BlackBerry Curve 8900 Phone, Black (AT&T)

Features

Access all your email and messaging with the sleekest, lightest, thinnest full-QWERTY keyboard BlackBerry yet featuring a high-resolution 480 x 360-pixel LCD screen

EDGE data connectivity; compatible with AT&T Navigator GPS turn-by-turn directions, AT&T Mobile Music

3.2-megapixel digital camera with flash and video capture; Bluetooth for handsfree communication and stereo music streaming; MicroSD memory expansion up to 16 GB

Up to 5 hours of talk time, up to 360 hours (15 days) of standby time

What's in the Box: handset, rechargeable battery, charger, USB cable, BlackBerry Desktop software, quick start guide, user manual

Accessories
Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth Headset [Retail Packaging]
Wireless Technologies Premium Vehicle Power Charger for Motorola RAZR2 V8, V9x, BlackBerry 8900, BlackBerry Storm 9530, LG Xenon, LG Dare, and LG enV2[Retail Packaging]
Wireless Technologies Ultra Slim Travel Charger for Motorola RAZR2 V8, V9 [Retail Packaging]
Wireless Technologies Vehicle Power Charger for Motorola RAZR2 V8, V9 [Retail Packaging]
BlackBerry Folding Blade Micro Charger for BlackBerry 8900, Storm 9530, Tour 9630, Torch 9800 (Black)

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Spotlight Customer Reviews
Customer Rating:
Summary: Almost the best cel phone to date
Comment: This is almost the best cel phone out there.

Lightweight, nice design, nice size, comfortable keybord. It's almost Perfect.

If this phone had 3G, it'd be the best phone to date... So i think phones like Bold 2 wouldnt exist, as this one wouldnt miss a thing.

Great product! If you dont miss 3G, a must have!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: nice phone but there is a catch
Comment: If you are not planning on using this phone for the phone browser, do not get an att phone. They will force a media package on you for the minimum of $30 on top of your regular phone charges. I already have att internet at home and I consider this excessive. I offered to be put on a data connect plan so that if I chose to use the browser on emergency situations that the charge would be rather expensive ($2 per mb or something)...so I tried to get around it but lay the responsibility on myself. I also tried calling in with a different phone and giving that IMEI number, but apparently they are tracking what phone I used even the day before. I am seriously considering going to another carrier in which I have been a customer since 2000. Now, if you want the extra charge and the browser package I think this phone is great. The color is unbelievable during a video. I enjoy the MP3 player alot. The layout is not so convenient but easy to handle once you figure it out. The reception is clear and I dont get any complaints. SO the phones great but att is forcing a payment for enjoying it. So I recommend not getting this phone with att.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Phone Has Chronic Track Ball issues...skip this version!
Comment: I was really looking forward to having this phone. Great keyboard layout, good productivity, etc....THEN I had troubles with the track ball. Today, I had to call for my FOURTH replacement of this model. All but one time had a problem with the track ball stalling, slipping and plain not working. The first one took several months and was a gradual decline...the one sitting in front of me is stalling and jumping as soon as I put the battery in.

Apparently RIM no longer makes this phone with this trackball. They quickly skipped to the next version with a TRACK PAD!!!! I would RUN DO NOT WALK from any blackberry with a trackball. The way this particular phone is designed, only RIM can repair the track pad, and the way it is designed it is IMPOSSIBLE not to get dirt and grime on and IN the trackball, and equally guaranteed it will need to be repaired. Did I mention that this is ALL under warranty?

I know people LOVE their crackberry. If, luck of the draw you get one bad phone, like I did, you are in for a rude awakening. All I could ever get is a refurbished replacment phone, and none have worked properly (including one that had no bluetooth or wifi whatsoever). I feel that I have been caught in some horrible cycle of inheriting other people's problem phones. I have been in refurbished Blackberry HELL. What has astonished and frustrated me most is the incredibly poor accountability by either T-Mobile or RIM. Not to mention the expense to pay for shipping each time the phone had to be replaced, the hours to replace all contacts and calendar, re-setting up email (I don't bother any longer), find and re-download all apps, ringtones (though 3rd party paid apps were mostly lost), and putting my own settings back. Apps cannot be backed up or transferred...so I use my phone less and less due to nature of not wanting to become dependent on it again (kinda not the point of having a PDA)

I hope it is a fluke, my experience. But it has been an exercise in frustration, and no one doing right by me. I paid a LOT for this phone, and NEVER had one that did not have a problem. RIM does not seem to stand behind their products, from my experience. If it is a fluke, should be no problem to send me a NEW 8900, or a replacement with a longer than 90 day warranty. Sadly, I do not trust this phone, RIM or T-Mobile to properly support their products. And I do not want anyone else to have to go through the misery of dealing with a 2 week old phone that does not work when hundreds of miles from home (Like me).

