First week with my BlackBerry Passport

Upfront, I am a little biased to the BlackBerry smartphone (anyone who follows me on twitter (@TferThomas) would clearly know this), but having used a variety of BlackBerry devices since 2004 (7100g - 8100 - 8300 - 9000 - 9700 - 9780 - 9810 - 9900 - 9790 - Z10 - Z30 - Q10), now I feel it the time to give my thoughts on the new Passport.

Now that's out of the way, onto the review.

(Image courtesy of Crackberry.com)

My Passport arrived on Monday last week, not through a local Carrier (my preferred Australian Carrier is not stocking the Passport at the moment ... although hopefully that will change @Telstra) but brought in from overseas. I'm afraid I've had to do this a number of times over the years for certain technology items, and living in Australia.

Protection:

The first thing I did was to place an Amzer Pudding Case over it chassis (yes, even though the Passport has gorilla glass and seems to have been sturdily built, I am clumsy, and no tech company can compensate for my clumsiness).

(Image courtesy of Crackberry.com)

The Passport is wide, and at 90.3mm it only just fit my existing car cradle ...at a squeeze. I think I will be sourcing a tablet cradle though to fit to the existing rig, but so far so good.

Operating System:

The Passport runs a version of the proprietary BlackBerry 10 operating system (a derivative of QNX) and currently sits at 10.3 (my current Z30 and Q10 were running leaked versions of 10.3.1 so I am very familiar with 10.3).

Ah yes, the old story of apps:

Not only does the BlackBerry World come preloaded, but also the Amazon Appstore, giving you immediate access to a large proportion of Android apps.

What I have noticed is the Amazon Appstore does lack a few of my favourite Android apps, so I also side-loaded Snap, which is a third party Google Play app, and from there, I have no app deficiencies (to cover my own personal/professional usage). You can also download 1Mobile Market which also does the same / similar job to Snap.

How do Android aps present on the the Passport's screen (quite unique in the current market, being 4.5" diagonal in size)? .... simple answer is all of the ones I use have so far fit the bill. You do have an option with some apps to resize (slide down from the top bezel from within the app) which can make an improvement, but I have only had to do this for two apps.

Some of the Android apps I use on my Passport:

• Feedly (RSS Reader and sharer)
• LinkedIn Pulse
• Facebook Pages Manager
• Pinterest
• Udemy
• Our Groceries
• Tweetspie
• Hootsuite
• CommBank
• Todoist
• Amazon Kindle
• Seek
• Airtasker
• Nespresso
• Shazam

Technical specifications (nope, not going to bore you here):

What I can say is the Passport is the smoothest operating BlackBerry I have used yet, and the difference between it and the Z30 (the previous flagship) is marked. Everything is quicker, smoother and more responsive. Nice one.

Battery life is good, and better than the previous benchmark, that being the Z30. Battery, like that of the Z30, is fixed and non-removable, but I can easily get through a day of heavy social media, email, and call usage, without needing to find external power.

Physical dimensions and "that" keyboard:

Yes, the name relates to a Travel Passport, and the size is essentially the same .... and that makes it an interesting device to get used to.

The Passport is a screen and 3 rows of physical keys. If you were to compare the Passport to a legacy BlackBerry device, you would quickly note the lack of the 4th row of keys (containing the space bar and some speciality keys), where as the Passport has squeezed the space bar into the 3rd row.

But where are the numbers and speciality keys? Simple really .... but it does require a little getting used to. Slide your thumb down the physical keyboard brings up the numbers and speciality keys / symbols in the form of a virtual workspace, with a downward accent to retract (alternatively, you can also press the virtual @123 key which will bring up the virtual workspace).

You do need two hands to be most efficient when using the Passport. With the earlier legacy BlackBerry devices, you cupped your hands together and thumbed out messages very rapidly (on a BlackBerry Bold 9900, I believe I was quicker at thumbing out emails, than from my laptop). With the wider device, your two hands cradle the Passport and your thumbs are positioned well productivity and reach wise. As I said, it does require a wee bit of practice, but at the end of day 1, my thumbs were starting to intuitively find each key, with a high success rate ... soon, back to typing without looking if need be.

But if you are in a hurry, looking at the keyboard brings you an added productivity angle ..... predictive words. Again, whatever has been done here has improved the quality and accuracy from previous BlackBerry 10 devices. It also learns from your typing. You can, after a few days, literally type out a sentence (or mostly thereof) by just using predictive texts and a few key selections.

The accident:

I am accident prone, and last Friday it came home to roost .... gashing my left hand in a clumsy styled accident in the laundry (the front loader won), requiring 5 stitches ....and I am left handed! While I was waiting at the Doctors, I had to message a couple of people, and by only using my right thumb, and predictive text, I was able to accomplish this reasonably quickly .... although, I could not cradle the Passport with just one hand.

The keyboard is more than just physical:

The keyboard also can become your mouse for accurate text copying (think back to the track pad on the legacy BlackBerry and how simple it was to copy large volumes of text ..... with this keyboard, the same is just as easy and just as accurate). Thank you BlackBerry for one of the legacy features I was missing (much better than copying using the touch screen).

When reading web pages, it is suggested, and I concur, tip the Passport onto its side, and use the keyboard to scroll through the website by running your finger from bottom to top over the keyboard). This same function works in all apps, including the Hub.

I felt the Passport would be top heavy, with the keyboard mounted so low, but was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't the case. The Passport easily fits into my suit jacket pockets, and a little snug in my pants pockets. Cargo shorts however, appear to have been custom made for the Passport.

A mate and I went to the Cinema on night 1 with the Passport (we see the movies that our wives aren't interested in) and when I passed the Passport over so that the barcode could be scanned from the booking email, the Attendant (lass of around 17 - 18 years of age) remarked "what a sick looking BlackBerry .... wow!"

Never. Expected. That.

There doesn't seem to be too many Passports out in the wild in Australia currently, and each time I pull mine out to work wide ..... invariably, someone asks a question about the device, and normally hones into the physical dimensions.

BlackBerry Blend:

For anyone who remembers the BlackBerry Playbook, would remember Bridge. Bridge was a way of getting your emails, contacts, tasks, calendar etc from your legacy BlackBerry to the Playbook. It enable you to work from a much bigger device on your projects, tasks as required. When the two devices were disconnected, no information was left on the Playbook.

Blend is the 2014 version of Bridge, but much better. It will connect your Passport or Porsche P'9983 (coming soon to more devices) to an Apple (Mac OSX 10.7+ or iOS 7+ Tablet), Windows (7+) or Android Tablet (4.4+). While the Passport's screen is a great size for delving deeper into more intricate tasks, sometimes a bigger screen is more welcome.

Things you can do with Blend:

• Access your photos and documents and view them on a much larger screen.
• Access your emails, texts and BBMs
• Access your calendar, contacts and tasks
• Access between devices via Wi-Fi, Mobile network or USB connection.

And like Bridge, once you disconnect, nothing is left behind. Smart and secure.

A Blend dashboard demo is here:

http://demos.blackberry.com/blackberry-passport/na/ca/gen/how-to/blackberry-blend/connect-to-computer-or-tablet/getting-around-blend-dashboard/index.html

I've been using Blend between my Passport and my Google Nexus 7 over the past week .... very handy.

Conclusion:

Now that one week has passed, I can definitely say the BlackBerry Passport is the best BlackBerry that I have used across 10 years, and there isn't really anything I found to be lacking, and in fact, the dimensions, design, access to Android apps (and BlackBerry apps), and the legacy features so sorely missed until now, of the Passport have added significantly to the BlackBerry 10 proposition. To quote one of my favourite movie titles ..... a case of "Back to the Future".

Thomas

My thoughts on the BlackBerry Z30 ... a personal review

I've had enough time with the BlackBerry Z30 (what can be categorized just as a phablet) to provide my thoughts around the current BlackBerry flagship (perhaps until the Z50 surfaces during the latter part of 2014).

Size:

Yes, as you can clearly see, the BlackBerry Z30 is a wee bit bigger than the Z10 (my last go to BlackBerry device, now residing in my drawer), and while it doesn't look substantially bigger, that bit more screen real estate makes all the difference.

It still sits nicely in your hand, and although quite weighty, doesn't feel awkward or that it's about to slip out of your grasp. I do miss the textured back of the Z10, as the Z30 is less textured, but possibly feels more upmarket.

Literally, this should have been where BlackBerry started with the full touch 10 devices, size wise. It just feels right, and not too large in your pocket.

Given its size, and no physical buttons on the front, it does command the looks, and most comment how clean it seems.

Battery:

Yes it does have a removable rear, but no it is not for a removable battery. For the first time that I am aware of (at least with the devices I have owned since 2004), the Z30 does not have a removable battery. The removable rear is for the SIM Card and the micro SD card (I'm currently using a 32gb micro SD Card).

The non-removable battery has caused me a few moments of anxiety ..... since the Bold 9780, I have always carried at least one spare battery, and would go through 2 batteries during the course of a busy day ......but unlike some smart phones, I could keep moving.

I guess my problem is that I am so used to carrying spare batteries (right up to the Z10), and now I can't. But on the positive side, the battery of the Z30 is 2,880mAh (as compared to the Z10 at 1,800 mAh), so even with the increased landscape, it is much better, and lasts a lot longer.

Where as I could almost get to lunchtime on one battery with the Z10 (no topping up of charge), with the Z30 I can easily get to late afternoon. And I don't switch off wifi or bluetooth when out and about (something I used to always do to conserve power on my previous BlackBerry devices. But I do carry an external/portable battery, just in case (old habits die hard).

Operating System:
I am currently running the leaked 10.2.1.1055 (thanks to @CrackBerry and @BerryLeaks) and I must say I am mightily impressed with the depth and thoughtfulness of this OS.

A lot of features were brought back from the legacy OS's which has made the Z30 all the more welcoming. That and the better processing power of the Z30, has made my life using BlackBerry so much easier .......Back to the Future anyone?

Sure, there are a couple of glitches and bugs in this leaked OS, but it is a leak, so what would you expect.

A couple of highlights for me:

• The quick settings (drop down menu) activated by either dragging down from the top of the screen, or simply tapping between the battery meter and the time, to quickly and efficiently adjust your BlackBerry to what you are doing (ie. adjust your alarm, turn on the flashlight (yes, flashlight), flight mode, battery strength, screen brightness, etc)
• Dark themes .....yep, love them
• Mark prior emails as read (ye ha!)
• Flashlight now built in
• Updated Android runtime ......what that means, is basically =, with the help of some savvy developers out there, you can easily run free Android apps, without the need to sideload them. My Android app market of choice is 1Mobile Market, and some of the Android apps I am running (without issues) are:

1. Pinterest
2. Feedly
3. Pulse
4. StumbleUpon
5. Springpad
6. Path
7. Qantas
8. Shazam
9. Zoho CRM
10. Nespresso
11. Kaching
12. Boomerang
13. Facebook Pages Manager

Lack of Australian Carrier / Retailer support:

I am disappointed in the Australian Carriers / Retailers and their total lack of support in providing BlackBerry Z30 accessories, even such basic accessories such as a sleeve or case ... nothing, nada, zip. And retailers wonder why Australians spend so much money online??

To purchase my Z30, I did so from a retailer as the Telco I have my plan with, didn't have any in stock, nor appeared interested in getting any in ... seriously?

Summary:

I am very happy with the progress BlackBerry has made, and the smoothness and responsiveness of the Z30, as compared to the Z10, is very noticeable and evident. There is a lot more to the eye with the Z30 ... you just need some time to explore.

