Just when people were thinking that Research in Motion’s mobile phones may have been floundering in the wake of a number of high class competitors Blackberry brought out its 7 range to answer the critics and push the company firmly back into the grounds of respectability.

2013 will see the release of Blackberry 10 by retailers like Dial a phone which could see Blackberry finally combining the two worlds of smartphone and Blackberry to perfect harmony. We have grown accustomed to seeing people with two phones – a smartphone for everyday usage and a Blackberry which is synchronised with all of your work emails and calendars.

The Blackberry Curve 9320, 9350, 9360 and 9370 has already begun to bridge this gap winning great critical acclaim throughout 2012. They have illustrated emphatically that iOS and Android aren’t the only systems to offer great functionality, and the Curve editions represent a genuine option for users who don’t want two separate phones.

The Blackberry Curve 9320 is one of the newest editions. It represents an un-apologising budget end smartphone that does everything most casual users would require. For people who want a simple device it has a solid build and a good keyboard, combined with RIM’s often essential mailing capabilities if needed.

The Blackberry Curve 9360 is further up the range and for many is the best pound for pound Blackberry available. Amongst its spec list is 3G and a 5MP camera, so it can do all of the smartphone tricks with the addition of GPS and Near Field Communication.

The Blackberry Bold 9900 is a step further into smartphone territory. Available on contracts at around the £25 plus mark for a comprehensive package of texts and internet. It’s wafer thin and is powered by a more than sufficient 1.2GHz processor – RIM’s fastest yet. This Blackberry may not have the diverse multi-media capabilities of some of its smartphone competitors, but its keyboard/touchscreen combination mean that it’s a great all-rounder.