RIM BlackBerry Curve 8350i (Nextel)

Nextel subscribers looking for a Direct Connect–compatible smartphone finally have a real BlackBerry option: the Curve 8350i. While it lacks the speedy data transfer of, say, the Sprint BlackBerry Curve 8330, the 8350i makes up for it with a Wi-Fi radio that's compatible with 802.11b/g networks. Use of BlackBerry OS 4.6 gives the 8350i the latest document-editing software and a new menu system. The device also partakes of the Curves' slick design—well, almost. Despite a few small gaffes, the 8350i is a genuine BlackBerry that should satisfy fans of Nextel's iDEN network.

The BlackBerry Curve 8350i looks a lot like other 8300-series Curves, but there are a few key differences, the first being size: The handset measures 4.4 by 2.4 by 0.7 (HWD) inches, which is 0.2 inch taller and 0.1 inch thicker than the Sprint Curve. It also weighs a bit more: 4.8 ounces, compared with the 4-ounce 8330 and 3.9-ounce AT&T Curve 8310. Since the 8350i has the same tapered edges as the original, it's tough to notice these changes in hand, but it does look larger when you compare it side by side with either. On the other hand, the new rubber surround feels nice and sturdy—just as a Nextel phone should. There's also a heavy-duty plastic holster with an adjustable belt clip in the box.

Other attributes will also be familiar to Curve cognoscenti. The 320-by-240-pixel, 2.4-inch light-sensing LCD is bright and easy to read. The QWERTY keyboard has raised plastic keys with a pleasant, clicky resistance, so typing on the 8350i is a pleasure. The trackball and four flanking control keys are exactly the same as those on other Curves. One gaffe: The 8350i substitutes the Curve line's standard-size 3.5mm headphone jack with a nonstandard 2.5mm port on the left-hand side. This is a major step backward that makes it difficult to upgrade the included wired earbuds, which are passable, but not outstanding. They are about on a par with the bundled earbuds of iPods. Also on the left-hand side you'll find a mini USB jack and a large push-to-talk button. The right-hand side, meanwhile, contains a programmable shortcut button that defaults to activating the camera, along with volume controls further up. The bottom of the slab-style handset is empty, while the top contains a recessed mute key.

Voice calls on the 8350i were clear and crisp in both directions. Callers said I sounded the same as I do on my own BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Verizon), while on my end voices sounded slightly brighter and more distant than I'm used to. The mic's wind rejection was sublime: On the other end, callers could barely hear the cold, hard wind gusts I was battling. In addition, as befits a Nextel phone, the 8350i has a loud, clear speakerphone that easily suffices for outdoor use, and the push-to-talk feature works the same as with any other Direct Connect handset. Callers said I sounded virtually the same using the speakerphone as I did with the 8350i pressed against my ear. I paired the handset with an Aliph New Jawbone Bluetooth headset without incident, as well. Battery life was excellent at 8 hours, owing partially to the 8350i's slightly larger 1,400-mAh battery.

RIM outfitted the 8350i with a Bold-style menu system, which features improved icon design with a wire-frame look and smooth highlight fades as you pass the trackball over each icon. As is typical for Sprint and Nextel phones, the Curve comes with a solid software bundle that contains Handmark's Pocket Express information aggregator for news, weather, sports scores, and more; instant-messaging clients for AIM, Google Talk (a rarity), and Yahoo Messenger; support for NFL Mobile and NASCAR Mobile; and four games, one being Texas Hold 'Em King 2. There's also DataViz's Documents To Go on board for editing Microsoft Office files, and the integrated GPS chip works with the included BlackBerry Maps as well as the optional TeleNav-powered GPS Navigator software that presents voice-enabled turn-by-turn directions.

The Curve 8350i has the usual push e-mail support for up to ten accounts using BlackBerry Internet Solution (BIS). It also works with BlackBerry Enterprise Solution (BES) for mailbox integration with Microsoft Exchange, Novell GroupWise, and Lotus Domino. RIM's latest Web browser includes a mouse cursor and zoom feature, which is welcome given our "blah" feelings toward RIM's browser in the past. It rendered WAP pages well on my tests, but iDEN's slow data speed means you'll want to kick in the Wi-Fi radio whenever possible. RIM does compress data on the back end, which helps, but not enough; hooking into a nearby WPA2 hot spot sped up the proceedings considerably. Unlike other Curves, the 8350i doesn't work as a tethered laptop modem, either.

For multimedia, the 8350i has 128MB of onboard storage, which is a modest upgrade from the 96MB in the 8330 and the 64MB in the rest of the Curve line. (Sprint also throws in a 1GB microSD card for good measure.) The microSD slot is beneath the battery—never a good thing—but it read and wrote to a 8GB SanDisk microSDHC card without a problem. The 8350i played video files smoothly, even in full-screen mode. The built-in music player sports revised user-interface graphics and displays large album-art thumbnails. Music sounded warm and clear when paired with Cardo S-2 stereo Bluetooth headphones, but it was a bit tinny through the included wired stereo earbuds.

The 8350i is equipped with the same 2-megapixel camera (with video recording) that graces other Curves. There's a small portrait mirror on the rear panel along with a bright LED flash. Photos were detailed but quite noisy in low-light, indoor environments. 240-by-180-pixel videos felt jerkier than on other Curves I tested, but that may also be a function of the lighting conditions in my test videos.

Given that Nextel's smartphone lineup is almost nonexistent (the only other available option is the ungainly BlackBerry 7100i, which lacks a full QWERTY keyboard and is older than dirt), the Curve 8350i is a good choice that should stem the flow of Nextel subscribers crossing over to Sprint—or another carrier, for that matter—in search of a real smart device. It's about time.

Benchmark Test Results
Continuous talk time: 8 hours 0 minutes

More Cell Phone Reviews: