Blackberry Curve 3G

A quick and clever QWERTY-toting BlackBerry for the budget-conscious

The BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 is a perked-up version of the entry-level BlackBerry Curve 8520, with 3G connectivity and slightly more oomph under the hood. But its trackpad is frustrating, and it offers absolutely nothing to get excited about. Overall, the Curve 3G is the definition of 'decent but dull'.

Blackberry Curve 3G 

The BlackBerry Curve 3G looks like yet another BlackBerry handset. Its full QWERTY keyboard sits below a 2.4-inch screen, with the 2-megapixel camera on the reverse. Offering 3G connectivity as well as Wi-Fi, the handset promises fast internet browsing while apps and themes can be easily downloaded from the BlackBerry App World.

The Curve 3G is definitely an improvement on the Curve 8520, thanks to its addition of 3G connectivity. We didn't complain about the lack of 3G on the 8520, because it offers Wi-Fi for when you need to do some serious Web surfing, and it's inexpensive. But 3G connectivity is now a feature that we're used to seeing on almost every smart phone, so it's good to have it on-board the Curve 3G.

It's not all sunshine, lollipops and minor upgrades, though. The Curve 3G has the same optical trackpad that debuted on the 8520, but it wasn't as responsive in our tests. We sometimes found it downright dumb, and needed to swipe at it several times to make it do what we wanted. After getting the hang of its quirks, we were able to use the trackpad, but it wasn't as fun or zippy as that which we've come to expect from a BlackBerry phone. It's surprising that a feature that worked so well on other models is such a disappointment on the Curve 3G.

It's no secret that RIM is keen on showcasing the media features of its handsets, and the Curve 3G is no exception.

With dedicated media buttons on the top of the handset, the BlackBerry Curve 3G is clearly intended to be used as a media player, just as you would the iPhone or a Sony Ericsson W395 Walkman phone.

To this end, it's also reassuring to see a 3.5mm headphone jack giving you the freedom of using whatever headphones you like.

The 2-megapixel camera is nothing to write home about, and lacks the flash and autofocus found on the higher-spec BlackBerry Bold 9700.

As you'd expect from any handset in the BlackBerry family, the Curve 3G features enviable email capabilities, and BlackBerry Messenger for instant messaging other BlackBerry users for next-to-nothing.

It's hard to get excited about a phone that only offers minor upgrades to what came before, and relies on a future software update for its only innovative feature. But, if you're looking for a perfectly adequate BlackBerry that ticks all the boxes, there's not much wrong with the BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300. Its trackpad is as responsive as a sloth, though, so, if you can stump up the cash for a beautiful BlackBerry Bold 9700, we'd suggest getting that instead.