BlackBerry Curve 8530 Reviews (Cell Phones & Smartphones)

BlackBerry Curve 8530
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from $241.38

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Usability  
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Value for money  

Product Age Average review date: Nov  4, 2010

Rank 1126 

alaScore 77

77100

555 reviews

May, 2012

Expert Reviews (25)

User Reviews (530)

Worst. Phone. Ever.

By leggers2010 (cnet.com) Read the full review

I wish I had done some research before buying this phone. I could have saved myself the headache.

Nothing

I've had 2 of these phones in less than 2 months. First, you stop receiving emails/texts, then you can't make calls and then the phone starts overheating. And Verizon won't allow me trade for a different model. Great

Feb, 2012 2012-02-08   1

very good phone for the price.

By greenzone79 (cnet.com) Read the full review

had this phone for over two years and not a single issue. It also gets better reception than my droid.

great phone, easy to use. Good amount of apps for the price and a good music player

keyboard buttons are a bit small otherwise good phone

Feb, 2012 2012-02-08   4

this blackberry rotted out too fast...

By scottysgirl7682 (cnet.com) Read the full review

Got this phone for free, and now I know why. Went thru 3 batteries: first one just up and died, second one swelled up, and hadn't had the 3rd one for a month and the phone's charging port stopped working. After attempting a few other chargers, it still...

sleek, nice purple color

horrible battery life, resets itself, slow, stops charging

Feb, 2012 2012-02-04   0.5

Videos

09:08

YouTube - Sprint Blackberry Curve 8530 Unboxing & Review

I am unboxing and reviewing the Sprint Blackberry Curve 8530, in colors Black and Purple. Please Comment, Rate, Subscribe, If you have any ...

03:50

YouTube - BlackBerry Curve 8530 Review (SPRINT,VERIZON)

www.fightformuscle.com Blackberry 8530 for sprint.

10:01

YouTube - Sprint BlackBerry Curve 8530 Review

Everything you need to know about the Sprint BlackBerry Curve 8530 in 10 minutes!

Manufacturer's Description

BlackBerry Curve 8500 series smartphones neatly fit in your hand. Comfortably send messages with the full QWERTY keyboard. The bright 320 x 240 pixel screen displays over 65,000 colors, and delivers a great viewing experience. Know where you stand - and where you're going. GPS on your BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone works with BlackBerry Maps. Pinpoint your location and get turn-by-turn directions to your destination.

Showing 1 - 10 of 23 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (2)

Review summary for the BlackBerry Curve 8530

By (alaTest Reviews)

alaTest has collected and analyzed 555 reviews from magazines and websites. Reviewers are impressed by the apps. The value for money is also mentioned favorably, but many are negative about the battery and features. Opinions about the sound and screen are mixed.

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Cell phones the BlackBerry Curve 8530 is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 77/100 = Good quality.

May, 2012 2012-05-15 alaScore 77 3.9

BlackBerry Curve 8530 (MetroPCS)

By Nicole Lee (cnet.com)

While you don't often see smartphones offered by smaller carriers, BlackBerrys tend to be the exception to the norm. The BlackBerry Curve 8530, for example, is now available for MetroPCS, after making the rounds with Verizon and Sprint. The Curve 8530...

The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 for MetroPCS has a lightweight and compact design with features like Wi-Fi, EV-DO, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 2.0-megapixel camera. It has fantastic call quality as well

The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 has a low-resolution screen, and we experienced spotty 3G service

Though not the best BlackBerry on the market, the Curve 8530 is a great entry-level smartphone, especially with MetroPCS's inexpensive unlimited monthly plan.

It's not flashy by any means, but we like its features, and MetroPCS is throwing in a sweet $60 unlimited BlackBerry plan with it. Do note that the Curve 8530 is $230 with MetroPCS, but that's because you don't have to get it with a contract. For this...

