1. CrackBerry Question's Avatar
    Hi, I am thinking about maybe getting a Blackberry.

    I've been a iPhone 5s user and I am now in the market for a new device.

    I've been thinking my next phone will definitely be iPhone 6, but after doing a bit of research about Z30, it seems like a not bad option. The biggest thing about iPhone 6 for me was the size, as I prefer larger phones but Z30 is pretty large too. I am used to and familiar with Apple devices, and have a lot of apps on my Apple id, and thought I would like iPhone 6 but my company won't let me jailbreak it and that really limits the use of an iPhone for me. I have no intention of carrying two phones around for work and personal.
    So then I turned my eyes to Blackberry and saw that Z30 had pretty not bad reviews.

    This may not be the best place to ask for unbiased views, but I'd like to ask a few questions.

    - Is Z30 really as good as the reviews make it out to seem? I don't really need my phone for much other than email, web browsing and creating personal hotspot. If Z30 is good for these and is snappy in terms of general performance, I think I'd be happy.

    - How well do Android apps run on Z30? I think I see articles about how it got even easier to load Android apps on Z30 with the new Blackberry 10 OS update, but what about performance? Is Z30 running Android apps on some sort of middleware or emulator platform (I am thinking Wine for Linux...)? If so doesn't it impact performance? I actually had two Android tablets in the past, and even on those tablets apps were hits and misses in terms of whether they will run and how well they will run. Can I expect a non-Android phone to run Android apps well enough, or are they clunky? I will probably be playing the most graphically intense games and performance demanding apps on my iPad air. Can I expect things like Sleipnir browser (if you know what it is) or Google Maps to run smoothly and seemlessly? What does Z30 do about the lack of Android buttons? Do I need to do something equivalent to jailbreaking an Apple device to load Android apps on Z30?

    - Given Z30 is not very new and given the state of Blackberry, can I expect Z30 to continue to be supported by Blackberry for the next 2 years?

    - Is there a possibility that Z30 can run better OS in the future through update? Can I expect nice feature updates?

    - Call quality?

    - I never understood why only Blackberry seems to require special data plan. Anyone care to explain this?

    It's a lot of questions, but help will be really appreciated. On the cusp of deciding iPhone 6 or Z30.
    08-13-14 08:35 PM
  2. anon721037's Avatar
    You probably couldn't have picked a better time to buy a Z30, its a beast of a phone and there is some top notch os releases coming that are fantastic.
    08-13-14 08:38 PM
  3. Heinz Katchup's Avatar
    Stop considering and start getting! The Z30 is an over hyped CrackBerry fan boy phone. The display is abysmal. Stay... away. If you're coming from an iPhone get the Z10. Super cheap right now. So if it doesn't work out at least you didn't break the bank.
    haringfish and LoneStarRed like this.
    08-13-14 08:46 PM
  4. dbmalloy's Avatar
    Only advise would be to make sure you do not have an app gap... one of the biggest compaint is "it does not have"... as there are so many IOS apps avaialbe I would suggest you do some research of your top 10 apps to make sure you can replace them by switching... as for what to get... would really suggest if you can to try to get some hands on time with whatever you may look at.... bias or not great choice to come here as you will find you get both sides of the story.....
    Shadowyugi likes this.
    08-13-14 08:59 PM
  5. mofokey's Avatar
    I am the OP.

    Thanks for your inputs. But could you get a bit more specific about my questions?

    Heinz Katchup, can you elaborate? What's the problem with Z30's display? I was actually thinking Z10 too. Heard it wasn't a success. Why? any glaring problems with that one? Does it run Android apps as well as Z30 does? And once again, how well is that?

    One thing that annoyed me to no end when I had Blackberry Torch a while back was that there was no friggin' rotation lock function. Don't tell me Blackberry still hasn't figured out to put in a rotation lock feature.
    08-13-14 09:14 PM
  6. anon721037's Avatar
    Well i suggest you go and try both, bet you pick the Z30, better battery , i love the screen, and its a power house, and i have owned the Z10, Q10 and now the Z30
    08-13-14 09:20 PM
  7. mcstravi's Avatar
    Hi, I am thinking about maybe getting a Blackberry.

