[blindpuppie]

My house guest damaged her phone. I gave her my iPhone 5s, relegated my Samsung Note Edge for work and set off in search of a new phone. February 27, 2015 I ordered an AT&T Passport. Expedited shipping. Anxious. It appeared that the only stocking AT&T stores were on the other side of the state, 160 miles away. I live in the second largest city. I am very happy with AT&T. AT&T has on more than one occasion demonstrated going that extra mile to resolve any issues. But when they screw up, they seriously screw up.
I get a notification on my orders. Usually that day. The next day for sure. I'm like all excited, new phone, new OS, unique. No notifications. I call my friendly AT&T customer service agent. I'm I formed that the phone has not been slated for priority shipping although It showed on the statement that I paid for it. I REALLY want this phone for work Thursday, in six days. Two choices. Cancel and reorder Monday (this is Sat.), but it wouldn't be in my hot little hands until late Thursday, Friday. I could go to an AT&T store, cancel the order and purchase my new Passport then. Did I mention that I REALLY wanted this phone.
I drive 161 miles. I see it. I touch it. I want it. BUT I can't have it. HUH!? The agent was completely incorrect. The order couldn't be cancel because it was to far along the shipping stage. Good news was that it really was being priority shipped. One hundred and sixty one miles back home. Waiting.
Tuesday is Christmas! Passport arrives! Yippie! I unpack. Read. Transfer data via Device Switch seamlessly. Ouch! What? On the back one of the BB's stainless logo pieces has a sharp corner bent over sticking straight up out of the back. Really? Not repairable. Catching on clothes. Cutting skin.
Road trip! Three days later another 322 mile trip to exchange the Passort. It's cool. Got to have lunch with my kid, problem solved. And Did I mention that I REALLY was looking forward to this phone?
A week later the Passport was headed back to AT&T. Touch screen issues. Not responding. Shipped back with supplied box and label. I REALLY like this phone. AT&T has no idea where my phone is. A month after the initial order I still do not have a working Blackberry Passport.
Here's my quandary. After ten hours and 644 miles of travel, a few hardware issues, a half dozen phone calls. The store associates are disinterested. An inside associate said that AT&T's stand is that "Blackberry is almost non-existent". I still REALLY like the Passport.
But why would I purchase one?
Granted half of this is a distribution issue not directly associated with Blackberry. Consumers don't care. Who ever that is represents the product. One cosmetic and one hardware issue, two phones in two weeks?
Here's the rub. I can't think of an AT&T device, even the soon to be released Samsung and HTC, that I like more. But I'm seriously considering an iPhone 6 plus. And I gave mine iPhone 5s away for a reason.
iPhones are like refrigerators. They all metal, shiny and impressive looking. They make a positive statement about the owner. Open the door, the light goes on, food and beverages are cold. And it does all this remarkably well, flawlessly, day after day after day. All of which is a good thing. In fact a very good thing. It's just a memorable experience.
I use my phone a lot. I want more than simply utility. I want it to be, well, an adventure. Rewarding. Interacting. Expanding. