BlackBerry Curve 8530

The BlackBerry Curve 8530 — codenamed Aries — is a smartphone designed as a sibling to the Curve 8520 (aka Gemini). It is essentially the exact same thing as its peer, save for the fact that the 8530 Aries utilizes CDMA, which makes it eligible for a launch through Verizon Wireless, where it will be renamed the Verizon BlackBery Curve 2. Other notable distinctions include the addition of 3G connectivity, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi networking, and a GPS radio. Signature to the Curve 8530 is that users can now access the Internet AND chat at the same time, which is a first for Verizon. Additional features include a micro-SD slot, a critically acclaimed optical trackpad that critics cite as easy to use, and a 2MP camera. Two drawbacks are the lack of free calling over Wi-Fi (UMA) and a relatively poor quality web browser.