Swelling the Blackberry Curve's already formidable arsenal of telephonic and connectivity tools, the titanium Blackberry 8310 Curve now adds an internal GPS receiver with support for TeleNav GPS Navigator software and push-to-talk (PTT) capability--an AT&T exclusive. An amalgam of the svelte BlackBerry Pearl and the more business-oriented 8800, the 8310 Curve is the smallest, lightest BlackBerry phone that includes a full QWERTY keyboard. And it combines RIM's long-valued push email and messaging platform with a host of advanced multimedia features, including a 2-megapixel camera and stereo Bluetooth (for listening to music via wireless headphones). This quadband phone operates on GSM 850/900/1800/1900 networks and can handle high-speed data connectivity via AT&T's EDGE network, with availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. It also offers global voice roaming in over 190 and data roaming in over 130 countries.Staying Connected
The svelte, titanium BlackBerry 8310 Curve offers a full QWERTY keyboard, innovative trackball navigation system (placed above the keyboard) and large 2.5-inch screen. |
The Blackberry 8310 Curve delivers the legendary BlackBerry email experience. With BlackBerry service plans from AT&T, you can receive emails instantaneously from up to 10 email accounts (personal and enterprise). With BlackBerry push technology, you don't need to retrieve your email. BlackBerry devices are designed to remain on and continuously connected to the wireless network, allowing you to be discreetly notified as new email arrives. Support is also built-in for viewing email attachments (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, WordPerfect, and PDF formats).If your company has a BlackBerry Enterprise Server installed, you can also take advantage of the power of wireless calendar synchronization. Your calendar events are exchanged wirelessly and automatically so that your desktop calendar and BlackBerry handheld calendar are synchronized. All your Outlook meeting requests, changes, and updates are instantaneously synchronized instantaneously with your desktop. Make meeting requests, invite new attendees and more, all on your Blackberry 8310 Curve. Users without BlackBerry Enterprise Server support can manually sync with their desktop calendars and contacts via Bluetooth or USB using the included BlackBerry Desktop Software.
BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) is complimentary with the activation of a AT&T BlackBerry service plan (additional charges apply) and provides customers with the ability to have their personal or work email pushed automatically to their BlackBerry phone from multiple Internet Service Provider (ISP) email accounts. BIS provides automatic wireless synchronization of read, deleted, and sent email from the your BlackBerry phone to their desktop email account. Users with multiple accounts can choose from multiple "sent from" addresses when sending an email. You can also download ringtones and other content via AT&T's popular MEdia Net service or browse the Web using the BlackBerry HTML Browser. Wireless text messaging and multimedia messaging (MMS) are also supported by the BlackBerry 8820.
AT&T Exclusive Features
Among the unique features of the Blackberry 8310 Curve are AT&T's Push-to-Talk (PTT) service and TeleNav GPS Navigator. AT&T Push-to-Talk boasts the largest push to talk coverage area in America. PTT features on the BlackBerry 8820 include "availability" icons, quick group calling, and the ability to easily convert a PTT session to a regular wireless voice call. You can use your 8310 Curve to Push-to-Talk to communicate with individual colleagues or friends, or set up groups for broader communication. The PTT button, on the left side of the device (noted by three raised dots), easily facilitates each PTT call (simply press and hold to talk after the chirp and release when finished). In addition, the AT&T service offers such standard PTT features as call waiting, contact alerts, as well as text, picture, and voice messaging to anyone in their contact list.
You can also take advantage of the TeleNav GPS Navigator software, the full-featured premium navigation application that includes audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and re-routing options, and 3D moving maps. It comes as a 30-day trial version, and it can be downloaded via the TeleNav web site or via virtual pre-load icon (VPL) after activation.
Phone Design & Features
This 8310 Curve is fashioned in a titanium finish and subtly curving corners. Measuring 4.2 x 2.4 inches, the Curve is just as slim as the Pearl (0.6 inches) and weighs in at 3.9 ounces--just 0.7 ounces heavier than its predecessor. It features a bright 2.5-inch color TFT screen that provides 65,000 colors and a 320 x 240-pixel resolution, and it includes a light-sensing feature that automatically adjusts backlighting for indoor, outdoor and dark environments. Like the BlackBerry 8800, the Curve includes a trackball navigation system located on the top of the QWERTY keypad, and it also features an integrated spell checker with a customizable dictionary to help maintain accuracy while on the go. It has 64 MB of internal ROM memory, and is expandable using MicroSD memory cards. The battery provides up to 4 hours (240 minutes) of talk time and up to 17 days (408 hours) of standby time.
You can snap vivid photos (though no video) using the 2-megapixel camera on the back of the Curve, which also features a 5x digital zoom, built-in flash, self-portrait mirror and full screen viewfinder. It can capture images in up to three picture quality and size resolutions that can be shared instantly by email, MMS or BlackBerry Messenger, or even uploaded to your Flickr account with the Yahoo! Go service. Photos can also be immediately set as a unique caller ID or Home Screen image. You can edit photos and create albums within the Curve using the PhotoSuite application. Pictures can be cropped, rotated and straightened, and flaws can be fixed by removing redeye or changing the brightness, contrast, and saturation levels.
Listen to your favorite music and watch downloaded videos 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, including MP3, WMA and AAC/AAC+/eAAC+ audio and WMV, MPEG4 and H.263 video. Dedicated volume controls are conveniently located on the side of the handset. You can also subscribe to the AT&T Music service, which includes access to online subscription music content from eMusic, XM Satellite Radio and more.
With the Voice-Activated Dialing (VAD) feature, you can initiate a call just by telling the Curve who 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.
Vital Statistics
The BlackBerry 8310 Curve weighs 3.9 ounces and measures 4.2 x 2.4 x 0.6 inches. Its 1100 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4 hours of talk time, and up to 408 hours (17 days) of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies.
