[SMR]

My new every 2 is available soon and I am thinking of upgrading from my 8830 Verizon World Phone to the Curve (while keeping the 8830 for my once every two years international travel).

For those of you who migrated from the 8800 series phones to the Curve - what are the factors to consider? I have never really gotten use to the keyboard on the World Phone - keys are too close together to type quickly. But, the 8800 seems to have a better build quality and has been dependable.

I'd really love to get the Bold, but want to stick with Verizon. I have tried and did not like the Storm.

Thanks for any and all advice.

-SMR

[akosnitzky]

Wirelessly posted (Verizon 8830)

VZW Curve has more memory and a camera. I personally like the keyboard on the 8830 better. If you do decide to get the curve, I would not waste my two year discount/eligibility on it.

[rjansen3]

I recently switched from an 8830 on Sprint to the 8330 and there are only a few things I miss. First, I miss the width of the 8830. I liked the way the 8830 felt in my hands and the Curve is just the slightest bit skinnier. I also miss the weight of the 8830, again, it felt better in my hand. The 8830 felt like it was more solidly built than the Curve, which has a light, hollow feel to it. Lastly, I miss having the power button on the top edge of the phone that would allow you to dim the screen as you see fit on the fly. The power button was moved to the End key on the Curve, removing the ability to change the dimmer on the run. This can be annoying because sometimes the photosensor fails to work properly and the only solution is to put it into and bring it out of standbye.

There are plenty upsides to having the Curve however. Having a camera is obviously a bonus. This gets doubly sweet if you start using Facebook or Myspace or Flickr to upload pics you have snapped around town. The video capability is another nice touch here, and with an app from Qik you can stream live video to the internet from your device. The keys are more spacious as well, I have found myself getting faster and faster on the Curve. Having 2 convience keys can be nice too as it can help you limit the number of icons on your desktop (for example leaving the right key bound to the camera and hiding the camera and video camera icons). The presentation of email and address book is greatly improved (via OS 4.5). On top of all that, the Curve has a much more attractive look.

Overall, I am happy with the switch. Hopefully this will help.

[snape]

I switched from the 8830 to 8330 (both Verizon) a little over a month ago. It took me a while to make the decision, because I really loved the 8830, but I’ve been very happy with the Curve.

Here are some pros & cons based on my own personal preferences. Your mileage may vary...

Curve pros:
-More internal memory (this was actually the reason I switched – my 8830 was low on memory and started deleting my calendar appointments. Oops!)
-Two convenience keys (handy, but I wasn’t missing a 2nd key, so I didn’t count it in the “plus” column when I was making my decision.)
-The Curve is less pop-tart-like – the slightly narrower form fits my hand better, and I like that it’s also a bit shorter than the 8830. Personal preference, of course.
-The spacing of the Curve’s keyboard is more comfortable for me. I was fast on the 8830’s keyboard, but I’m even faster on the Curve.
-The colors of the Curve’s keyboard are much easier to read when the keyboard is backlit. I found the 8830’s silver/blue combo difficult to read.
-I find it handy that the Curve's headset jack is now the standard 3.5mm, so I can plug it into my car stereo on the rare occasion I leave my MP3 player at home. For me this ranks as "cool" and not anywhere near "necessary."

Curve cons (some of these are going to sound nitpicky, but they all mattered to me):
-I definitely felt the 8830 had a more solid feel and better build quality. The Curve isn’t bad, but it’s not quite the little tank the 8830 was.
-The back of the Curve isn’t flat like the 8830. Instead, it’s slightly convex. I often lay my phone down and poke away at the buttons while I transfer info to/from the phone, and the wobble of the Curve is a little annoying. Not a huge deal, but it’s something I’ve noticed.
-You have to remove the battery to access the media card. Irritating.
-The standby feature isn’t quite as elegant on the Curve. Unlike the 8830’s standby button that can’t be roused by pressing any key other than the standby key on top of the device, the Curve’s screen will come on and say “In standby mode” when any of the 4 function keys are pressed. It won’t make a phone call or anything, but it’s just another opportunity for the battery to drain. I would classify it as a minor annoyance, nothing more, but it was a difference I didn’t expect.
-I love Boxwave’s screen protectors, but the shape of their 8330 protector leaves something to be desired. It only covers the portion of the screen that lights up, where the 8830 version covered the entire screen area. (Hey, I told you some of this stuff was trivial.) I’ve put a Ghost Armor screen protector on the Curve, which I think is a highly protective piece of gear, but it isn’t as crystal clear as Boxwave’s product.
-The trackball on my 8830 was silky smooth, but my Curve has just the slightest hint of a gritty feeling. I only noticed it the first few days, and now it’s a complete non-issue. I’ve had occasion to use other Curves here and there, and some of them felt VERY gritty. Maybe I just lucked out, or maybe those other ones were dirty.

Differences that may be good or bad (or perhaps just different), depending on your situation and personal preference:
-I don’t personally count the addition of a camera as a plus. Some companies don’t allow cameras onsite, so it could actually be a liability.
-No overseas use. I kept my 8830 for those times I may need a phone outside North America.
-Seems like the rubbery material on the sides, top and bottom of the Curve should be pretty robust over time. If you keep yours in a case, then it might not matter. I carried my 8830 for 18 months with no case and it looks almost new, so I wasn't missing the rubber. Just a matter of passing interest.

Hopefully something in there is helpful in making your decision. Really, I don't think you can go wrong with either the 8830 or the 8330.

FYI, I switched to the Storm for 3 days. While it was a cool device, we just didn't hit it off. I'm more efficient on my Curve, and that's what matters to me.

Good luck!

[SMR]

All - thanks very much for the excellent advice. If I don't use my New Every 2 for the Curve, any ideas on where to buy one to use while I wait for a "Bold like" Verizon phone?

-SMR

[snape]

If you're careful, I'd suggest eBay. I'm sure there are plenty of other options out there, too. Lots of Storm owners dumping their nearly new Curves these days.

[SMR]

Originally Posted by snape

FYI, I switched to the Storm for 3 days. While it was a cool device, we just didn't hit it off. I'm more efficient on my Curve, and that's what matters to me.

Good luck!

I also tried the Storm (just for an hour or so) and loved the screen, but just couldn't get comfortable with touch screen typing (same complaint with the otherwise great iPhone). I use my Blackberry primarily for email (a lot of it) and can't imagine being as efficient with a virtual keyboard. Any sense on when Verizon might get the Bold or something like it? Have others found that they eventually get use to typing on the Storm?