The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8520 is available exclusively through T-Mobile.
T-Mobile is still catching up in the BlackBerry game, but is getting closer to the competition with phones like the BlackBerry Curve 8520. Just as T-Mobile is new to the BlackBerry game, the Curve 8520 is for those just getting into the smartphone game; that is, if you’ve never owned a smartphone before then this is the one to go for.
Trackpad instead of trackball

The trackball is an infamous sign of BlackBerrys. The Curve 8520, however, is equipped with a trackpad, which may turn some people off. It’s the same concept but a little foreign, and everyone knows people hate change once they’re comfortable. If this is your first BlackBerry though, then you should be in good shape! It’s not hard to get a hang of, and it’s definitely pretty convenient.
BlackBerry Internet Service
You can set up 10 personal/business POP3 or IMAP4 email addresses through BlackBerry Internet Service. Along with this, the BlackBerry Curve 8520 got an attachment viewer that will open tons of file types, not limited to but including Word, WordPerfect, Excel, and JPEG. This is because of the Documents to Go application that is installed, but if you want to create new word documents you’ll have to upgrade to a premium account.

Apps? Some, but not a ton
BlackBerrys have an App Store similar to the ever popular Apple iPhone’s. The Curve 8520, however, isn’t on quite the same stage as the other BlackBerrys. You see, you can only save your downloaded apps to the internal memory and not to an additional microSD card. This wouldn’t be an issue if the Curve 8520 had more internal memory, but at only 256 MB you can only save a few apps at a time.
As there’s not much internal memory, you’ll want to use a microSD card in order to save all your multimedia files. You have all types of music and video files that are playable on the Curve 8520, and can take plenty of pictures with the 2.0 megapixel camera.

Battery Life
You’ll get about five hours of talk time which is pretty decent for a BlackBerry. You’ll drain the life the most by downloading the apps, so make sure you try to only do so when you’re connected to WiFi and plugged into your charger.

Phone Specs:
Manufacturer: Research In Motion Ltd.
Part Number:CURVE8520BLKTMB
Telecom
Data services MMS , SMS , E-Mail
Cellular enhancement protocol GPRS support
General
Dimensions (W x D x H) 2.4 in x 0.6 in x 4.3 in
Weight 3.7 oz
Built-in devices Camera , Digital player
Color Black
Memory
Installed ROM 256 MB Flash
Flash memory installed 256 MB
Input Device
Input device type Keyboard,  Trackpad
Messaging / Data Services
Internet Browser Yes
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) Yes
Mobile Email Yes
Messaging Services RIM BlackBerry VM Client
Cellular
Cellular technology GSM
Service Provider T-Mobile
Band / mode GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband)
Phone style Candy bar
Vibrating Alert Yes
Call Timer Yes
Wireless Interface IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g , Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
Conference Call Capability Yes
Phone Navigation Buttons Trackball
Voice Recorder Yes
Polyphonic Ringer Yes
Digital Player / Recorder
Digital player supported digital audio standards AAC , AMR , MP3 , WMA , AAC + , eAAC+ , WMAPro
Display
Display type 2.6 in TFT active matrix
Color support 65K colors
Max resolution 320 x 240
Power
Battery installed (max) Lithium ion
Max supported batteries 1
Talk time 270 min
Standby time Up to 408 h

Tour the world with the new, global BlackBerry Tour. With its dual-mode functionality you can visit over 200 countries with this one phone!
You’ll pay through the nose for Internet

For some reason, WiFi is not a part of the BlackBerry Tour. This means that you’ll have to buy one of the pricey data plans from Sprint and Verizon. You can, however, use the phone as a modem for your laptop, but that requires Verizon’s Mobile Broadband Connect plan which can range between $39.99-$59.99.

Blackberry Tour Image

Don’t be misled, this is an awesome service and a really convenient choice for people who want to type on a laptop and not on the Tour, but it’s pricey, especially if you go over your MB or GB limit.

GPS built-in

BlackBerry Maps is a key feature in the new BlackBerry Tour. BlackBerry Maps uses satellite technology to pinpoint your location. You can search for businesses, get maps and also turn-by-turn directions. If you have Verizon you can get their VZ Navigator, which costs $9.99 a month but also gives you voice commands, which will cut down on the dangers of looking back and forth at your phone while driving.

Camera hits and misses

The BlackBerry Tour has a 3.2 megapixel camera, which is better than average. It also allows you to geotag your pictures using your built-in GPS. However, there’s an issue with the shutter. It seems that the shutter lags a little bit making it more difficult than it should be to catch those once-in-a-lifetime shots. Also, most people are used to snapping a picture and pulling the camera away to get a better look at the picture. You can’t do that with the BlackBerry Tour, as you have to hold the phone there for an extra second or two to capture the shot. It’s annoying if you aren’t used to it so it’s definitely a try before you buy feature.

Can’t save apps to microSD cards

The bold print says it all – you can only use the 256 MB of installed memory to save you apps. This means significantly less apps than other smartphones. If apps are a big part of your phone experience, then this might not be the choice.

Battery Life

No WiFi will help you save some battery power, which has a talk time of about five and a half hours. Downloading apps, using GPS and especially using your phone as a modem will cut down on this time severly.

Phone Specs:
•    Manufacturer: Research In Motion
•    Part Number:TOUR9630SILBLKSPT
Telecom
•    Data services MMS , SMS , E-Mail , Instant messages , HTML Browser
•    Cellular enhancement protocol EDGE , GPRS support , GPS
General
•    Dimensions (W x D x H) 2.4 in x 0.6 in x 4.4 in
•    Weight 4.6 oz
•    Built-in devices Camera , Digital player
Memory
•    Installed ROM 256 MB Flash
•    Flash memory installed 256 MB
Input Device
•    Input device type Keyboard
Messaging / Data Services
•    Internet Browser Yes
•    GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) Yes
•    Mobile Email Yes
•    Messaging Services Google Talk , Yahoo! Messenger , AOL Instant Messenger Service (AIM) , Windows Live Messenger (MSN Messenger)
Cellular
•    Service Provider Sprint or Verizon (with slightly different specs)