BlackBerry Passport: the phone for squares

[mmntech]

So BlackBerry is still chugging along trying desperately to maintain some sort of relevance. They're supposed to be releasing updates to their handsets this fall, plus a new one. The Passport, a 5'' phone with a square screen. Of course coming with their trademark physical keyboard.

They're claiming it gives more screen realestate to do more work. It's a through and through business phone. Though the mockups don't look much better when compared side by side to the iPhone and Galaxy S5. You can see more cells in a spreadsheet for example, but everything is smaller. Which to me equals harder to read.

Crackberry got their hands on a prototype and reviewed it.

Specs include a 1440x1440 screen. I'm guessing it's AMOLED. It's got 3GB or RAM and 32GB of storage. No word on what CPU it's using. I would assume it's the Snapdragon. Probably a beefier version of what's in the Z30.

http://crackberry.com/exclusive-pre-release-review-blackberry-passport

I highly doubt this is going to save BlackBerry. It's not the hardware that's killing them. From what I've heard, their handsets are actually quite good. So is BB10 as an OS. Problem is the lack of native app support. Windows Phone has largely the same issue, both due to the fact that they have a low install base. None of the big app developers wan't to invest the money for such a low rate of return, and it's completely off the radar of smaller devs.

 

[luv2liv]

they are desperate.
i will be more impressed with a circular phone next.

 

[Insomniator]

Looks like an April fools joke.

Just go away already...

 

[Red Storm]

Incredibly ugly, it's like that LG phone that Verizon had a while ago. Nice specs otherwise, but that is only one factor.

 

[gotsmack]

This is a niche phone and it will do well in the business sector.

I'd buy this phone for my next up grade in 11 months, but non removable battery is a deal breaker for me. Yes, I know is is supposed to have a monster battery, but I like swapping in a fresh battery when it doesn't hold a charge as well because it has to last 2 years on contract + 2 years off contract as my traveling phone.

I am currently using the BlackBerry Q10.

 

[Imp]

Nokia and Motorola are still around in some shape or form (and bought up). I'm sure there's room for one more.

 

[vshah]

Nokia and Motorola are still around in some shape or form (and bought up). I'm sure there's room for one more.

Motorola has been killing it lately....

 

[DeathReborn]

Incredibly ugly, it's like that LG phone that Verizon had a while ago. Nice specs otherwise, but that is only one factor.

Ah the LG Vu & Vu 2... ugly and really bad support to boot (no updates).

Now I am just waiting for a Blackberry Qube, Blackberry Toblerone & Blackberry Ball so I can make a kids play set.

 

[mmntech]

Nokia and Motorola are still around in some shape or form (and bought up). I'm sure there's room for one more.

BlackBerry's mistake was not paying attention to the way the winds were blowing. Though I am willing to take another look at them. Getting a bit tired of Apple but I don't like how Android is so intertwined with Google. You can sideload Android apps onto BB10 so I'm told.

I wouldn't buy this thing though.

 

[Red Storm]

Getting a bit tired of Apple but I don't like how Android is so intertwined with Google.

That's an odd complaint. iOS is intertwined with Apple, BB10 is intertwined with BlackBerry, and Android is intertwined with Google but with Android you can change that.

 

[zokudu]

That's an odd complaint. iOS is intertwined with Apple, BB10 is intertwined with BlackBerry, and Android is intertwined with Google but with Android you can change that.

I guess theres something to be said about what google does with that connection vs what Apple and Blackberry. (Maybe even a lesser extent Microsoft but they do a good bit of targeted advertising profit as well).

Apple and Blackberry don't monetize your information in the same way Google does.

 

[Mopetar]

You don't need to use Google's services. You can even install a custom ROM, so it's not as though you're stuck with them when you use Android.

 

[jacktesterson]

So BlackBerry is still chugging along trying desperately to maintain some sort of relevance. They're supposed to be releasing updates to their handsets this fall, plus a new one. The Passport, a 5'' phone with a square screen. Of course coming with their trademark physical keyboard.

They're claiming it gives more screen realestate to do more work. It's a through and through business phone. Though the mockups don't look much better when compared side by side to the iPhone and Galaxy S5. You can see more cells in a spreadsheet for example, but everything is smaller. Which to me equals harder to read.

Crackberry got their hands on a prototype and reviewed it.

Specs include a 1440x1440 screen. I'm guessing it's AMOLED. It's got 3GB or RAM and 32GB of storage. No word on what CPU it's using. I would assume it's the Snapdragon. Probably a beefier version of what's in the Z30.

http://crackberry.com/exclusive-pre-release-review-blackberry-passport

I highly doubt this is going to save BlackBerry. It's not the hardware that's killing them. From what I've heard, their handsets are actually quite good. So is BB10 as an OS. Problem is the lack of native app support. Windows Phone has largely the same issue, both due to the fact that they have a low install base. None of the big app developers wan't to invest the money for such a low rate of return, and it's completely off the radar of smaller devs.

Its a Snapdragon 800 2.2GHz

I'll try to find the article that quoted it lately.

I believe it also has a 13MP Camera. The 8MP snappers on the Z10/Z30 were actually quite solid.

This phone would actually be quite interesting if it was running Android.

 

[mmntech]

That's an odd complaint. iOS is intertwined with Apple, BB10 is intertwined with BlackBerry, and Android is intertwined with Google but with Android you can change that.

I should have specified that I don't trust Google with my data. Yeah, you can root it and strip out all the Google apps, but I would imagine that limits some core functionality. Not an attack on Android if that's your thing.

As for Apple, I want to buy an unlocked handset and they're still quite expensive. Been using the iPhone for 6 years now and just feeling the itch to try something different.

 

[Kneedragger]

Its a Snapdragon 800 2.2GHz

I'll try to find the article that quoted it lately.

I believe it also has a 13MP Camera. The 8MP snappers on the Z10/Z30 were actually quite solid.

This phone would actually be quite interesting if it was running Android.

Why run Android when BB10 already runs most Android apps?

 

[jacktesterson]

Why run Android when BB10 already runs most Android apps?

Because I'd rather not take my chances with a dying company with no official support for anything really outside of there own App store.

 

[vi edit]

Blackberry? More like Blockberry.

 

[tHa ShIzNiT]

hideous and hilarious

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Blackberry? More like Blockberry.

 

[QueBert]

I'll buy a white one if they actually ever release it

 

[PCunicorn]

Blackberry hasn't really been making any mistakes lately, their hardware and software is good, porting apps is incredibly easy for devs and consumers, and they are trying out new things, like square (which while not brand new, has only been used on some junk LG Vue). They made problems in the past that are incredibly hard to fix now, the biggest of which is not jumping on the touch screen OS Bandwagon as soon as they could.

 

[Rdmkr]

It's broader than the samsung galaxy note 3. The design may have worked if it was small enough for the left side of the screen to be reached by an average persons's thumb when held in the right hand. As it stands this looks like it is a 2 hand use only device for most people, which means it's an ergonomic nightmare.

 

[Graze]

Blackberry hasn't really been making any mistakes lately, their hardware and software is good, porting apps is incredibly easy for devs and consumers, and they are trying out new things, like square (which while not brand new, has only been used on some junk LG Vue). They made problems in the past that are incredibly hard to fix now, the biggest of which is not jumping on the touch screen OS Bandwagon as soon as they could.

Are you forgetting the POS that was the Storm? That came out in 2008, a year and some after the iphone.

 

[jacktesterson]

Blackberry could have been the iPhone killer in retrospect, years ago.

This phone will not sell.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Blackberry hasn't really been making any mistakes lately, their hardware and software is good, porting apps is incredibly easy for devs and consumers, and they are trying out new things, like square (which while not brand new, has only been used on some junk LG Vue). They made problems in the past that are incredibly hard to fix now, the biggest of which is not jumping on the touch screen OS Bandwagon as soon as they could.

They havn't been making any mistakes, because they're not doing anything anyone actually cares about.