Customers often ask me, “whats the difference?” when talking about two of the newest Blackberry devices on the Sprint CDMA network. When a customer is in the market for a new Blackberry device and is looking for the best deal possible, it always comes down to the question of the price difference what phone lacks what feature. Being the dedicated and ever faithful Blackberry user that I am, I have personally experienced both devices and found that both have qualities I like and dislike, equally.

So, to help my customers decide which device would best suits their needs, I ask them a few questions that may help me, help them find the device that best fits. 1.) Do you travel internationally?- The Blackberry Tour is an international device that can be used with an international SIM card, the Curve 8530 is not. 2.) How important is a high quality camera?- The Tour has a 3.2 megapixel camera that offers a higher definition picture and flash compared to the Curve 8530′s 2.0 megapixel camera with no flash. 3.) Is there a preference in the way you navigate through your device, i.e. by a smooth track ball or the new track pad?- The Tour 9630 offers a new version of the classic Blackberry Trackball, with a black rubberized coating for a no-slip navigation experience where as the Curve 8530 offers a new development in the form of a track pad, easily compared to the track pad of a lap-top PC. After these questions are asked, I like to discuss pricing, where as both devices offer a package of endless features and superb craftsmanship, there is about a $50 price difference between the two.

The Blackberry Curve 8530 being the best deal out there, in my opinion, offers everything you could ask for in a Blackberry and then some, with its WiFi capabilities and its new technology incorporated with the slim, sleek design, its a win in my book. Then the Tour 9630, offering everything the Curve 8530 offers(with the exception of WiFi) but in a rather upgraded form. From its crystal clear pictures and video, its bright camera flash and HD-like screen to it’s ergonomic keyboard and easy to use track ball. But if you’re like me and the features don’t play a huge part in your shopping for a new phone, as long as its a Blackberry, the Curve 8530 is the best bang for your buck and offers a couple new and improved features that are not only new to Sprint, but to Blackberry altogether.

By Randy Battiest