My Blackberry Z30 review.

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After having my Galaxy S for about three and a half years, the time came to get a new smartphone.
Originally I was planning to buy the Nexus 5 as it is a bargain for what you really get, but a great deal came along on the Blackberry.
At first I wasn't sure I should get it with their new OS and gesture based operation, but after spending a week with the device I must say it is fantastic.

It's pretty big at 5 inches, but nothing really different from the competition. Coming from a 4 inch device it took me a while to get used to the size, but now I see that a bigger screen has its advantages, like being able to write this review using the device. There is also the Z10 for people that want a smaller phone.
The screen is nice and sharp at 295 ppi and you can adjust how warm or cool the whites look. It's a small thing but makes reading less tiring at the warm setting.
It has a huge 2800 mA, although non replaceable, battery that lasts easily two days with moderate use and one day with heavy use, something that other flagship phones have a hard time achieving.
The rest of the device is solidly made with that simple, but elegant look to it, the carbon fiber back cover is a nice touch and is not slippery.

This device, aside from power, volume and voice activation buttons, has no other buttons to help and navigate the OS. Everything is done by touching or gestures. This may sound silly and complicated, that's what I thought at least, but is extremely easy and intuitive once gotten used to. I was surprised how well it works.
Then there is "The Hub". It is probably the single most powerful feature of this phone. This is how the notification is supposed to be done and it makes Android look like a device for kids and let's not even talk about iPhone.
Your emails, texts, BBM, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, calendar and other notifications are all under one roof available at your fingertips at all times, just one swipe away, no matter what app you're in. The Hub extends to the lock screen where you can preview the notifications and open them right from the screen.
The keyboard and the correction software is also fantastic on this thing.
Another great feature is their lock screen protection. Truly innovative stuff that no casual onlooker will be able to guess, unlike a pattern or a pin.
The rest of the OS is nice and smooth with no hiccups despite lesser processing power than android flagships.
I really like what blackberry has come up with. This phone is not exactly aimed at the app hoarders or gamers, although it is more than capable of doing so, but instead it is a great tool with clear emphasis toward productivity.
 
I Love my Z10.

Took a while coming from a BB Torch to get used to no physical keyboard and the new OS, But I love it now.

Great stuff and as mentioned the Hub is fantastic.
 
Have they finally added auto-BCC to email, or do you still need to BCC yourself manually?
 
While it may be a great phone, the apps that are released are for Android and IPhone. Not Blackberry nor Windows.

I have serious doubts whether REM will be in business in a year or two.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
While it may be a great phone, the apps that are released are for Android and IPhone. Not Blackberry nor Windows.

I have serious doubts whether REM will be in business in a year or two.


I agree, will RIM be around in 5 years?

I just got rid of my Blackberry 9300 (it was a dog and I was locked into a contract). I went with the Nexus 5. Blackberry was one of the leaders when smartphones were coming out, but their cockiness of leadership sank them. The blackberry app store didn't have a good selection on my old phone and I was only really hooked on BBM. When they released BBM for Android it was a no brainer for me. I spoke to some people at work about the new Z10s but it wasn't revolutionary for me. Think of how Google came up with Android and how they are killing it. Same with how Samsung started chipping into Apple's market share.

I'm glad you guys are enjoying your phones, not bashing blackberry. I just wish they would have gotten there heads out of their rear ends 5 years ago.

Regards, JC.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
While it may be a great phone, the apps that are released are for Android and IPhone. Not Blackberry nor Windows.

I have serious doubts whether REM will be in business in a year or two.


True. TBH there are some native BlackBerry apps. While a majority of the Android apps are garbage in general I do miss customer centric apps (ex
Starbucks, OpenTable, Red box, etc).
 
Originally Posted By: JC1
Originally Posted By: Donald
While it may be a great phone, the apps that are released are for Android and IPhone. Not Blackberry nor Windows.

I have serious doubts whether REM will be in business in a year or two.


I agree, will RIM be around in 5 years?

I just got rid of my Blackberry 9300 (it was a dog and I was locked into a contract). I went with the Nexus 5. Blackberry was one of the leaders when smartphones were coming out, but their cockiness of leadership sank them. The blackberry app store didn't have a good selection on my old phone and I was only really hooked on BBM. When they released BBM for Android it was a no brainer for me. I spoke to some people at work about the new Z10s but it wasn't revolutionary for me. Think of how Google came up with Android and how they are killing it. Same with how Samsung started chipping into Apple's market share.

I'm glad you guys are enjoying your phones, not bashing blackberry. I just wish they would have gotten there heads out of their rear ends 5 years ago.

Regards, JC.


Yep. Android is an open source OS and marketed as an entertainment piece IPhone had iTunes to lock in its customers.

BlackBerry was stuck in the middle.
 
RIM hung their hats on the enterprise market, figuring that it was a secure one. While they were quite literally resting on their laurels, Android and iOS developed into very serious enterprise players. So much so that the businesses RIM though they could count on have turned to the more flexible Android and iOS platforms. RIM re-branded as BlackBerry and came out with a fresh OS, but it seems to be too little and too late. Their rivals have run away with the market. That's a hard spot from which to recover. I hope they can do it; more consumer choice is a good thing.
 
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