BlackBerry Curve 8530 - black (Virgin Mobile)
Manufacturer: BlackBerry Part number: VMB853
- CNET Editor rating: Not yet rated
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 11 reviews
- More product information:
- Editors' take
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- If you can't stand be away from your e-mail for too long, check out the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 for Virgin Mobile.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | In stock Get free shipping on orders over $25! | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 05/22/2012 |
CNET editors' take
BlackBerry Curve 8530 - black (Virgin Mobile) price range: $184.89
- Reviewed by: Bonnie Cha
- Reviewed on: 07/06/2010
The bottom line: If you can't stand be away from your e-mail for too long, check out the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 for Virgin Mobile.
The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 for Virgin Mobile is similar to Sprint's version of the smartphone, offering a full QWERTY keyboard, a 2-megapixel camera, 3G support, and--of course--push e-mail. Its other features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and access to the BlackBerry App World. The Curve 8530 is available from Virgin Mobile for $299.99 without contract. For more information about the smartphone's design and features, read our review of the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 for Sprint.
User reviews
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Wish it was time for my upgrade...
by scottysgirl7682 on December 15, 2011
Pros: Texting is easy, lots of free apps
Cons: Battery dies way too fast, phone resets itself periodically, battery swells
Summary: Had this phone thru Sprint for a year and a half, and when I first got it, it was fine. But, now I'm on my second battery and about ...
Summary: Had this phone thru Sprint for a year and a half, and when I first got it, it was fine. But, now I'm on my second battery and about to get a third for it. I have to charge it at least 2-3 times a day, and ever since last Friday, I've had to keep it on the charger so it doesn't reset itself. It will reset, turn back on, and tell me I have no battery left. Come to find out, the battery swells, and that's what happened to mine. Now, I have to wait for a new battery to come in the mail (good thing it didn't cost me anything.) Can't wait to get rid of this piece of junk!
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Great Phone for Texting and Emails!
by damati0711 on November 12, 2011
Pros: Qwerty Keyboard
Longer Battery Life than any Androids and Iphones
Durable
Easier to grip in and out of holster.Cons: Still uses 3G network
Needs
Need more free apps
Screen is smallSummary: It is a great phone to have with no contract services, Virgin Mobile services is very good, their on-line (websites) are just as good as any other carrier. I don'...
Summary: It is a great phone to have with no contract services, Virgin Mobile services is very good, their on-line (websites) are just as good as any other carrier. I don't regret my decision giving up on T-Mobile for Virgin Mobile.
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Thats not true
by Kellie78 on May 14, 2011
Pros: I have this phone and I have a ringtone maker on my PC and I made my own ringtones and uploaded MP3's and I can use either or as my ring tones. What I can NOT do -- is use Voice Recordings as Ringtones, which other Blackberry servicers can that are NOT V
Cons: I do not have any cons with this service or phone.
Summary: Bottom line -- of my other friends who have blackberry phone plans, I have ALL the same Features that they USE DAILY and I am paying like 40 to 60....
Summary: Bottom line -- of my other friends who have blackberry phone plans, I have ALL the same Features that they USE DAILY and I am paying like 40 to 60.00 a month LESS then they are.
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Great phone!
by Jlear3 on May 3, 2011
Pros: You can set any song as a ringtone, idk if people couldn't find that or if its a update.... Basically the phone has everything my att curve has, aside from the annoying trackball... the optical sensor is actually really good, sensitivity can be changed to
Cons: None so far
Summary: Get the phone! Everything you've read that is negative on the phone is no longer, or never was. I've had NO problems with it to date, which is ...
Summary: Get the phone! Everything you've read that is negative on the phone is no longer, or never was. I've had NO problems with it to date, which is more than I can say for my iphone... I'm not new to BB and they always please, even if it IS on vm's network. They don't seem to have stripped the phone as people have said, i was actually suprised to be able to download videos offline directly to my card
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Great phone at a fair price!
by sunsetplaid on February 6, 2011
Pros: The push email option and the 2.0 camera is clear and crisp in detail, app world is easy to use,gps, you can't go wrong with a qwerty keyboard!
Cons: Battery life is short if your using the web or apps, but with upgrading to a better battery helps to fix that problem, app store is limited.
Summary: Overall it is a great phone, you can have multiple email addresses pushed to the phone and the web browser is real user friendly, you can upload your pictures you ...
