When I saw Wal-Mart was selling the brand new BlackBerry Curve 8520 for about $50 with a new contract, I was shocked at how inexpensive it was. But Amazon is taking it one step further, and users can get the smartphone for a penny with a service plan. This is a shockingly good phone for that price.While this is definitely the company's entry-level device aimed at text-happy youngsters and social network addicts, I think it is a competent device for the mobile professional on a budget. I've only had the handset for about a day, but I'm very impressed with it so far. First of all, the device is smaller than handsets like the BlackBerry Bold or Tour, and it just looks like a phone that's easy and fun to pick up.

The major change is the loss of the trackball for an optical trackpad, and I couldn't be happier about this. The trackballs were fine, but they always wind up breaking down and losing sensitivity over time. The trackpad on the Curve isn't perfect (going left to right, or vice versa, is kind of a hassle), but it's a good first step. The back button and BlackBerry menu button are well-integrated with the pad, and I'd expect a similar design to make its way up the food chain with future devices. This should be the most elegant navigation solution for RIM until we finally see that hybrid touch-screen/QWERTY keyboard device you know they're working on.

Another aesthetic design change is the addition of media control keys on top of the handset, and this, too, is much appreciated. I've ditched a dedicated music player long ago for music-capable phones, and this lets me easily start, stop, and toggle through tracks without taking it out of my pocket. There are still some quirks with the music software that bug me, but overall it seems like a solid multimedia machine. Additionally, the side buttons on this Curve have rubberized covers. I don't care much about that either way, but some may prefer the metallic-style keys of the Tour or Bold.

Of course, what good is a BlackBerry if you can't type on it? The Curve's keyboard is reminiscent of previous models: raised keys with ample space between, and plenty of "clickability." While I actually find myself typing faster on the Curve, the keys do have a somewhat cheaper feeling than the keyboard on a device like the Tour.

As an EDGE-only device, the lack of 3G is a pain in the you-know-what if you've grown accustomed to it. While this is somewhat mitigated by the Wi-Fi, browsing on the go, or trying to hop on Google Maps for quick directions can be a pain. The screen's resolution is nowhere near as nice as on some of its big brothers, but it has been decent so far. Additionally, this thing is not subtle when it vibrates - it shakes and rattles like its life depends on it.

Still, from my brief experience with the Curve 8520, I'd have to give it a thumbs up. When you factor in T-Mobile's cheaper data plans, I think RIM will snag a decent-sized new market with this thing.