Aug, 2010 2010-08-31   3.5

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BlackBerry Curve 8530 - black (Virgin Mobile)

By Bonnie Cha (cnet.com)

The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 for Virgin Mobile is similar to Sprint's version of the smartphone, offering a full QWERTY keyboard, a 2-megapixel camera, 3G support, and--of course--push e-mail. Its other features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and access to...

The Curve 8530 is available from Virgin Mobile for $299.99 without contract. For more information about the smartphone's design and features, read our review of the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 for Sprint.

Jul, 2010 2010-07-06 No rating -0.1

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BlackBerry Curve 8530 (ruby red, Sprint)

By Bonnie Cha (cnet.com)

The BlackBerry Curve 8500 series is making the rounds to all the carriers, including Sprint, which offers the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530. Like the others, the smartphone is a great foray into the world of smartphones for the first-time buyer. Though it...

The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 offers ease of use and a compact design. Its features include Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 2-megapixel camera

The smartphone feels a bit cheap and it has a low-resolution screen. Its call quality could be better

Some design issues aside, the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 is a great value for Sprint customers looking for an entry-level smartphone.

Sprint even sweetens the deal with an extra-affordable price tag of $49.99 with a two-year contract. For this review, we'll focus on the smartphone's performance and Sprint services, but for more information about the phone's design and features,...

Jan, 2010 2010-01-12   3.5

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RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 - ruby red (Sprint) review

By (cnet.com)

The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 offers ease of use and a compact design. Its features include Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 2-megapixel camera

The smartphone feels a bit cheap and it has a low-resolution screen. Its call quality could be better

Some design issues aside, the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 is a great value for Sprint customers looking for an entry-level smartphone.

Jan, 2010 2010-01-12   3.5

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RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 - royal purple (Sprint)

By (cnet.com)

The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 offers ease of use and a compact design. Its features include Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 2-megapixel camera

The smartphone feels a bit cheap and it has a low-resolution screen. Its call quality could be better

Some design issues aside, the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 is a great value for Sprint customers looking for an entry-level smartphone.

Jan, 2010 2010-01-12   3.5

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BlackBerry Curve 8530 (smoky violet, Verizon Wireless)

By Bonnie Cha (cnet.com)

As the CDMA kin to the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8520, the RIM Curve 8530 for Verizon Wireless is more of an entry-level device, so you won't find some of the higher-end features found on the BlackBerry Tour, such as world roaming capabilities and a...

The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 has 3G and GPS support, which the T-Mobile version did not. The compact smartphone also offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 2-megapixel camera

The smartphone feels a bit cheap in the hand and has a low-resolution screen. You can only save apps to the phone's main memory

While we're not huge fans of the design, the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 is a good choice for first-time smartphone buyers and offers more than its GSM counterpart.

However, the Curve 8530 certainly brings some worthy upgrades to the aging Curve 8330, including a next-gen processor, an optical trackpad, and dedicated media controls, and one key feature that even the Tour lacks: Wi-Fi. The phone's design isn't our...

Dec, 2009 2009-12-04   3.5

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BlackBerry Curve 8530 (Verizon Wireless)

By Mark Spoonauer (laptopmag.com)

Verizon's second Curve is faster and sleeker than the original, but the Web browser needs work.

The BlackBerry Curve 8530 is a good smart phone for work and play. The identically priced Droid Eris will be a more compelling device for many because of its better Web browser, larger screen, customizable touch interface, and larger selection of apps....

Even without Wi-Fi we prefer the BlackBerry Tour because of its sturdier, sexier design and sharper camera (with flash), making it worth the $50 premium over the 8530. Nevertheless, the Curve 8530 is a solid choice for smart phone shoppers on a tight...

Dec, 2009 2009-12-17   3

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BlackBerry Curve 8530 - black (Alltel)

By Bonnie Cha (cnet.com)

Editors' note: Portions of the Feature section were taken from our review of the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8520 for T-Mobile since the two smartphones have similar capabilities.