Well done BlackBerry.

My thoughts for now,

TferThomas

A cool simple piece of tech.

I love tech, that's very obvious. And I am always on the lookout for tech that makes my life easier and more efficient. 

I came across this piece of tech that fits perfectly in with my tech travel kit. Why? Simple...it takes up virtually no space (read credit card sized), replaces cumbersome data transfer usb cords, fits easily in my Grid-It and looks great!

Money well spent!

My thoughts for now,

Thomas

4 weeks with my BlackBerry Z10 .....my personal review

Disclosure: I was given my BlackBerry Z10 by the BlackBerry Australia Social Media Team. The comments here are my own, and not of BlackBerry.

4 weeks ago I received an email from one of the members (thanks Tori!) of the Blackberry Australia Social Media Team (@BlackBerry_AU on twitter), asking me if I would like to be provided a new BlackBerry Z10. Now I must admit, I was waiting for the BlackBerry Q10, as you know, my preference is for the physical qwerty keyboard. But this was one of those opportunities not to be turned down.

So, my new BlackBerry Z10 arrived in the mail the following day, with a little note (see photo).

So after 4 weeks of use, what do I think of the new BlackBerry Z10.... and how does it compare to my previous Blackberry handsets (7100g, 8100, 8300, 9000, 9700, 9780, 9790, 9800, 9810, and 9900)?

This review is not about specifications, facts and figures ....that's all been done before. My review is from someone who has been a user and fan of BlackBerry devices since 2004.

First and foremost, this is my first real touch screen BlackBerry handset. Yes, my wife had a BlackBerry 9860, so yes, there was one previously in the family, but I didn't use it. I was assured by a friend and long time BlackBerry supporter (thanks Gary!) that my typing would actually be quicker on the Z10's virtual keyboard, compared to my Bold 9900's physical keyboard. Having such a long history with the BlackBerry physical keyboard, I did wonder how exactly I would adapt to the Z10's virtual keyboard, but it only took literally a week for it to become almost second nature.

Keyboard:
I have used various virtual keyboards on other manufacturers' devices, and also the highly rated Swiftkey, but the things which stand out for me with the Z10's keyboard ....word prediction, learning your way of typing, and its knowledge that you will make mistakes. Unlike other keyboards, I feel that the Z10's was designed knowing people make mistakes when typing on small keyboards, and it knows it had to correct the mistakes. It does this well, and makes my typing look rather good, while not sacrificing speed. It is more than a match for the best of the BlackBerry physical keyboards so far.

Word substitution still exists! And one feature I am so very please to see. If you're looking at efficiency best practices on a smart phone, word substitution is one key element. To find it, go Settings>Language and Input>Automated Assistance>Word Substitution. If you've never used it (or it's predecessor, Auto Text), take a look: you will never look back.

Fit and feel of the BlackBerry Z10 hardware:
This feels like possibly the heaviest Blackberry yet, not surprising, considering it is the biggest. But it does fit nicely in the palm of your hand, and the textured rear facia helps out here. Even though it is bigger than an iPhone 5, but smaller than a Galaxy S3, the Z10 is definitely big enough to be effective, but still can be operated efficiently held in one hand navigating by the thumb of that hand. And it still feels right thumbing out emails, social media, etc, with the Z10 cradled within your 2 hands. I think BlackBerry got the size right (my iPhone friends have shown quite a deal of screen size envy, and my Galaxy S3 friends have been surprised the new BlackBerry is as big as it is).

Unlike the BlackBerry 9860 (the last full screen BlackBerry prior to the Z10), there is no physical buttons for calls, menu, escape and select/enter ....rather, everything is done on the screen, some of which is reminiscent of the BlackBerry PlayBook. Which is no accident, for those not in the know .....both devices run versions of QNX (BlackBerry 10 being the latest incarnation, and something the PlayBook is mooted to be receiving later this year). One thing I miss from the PlayBook is the diagonal swipe to show / hide the keyboard (hopefully BlackBerry can introduce this to the Z10 later?).