    I've been a iPhone 5s user and I am now in the market for a new device.

    I've been thinking my next phone will definitely be iPhone 6, but after doing a bit of research about Z30, it seems like a not bad option. The biggest thing about iPhone 6 for me was the size, as I prefer larger phones but Z30 is pretty large too. I am used to and familiar with Apple devices, and have a lot of apps on my Apple id, and thought I would like iPhone 6 but my company won't let me jailbreak it and that really limits the use of an iPhone for me. I have no intention of carrying two phones around for work and personal.
    So then I turned my eyes to Blackberry and saw that Z30 had pretty not bad reviews.

    This may not be the best place to ask for unbiased views, but I'd like to ask a few questions.

    - Is Z30 really as good as the reviews make it out to seem? I don't really need my phone for much other than email, web browsing and creating personal hotspot. If Z30 is good for these and is snappy in terms of general performance, I think I'd be happy.

    - How well do Android apps run on Z30? I think I see articles about how it got even easier to load Android apps on Z30 with the new Blackberry 10 OS update, but what about performance? Is Z30 running Android apps on some sort of middleware or emulator platform (I am thinking Wine for Linux...)? If so doesn't it impact performance? I actually had two Android tablets in the past, and even on those tablets apps were hits and misses in terms of whether they will run and how well they will run. Can I expect a non-Android phone to run Android apps well enough, or are they clunky? I will probably be playing the most graphically intense games and performance demanding apps on my iPad air. Can I expect things like Sleipnir browser (if you know what it is) or Google Maps to run smoothly and seemlessly? What does Z30 do about the lack of Android buttons? Do I need to do something equivalent to jailbreaking an Apple device to load Android apps on Z30?

    - Given Z30 is not very new and given the state of Blackberry, can I expect Z30 to continue to be supported by Blackberry for the next 2 years?

    - Is there a possibility that Z30 can run better OS in the future through update? Can I expect nice feature updates?

    - Call quality?

    - I never understood why only Blackberry seems to require special data plan. Anyone care to explain this?

    It's a lot of questions, but help will be really appreciated. On the cusp of deciding iPhone 6 or Z30.
    To answer your questions :
    Yes the Z30 is as good as the reviews. Battery is killer. I hear people with complaints about the screen but I have no problem with it. I don't like super bright displays and even turn my brightness down to the lowest level.
    Performance is great. For email, browsing etc. you can't beat it. The touchscreen keyboard is awesome.

    BB10 run android in a secure sandbox and most run really well. The exception is apps that require Google services ( though there are some things handled by BlackBerry by swapping out equivalent services and some other work arounds available) . You can get the Amazon android app store installed via browser. The Google playstore isn't available directly but the contents are available by side loading (via computer connection) an app called snap, which is an amazing bb10 app. Some android apps lag a little bit but every OS release seems to make it better. The Amazon app store will be coming pre-installed in the upcoming 10.3 and 10.3.1 OS releases.

    The Z30 has been out less than 1 year, I'm sure it will be supported for several years in the future.


    The new 10.3 / 10.3.1 OS updates are expected out this fall ( leaks are already out) and it looks like there's some really nice changes in store. 10.3.1 will be available for your Z30.

    Call quality is probably one of the best out there with multiple speakers and mics. Also the paratek antenna makes reception much better than pretty much anything out there.

    Hope it helps, I love my Z30..




    Posted via CB10
    wincyUt likes this.
    08-13-14 09:26 PM
  8. AnimalPak200's Avatar
    Stop considering and start getting! The Z30 is an over hyped CrackBerry fan boy phone. The display is abysmal. Stay... away. If you're coming from an iPhone get the Z10. Super cheap right now. So if it doesn't work out at least you didn't break the bank.
    No way... I've had both, and I would never ever recommend the Z10 over the Z30. Specially since the OP specially stated they wanted a larger screen.

    There is nothing lacking about the Z30 screen for practical purposes, end of story. And the massively better battery life, slightly better performance, speakers, and typing comfort... greatly overshadow any missing pixels per inch.

