Top Cradle Picks - Get The Best Cradle For BlackBerry Storm and Curve Handsets

As with the other models of BlackBerry, the Storm and Curve multifunction smartphone devices have a range of different suitable cradles available for them, offering a range of quality and functionality.

It's best to choose your cradle knowing what's what - from price to device capability - and below you can find the key details about the best cradles for these BlackBerry devices.

These details should result in you knowing the best option for your phone, your price range and your requirements.

The reasonably-priced iTALKonline Executive USB Charge Dock Cradle/Pod For BlackBerry 8900 Curve allows you to synchronize, charge your handset and your spare battery all at once.

For around $25 (£16) this cradle offers standard BlackBerry to PC (or Mac) synchronization and handset recharge thanks to the mini USB connection, while there is also the now-common feature of a spare battery slot which enables a second battery to be charged simoultaneously.

As with the best docking cradles, the iTalk Executive is angled to position your BlackBerry Curve smartphone at a comfortable reading angle and with a compact footprint allows effective use of your work area.

The BlackBerry Storm Dual Desktop Charging Cradle is a remarkable cradle (or to use the correct term for the BlackBerry Storm cradles, "pod") that comes with dual charging capability for a ridiculously good $32 (£19).

Unlike the majority of cradles for the other BlackBerry devices, the BlackBerry Storm Dual Desktop Charging Cradle - like almost all pods for this smartphone - requires the phone to be lay on its side in order to make the connection.

Once docked with the cradle, the BlackBerry Storm is ready to be used in landscape mode, and will synchronise and recharge as required.

The "Dual Desktop Charging" element of the device's name refers to the intelligent positioning of the battery recharger, which can be found hidden away behind the cradled BlackBerry Curve.

As with all cradles that offer a secondary charging module, this means that effectively your device can got twice as long without recharging as long as you're carrying a spare battery charged by this cradle.

The advantage of a targeted purchase over a freebie that came with the smartphone is something that needs to be assessed before making a purchase.

It's easy to mock the OEM shipped RIM BlackBerry cradles - they're basic, but they're also sturdy. If you're looking for a useful multifunctional alternative however, these examples and those earlier in the series should point you in the right direction, enabling you to make the right choice for the right price - and from the right retailer - whatever your BlackBerry model.