[carraser891]

How could you consider this phone a "cheap, entry level" Blackberry? I mean it has all the features of the Bold 9700, plus the ability to play 3D games. I mean if a slightly lower resolution screen and no flash bothers you then spend $100 more for the 9700, but that doesn't make this phone "cheap" like everyone is saying.

[Reed McLay]

"Cheap" is relative. It does cost a little less to build using a 320 vs a 480 display screen. The cost difference is nothing like the difference your carrier is charging, but that is where it fits in their product line up.

Low end, Value Priced. High end, Premium Priced.

[elvin1983]

I just think that it's mostly how the device is positioned in the BB lineup. The Curve series is cheaper than the other BB devices, there's no hiding that, it's how it is, thus, it is looked upon as an entry level device.

If you hold an 85xx device in one hand, and a Bold/Tour device in the other, I think you'd be hard pressed not to notice a difference in construction. IMO the Bold/Tour just feels more solid, which isn't to say that the Curve isn't built well, it just doesn't feel as solid.

[rrrebo]

The 8530 has a slower processor, lower resolution camera, no flash, lower resolution display, smaller battery/shorter battery life, no HSDPA, half the RAM, and a lower price point. That puts it distinctly into the lower bracket of the BlackBerry lineup, an "entry-level" device. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It still knocks the !@#$%# out of most other smartphones.

[carraser891]

The 8530 has a slower processor, lower resolution camera, no flash, lower resolution display, smaller battery/shorter battery life, no HSDPA, half the RAM, and a lower price point. That puts it distinctly into the lower bracket of the BlackBerry lineup, an "entry-level" device. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It still knocks the !@#$%# out of most other smartphones.

actually it has the same processor as the Tour, same ram and memory as the Bold 9700 (256RAM, 256Memory). they just give it the "cheap" appearance by cutting the resolution of the screen and jipping us out of flash.

[Shorty43081]

carraser891 I want to thank you for clearing that up, this phone is exactly the same on the inside as the high end models, difference is flash and resolution. I can handle those differences, I paid 50 bucks for mine at best buy. You can't really beat that.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[elvin1983]

carraser891 I want to thank you for clearing that up, this phone is exactly the same on the inside as the high end models, difference is flash and resolution. I can handle those differences, I paid 50 bucks for mine at best buy. You can't really beat that.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Guys, I'm sorry to disapoint you, but there are some pretty considerable differences between the 8530 and some of the higher end devices.

The 8530 is CDMA and it's EVDO Rev. O, while the Tour 9630 (The other CDMA BlackBerry) is EVDO Rev. A. While both of them are 3G, EVDO Rev. A is considerably faster than Rev. O. Also, the Tour 9630 is "World Phone" capable, so you can use it abroad, where as the 8530 is not a world phone, it is limited to CDMA only networks (North America is pretty much the only place you'll find CDMA, with the exception of some foreign countries, but not many). The 9630 not only has flash, which the 8530 does not have, it also has a 3.2 mp camera with autofocus, while the 8530 has a standard 2.0 mp camera without autofocus. Internal memory is the same on both, and everything I've read says that the Tour has a slightly faster processor, if this is incorrect, please post a link to the article that states differently. The screen resoloution has already been posted.

** Just a quick edit, I've been looking and I'm finding conflicting specs on the processor of the 8530, one site says 528mhz, another says 512mhz, which is what I had previously heard. Can anyone confirm which is correct?**

The only advantage that the 8530 has over the Tour is WiFi and trackpad, which is soon to be negated by the release of the Tour 9650.

In the case of the 8520, it can be used as a world phone since it's GSM, however, it isn't even 3G, it runs on the EDGE network, which is also what the 8900 Curve runs on, but that has the 3.2mp camera and the higher res. screen. It has the same memory as the 9700 and 8900 (256mb), and more memory than the 9000 (128mb), same camera as the 9000, 2.0mp, minus flash, which the 9000 has, and the 9700 which has the same 3.2mp af camera with flash as the Tour/Storm2/8900. Same thing with the processor, the 9700 has a faster processor, and I'm not sure about the 9000.

I'm all for the arguement that the 85xx series isn't entry level, but the fact of the matter is, that it is the entry level BlackBerry, and it's priced to reflect that. It's not to say that it's a cheap-o piece of junk, because it's the opposite, it's a very nice device, however, there are ones that are more expensive, and offer better things, it's just the way that it is. If you have the 8530, and you are happy with it, then that's all that should matter, not that it may or may not be on par with a higher end device.

I try to avoid giving out the wrong information, so please try to do the same. If I post something that I'm unsure about, I always state that I'm unsure about my information, and to please correct it if I'm wrong.

[BergerKing]

Entry level is a relative term. Compare it as a base model car. It may be the same as the top of the line model, just without all the fancy packaging.

It's comparing a Crown Victoria to a Lincoln Town Car. They'll both get you to your destination, but 3x as many customers can afford the Vic.

Either way, both are better than the Escorts many started out with.

The only thing that makes the 8530 unsuitable for me is the lack of a flash. Otherwise, my $50 would be on the table.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[papped]

The 8530 has a slower processor, lower resolution camera, no flash, lower resolution display, smaller battery/shorter battery life, no HSDPA, half the RAM, and a lower price point. That puts it distinctly into the lower bracket of the BlackBerry lineup, an "entry-level" device. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It still knocks the !@#$%# out of most other smartphones.

Lots of mis information...

The 8530 has a newer processor than the Tour.... Half the ram?....
And why the **** would a CDMA device have HSDPA? That doesn't even make sense....

