It may be low cost, priced from free on pay monthly and only �250 on prepay, but it packs a punch in the features department.
With the same functionality of other BlackBerrys, including Wi-Fi, a touch sensitive touchpad, identical to that on the 9700 Bold and a powerful 512MHz processor, you won't miss those omitted extravagances such as 3G and GPS.
The first thing you'll notice when picking up the Curve 8520 is how light and reasonably small it is in comparison to other Blackberry handsets. At just 106g, it's the lightest Blackberry yet. It's also slim and perfectly formed, ensuring your pockets won't be bulging.
The 8520 comes preloaded with links to the same services as higher-end devices such the Bold, so you can access the major social networking sites including Facebook, Flickr and MySpace in a couple of clicks.
A whole IM folder allows you to chat to your friends or colleagues using Blackberry Messenger, AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, Yahoo Messenger or Windows Live Messenger with the apps already on the handset. It's a shame there's not just one app that can sign you in to ail of these at the same time preinstalled, but downloading Blackberry App World will eliminate this issue, with a whole variety of apps at your fingertips.
The Curve 8520 was the first Blackberryto sport RIM's latest version of the App World, and the newer interface is a breath of fresh air compared to the first attempt. Instead of having a single 'top apps' section, it has now separated these into top free and top paid applications for you to download with a couple of clicks. This is particularly useful if you're looking for something fun to do on your Blackberry without splashing the cash.
The Documents to Go suite of apps is preinstalled, allowing you to view Word, Excel, PDF and image files on the move. You won't be able to create documents though - this is a feature reserved for the premium version of the application.
Multimedia is one of the Curve 8520's strong points. Although the camera is only 2-megapixels, that's the same as higher-end devices, and the media player doesn't miss a trick in the Blackberry book either, displaying cover art.
There's a regular 3.5mm headphone socket at the top left and MediaSync, which lets you sync your Blackberry to iTunes, is included in the box. A multimedia addition is the dedicated music keys along the top surface of the phone that allow you to access tunes in a jiffy, and control them without taking the Curve 8520 out of your pocket.
Talking of keys, the 8520's keyboard is also something you'd expect to see on a higher-end device. They're raised and highly textured, just like those on the 9700 and Bold. They may be small to fit in the device's slimline stature, but the tilt on each key allows you to work round the keyboard like a pro.
Above the keyboard is RIM's intuitive touchpad to navigate around the menus. It takes the place of the pearl-l?ke trackball as seen on previous Blackberry smartphones and is damn easier to use. It's unlikely to get stuck or get muck stuck in it so will hopefully last the lifetime of the 8520.
On either side of this navigation feature, there's the usual Blackberry key that pulls up a content-specific menu, depending on which app you're using, and a back key on the right hand side. On the outer edges, you'll find call answer and end buttons. All four of these keys are recessed, giving the Curve 8520 a super-sleek finish.
However, this sleek, shiny finish does come with a foible. The outer casing attracts more fingerprints than any other BlackBerry, so you'll be wiping away smudges from dawn until dusk.
The 2.6-inch screen is just as large as on the higher-end devices such as the Bold, and even with its lower-resolution screen (320 x 240 pixels compared to 480 x 320 pixels), it's equally as crisp, vibrant and clear.
The interface isn't anything new, sticking to the simple icon-based BlackBerry look, with customisable shortcuts at the bottom of the screen and large, clear icons in the main menu.
Browsing on the device is on par with most other BlackBerry devices. On opening the standard BlackBerry browser, you merely have to start typing and your previously visited websites are listed handily in the address bar if you need to jump back.
The track pad again adds to ease of use here, enabling quick movement to click on links, with websites loading quickly. The browser copes admirably with both mobile and full sites, which is handy in an age where mobile websites generally cease to exist.
What is stunning on the BlackBerry 8520 is the battery life. Unlike any other BlackBerry we've tested, the handset only needed charging once every three days. Although this isn't surprising with the lack of 3G and GPS.
As is the norm for RIM, the BlackBerry Curve 8520 utilises mini USB as the port. It's not a problem as you can still charge the device while it's plugged into your computer, although it's a much slower process when compared to using the bundled wall charger.
The BlackBerry 8520 is as suitable for messaging moguls as it is for business people who want to combine their work phone with a personal device. It's light, well-featured, and available at a bargain basement price of absolutely nothing on contract.
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