BlackBerry Curve 9380

Our biggest complaint about the new touchscreen BlackBerry Curve 9380 is, well, the fact it doesn't have a physical keyboard. A BlackBerry without a keyboard is just another touch-control smartphone, and in this case it has an interface that needs some work and an application store that's pretty quiet. However, it still manages to handle social networks, e-mails and the free BBM instant messaging platform.

Read original review at Digital Versus.

The BlackBerry Curve 9380 is an interesting foray in the touchscreen-only jungle by RIM, which probably meant to create a decent consumer-oriented budget device with its services staples. Yet when you get rid of one huge advantage for BlackBerry aficionados, which is the physical keyboard, and replace it with an on-screen one plastered over a wimpy 3.2-incher, eyebrows are bound to be raised.

There is just no way that the suit and government types will be typing on the Curve 9380 like on the markedly easier BlackBerry physical portrait keyboards, which are RIM’s trademark for the world. RIM might be shooting itself in the foot here, as it doesn’t have many competitive advantages over the more popular Android and iOS now, just the wonders of BBM, BIS and the legendary BlackBerry security, coupled with the excellent keyboards, and one of those advantages is missing on the Curve 9380, because the screen size is so small.

Average users, on the other hand, have so much choice in the segment the Curve 9380 is striving for, that grabbing precisely this handset out of the pile seems a bit of an utopian hope for RIM, if it meant the 9380 as a consumer-oriented device. They’ll see a handset with stiff side keys, entry level screen, processor and video capture. Yet they’ll be asked to pay the “BlackBerry premium”, which will likely steer them away from the Curve 9380.

For its price you can get phones like the Sony Ericsson Xperia ray, a much more capable munchkin with a way better camera, screen resolution and Android applications galore. If you are into typing lengthy emails, you can grab the HTC Desire Z for even less money, with its excellent physical keyboard and crafty design. If you are longing for that legendary portrait keyboard, the oldie BlackBerry Bold 9780 has it for only a tad more.

In case you want something markedly different, like Windows Phone, you can check out the Samsung Omnia W for the same money, with a 4” Super AMOLED display and good Microsoft Exchange email support.

Yet if you absolutely must have the BlackBerry services in a trendy touchscreen-only device, the Curve 9380 is indeed a budget way to do it, provided that you don’t plan on a lot of typing. If you do, you'd better splurge a bit extra, and get the Torch 9860, which offers the same experience, but on a more bearable 3.7” display, plus you get faster processor and 720p video recording.

Read original review at PhoneArena.

Despite its flawed operating system, there’s a charm to the compact design of the Curve 9380 but it’s the keyboard skills that will disappoint BlackBerry fans. If you demand speed, the Curve 9380 is not your next phone.

Read original review at What Mobile.