    Now,.. the only thing that would be a deal breaker for anyone I would be recommending the Z30, would be any specific APPS that you have in iOS and must have for your regular use.

    Most Android apps work, some run perfectly, some run sluggishly, but others don't work at all (especially Google apps). Now, I've had cheap Android tablets and devices and I can honestly say that the same apps run better on the Z30 than on those,.. but that doesn't really mean anything if your specifically required app runs like crap.

    So yeah... if you can, try out a Z30... otherwise do as much research as you can about any specific app you absolutely need on your mobile device. It's a great device, but... only if it can deliver what you need.

    Posted via CB10
    anon721037, wincyUt and shahyaz like this.
    08-13-14 09:34 PM
  9. mofokey's Avatar
    Thank you mcstravi and AnimalPak200.

    I think I am about to just make a leap of faith...

    I don't think App gap will be an issue since I have iPad air that I carry around all the time anyway.

    But I would like google maps and sleipnir mobile. It's a little known app, but I hope it runs School Idol Festival too, although not essential. Would anyone be kind enough to test these apps out for me?

    What's the problem people have about the screen? I like to turn brightness down myself too. Do people have problem because Z30 is too bright? Too dark?

    What about Blackberry data plan? Will it be an extra cost to me compared to if I am getting an iPhone? I've used Blackberry before but my company provided it so I never cared about plans. In fact this is the first time I am getting a phone myself.

    Again, rotation lock there?
    08-13-14 09:40 PM
  10. anon721037's Avatar
    I have mine at 50 % and i,m old lol
    08-13-14 09:42 PM
  11. Heinz Katchup's Avatar
    Thank you mcstravi and AnimalPak200.

    I think I am about to just make a leap of faith...

    I don't think App gap will be an issue since I have iPad air that I carry around all the time anyway.

    I would like google maps and sleipnir mobile. Would anyone be kind enough to test these two apps out for me?

    What's the problem people have about the screen? I like to turn brightness down myself too. Do people have problem because Z30 is too bright? Too dark?

    What about Blackberry data plan? Will it be an extra cost to me compared to if I am getting an iPhone? I've used Blackberry before but my company provided it so I never cared about plans. In fact this is the first time I am getting a phone myself.

    Again, rotation lock there?
    If you like to turn the brightness down then forget about the Z30. It uses a different display technology than the iPhone, Z10 and 99% of all other smartphones. It's called AMOLED and it's implementation by BlackBerry is garbage.

    Posted with X10 via CB10
    08-13-14 09:44 PM
  12. mofokey's Avatar
    And accessories? I've heard Z30's build is rugged, but is a case a good idea? Is there a good range of choices when in comes to accessories?
    I think it doesn't use gorilla glass or anything fancy. I suppose screen protector would be a good idea - are there tempered glass screen protectors out there, not the PCV film protectors?
    08-13-14 09:44 PM
  13. mofokey's Avatar
    If you like to turn the brightness down then forget about the Z30. It uses a different display technology than the iPhone, Z10 and 99% of all other smartphones. It's called AMOLED and it's implementation by BlackBerry is garbage.

    Posted with X10 via CB10
    So I read you to be saying the screen is too bright? Even at the lowest brightness setting? (although "too bright" is subjective...)
    08-13-14 09:45 PM
  14. mcstravi's Avatar
    BB10 phones use a standard data plan. Only older BBOS phones needed a special BIS plan ( it ran the data through BlackBerry servers and compressed the data to reduce the amount of data you would use).

    Posted via CB10
    08-13-14 09:46 PM
  15. co4nd's Avatar
    The 5s has been out less than a year and you're replacing it already? Here I am still sporting a 3GS, though I am a cheapskate.