The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 has 3G and GPS support, which the T-Mobile version did not. The compact smartphone also offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 2-megapixel camera

The smartphone feels a bit cheap in the hand and has a low-resolution screen. You can only save apps to the phone's main memory

While we're not huge fans of the design, the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 is a good choice for first-time smartphone buyers and offers more than its GSM counterpart.

Dec, 2009 2009-12-04   3.5

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BlackBerry Curve 8530 (Verizon Wireless)

By (pcmag.com)

The Web browser is still a weak point. It does a nicer job rendering HTML pages than before, but it's sluggish and often hangs up loading images and scripts. The trackpad was fine for general navigation and zooming in or out.

Lighter and faster than before. Finally includes Wi-Fi. Good voice quality. Excellent QWERTY keyboard

Low screen resolution. Middling camera. Updated Web browser is still clunky

RIM updates its popular Curve on Verizon by adding Wi-Fi, a faster CPU, and BlackBerry OS 5.0, but it's still not enough to lead the pack.

  3.5

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BlackBerry Curve 8530 (MetroPCS)

By (pcmag.com)

The Pinnacle is a tri-band 2G 1xRTT (850/1700/1900 MHz) CDMA device with no Wi-Fi. The phone is 2G only, as MetroPCS lacks a 3G data network. The carrier has 4G LTE, but only higher-end smartphones operate on it. On the plus side, unlimited,...

Comfortable keyboard. Lightweight. Good music player. Nice display

Lackluster camera. Poor video playback. Short battery life

The Huawei Pinnacle is short on features, but it's a good option if you need a lightweight, budget-priced phone built for texting.

That makes the Pinnacle a great deal, provided you live in a MetroPCS coverage area and can put up with the slow internet speeds.

  3

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Showing 1 - 10 of 12 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (4)
Review this product! Write a review

alaTest has collected and analyzed 221 user reviews of the BlackBerry Curve 8530 from cnet.com. The user reviews were collected from Dec, 2009 to Feb, 2012. The average user rating from cnet.com is 57 out of 100.

Quotes

very good phone for the price.

had this phone for over two years and not a single issue. It also gets better reception than my droid. great phone, easy to use. Good amount of apps

Worst. Phone. Ever.

I wish I had done some research before buying this phone. I could have saved myself the headache. Nothing I've had 2 of these phones in less than 2 m

this blackberry rotted out too fast...

Got this phone for free, and now I know why. Went thru 3 batteries: first one just up and died, second one swelled up, and hadn't had the 3rd one for

Great Phone for Texting and Emails!

It is a great phone to have with no contract services, Virgin Mobile services is very good, their on-line (websites) are just as good as any other car

  130 Users positive 91 Users negative

alaTest has collected and analyzed 1 user review of the BlackBerry Curve 8530 from jr.com. This user review was collected in 2011-03-10, with a rating of 100 out of 100.

Quotes

its great

I really like it! Attractive Design","Good Interface w\/email","Light weight May damage easy","Screen Scratches Easily

  1 Users positive

alaTest has collected and analyzed 14 user reviews of the BlackBerry Curve 8530 from letstalk.com. The user reviews were collected from Feb, 2010 to Dec, 2011. The average user rating from letstalk.com is 76 out of 100.

Quotes

BlackBerry Curve 8530 - Black (Virgin Mobile USA)

I am enjoying my new Blackberry Curve 8530. I am so glad that I chose Let's Talk.

BlackBerry Curve 8530 - Black (Virgin Mobile USA)

I love my phone thus far, the plan I have is great but later on down the road I'm planning on switching to the $55 plan.

BlackBerry Curve 8530

Love it! Best phone I have ever had.

BlackBerry Curve 8530

It took several days for my Curve to get used to doing its job. There were times when calls wouldn't come through. Also, the menu and touch navigator

  11 Users positive 3 Users negative

alaTest has collected and analyzed 184 user reviews of the BlackBerry Curve 8530 from amazon.com. The user reviews were collected from Feb, 2010 to May, 2012. The average user rating from amazon.com is 68 out of 100.

Quotes

Very nice phone!

This phone has been absolutely wonderful. It has all you would need from a phone with some extras that are certainly nothing to sneeze at. I especiall

amazing

it was a great product, shipping was at a good pace and it's like new!! I had no problem with activation and the plan for 35 dollars a month is awesom

Perfect!

I've been using blackberries for ages and this was just what I wanted. The price is incredible. I'm also very pleased with how quickly this phone arri

Pink Stinks costomer service has to be

At first the keys were clear. after a couple of weeks, it was extreamly difficult to see the keypad. I have to find the proper angel to see the keys.

  122 Users positive 62 Users negative

alaTest has collected and analyzed 45 user reviews of the BlackBerry Curve 8530 from bestbuy.com. The user reviews were collected from May, 2010 to Apr, 2011. The average user rating from bestbuy.com is 84 out of 100.

Quotes

Boost Mobile BlackBerry Curve 8530 No-Contract Mobile Phone - Black

I had the motorolla clutch for boost for about a year. The service wasn't great because my text messages would take a long time to get sent and reciev

Virgin Mobile BlackBerry Curve 8530 No-Contract Mobile Phone - Black

I'd been itching to get a BlackBerry for some time, so when I found out Virgin had one I jumped at it. The initial investment might look steep, but wh

Boost Mobile BlackBerry Curve 8530 No-Contract Mobile Phone - Black

As a previous iPhone user let me tell you that I absolutely luv my Blackberry Curve 8530. Apps,ease of use,reliability battery life could be better

Virgin Mobile BlackBerry Curve 8530 No-Contract Mobile Phone - Black

I really love Virgin Mobile I just joined last summer and have had an overall good experience. The Blackberry Curve is my first BB and the value that

  39 Users positive 6 Users negative

alaTest has collected and analyzed 8 user reviews of the BlackBerry Curve 8530 from overstock.com. The user reviews were collected from Sep, 2010 to Mar, 2011. The average user rating from overstock.com is 80 out of 100.

Quotes

Easy to use

Very Easy to Use. Perfect fit. No bubbles. Great protection from scratches. No worries now about placing the phone in my purse and scratching the scre

Chips Easily

This case protects your phone pretty well, but the floral design chips off very easily (on its own). The design on the front of my case is almost gon

Screen protector

Not worth the money... wrinkled/bent too easily ....lots of air buubles.

Blackberry case

After looking everywhere for a cover, this one is so perfect! I had paid almost twice the price on a cheap rubber case. Love this!

  6 Users positive 2 Users negative

alaTest has collected and analyzed 15 user reviews of the BlackBerry Curve 8530 from phonedog.com. The user reviews were collected from May, 2008 to Feb, 2010. The average user rating from phonedog.com is 82 out of 100.

Quotes

Awesome Phone!

I've had a Samsung TouchScreen, RAZR, RAZR 2 V9M, MOTO Clutch, and several other phones, and by far, this beats them all. I loved having a touch scree

1st blackberry

I have been through 3 of these in less than a year for the freezing & other problems of the same sort. that is of my own actually am ready for the 4th

FANTASTIC PHONE!

Any Problems i've had with this phone has not been to its own fault for example i have a problem with the BBM but thats because of BBM not the phone.

Gr8t blackberry

overall blackberry did a great designing the phone ,but left out key elements that i believe all smart phones shoulda have such as GPS and 3g coverage

  14 Users positive 1 Users negative

alaTest has collected and analyzed 10 user reviews of the BlackBerry Curve 8530 from radioshack.com. The user reviews were collected from May, 2010 to Aug, 2010. The average user rating from radioshack.com is 86 out of 100.

