Top Five Recommendations for a Blackberry

As a relative newcomer to smartphones I took it upon myself to start digging. The first step was obviously to find a phone that both worked in my area and worked for my wants and needs. Luckily I found that in the Blackberry Curve 8330, though any similar Blackberry will work I felt I needed the full-size keyboard along with a camera and video recorder. Blackberries really are as easy to use as most say.

1. LCD Screen Guard
   Having a protective layer of film over the screen is essential to keeping the display scuff-free. There are different types of screen guards which offer mirror reflections or blur the screen for privacy from nearby busy-bodies trying to see what you're up to. A great investment to ensure the life of your Blackberry (even though replacement screens can be found on eBay for $5).


2. Holster/Carrying Case
   Unless you really like the pouch that probably came with your Blackberry, having a better case or holster for your belt is a big plus. However, not just any case is worth buying--make sure to get one that puts the unit in Sleep mode to conserve battery life!


3. Memory Card
   Having additional storage is a must-have for anyone wishing to use their handset to the fullest. A cheap, four gigabyte chip could provide endless photos and decent video recording. They can be gotten at a local retail store for $25 or more--but on eBay for half that price. Shop around and save some major cash for this basic upgrade.


4. Car Charger w/ IC Chip
   While many people now use a Blackberry for personal use, and are not far from a charging outlet for long, I recommend a car charger because browsing websites and other activities can really use up the battery. An "IC" chip will prevent overcharging of the battery.


5. Extended Battery
   Giving yourself a second battery is a great idea, but having one that is even better than stock is a plus. Check eBay, cautiously, and enjoy a cheap, yet functional replacement allowing you to surf YouTube even longer.

Blackberry Background Info

Last May I opened an account with US Cellular, a wireless carrier known for impeccable customer service. Their contract plans include free incoming calls, texts, pics, and more. For most people, that's nearly half their total usage. Sounds too good to be true? It isn't.

I probably use less than 400 minutes a month so I went on their cheapest plan ($40). I also don't travel much so I opted for local area coverage for my region which gives me 700 minutes compared to national 450 plan. The other month I used less than a hundred of my minutes because all incoming calls were free. Amazing, even though I don't talk much on the phone anyway.

Originally I bought the LG Banter UX-265 (i.e. Rumor 2). It's great and the lovely spacious keyboard made it easy to type just about anything. This phone was great, but has since been taken off the US Cellular roster due to customer complaints. Apparently the phone reboots or shuts down on its own randomly. The phone can be sent back to LG to be repaired for free. I experienced this issue at most five or six times over two or three months, but didn't think much of it. It was annoying when it happened, but it worked flawless for over a month and I forgot all about it until I upgraded to the basic mobile Internet plan and browser. In that same weekend, I experienced the crash bug two or three times, but has since worked fine.

I recently deactivated the phone and bought a Blackberry Curve 8330 over eBay after an exhausting search to ensure the phone was clear and ready for use, plus inexpensive. I'm quite happy and am learning how much can be done on the phone...and with high speed web, I'm really happy. Now I can view YouTube videos at home or on the go.

I'm selling the LG Banter to a friend at work for cheap ($50 for everything except wall charger and MicroSD card, but with a car charger and data cable). I could probably sell it on eBay for $100, but at least if the phone breaks the person didn't pay much for it. If it works as well for her as it did for me she'll have gotten it at a great deal.

I'll update again in the future with some great features and advice for other new Blackberry users. What would you like to hear about next update?