Summary: Overall it is a great phone, you can have multiple email addresses pushed to the phone and the web browser is real user friendly, you can upload your pictures you take on facebook, the flickr app is cool and gps is a really nice add on, totally worth your money and with the prepaid plan you can't go wrong!!
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"Very good phone for a CDMA provider
by djchrysys on January 8, 2011
Pros: does a lot, very easy to use well supported unlike the palm centro I recently broke. I love the fact that replacement parts are so easy to find on Amazon so if I ever brake it I can fix it and even customize it!
Cons: battery goes fast if you run a lot of apps(but with a spare battery or 2 and a external charger for thos you can easily have enough juice to keep you going if you cant plug in).
Summary: I miss my touch screen on this at times the track pad works great most of the time but its overly sensitive on Opera mini when browsing. It does lock ...
Summary: I miss my touch screen on this at times the track pad works great most of the time but its overly sensitive on Opera mini when browsing. It does lock up from time to time but I do have several apps running on it most of the time such as 2 email accounts, 2 social net working sites, Yahoo chat, and a few other back ground apps for info like weather and such. I don't think I would go back to any other phone brand after having this BB for a few weeks now the extra security Rim packs into these phones is great they do multimedia well you can find apps from many sources it uses flash unlike some other phone. Just a down right well built phone, would love to have a bold or torch after this since they run the BB OS 6 but OS 5 on this one runs very well too. And as I mentioned above this is the first phone I was ever aware of having an external battery charger for them which is really cool. I have read some people have had issues w text and such but I have not had any and the few weeks I have had it I have used it in Los Angeles and in rural Oklahoma and gotten better coverage in those areas than I would with AT&T.
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A device for grown-ups.
by OsakaBoy1 on November 24, 2010
Pros: Wi-fi capable, great keyboard, easy and intuitive to use. Very versatile. Good call quality. Virgin Mobile USA phone/data plans are extremely competitive. Great stand by battery life.
Cons: Picture quality is mediocre. Relatively low memory. Opera does not work well but other browsers work fine.
Summary: Blackberry 8530 may be considered an "entry level" or beginner smart phone, but that does the device a disservice. Many corporations use the 8530 or equivalents to great effect. The ...
Summary: Blackberry 8530 may be considered an "entry level" or beginner smart phone, but that does the device a disservice. Many corporations use the 8530 or equivalents to great effect. The 8530 does everything I want with very little extra that I don't need or use. I have far fewer dead zones on the Sprint network then I did with AT&T. The bult in media and video players are basic but work well. Email set up is a snap and texting is easy. Many people complain that the Blackberry App store does not have enough choices, but I disagree. Apple/Android may have more apps but many of them are redundant. How many choices of basic calculator and flashlight choices does a person need? The browser is somewhat basic but works fine for my purposes. I have never had any problems with Virgin's service or delivery.
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Blackberry is great - until VM ruins it
by ServiceMatters on November 11, 2010
Pros: It's a Blackberry
Cons: It's Virgin Mobile
Summary: This Blackberry, as with all Virgin Mobile phones has been stripped of features. You can upload multimedia files to this Blackberry, but as with all Virgin Mobile phones, you cannot ...
Summary: This Blackberry, as with all Virgin Mobile phones has been stripped of features. You can upload multimedia files to this Blackberry, but as with all Virgin Mobile phones, you cannot use them as your ringtones. This is standard with Virgin Mobile phones, so they can force you to buy their multimedia files, and not allow you to use your own, or buy them from third party sites.
This is standard practice with all Virgin Mobile phones. They keep you from using your own property - your phone - in the way you choose. This practice should be illegal. -
Good starter for new BlackBerry users
by Robyn Hode on September 11, 2010
Pros: Superior Email/SMS/MMS capability. Great keyboard shortcuts. Good sound quality and multimedia apps. Fits well in the hand and is light. Good applications (Docs to Go is solid). Excellent reception on the Sprint network. WiFi is excellent.
Cons: Low resolution screen (but still good), average browser (but very usable--not a drawback), BlackBerry App World is limited. Needs more memory for apps. Comes with 128 MB. The trackpad doesn't work well with Opera Mini.
Summary: This phone is perfect as an introduction to BlackBerry smartphones. The new trackpad is quite sensitive and effective. The 528MHz processor is good, if not great. The keyboard is a ...
Summary: This phone is perfect as an introduction to BlackBerry smartphones. The new trackpad is quite sensitive and effective. The 528MHz processor is good, if not great. The keyboard is a joy to use, although the keys have a plastic feel to them. They press down easily and once you gain some experience you'll be a virtuoso with them. If you want a BlackBerry and don't want to pay too much, buy the Virgin Mobile Curve 8530 and pay only $35 a month for 300 mins/unlimited text and data. This deal simply cannot be beat.
