This RIM creation may not be the best Blackberry ever, but it sure is the most advanced Push-to-Talk Blackberry device ever made. The mobile was requested by customers and, as a reply, Sprint has now released the Curve 8350i smartphone.

Such advanced capabilities were possible thanks to the iDEN technology used and to Nextel's National Network. Even though some may not know this, the fact of the matter is that a lot of the credit goes to Nextel, which included the Direct Connect service. In order for you to see the big picture, this Direct Connect service is the only one in the industry to offer sub-second call setup. This translates into the shortest delay calling time for all users.

David Chamberlain, principal analyst with analyst firm In-Stat, stated, regarding the latest Push-to-Talk feature, that “Because of its unique combination of push-to-talk capabilities and several other advanced features, the BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone is likely to appeal to both individual consumers and business customers[...]The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone can also address the needs of several industries such as construction, field services, transportation and manufacturing.”

Also, the Curve 8350i comes with features never before seen in a device of its kind, one of the most appealing of them being Group Connect, which allows users to turn their conversations into conferences by permitting them to invite up to 20 people to a conversation. This group can be preprogrammed or done instantly should one feel like it.

In addition, this Blackberry comes with Wi-Fi, which offers users unlimited Internet access, as well as uploading and downloading capabilities anywhere in the world. Moreover, among the new types of features that have been added, we should note the TalkGroup, which represents a service that can connect 200 users at once, should they be part of the same local market or the same fleet. As previously mentioned, the Direct Connect service is also available, and it operates for all users in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru.

On top of all this, the Curve comes with other useful features, namely access to the hundreds of third-party applications that are meant to aid all users in various areas, going as far as workforce management.

Danny Bowman, president of Nextel Direct Connect, was highly pleased with the result of this collaboration to the Blackberry Curve, stating that “The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone is the most recent example of our solid commitment to iDEN technology and our Nextel Direct Connect customers[...]The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone is designed for customers who require instant convenient push-to-talk services to communicate with friends and family as well as with employees, customers and suppliers. The BlackBerry Curve 8350i is a premium smartphone that strikes a perfect balance between performance and usability.”