WATERLOO, Canada - The BlackBerry Curve 8300 topped the sales smartphone charts for the third quarter, beating the iPhone 3GS and 3G. Fourth and fifth place were taken by the BlackBerry Tour and the BlackBerry Storm, respectively.

"Buy one Get One Free" plans helped to drive sales, with steadily dropping prices driving some momentum. Projections are that growth in the USA will continue, with Asia and Latin America coming on line as big revenue generator for RIM.

The Curve 8300 features a 2 megapixel camera, a QWERTY keyboard, 2.5" display with 320x240 pixels in resolution, Bluetooth, and other components common in mid-end smartphones.

BlackBerry sales overall are brisk, despite current economic conditions. Upgrading to smartphones from older, less sophisticated models is at the top of holiday shopping lists.