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If there's one thing you can rely on BlackBerry smartphones to give you, it's good contacts integration. RIM obviously believes the mantra: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Contacts is part of the operating system that hasn't been changed on BlackBerry handsets for yonks. In fact, it's identical to that offered in BB6.
But it's a belter - and even if it is a little dull on the surface, it's an extremely functional solution.
Getting names and numbers on there is simple. You're spoilt for choice - with BES/BIS, Google Contacts integration or just plan old-fashioned PC/Mac syncing. It all works, and thousands of contacts will take seconds to populate.
For the stalker or OCD-sufferers, you can put any bit of information you require inside a contact, ranging from date of birth to anniversaries, address, phone, email details plus custom information if you want to keep a note of their cat's name.
Contacts are listed with thumbnails. It's very thorough - and, dare we say it, a little too thorough, since hardly anyone will have the time or the patience to sit and fill in every last field. Still, nice to have the option.
Calling a person is as easy as it gets - just type their name in from the home screen and smart dialling kicks in, or find them via the contacts app. You can also add shortcuts to people to dial on your home screen, a feature that our iOS-loving friends still miss out on, unless they want to go around the houses using third-party apps and web shortcuts. In your face, Apple!
When in a call, you get the usual options, such as hold, add participant and so on. There's nothing new here. Keep in mind, the only calls you can make are voice-related, since there is no camera up front for video calling, despite this being a 3G device.
Call quality was great. The sound from the ringtone could have been better and sounded a bit tinny (we're very fussy) but at least it meant that the speaker was able to blast out calls loud when we placed the BlackBerry Curve 9320 on a desk.
Against the ear, we had nothing to complain about, and the BlackBerry Curve 9320 managed to hold onto a signal as well as any other RIM handset we've ever used.
