Since breaking out of its resolutely boring design aesthetic with the Pearl, BlackBerry just keeps releasing nice looking hardware that makes the former CTO perk into something that actually feels like a good choice for consumers. The Curve keeps the excellent trackball navigation system of the Pearl and 8800, but also spruces things up with a silver front bezel, a full keyboard, and a sharp, bright screen. But the biggest improvements are on the entertainment side—the media application easily rocks music, movies, and photos, while there’s an honest to goodness 3.5mm headphone jack so you can use your good earbuds to enjoy your tunes. —Mark McClusky
WIRED Overhauled media player and desktop software work seamlessly. Call voice quality was excellent, and email worked as well as RIM fans would expect. Decent 2MP camera. We found ourselves showing it off, a new experience for many Blackberry users.
TIRED Web browser is mediocre and in desperate need of a redux. While there is a full keyboard, it’s still a little slow for heavy typing. No 3G data.
$TBA, rim.net