Based on what I have learned, and am now an expert: do NOT buy an 8900!!!! You are taking a chance, and you are pretty much guaranteed your trackball will lose its function sooner or later...and $$$$$ to fix.

I am doubtful I would buy a RIM product again.

P.S. if you want to sync with your Mac, you MUST be running Leopard or Snow Leopard. Any other operating system, like Tiger you are out of luck!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: very fragile
Comment: I have had this phone for 3 months and have kept it in mint condition - 2 days ago I was texting on it when the screen when white and a small black spot showed up on the inside of the screen. When I took it to the warranty exchange they told me that they consider this damage that I created and won't honor the warranty. I have NO clue how this crack could have formed considering the outside doesnt even have the slightest hint at damage. Be careful when using this phone.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: troubles ordering this phone
Comment: I have tried for three days now to order this phone, without success. I place the order, I get my confirmation email, and shortly after my order disappears from the "My account" page. I never received an email telling me about any problems. So I emailed customer service and they told me that my order was automatically cancelled by the system. Hmm, thanks for letting me know, I would have waited for my order forever.
So I placed the order again, same thing. Customer service told me to keep trying. I also tried Amzon Wireless, here the order never goes through at all. So I called customer service again, they don't know what the problem is, all they told me is that this is one of their most popular phones and they didn't hear about any problems ordering this phone. Just keep trying. So I tried, from home, from work, on my laptop, on our desktop, with Firefox and with Internet Explorer. Nothing.
After three days, several emails and calls to Amazon I am so frustrated that I have ordered the phone somewhere else now, even though I am not getting it for free. Guess what, 30 minutes after placing the order with the new seller I have received my shipping notification with my new phone #.

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Editorial Reviews
Updating the look of the Curve with a sleekly styled titanium finish, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 for AT&T is the thinnest and lightest full-QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone yet. In addition to its stunning good looks--with titanium-colored finish accented by chrome highlights--the Curve 8900 is packed with communication and location features. The built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) makes it easy to connect to a home or office wireless network, and if you select an unlimited data plan with the Curve 8900 you'll receive free AT&T Wi-Fi access at nearly 20,000 hotspots in the U.S.--including retail stores, restaurants and airports.

With its stunning titanium-colored finish and chrome highlights, the sleek and slender design of the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone dresses it for any occasion. Check out the Curve 8900 101 video demo.

You'll enjoy all the communication and connectivity features you've come to expect from a Blackberry phone--including email served up by the BlackBerry Internet Service and a full menu of messaging options (SMS, MMS, and IM). The handset's advanced multimedia capabilities include a 3.2-megapixel camera with image stabilization, digital zoom, flash and the ability to record video and play video. Other features include a hot-swappable MicroSD/SDHC memory card slot (for cards up to 16 GB; 256 MB card included), Bluetooth for handsfree communication and stereo music streaming, multi-format digital audio player, unlimited any-network calling to any 5 people with a myFaves plan, and up to 5.5 hours of talk time.

AT&T Service
This phone provides quad-band GSM coverage (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) for voice as well as GPRS/EDGE connectivity for receiving data. AT&T's EDGE network offers availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. Providing average data speeds between 75-135Kbps, it's fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services, including music downloads, full picture messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the go.

You can take advantagwhoe of the AT&T Navigator GPS software and service, a full-featured premium navigation application that includes audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and re-routing options, and 3D moving maps (additional charges applicable). AT&T Navigator offers several other features to make your commute more enjoyable and reliable, including mobile access to Yellowpages.com. Additionally, AT&T Navigator is the only mobile phone-based GPS service that provides integrated speech recognition for address entry and points of interest search.

You'll be able to access AT&T Mobile Music, which enables you to buy tracks while on the go, access the Napster and eMusic subscription music services, stream music video, discover what's playing with Music ID song-recognition software, and find out what's hot with The Buzz music news portal.

The phone has a built-in web browser for MEdia Net downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T's MEdia Net service enables you to receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more.

Capture high-resolution photos and videos with the 3.2-megapixel camera on the back.

Staying Connected
With BlackBerry's push email technology, your email will find you without having to initiate a connection. BlackBerry devices are designed to remain on and continuously connected to the wireless network, notifying you as new email arrives. In addition to the text, you can also receive and view attachments in a wide range of popular file formats, including Microsoft Office, Corel WordPerfect, and Adobe PDF.

Browse the web with the integrated, full-featured browser, which quickly and efficiently displays HTML pages as well as enables you to set up RSS feeds to stay connected to up-to-the-minute news and blog posts. And keep up with your contacts using a variety of instant message (IM) networks, including the integrated Blackberry Messenger as well as downloadable clients for Google Talk, Yahoo! Messenger, and Lotus Sametime.

For corporate users, the Curve delivers all the enterprise email and messaging capabilities you've come to expect. It's supported on BlackBerry Internet Service, giving you access to up to 10 work or personal email accounts (including most popular ISP email accounts), as well as BlackBerry Enterprise Server, enabling advanced security and IT administration within IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise environments.

