In terms of size the Curve 8900 is slighly larger than the Curve 8320 model coming in with a size of 4.29"/109mm x 2.36"/60 mm x 0.53"/13.5 mm while this makes the unit slighly wider than passed devices the width allows for a nicely laid out qwerty keyboard that's easy to type on. In fact the raised keys on this model appeared in practice to be one of the best laid out options I've experience on a Blackberry device.
Along with the well spaced out qwerty keyboard the front of the device offers send/end keys and the back and menu launch key located directly above the keyboard along with the famous Blackberry trackball option which makes navigating this non-touchscreen Smartphone a simple process for one handed navigation.
Finally on the front side of the device above the keys you'll find the impressive screen with a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels. Much like the newest Blackberry options the 8900 features a screen with vibrant colors and a nice backlit display that makes daylight and night time screen viewing simple and precise.
On the left side of the device the only option is the "Convenience Keys" which can be programmed to launch any aspect of your devices software and which is preset as the voice dialing option. I usually don't use this key much but the voice command is probably the best use so it makes sense that the pre-defined option is set to that variable.
The right side of the Blackberry Curve 8900 however is more robust than the left featuring a very useful 3.5mm head phone jack which will accept most modern headsets along with a volume rocker that can also put the device into silent and vibrate modes and another convenience key, this time that key is set to the camera function, another smart default decision on behalf of Research In Motion the makers of the Blackberry line of devices. Finally the micro-USB port is located at the bottom right side and can be used for data syncing and charging purposes.
Flipping the device over and removing the battery cover will display the MicroSD card slot that can store up to 32GB of added memory along with the devices SIM card. I would have liked an external SIM card option perhaps located on the nearly bare left side of the device as the current option is slighly annoying to access.
Next on the top of the device users will find the Mute and lock options. However unlike past devices that actually offered buttons that stuck up to press the top of this device is very smooth and users simple click on the picture of each option to activate the lock and mute options, this allows the device to offer a smooth looking finish along the top side of the unit.
Finally flipping the Blackberry Curve 8900 over to the backside users will find the 3.2MP camera with a flash option and a rather large speaker option.
The Blackberry Curve 8900 looks like a steel design, however in reality you'll soon notice that it's actually a hard plastic build. While the word "plastic" may scare away some users it's important to note that it's a stronge plastic that gives the feel of a well build device with no gaps or other imperfections in the build.
Overall the device is well designed with a slightly wider grasp that makes using the units keyboard easier than ever, while the look and feel of the Curve 8900 is one of the best offerings to date from Research In Motion.