phone does
NOTHING, the keypad is too small, the camera is rubbish and has
no flash, and the internal memory is full after 8 pictures, the
menus are literally a white background with black writing. No graphics.
Can't change the settings easily. I HATE this phone, I honestly
can't understand why people are giving it such high reviews. It's
difficult to navigate. Don't be fooled by the BB label. Rating:
Reviewed by talucia from england on
4th Nov 2009
i brought this phone a few days ago and so far not really impressed.
the keyboard feels awkward, and the camera takes quite dark pictures
because there is no flash.the fact that GPS seems to be quite standard
in most smartphones and this one does not puts me off as well. personnally
i am taking it back to get the 8900 model with alll the extra bits. Rating:
Reviewed by sophie waterhouse from UK
on 29th Oct 2009
OMG I got this phone (after lots of thought) three days ago and
I cant put it down. I got the violet one and the colour to start
with is ace. I am quite picky when it comes to a new phone but this
does everything I want (usually I get bored so quick because I always
want everything but I know this phone will keep me happy for a long
time). When I go out I have a camera I use but I still like my phone
to have decent quality pics for the photos that I take with it for
my phone use and to say its a 2MP its extremely clear and good.
Only change I would make is that it should have a flash (but thats
the only thing with the whole phone I have found wrong). The sound
is amazing, the speed of the phone is great. The applications are
all great and easy to use. There is nothing bad at all I can say
about this phone. I have my facebook and email account set up as
bookmark on internet so after two clicks it takes u straight to
the home page of both (without havin to sign and they are refreshed-
just add them to bookmark while signed in for the first time). So
calls, texts, camera, sound, style, speed, keypad for typing- just
everything is perfect with it. I love it and can happily say ill
stay happy with it for a looonggg time!! thanks Blackberry!! Rating:
Reviewed by BarrIE with an I.E from
UK on 22nd Oct 2009
this phone makes my life worth living, my whole life revolves around
this phone. p.s. i love my family. Rating:
Reviewed by william from uk on
20th Oct 2009
best phone ever made Rating:
Reviewed by Ramona from UK on
16th Oct 2009
its better than great.. its good! Rating:
Reviewed by Matthew from wrexham on
11th Oct 2009
Got this phone yesterday!!!!! Really good features for the price
all i paid was £180 from carphone warehouse. People say 8900 is
better in my opinion it is not, it has a 1 megapixel better camera
and a silly trackball that gets jammed after about 3 months of use.
Also the 8900 is not 3g either but both phones perform well on the
web and really quick on wifi (obviously). Sooooo if you want 1 of
these phones then get 1 u will not regret it..........:)) Rating:
Reviewed by H MacLennan from Scotland
on 7th Oct 2009
this is my first blackberry 8520 this phone gives you everything
you could want,people go on about the screen i have no problem with
it,downloading apps is where i struggle but i'll get threre Rating:
Reviewed by Harj from U.K on
3rd Oct 2009
Had it for 4 days and now am sending it back for the 8900. Don't
make the same mistake i did. Its budget level, looks nice but awkward
to use with the qwerty keyboard compared to the 8900. I know its
smaller and nicer to look at but i couldnt live with it. Rating:
Reviewed by Barry from UK on
30th Sep 2009
I got the balckberry 8520 3days ago, and it's wicked, got great
features for the price, but not as good as the 8900, as it has no
3G. but otherwise solid phone. Rating:
Reviewed by David from UK on
30th Sep 2009
I like this phone. It does everything a classic blackberry should
do, is small, light, inexpensive and has a bright screen that can
be viewed in sunlight. It works well with Outlook, my cars bluetooth
etc etc. In summary, it does the basics very well. Rating:
Reviewed by James from UK on
17th Sep 2009
Another blackberry that looks like all the others and does the same
as all the others. no 3G, no innovation. the market is moving on.
its cheap though Rating:
Reviewed by Rick from London, UK on
14th Sep 2009
Had this now for a couple of weeks and I have to say that I am very
impressed thus far. Okay, we all know it's not top of the range
and there are better equiped phones out there but for what I need
it's perfect and does what is says without a glitch. Value for money,
it's perfect. Rating:
Reviewed by Lee from UK on 8th
Sep 2009
Had my blackberry 8520 for about 3 wks now, i upgraded from a normal
sony ericsson c902 and as this is my first BB was slightly nervous,
but i have to say that it is an excellent business tool, i need
it in case i get urgent emails when im out the office, if i need
to take a picture of a site, the camera is more than adequate, after
all im not blowing them up to A4 size! on top of all that i can
plan every social /business event i need with the calender, it makes
calls, it text's it does everything its suppose to do, as my first
BB im very very impressed and im sure the more exspensive ones are
better equipt but im not sure what more i would want or need, great
price, great phone. Rating:
Reviewed by ramsem from UK on
7th Sep 2009
Its great - does what it says on the tin - why the heck would you
want to be taking photo's with your BB anyway - these idiots (the
media) are targetting the BB to kids these days - bit stupid really...soryy
off topic- i think the curve is gr8 Rating:
Reviewed by Nicola from UK on
27th Aug 2009
I've had mine for a few days now and it meets every requirement
I could have. Yes the camera is basic (not what the phones about
though) the screen resolution is below most other phones but it
is perfectly adequate. The music and video playback is great and
as with all latest BB a 3.5 port is on the phone with no need for
adapters of any sort. The trackpad is a blessing when compared to
the old trackball, it doesn't get stuck! Overall this is a basic
BB in the range but if all you want is a phone, messenger, emails
and media then it is sufficient for your needs. Personally I love
it! Rating:
Reviewed by Nick from West Yorkshire
on 21st Aug 2009
Have already played with one of these. Rather strange really. Its
a curve with larger keys, a 2MP camera that is basic to say the
least. It is also the first Blackberry to have an infa red mouse/rollerball
similar to the old Omnia. Otherwise, nothing new here Rating:
