With the new OS update, the Blackberry Curve is even more impressive than before. The compact and curve design made the 8300 score high on ergonomics. Add to this the widely-spaced QWERTY with great tactile feedback. We got the best typing experience with this one. On the spec sheet, regular smartphone users would not be that impressed, but Blackberry users won't find much to complain about. The Curve has a 2.5-inch screen which is good enough for viewing emails and web pages. The trackball would not need much mention here as it still offers the same good navigational experience it has been doing for years.

The superb Blackberry Exchange Server continues to be a winner because of its high security and functionality. For business users, it is compatible with Blackberry Enterprise server, Microsoft Exchange and also supports POP3 or IMAP4 accounts. The spell check feature comes in handy while composing email. Setting up email is fairly simple and up to 10 email accounts are supported. For office documents, this time around, Documents to Go (to view and edit office documents) comes with the latest OS update. This is a good move as there was only Attachment viewer for those documents before the updates.

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One disappointing feature is the lack of connectivity options. We would like to see at least Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity options for a smartphone of this caliber, especially when you consider the premium price. This apart, the multimedia features after the new update are decent. The 2MP camera with flash and self portrait mirror is quite good and the 3.5mm jack port is bettered with the now included Equalizer on its Music Player after the updates. For a Blackberry device, this is a huge improvement.

Now, our final thoughts here: Blackberry devices don't come cheap. If you are a current Blackberry user looking for upgrades, and do not really mind the absence ofWi-Fi and 3G this is a good choice.