Phone Features
With a refined design, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone supports both your professional and personal mobile communication needs to help you enjoy a more organized, balanced life. In addition to a sleek, stylish design, the powerful new smartphone includes a large, vivid display--the highest resolution available on a BlackBerry smartphone--as well as a 512 MHz next-generation processor for fast and responsive performance.

The striking 2.4-inch, 480 x 360-pixel display (65K colors) serves up crisp images, text and maps so information is easier to read, even when you're on the go. It also includes a light-sensing feature that automatically adjusts backlighting for indoor, outdoor and dark environments. Like other Curve models, the Curve 8900 includes a trackball navigation system located on the top of the QWERTY keypad, and it features an integrated spell checker with a customizable dictionary to help maintain accuracy.

You can snap vivid photos as well as video clips using the 3.2-megapixel camera on the back of the Curve, which also features a 2x digital zoom, auto focus, image stabilization, and a flash. Transfer pictures and videos between your smartphone and your desktop computer easily using the USB cable that comes with the smartphone, or via Bluetooth technology.

The Curve 8900 includes Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth stereo music streaming, GPS navigation capabilities, MicroSD expansion to 16 GB, and more (see larger image).

You can also capture video clips on the go, with two resolution choices--480 x 352 pixels for saving to your PC and 176 x 144 pixels for sending via MMS messaging. In addition to recording videos, the Curve 8900 also supports mobile video streaming as well as videos saved from your PC. It's compatible with DivX, XviD (MPEG4 Advance Simple Profile), H.263, and WMV3 formats.

Listen to your favorite music using the included stereo headset, or use an optional wireless headphone thanks to the Curve's support for the Bluetooth stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP). The Curve is compatible with a wide variety of file formats (.3gp, WAV, MIDI, AMR-NB, G711u/A, GSM610, PCM, MP3, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA9/10 Standard/Pro) and dedicated volume controls are conveniently located on the side of the handset.

Hands-free communication is easy thanks to the integrated speakerphone. This phone also provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0 + EDR), and includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and file transfer. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking--surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server.

With the Voice-Activated Dialing (VAD) feature, you can initiate a call just by telling the Curve whom to call from your contact list--either via the integrated speakerphone or using an optional Bluetooth wireless headset. Other advanced phone features include advanced sound technology that cancels out background noise and echo, dedicated volume and mute keys, and the ability to customize the Curve with polyphonic and MP3 ringtones.

The BlackBerry Browser on the Curve 8900 is designed to make on-the-go Internet browsing fast and fun--you can even start a search right from the home page. Navigate sites and zoom in on content using a trackball-controlled pointer, set bookmarks and view your history. Plus, the BlackBerry Browser works with a host of other applications to make things like online purchasing and tracking information on your favorite pages easier.

The easier a map is to read, the easier it is to follow. Together with BlackBerry Maps, the crisp, colorful screen of the Curve 8900 is designed to make it easier to find the location of businesses, restaurants, concert venues, parks and more by allowing you to check maps and get driving directions quickly and conveniently. When you're connected to the network, you can even launch maps from your address book. BlackBerry Maps is also designed to help make trips easier by providing route options like fastest or shortest and displaying directions visually along with text-based turn-by-turn instructions.

Whether your instant messaging (IM) account is with Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ or Windows Live Messenger, you can bring your IM community wherever life takes you. Like the desktop versions, these programs offer features like avatars and emoticons. And, because BlackBerry applications work together, you can also start an IM chat from your address book, call or email an IM contact while chatting or even check your calendar right from a chat.

Other features include:

• Easily synch with Microsoft Outlook: Stay in synch with your Contacts, Calendar, and Tasks in Microsoft Outlook
• Edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files: Just download attachments and start typing. You’ll enjoy many of the same features you do on your computer--copy and paste, font size and color, even bullets and numbering and more.
• Remote Search: If you prefer not to carry all your email on your Curve 8900 smartphone, Remote Search can be used to find emails that are still stored on your BlackBerry Enterprise Server using name, subject and other options to narrow the field.
• BlackBerry Media Sync: Sync your desktop iTunes music files with your BlackBerry smartphone.
• Free/Busy Lookup: View your colleagues’ calendars to see who’s available at what time right from your BlackBerry smartphone.
• RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds support: With RSS, you don’t need to check important websites for updates, new content can be pushed to you automatically.
• Send and receive text and picture messages (SMS and MMS)
• Bluetooth version 2.0 + EDR with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), DUN (dial-up networking), FTP (file transfer), PBA (transfer contacts)

Vital Statistics
The BlackBerry Curve 8900 weighs 3.88 ounces and measures 4.29 x 2.36 x 0.53 inches. Its 1400 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5 hours of talk time, and up to 15 hours of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies.