Best friends, mortal enemies: the BlackBerry Curve from Verizon and Sprint
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Apr 2nd 2008 12:15PM
posted Apr 2nd 2008 12:15PM
posted Apr 2nd 2008 12:15PM
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Why do you even have to ask Engadget??? Lol. Its a no brainer, the Sprint version kicks major a$$. Were getting them in two weeks at my Radioshack. Cant wait to play with it!
sprint. the black or dark grey watever u wanna call it is wayyyyyyy betyter. i hate bbs but too bad telus is going verizon silver
Sprint's 8330...darker color is sexier...not to mention...WIFI!!!!
And not to mention... YOU'RE WRONG!!!
No WiFi.
I don't think Sprint has WIFI either.
@ Derek:
Yeah..that's what I meant..NO WIFI. My bad
I like the Sprint version.
Black all the way. Can't wait till we get them at our Sprint.
Verizon is always F**king with their phones in ways that seems to make them fuglier each time I see 'em! This is another perfect example! The silver phone is akin to the beige computer - outdated!! Get with the program, Dr. V. Bring on some class, some style!
Unfortunately, I STILL can't find a black QWERTY keypad for my V 8830! So, I'm stuck with silver!
Try http://cnn.cn/shop/blackberry-88008830-black-keyboard-p-1826.html
No experience with the site, I just know they sell a ton of BB parts. I may just be getting a Sprint kit for my T-Mo Curve... YUM.
sprint takes the cake. but neither of these has anything on the green q
Color??? Ill stick with my fav service provider: VZW.
Besides, you'll probably be able to get it colorized or whatever soon anyway haha.
I have VZW and they suck! I don't use a blackberry but as usual the verizon version of a cellphoone is always crippled, both in style and power. Besides, neither has wifi, also CDMA is a dying breed. My 2 cents.
er, wat?
everyone is going with W-CDMA for 3g and is the foundation for LTE. GSM is going CDMA... or did you not get the memo?
@oakie
Err, what? WCDMA and CDMA have NOTHING to do with each other, just the initials are similar. WCDMA is UTMS (read GSM) tech while CDMA is the next step for 1xRTT. CDMA is a dying breed with VZW going LTE (read GSM) and Sprint looking at WiMAX.
On topic, the darker gray BB is much nicer than the plain light gray one.
@fyreblazer
Thank you! Could have said it better myself. Well done, sir!
Technically, W-CDMA is an extension of CDMA technology (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access), while GSM is a specialization/evolution of TDMA (Time Division, Multiple Access). CDMA technology (incl W-CDMA) is patented in the US by Qualcomm.
That aside, the "Standards" reality is that the GSMA (Global Systems for Mobiles Association) has adopted W-CDMA as their 3rd generation technology (3G), to carry UMTS and HSxPA signals, and also for their 4G (LTE) choice of technology. So "GSM carriers" like AT&T, T-Mobile, Rogers, Cellular One and most international carriers need new (W-CDMA) capable cell towers to be able to support 3G networks - and so do phones that want to use it. (Additional complications arise in North America, of course, due to its "non-standard" frequency bands for GSM and W-CDMA signals).
Plain old CDMA is also a 2G technology, like GSM, except that the upgrade to 3G has involved less in terms of hardware upgrades for the likes of Verizon, Sprint, Alltel, US Cellular, etc, since they have settled on a "CDMA compatible" technology called "EV-DO" (Evolution - Data Only; later Evolution, Data Optimized). As for 4G, these are going divergent paths: Since Verizon was acquired by Vodafone, a UK based "GSM carrier", they decided to settle on LTE (a W-CDMA technology), while Sprint are going with WiMax.
the reason they put the verizon wireless ui on the phones and disable certian things is to 1. make it so you can pick up any brand of phone and it not be so fricking confusing to find every menu! because no one ever reads the dam* book that comes with the phone... 2. so that when you do call in for troubleshooting, i don't have to have every single phone make and model's menu system memorized to help you out, 3. because the built in gps with most pdas and blackberries didn't meet our security testing 4. so you won't have random a** features that only the phone manufacture knows about how to set and change and when they don't work properly you won't call verizon wireless, you'd have to call the phone manufacturer 5. to make money! because if everything were free no one would have a job. 6. remember when the motorzr first came out on everyone but verizon wireless? how they whined that verizonwireless was slow to keep up with the new phones? and then all those problems occured with the motorzr? in like 6 or 7 months after that verizon wirelesses slogan was come get a razr that actually works! haha
how do i know this? I WORK IN THE TECH SUPPORT FOR THEM!
so unless you actually work for a carrier and deal with customers calling in wanting to know why the random program (that they didn't get from verizon wireless)they downloaded on to their phone doesn't work and then they get mad at me for not knowing how to work it, don't whine about how crappy you think verizon wireless is!
Do you have any idea what your talking about?????????come on,,,get a clue..........
your prolly one of the morons i have to explain everything to like a 2 yr old when they come into my store. your the kind that needs to stay with your prepay device and quiet down about things you have no idea about...
@ B_an_angel
I read the book....
Why would anyone be on Verizon is beyond me.
They're stuck in no-man's land with its more expensive than Sprint plans and less cooler than AT&T's phone line-up.
For me, it is about the service.
From having service with AT&T (rocked) to Crapular and back to re-branded Crapular under the AT&T name (work phone) and knowing people with Sprint and T-Mobile. Verizon has the best serivce and network in the Twin Cities from my experiance and other cities I have travel too.
They may be higher, but I have to stick with what works. Plus with their new open policy, I think the days of people bitching about their phones be locked down will mostly be gone.
Fair enough.
Spint's CS isn't the best, but nowadays most things I need from them is automated. And being on the Sero plan, I seem to get redirected to a higher (more competent) level of service than average joe when need be.
because I can actually get cell phone service. Sprint's service (at least in Norther Virginia) is horrible. While other people are looking at their nice sleek sexy phones wondering why they dont work, I'm actually making a phone call!!!!
Weird, Sprint and verizon roam of each other. If you are not getting signal with sprint in your area call customer service and have an OTA PRL update.
I'm gonna say the black as well, or darker grey. That silver is just to light for me.
Umm last time i checked verizon has the best coverage in the u.s. and better customer service with most, not to mention in house techs at all store-huge convience over ATT. Its just like a fine steak, your gonna pay a little more to get a nicer quality. Ill pay the extra amt for the peace of mind i receive
When you actually get a decent photo that shows the phones in a good light I'll let you know.
I'm a VZW customer, but that sprint phone is a much nice look.
The darker one (from Sprint) looks better to me.
Still, I would prefer a phone with Wi-Fi and a touchscreen, as well as all the features these offer. I'm a Sprint subscriber - will that version support EV-DO Rev A? Do they have 3.5mm stereo earphone jacks? thanks.
Nice job Sprint!! Looks like I'll be keeping them alot longer than I thought I would. There new plans kick major butt and the phone lineup is catching up with the other carriers. I might be getting an upgrade to this thing soon with the unlimited plan but no WIFI still sucks =\ oh well EVDO in LA is pretty good.
No contest. The sprint version is infinitely better looking. Way to go verizon..... Make us wait for a year and then release a lame looking color....
When I first saw the leaked pictures, I thought the Sprint version looked MUCH better. But now that I've seen some real-life pics I must admit the Verizon one is growing on me. I kinda like the silver body with black outlines and keys, its dare I say.. sexy even?
Black is the way to go. Silver? Barf...
Whats the release date on the Verizon phone?
I, for once, think I am going to go with the silver look. The one thing that jumped out at me was that I was able to see they keys better on a lighter background. I know that these will be back-lit, but dark on dark does not help quickly finding the button when the backlight turns off after a second.
I like the silver Verizon one, it looks nice and i'm on verizon so, I might look onto this one.
The black one is nice too but I like silver
definately the Sprint version! I know I'll be getting one! replacing my pearl!
The black/dark gray Sprint version is much better looking.
Slightly off topic, but Sprint also has the Red/Black/Pink choices for their Palm Centro while AT&T has that FUGLY white Centro with the odd green number keys.
While Sprint may sometimes be late to the game with the "new" phones ( I think they got a RAZR about a year after everyone else did...not a big loss there haha), they sometimes surprise us gadget geeks with some cool offerings.
This sleek BB 8800 is going to be a hit with corporate customers as well as individuals.
Being a professional user currently using BlackBerry Curve 8300 and more then happy to have it.
just one phrase...
Silver and black attack --
boom.
i love the wi-fi bitching.. has everyone forgotten that you can't activate a blackberry phone without a BB data plan?
I like the silver one. They both look pretty solid, but I like the color contrast in the silver. I think the silver will look better in person when you actually see it in person.
Everybody on here complaining about the color of a phone like girls if you want your phone to be a different color go to colorwarepc.com and change it. The difference between vzw, att, and sprint ( i won't mention t-mobile they really suck!)Vzw is a Mercedes, att is a toyota and sprints a mazda. Basically you pay for what you get, vzw has the best service they may be slow on phones but its the best while att and sprint service sucks and make up for it buy selling sorry gimmickry phone.