The Curve 8520 is the first smart phone that I've purchased, and still have to this day.
I've had the handset for about 2 years now, and overall I've been pleased, and still am. Sort of.

Personally, the phone does exactly what I need it too. Texting and phoning works exactly the same as any phone and is the main feature that I use it for. However, I need to be able to contact various people at any time, and being at University, everyone has a Facebook profile, and being able to access my account on the go is a great function. Additionally, being able to link my Hotmail account to the handset is a feature that is very handy and also means that I never miss an Email. But as technology progresses, it's become more common for everyone to have many of the same features that work better, for example the iPhone or Androids.

For anyone thinking about buying the phone, my only advice would be to look around for other phones that take your interest as I've had many problems with my Blackberry. Eventually when I can afford to purchase a new phone, I don't think that I will remain with a Blackberry. Even though I love having a 'qwerty' keyboard.