Quotes

price is higher than on the companys sit

[...] Attractive Design, Brilliant Display, Easy Navigation, Good Interface w/email, Great OS, QWERTY Keypad Poor Battery Life

Great Blackberry Phone without Contract

If you ever owned smart phones like a Blackberry Bold or an iphone, the craftsmanship of this Curve is sub par. However, for the price and unlimited d

GREAT PHONE

Bit Pricey, but its well worth it. You cant go wrong with this no contract blackberry. Attractive Design, Brilliant Display, Easy Navigation, Good In

cool phone

i really like this phone i just think it should be cheaper

  9 Users positive 1 Users negative

alaTest has collected and analyzed 10 user reviews of the BlackBerry Curve 8530 from viewpoints.com. The user reviews were collected from Jan, 2010 to Jan, 2011. The average user rating from viewpoints.com is 90 out of 100.

Quotes

VZW Blackberry Curve ”

This is my very first smart phone, and I love it! I really like everything about it from the inside to the outside. This is a biased opinion, but I re

I really like the BB Curve 8530 Smartphone! ”

I received the Black Berry Curve 8530 smartphone last year as a birthday present from my youngest son. Apparently he was frustrated at the mere sight

Blackberry Curve Gel Skin Cover - protects ”

The Blackberry Curve Gel Skin Cover is a great way to protect your phone.  Available in many colors and at a price you can afford to have one for ever

Love my blackberry curve! ”

I recieved my Blackberry Curve 8530 in May of 2010. Having never owned a smartphone before, I was very happy with my purchase. I found the phone to be

  10 Users positive

alaTest has collected and analyzed 7 user reviews of the BlackBerry Curve 8530 from amazon.co.uk. The user reviews were collected from Jan, 2011 to Mar, 2012. The average user rating from amazon.co.uk is 66 out of 100.

Quotes

Fab

It only took 2days after being sent out to get here, its excellent and my phone fits perfect and I love it :). Also its very helpful that a screen pro

Hard case

Looks good! the first one arrived damaged but the replacement was quickly organised with the vendor, and arrived within a week

brilliant

This is a fantastic phone case i have loads of ed hardy cases that i have got from amazon this is my favourite, there is not problems with it. Fits pe

2nd attempt - 2nd failure - it doesn't work!

I ordered the first screen and it arrived covered in hair, badly packaged and in general poor condition. After following all the instructions from utu

  4 Users positive 3 Users negative

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BlackBerry Curve 8530

BlackBerry Curve 8530: product specifications

Battery
Capacity
1150mAh
Standby Time (PB)
252hours
Talk Time (PB)
270minutes/324minutes
Technology
Lithium ion
Calculator
Type
Basic
CE Input Device
Type
QWERTY keyboard
Cellular
Band
CDMA2000 1X 1900/800
Integrated Components
Digital camera / Digital player
Phone Form Factor
Monoblock
Service Provider
Sprint Nextel/Verizon Wireless
Technology
CDMA2000 1X
Type
BlackBerry smartphone
Vibrating Alert
 Yes
Voice Recorder
 Yes
Wireless Interface
IEEE 802.11g / Bluetooth 2.1 EDR / IEEE 802.11b
Communicator Features
Operating System
BlackBerry Handheld Software
Dimensions & Weight
Depth
0.6in
Height
4.3in
Weight
3.7oz
Width
2.4in
Display
Color Depth
16-bit (65000 colors)
Diagonal Size
2.5in
Diagonal Size (metric)
6.4cm
Type
LCD display
Flash Memory
Supported Flash Memory Cards
microSDHC
Header
Manufacturer
Research In Motion
Model
8530
Packaged Quantity
1
Product Line
BlackBerry Curve
Messaging & Data Services
Internet Browser
 Yes
Miscellaneous
Color
Black/Royal purple/Smoky violet
Optical Sensor
Sensor Resolution
2Megapixel
Organizer
Alarm Clock
 Yes
Calendar
 Yes
Reminder
 Yes

Manufacturer's Description


BlackBerry Curve 8500 series smartphones neatly fit in your hand. Comfortably send messages with the full QWERTY keyboard. The bright 320 x 240 pixel screen displays over 65,000 colors, and delivers a great viewing experience. Know where you stand - and where you're going. GPS on your BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone works with BlackBerry Maps. Pinpoint your location and get turn-by-turn directions to your destination.

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