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Most people are forgetting it's a prepaid service.
by leviwarfel on December 17, 2010
Pros: Blackberry, Texting, Apps, 3G, Trackpad, WiFi.
Cons: Poor Battery Life.
Summary: What most poeple are forgetting is that this is a prepaid phone service, and their first Blackberry added to their line-up. Of course they're not going to be perfect. ...
Summary: What most poeple are forgetting is that this is a prepaid phone service, and their first Blackberry added to their line-up. Of course they're not going to be perfect. Plus, this isn't aimed towards previous Blackberry owners, but aimed for people who have had been with Virgin Mobile almost since the beginning. Like me for instance, I've only ever had Virgin Mobile phones. So this is a HUGE upgrade from my LG Rumor Touch. I'm so proud of my phone, especially because I can download apps. The only downside to this is the battery life, but I chose their Blackberry over there Intercept because I've heard their Intercept freezes a lot, and plus...IT'S A BLACKBERRY!
0 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: BlackBerry
- Part number: VMB853
- Description: BlackBerry Curve 8500 series smartphones neatly fit in your hand. Comfortably send messages with the full QWERTY keyboard. The bright 320 x 240 pixel screen displays over 65,000 colors, and delivers a great viewing experience. Know where you stand - and where you're going. GPS on your BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone works with BlackBerry Maps. Pinpoint your location and get turn-by-turn directions to your destination.
General
- Product Type Smartphone
- Form Factor Full keyboard
- Phone Design PDA
- Integrated Components Digital camera,
Digital player,
Voice recorder - Width 2.6 in
- Depth 0.59 in
- Height 4.06 in
- Weight 3.49 oz
- Body Color Black
Cellular
- Technology CDMA2000 1X
- Band CDMA2000 1X 1900/800
- Service Provider Virgin Mobile
- Operating System BlackBerry Handheld Software
- Input Device(s) QWERTY keyboard
- Phone Navigation Buttons Trackball
Messaging & Internet
- Cellular Messaging Services MMS,
SMS - Instant Messaging Services RIM BlackBerry VM Client
- Messaging & Data Features Text messages,
Multimedia messages (MMS),
E-Mail Communications
- Data Transmission EV-DO
- Wireless Interface IEEE 802.11b/g,
Bluetooth 2.1 EDR - Bluetooth Profiles Serial Port Profile (SPP),
Object Push Profile (OPP),
Hands Free Profile (HFP),
Headset Profile (HSP),
Dial-up Networking Profile (DUN),
Phonebook Access Profile (PBAP),
Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP),
Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) - Communication Features Internet browser,
Mobile Email client Phone Features
- Phone Functions Call timer,
Conference call,
Speakerphone,
Vibrating alert - Polyphonic Ringer Yes
- Polyphonic Ring Tone Voice Qty 32
- Ring Tone Formats MP3,
MIDI - Additional Features GPS,
Speakerphone,
Trackpad Organizer
- Personal Information Management Calendar,
Calculator,
Reminder,
Alarm clock Media Player
- Supported Digital Audio Standards eAAC+,
AAC +,
MP3,
WMA,
AAC,
AMR - Supported Digital Video Standards MPEG-4,
H.263,
H.264
Memory
- RAM 128 MB
- ROM 256 MB - Flash
- Supported Flash Memory Cards microSDHC
Digital Camera
- Sensor Resolution 2 megapixels
- Focus Adjustment Focus free
- Digital Zoom 5
- Video Recorder Resolutions 176 x 144 (QCIF),
320 x 240 (QVGA) Navigation System
- GPS Navigation A-GPS receiver
Display
- Type LCD display
- Technology TFT Transmissive
- Diagonal Size 2.5 in
- Display Resolution 320 x 240 pixels
- Color Depth 16-bit (65000 colors)
Battery
- Technology Lithium ion
- Capacity 1150 mAh
- Run Time Details Talk - up to 270 min,
Standby - up to 252 hour(s) Miscellaneous
- Compliant Standards HAC(Hearing Aid Compatible)
- Included Accessories Power adapter , Power adapter
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse BlackBerry products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:BlackBerry
- Address:
295 Phillip Street, Waterloo, ON N2L 3W8 - Phone: 1-519-888-7465
- Email: webinfo@rim.net
- Fax: 1-519-888-7884
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