[Shorty43081]

Also like the Storm2 it was shipped with 5.0 software... All others have had to wait for their carriers for such improvements. So for me a person that will probably never have the chance to travel outside the US and find all the specs pretty stunning for the price I will stick with the 8530 until my annual upgrade... It'll get me by just fine. Am kinda excited for what's going to come over the next year...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[elvin1983]

Lots of mis information...

The 8530 has a newer processor than the Tour.... Half the ram?....
And why the **** would a CDMA device have HSDPA? That doesn't even make sense....

Tour 9630, World Phone, allows for HSDPA while on a GSM network.
World Phone = dual mode capability, the ability to run on either network.
The 8530 is not a world phone, it runs CDMA exclusively, the Tour can run either one. Make sense?
Also, according to the BlackBerry website, they both share the same amount of memory, 256mb Flash, 256mb device memory.
BlackBerry - BlackBerry | Wireless Handheld Devices, Software & Services from Research In Motion (RIM)

Also, it really doesn't matter what has a "newer" processor... Technically, a processor made in December 2009 is "newer" than one made in October 2009. Could you possibly be meaning "faster"??

So for me a person that will probably never have the chance to travel outside the US and find all the specs pretty stunning for the price I will stick with the 8530 until my annual upgrade... It'll get me by just fine. Am kinda excited for what's going to come over the next year...

And this is all that matters, as long as the device does what you want it to do, and has the features that you want, then that's perfect!

[papped]

Tour 9630, World Phone, allows for HSDPA while on a GSM network.
World Phone = dual mode capability, the ability to run on either network.
The 8530 is not a world phone, it runs CDMA exclusively, the Tour can run either one. Make sense?

Also, it really doesn't matter what has a "newer" processor... Technically, a processor made in December 2009 is "newer" than one made in October 2009. Could y

Newer = MSM7630 instead of MSM7600. So in this case newer is the same thing as faster...

And if world phone was your issue, why would you list HSDPA as what was lacking? It's not HSDPA speeds you are after, it's gsm network compatibility. Arguing for the sake of arguing = everybody loses...

[elvin1983]

Newer = MSM7630 instead of MSM7600. So in this case newer is the same thing as faster...

And if world phone was your issue, why would you list HSDPA as what was lacking? It's not HSDPA speeds you are after, it's gsm network compatibility. Arguing for the sake of arguing = everybody loses...

Can you post a link to the processor information you list? I'd be curious to read it, not that I don't believe you, just that I want to see. And also, if they're both 528mhz, which I'm assuming they are, then the newer one isn't faster than the old one, making it a moot point.

And yes, you're correct as far as the network compatability... that's what I stated in my post way up there.

[papped]

Just google msm7630 and msm7600.

[McNooberson]

Ok, I don't get it. What point are you trying to prove? Are you really this pissed off over what people consider it to be?

If the phone works for you, it shouldn't matter that people call it low end. I know people still using an 8703e, that's pretty entry level, wouldn't you say? The difference is that it works for them and they don't need anything more. To them, its a "premium" device.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[elvin1983]

Just google msm7630 and msm7600.

I did, and it tells me that it's a Qualcomm chipset, which is all fine and dandy, but nowhere does it tell me that the MSM7630 is in the 8530 and the MSM7600 is in the Tour, which is what I was wanting to see...

According to this site:
PDAmaster | PDAdb.net - Comprehensive Database of PDA, PDA Phone, Smartphone, PNA & Mobile Device Specifications

If you look up each chipset, and click "Browse all devices based on XXXXXXX" it will pull up a list of devices currently using the chipset. According to this, the Tour 9630, Tour 9650, and Storm2 use the MSM7600, and there are no devices listed for the MSM7630, not the 8530, nothing.

If you search "BlackBerry Curve 8530" it shows it as using a MSM7627 which is a newer processor, however, the MSM7600 is required for GSM network compatability, as well as HSDPA data access. They are both 32bit, RISC processors, running the exact same instruction sets and CPU cores, even the same semiconductor technology.

I'm sure there are some other differences, but I can't imagine them being that big, especially if they're the same speed, or roughly the same speed, and I don't know enough about processor technology to know what most of that stuff means.

[papped]

Oops, probably because I listed the wrong processor #.

msm7627

[daynite]

I do my best to keep up with the tech info but it comes to this: I own a bb 8800 (the orig tour/world phone), an old curve, bold 9000, an iphone and a curve 8530. I only use my 8530. My reasoning is based on feel and the fact that veriz has a ridiculously better connection in Detroit and New York. ATT was the worst service I have ever had. My experience is with ATT, T-mo, and of coarse, Veriz. I'm tactile; I love the keyboard on a curve. I love the weight and the fact that it feels like less of a machine. I would have never left my old curve originally if it has wifi and 3G. The new one solved that. Also, my digital camera is so much better than all these phones yet still tiny. Why then would I rely on a smartphone for important pix? Its personal pref really. Who cares about the stupid lineup.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[rrrebo]

Lots of mis information...

The 8530 has a newer processor than the Tour.... Half the ram?....
And why the **** would a CDMA device have HSDPA? That doesn't even make sense....

The OP compared the 8530 to the 9700, so I was lumping all the 85xx series together in my comparison, hence my HSDPA comment. The GSM 8520 is EDGE, not HSDPA. That was my point.

Not sure why I thought the 85xx series only had 128MB of RAM...that is clearly wrong.

You are clearly waaaay deeper into mobile processor architecture than I am, so I will quit that. I know clock speed isn't everything, and I was just comparing the Bold 9700 proc to the 85xx.