    I'm waiting to decide between the iPhone 6 and the Classic myself
    08-13-14 09:48 PM
  16. mofokey's Avatar
    I am not replacing 5s. I am a cheapskate too. I got a new job so I returned the 5s they lent me and the new company doesn't give me a phone.
    08-13-14 09:51 PM
  17. co4nd's Avatar
    I am not replacing 5s. I am a cheapskate too. I got a new job so I returned the 5s they lent me and the new company doesn't give me a phone.
    Ok, that sounds better,
    08-13-14 10:04 PM
  18. mofokey's Avatar
    At the risk of starting to become annoying, here's the list of my unanswered questions:

    - What exactly is the screen problem some people have?
    - Is there rotation lock?
    - Case and screen protector recommended? Tempered glass protector available (I couldn't find one through quick search)?
    - Read something about the boot time - will I get to reboot the device frequently? Doesn't really happen a lot with iPhone (although it's got a pretty fast boot time, so it wouldn't matter as much even if it did).
    08-13-14 10:04 PM
  19. anon721037's Avatar
    at the risk of starting to become annoying, here's the list of my unanswered questions:

    - what exactly is the screen problem some people have? No
    - is there rotation lock? Yes
    - case and screen protector recommended? Tempered glass protector available (i couldn't find one through quick search)? Just screen protector
    - read something about the boot time - will i get to reboot the device frequently? Doesn't really happen a lot with iphone (although it's got a pretty fast boot time, so it wouldn't matter as much even if it did).
    maybe once a month just to refresh>
    08-13-14 10:06 PM
  20. Heinz Katchup's Avatar
    At the risk of starting to become annoying, here's the list of my unanswered questions:

    - What exactly is the screen problem some people have?
    - Is there rotation lock?
    - Case and screen protector recommended? Tempered glass protector available (I couldn't find one through quick search)?
    - Read something about the boot time - will I get to reboot the device frequently? Doesn't really happen a lot with iPhone (although it's got a pretty fast boot time, so it wouldn't matter as much even if it did).
    The screen problem is the Z30's AMOLED display cannot compete with the brightness and dimness of the Z10's IPS.

    Posted with X10 via CB10
    08-13-14 10:17 PM
  21. MobileMadness002's Avatar
    Don't forget to remove your cell phone number from iMessage if you intend to SMS or MMS anyone.
    anon721037 likes this.
    08-13-14 10:18 PM
  22. mofokey's Avatar
    I think I will get Z30.

    One last Q, what's this about wireless charging?
    08-13-14 10:24 PM
  23. haringfish's Avatar
    Stop considering and start getting! The Z30 is an over hyped CrackBerry fan boy phone. The display is abysmal. Stay... away. If you're coming from an iPhone get the Z10. Super cheap right now. So if it doesn't work out at least you didn't break the bank.
    Couldn't have said it better.

    Posted via the almighty Z
    08-13-14 10:44 PM
  24. anon721037's Avatar
    Couldn't have said it better.

    Posted via the almighty Z
    you from the maritimes with a name like that
    08-13-14 10:47 PM
  25. anon6040766's Avatar
    Thank you mcstravi and AnimalPak200.

    I think I am about to just make a leap of faith...

    I don't think App gap will be an issue since I have iPad air that I carry around all the time anyway.

    But I would like google maps and sleipnir mobile. It's a little known app, but I hope it runs School Idol Festival too, although not essential. Would anyone be kind enough to test these apps out for me?

    What's the problem people have about the screen? I like to turn brightness down myself too. Do people have problem because Z30 is too bright? Too dark?

    What about Blackberry data plan? Will it be an extra cost to me compared to if I am getting an iPhone? I've used Blackberry before but my company provided it so I never cared about plans. In fact this is the first time I am getting a phone myself.

    Again, rotation lock there?
    As far as data plan, that would depend on your carrier and country. In the US data is the same across phones. So 3GB costs the same whether iPhone or BlackBerry. You pay for carrier data plan, not phone data plan. This is because BlackBerry 10 no longer uses (BIS) BlackBerry Internet Server like BBOS7 and older.

    Wireless charging also depends on the model. Only certain models have. In the US only Verizon's CDMA model had it. You'll have to reference the model number to see if yours has it. Truth is I don't see it as an advantage as the little cord takes up less space than the mat or stand anyway.
    From my Z30...is it the best? Jury still out...
    08-13-14 11:04 PM
37 12

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