And this is the start of a common thread in my discovery of the BlackBerry Z10's traits .....it embraces what is "now, and the future" for smart phones, but with a solid dose of the the time proven best practices of previous BlackBerry devices gone by.

The BlackBerry Hub:
I was a little sceptical at first when I first read about and saw pictures of the Hub ....the centralised inbox for the BlackBerry 10. This is place where all of your emails, BBM, texts, WhatsApp & other notifications and social media arrives (note: you can choose which accounts are incorporated into the Hub). I thought I would exclude social media from the Hub, but felt I should include all and see how it flies. 4 weeks later, all accounts are still included in the Hub, with no complaints.

Productivity wise: the Hub promotes productivity due to hiding the inbox and notifications away (revealed bu swiping up from the bottom of the screen and drawing to the right (upside down L), so you aren't distracted by every single notification. And more importantly, accessible from within any and all apps.....simply peek at the hub, for a quick overview, and back to what you were doing. Ingenius!

A lot of developers and users alike are calling for more apps to be included into the Hub, and maybe this is a good thing, maybe not, so only time will tell. For now....I am a fan of the BlackBerry Hub.

Apps:
Its a fact that Blackberry users have always been behind in the number of apps available to them, when compared to Apple and Android, but things have changed for BlackBerry 10. The vast majority of the popular apps are now on BlackBerry 10, with more to arrive.

The big one for me was Skype....and while not official for the Z10 yet, I sideloaded a version onto my Z10 and it works perfectly ("sideloading" is a term used to describe the process to get a non-BlackBerry Application World app loaded onto your BlackBerry 10 device. The app file is downloaded onto your computer and via a linking program (computer and BlackBerry) is loaded onto your BlackBerry 10 device (that has been already USB connected to your computer)). I have also read my favourite fitness app, Endomondo, is coming to BlackBerry 10 as well.....happy days!

There has been quite a discussion around Android apps that have been ported to BlackBerry. While in a perfect world, all of the apps on offer would be "made for BlackBerry" the positive of the Android ported apps has been the access for the BlackBerry 10 user. And no doubt as time goes on, these apps will be updated and tweaked, making them much more "made for BlackBerry".

I've also read quite a few complaints about the cost of apps ....seriously? For the record, I am happy to pay for an app, if it gets the job done, that I have purchased it for ...no problems. If it happens to be an Android ported app, then paying for it also is not a problem.

I have felt somewhat hampered by the current twitter apps on offer .....I currently have 3 loaded (Twitter for BlackBerry10, Neatly and Blaq: the last two I paid for). The Twitter for BlackBerry10 does not have multiple account ability, but the other two do. All three are quite sluggish and sometimes unresponsive, but they are all slowly being improved.

No more rebooting after an upgrade / deletion of an app either, which is most welcomed.

Battery life:
Compared to my old Bold 9900 running OS 7.1 (where I could only just get to lunchtime), I can get to mid to late afternoon with the Z10. And still following the BlackBerry tradition of a removable battery means I can carry a spare battery to keep moving (the first accessory I purchased).

Oh yeah, and if you have to reboot the Z10, the reboot takes far less time than on a BlackBerry 7 device. And when you reboot, you are presented with a rather lovely BlackBerry symbol with the progress bar circling the symbol.

So what do I think overall?
For a brand new device and new operating system, I do believe BlackBerry have delivered a very capable smart phone, and one that is the equal or superior to many devices in the market now. More importantly, it continues to be improved, as do the applications.

Transitioning from a physical keyboarded BlackBerry to a full screen BlackBerry with no hardware buttons, and no physical keyboard has actually been rather painless and quite smooth. I've enjoyed the ride. Welcome back to the game BlackBerry.

My thoughts for now,

TferThomas