[Thorsten Heinsight]

I'm just curious why there are so many people who still use the Curve 8520, particularly outside of North America.
To the 8520 users out there, why don't you upgrade to a newer phone (BlackBerry or otherwise)? What makes you love your Curve so much?

[Umaima_B_Dia]

Misunderstanding of BB10 devices or BIS

[Tatwi]

I fired mine up a while back and I remembered why I liked it so much. BBM, text, and email are simple, uncluttered, and fast. The convenience keys, one for the camera and one for BBM, were superb. The small physical size felt great in the hand and in my pocket. And the clicky Curve keyboard has something satisfying about it that's not the same as the Q10 and Bold 9900.

For a basic communication device it's a great smartphone, certainly much better than a "feature phone". The camera, while awful, still captures the moment better than a fuzzy memory of it would.

Posted via CB10

[Glpc2504]

I have my 8520 on a data only plan. The thing is an email machine (to replace the defunct peek pronto) and regularly lasts 3-4 days.


Posted via CB10

[FobiddenRiceman]

I fired mine up a while back and I remembered why I liked it so much. BBM, text, and email are simple, uncluttered, and fast. The convenience keys, one for the camera and one for BBM, were superb. The small physical size felt great in the hand and in my pocket. And the clicky Curve keyboard has something satisfying about it that's not the same as the Q10 and Bold 9900.

For a basic communication device it's a great smartphone, certainly much better than a "feature phone". The camera, while awful, still captures the moment better than a fuzzy memory of it would.

Posted via CB10

Couldn't have said it better

"Correct me grammar fascists! I'm ready!"

[outlooker]

I want an 8520 just for the nostalgia

Posted via CB10

[Matty]

I kept my 8520 for ages, simply because I could not afford anything more expensive. It cost me around $200 when it was brand new.

The Q5 was $480 and the Q10 was around $600.
I literally pretended to do that swipe up and to the right gesture to access my "hub". So badly wanted to upgrade since I loved the BB10 software but as I said, finances was the only issue

Luckily one day a friend of mine won a competition and he gave me his Q5. Otherwise I would still be on that 8520.

Posted via BlackBerry Q5 on 10.3.1.2576

[Pcmx]

I like the 8520. It's the first BlackBerry to have the optical trackpad and dedicated media keys. I also like OS5. Makes a nice legacy device for my collection and with nice music capabilities

Posted via CB10

[Jonzrs]

Because it's a BlackBerry and it's cheap to buy

Posted via CB10

[FrankUnderwood]

There's something to be said about pre BB10 software. If it was text, email, phone you were looking for...thats perfect. I have friends and business associates who still use Bolds and Curves and love them and won't change.

If you're looking to consume more media, videos etc the new is the way to go. As one of my Bold 9900 customers says "when it stops working, ill get a new phone"


Posted via CB10 on the President Underwood version of the BlackBerry Classic

[Radinal Akbar]

Why?? Hmm, i keep my old blackberry and try to rebuild use for basic telephone and sms. This is nostalgic blackberry old

Posted via CB10 using Blackberry Z30

[red5gary]

Because for me, it was a very handy little cell phone...small to carry around....answer and hangup calls with the keys plus the tool bar was perfect. I loved using the Curve very much when I had it. In the end browsing was just to slow and I had to upgrade to 4G.

[drajit10]

I'm still using my BlackBerry Curve. It is my first BlackBerry phone purchased in 2010. Very handy, nice qwerty keys and awesome track pad. Long battery running for two days. M loving it!


Posted via CB10

[rlctnt]

(Post One of Two)

Nearly four years ago, I bought a used Curve 8530 on ebay for no more than $13.00. It was my first smartphone, and with the exception of a Q10 that I recently purchased, also second-hand on ebay, remains my only smartphone. For those, such as myself, who only need voice calling and SMS text and for whom email and Internet connectivity is not essential in a phone, the 8530 can be quite adequate and offers many advantages. These include the lightweight and compact physical form; the superior durability when compared to nearly any other phone other than an ancient "flip" model or a specialized rugged model; and, of course, the rather delightful keyboard. An additional advantage that I just saw pointed-out, about the 9900/9930 if I recall correctly but applicable to the 8530, 8520 and, from appearances at least, other models as well, is the ability to comfortably navigate the device using only one hand. In finding the trackpad of these legacy BlackBerry's vastly more comfortable and wieldy than any of the (admittedly few) touchscreens that I have tried to-date, I know that I am not alone.

If only there were a simple way that I could import my contacts from a later source into the 8530. Granted, this may not be a problem for those who have other options for synching, such as, perhaps, over BIS or using the (no-longer supported) BlackBerry Desktop software.

As for the the 8530's camera, there can be no denying that it is quite pathetic. There have been many times when I would have greatly welcomed and benefited from having even a half-way decent camera with me. Still, I have often found having the 8530's camera better than /no camera at all/.

My 8530 has survived drops quite well. Additionally, even if I were to ruin or lose the phone, it would hardly be any real tragedy, considering how little I paid for it and how easily replaceable it is. This allows me to enjoy a peace-of-mind and lack of care that would not be possible with an expensive device. Similarly, when I think about the incidents I have heard, often violent, of people having their expensive phones robbed by street thugs, I take comfort in the thought that I am far less of a target for such attacks.

[rlctnt]

(Post Two of Two)

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised to discover that with images and JavaScript disabled, there are at least a few web sites that behave well enough in the 8530's stock browser to make visiting them from it worthwhile. These include Weather Underground for weather; the site of my local mass transit system to check system status; StartPage search engine; the blog of security/cryptography expert Bruce Schneier; and the highly geeky Linux site LWN.net. I was also able to download MP3 audio files onto the microSD card inserted into my device and then play them at my convenience.

If only there were a phone available that had all of the advantages of the 8530 that I've enumerated above but with reasonably current CPU and RAM specs, along with updated software, a decent camera and the ability to natively run at least a few critical apps that are, at present, available only for Android and iOS. Foremost among these for me would be Mozilla's Firefox browser.

To take this line of wish and fantasy further, what I really long for in mobile technology is the introduction of a phone that, in addition to offering all of the advantages enumerated above, would run a GNU+Linux-based OS that would be fully compatible with GNU+Linux offerings for the desktop as well as no more privacy-invasive or difficult to install, use and maintain than said systems. Perhaps someday...

[Shadowbolt]

The 8520 has great battery life that trumps smartphones that I’ve seen. It’s an email machine, as well. BlackBerry OS feels snappy and is very responsive. To put it in Tatwi’s words: ‘it’s simple, uncluttered, and fast.’

[irishcorker]

You have reminded me of why my 8520 was my only mobile for over four years. an email machine, indeed.

I think I will look on Amazon for a battery and get mine back in working order.

Unfortunately my carrier no longer offers BIS, but I can get the phone working again, at least, just for nostalgia's sake.