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Home»BlackBerry News»News & Rumors

First Live Photos of the Gemini - BlackBerry Curve 8520!

by Kevin Michaluk on 1 May 2009 04:49 PM
160
 

BlackBerry Curve 8520

If you saw this forum post the other week or listened to our last podcast, you'll know that we've been starting to get a better idea of what the "Gemini" is all about. And thanks to these first live photos, now you can see it for yourself!!!

As it's currently labeled on the Options > About screen, the BlackBerry Curve 8520 features some new innovations from Research in Motion, including an "optical trackball" (so long sticky balls!) and dedicated media player buttons. The Curve 8520 has an updated look too: on the front of the device the LCD protector sort of extends down over the buttons for a more polished appearance; the perimeter of this new Curve is rubberized (rubber coated buttons) and the whole device has that swanky blacked-out look from factory.

Despite the lack of 3G, all-in-all this is looking like a pretty nice extension to the Curve line. It's definitely a device I can't wait to get my hands on (optical trackball?!!) and try. Be sure to post your reactions in the comments!

 

More BlackBerry Curve 8520 Photos

BlackBerry Curve 8520
Curve 8900-like keyboard, optical trackball and updated look

BlackBerry Curve 8520
Currently labeled as the 8520 - currently running OS 4.6.1, but will launch with 5.0

BlackBerry Curve 8520
Dedicated media player buttons on the top of the device. Notice the "Curve" branding.
Body features rubberized sides/buttons. No flash on the camera?!

BlackBerry Curve 8520
We can't wait to get our hands on this one!

 

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160 Comments

Posted by brandon.r Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

wow!! Looks awesome.

thanks kevin!

Dang, these pics were takin almost 2 months ago.

 
 
Posted by DixieNormous Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

I can't wait to get rid of my storm for the 9630 and then give the 8520 a try after that!

 
 
Posted by cpuking2009 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

to go to the 9630 then to this would be a downgrade.. maybe u don't need a BlackBerry if you cant see that.

 
 
Posted by DixieNormous Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Oh, I know but I need them all!

 
 
Posted by CarolinaGuy99 Friday, May 01, 2009 1007 days ago

No flash? what is this the G1? other than that.... me want!!!!!

 
 
Posted by citi Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

I like the optical trackball. I don't understand the removal of 3g. You add a great feature and remove another? strange. Otherwise, it's a good looking phone.

 
 
Posted by Xopher Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

The Curve line currently doesn't have 3G (for GSM carriers). The only phone currenty with 3G on GSM is the Bold.

 
 
Posted by nobodi Friday, May 01, 2009 1007 days ago

in US you mean right? the storm is available to gsm carries all over the world

 
 
Posted by DonnyG2 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Wow, this is nice. I will get it just for the media options alone..

 
 
Posted by quicksilverss05 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Looks nice with the CB logo

 
 
Posted by quicksilverss05 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Looks nice with the CB logo

 
 
Posted by bnhamm Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

looks good :)
what carrier will it be on?

 
 
Posted by probigeorge11 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

i neeeeeeed this

 
 
Posted by azboricua Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Much better looking than the leaked pics before. Kevin can you make a video of the Track pad or whatever the Trackball replacement is called and how it functions.

 
 
Posted by jamierson Sunday, May 03, 2009 1006 days ago

take a look i just made this video for you guys to understand it better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5oI2YsoWWQ

 
 
Posted by zarzamora_hermosa Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Not digging the look of the "TrackBall," but maybe its function will exceed its fashion

 
 
Posted by probigeorge11 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

weird there isnt a flash

 
 
Posted by bigtime2 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

is this coming to t-mobile or...?

 
 
Posted by Justin Rampage Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

That looks awesome! I need a clean pair of shorts now!

 
 
Posted by azboricua Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Sounds like Tmobile, just like the 8900, No 3g, has WIFI and its GSM. Tmobile all the way. AT&T doesn't want 3Gless phones anymore.

 
 
Posted by posterchild Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

I thought AT&T was getting the 3Gless 8900.

 
 
Posted by boyezy Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

i think the xx20 models are usually Rogers/AT&T but i have been fooled before. I can't help but think that the back of that phone looks awfully familiar to the iphone...but overall it's looking like a very seamless phone!

 
 
Posted by BestBuyMobileBBUser Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Actually, the XX20 models usually hit T-mobile, the XX10 models hit at&t

 
 
Posted by boyezy Saturday, May 02, 2009 1007 days ago

i'm certain they're 20's on Rogers in Canada though. 8120 is the Pearl and the 8320 is the Curve. either way....still looks like a good lookin phone.

 
 
Posted by Saronix Saturday, May 02, 2009 1007 days ago

The Curves and the Pearls actually have four models:
Pearl-8100, 8110 (GPS), 8120 (WiFi), and 8130 (CDMA)
Curve-8300, 8310 (GPS), 8320 (WiFi), and 8330 (CDMA).

Rogers has BOTH the 8310 and the 8320 models for the Curve, but only the 8120 for the Pearl.

 
 
Posted by Geopoliticus Saturday, May 02, 2009 1007 days ago

Rogers has the 8110. I have it. On the Rogers website it is referred to as "Pearl with GPS". The 8120 is referred to by its model number only. Kind of odd that Rogers would do this, but that's how they market the two phones.

 
 
Posted by nolan.b Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

I'm liking the new "trackball", the analog one on my 8900 feels like it'll give out soon. Also like the extended "lcd protector" area, does look more polished.

I'm not crazy about the rubberized parts, reminds me of those bulky Telus phones, bit too "athletic/construction site" for my taste, guess to see it "in-person" will give me a different feel...heh.

Cheers!

 
 
Posted by aznmikex87 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

This curve looks HOT!
I hope it comes out for T-Mobile.

 
 
Posted by Queen4111 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Why is this coming out?
Why are they going backward from 8900 to 8520??

This looks like a BB that could go on TMO's Prepaid service phone lineup.

 
 
Posted by thezman Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Do we have any indication on who the debut carrier will be?

 
 
Posted by fadetoblack1985 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Damn that's a hot phone, I know what my next phone will be when it comes to Rogers, hehe, can't wait!

 
 
Posted by DonNguyen Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

"so long sticky balls"

haha sonds like a personal problem...lol

 
 
Posted by Rizzy09 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Its for t-mobile hence the xx20 series..
8120 pearl, 8220 pearl flip, 8320 curve, and the 8820

 
 
Posted by fadetoblack1985 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

It's also for Rogers since we have those devices as well. Also it says "insert sim card" so look for it on GSM networks.

 
 
Posted by dasbeav Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

AT&T also has the Curve 8320 and I believe the Pearl 8120 as well as the 8820 I believe.

 
 
Posted by detour Saturday, May 02, 2009 1007 days ago

you're correct the xx20 represents t-mos uma devices. the exception being the 8900. however, with the recent release of the 8900 i doubt that this device will be a t-mo release. t-mo is currently releasing 3G data or higher end devices (i.e. behold, G1, Sidekick 09). i'm confident that t-mo will not release another blackberry till late summer ... and that device will be 3G.

 
 
Posted by BIackBerry Saturday, May 02, 2009 1007 days ago

xx20 only means its a blackberry with wifi. The 8110 had GPS, the 8120 had wifi. the 8310 had GPS, and the 8320 had wifi. The att 8800 had GPS and the 8820 had wifi. these number have nothing to do with carrier branding. Only that it will have wifi and not GPS.

 
 
Posted by lildesertbrat Sunday, Jun 07, 2009 970 days ago

It is for T-Mobile, I know someone that works there, and that is how I found out about the phone.

 
 
Posted by attMatt Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

I'm assuming the optical "trackball" will function similarly to what the Samsung Omnia has as it looks almost identical to the thumb mouse thingy

 
 
Posted by CSI Guy Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

No 3G, no go.

 
 
Posted by conceptv Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

the samsung epix also have the same optical pad. I've used it on the epix and it is quite nice! i prefer it over the trackball.

i am also disappointed no 3g. with most transitioning to 4G soon, edge is old news. 3g should be standard now.

 
 
Posted by ddarvish Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

the lack of 3g is crazy to me... 4G is already out in some area's for sprint, and verizon is going to starting up their LTE 4G tech end of this year early next ...

 
 
Posted by StephLV Monday, May 04, 2009 1005 days ago

Exactly! This is why Sprint is always better.
Doesn't anyone understand why Sprint is always the last person to get an upgraded Blackberry... That way out Blackberry's are almost bug free.
No 3G... Come On!!! We are going on 4G already... This 2G Blackberry is going to be outdated before it even comes out!

 
 
Posted by shaydakiss23 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

This looks NICE. Diggin the new trackball and the phone and keyboard look to be a step up in size compared to the 8900. Can't wait til this comes out in stores for a test drive!

 
 
Posted by mr bold Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

... no 3g? rubber buttons?... T-Mobile?? -_-

sorry. Having a 9000 just makes other phones pale in comparison.

 
 
Posted by BestBuyMobileBBUser Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

Agreed

 
 
Posted by shanek83 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

I LOVE this, I am waiting for this instead of upgrading to the Bold

 
 
Posted by Riders On The Storm Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

I agree with citi, it doesn't make sense to add a great feature then remove 3G. RIM needs to launch a phone that blows the competition away. Having different phones with a few nice features is ok, but why not create something spectacular? That's the Storm's problem; it's just mediocre. RIM has the innovation to pioneer something. Just make it happen!

 
 
Posted by myth90045 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

It looks good. I am not really digging the media controls on top. It seems like RIM is going towards the non-office type people with this phone.

The trackpad looks ok, but they should just bring back the scroll wheel and be done with it!! I hear "retro" is back in!!

And where is the mute button?

 
 
Posted by bigtime2 Friday, May 01, 2009 1008 days ago

scroll wheel is a good idea. i think rim should just upgrade 87xx series, with blackberry button, wifi, 3g, more memory, and maybe a better keyboard...

 
 
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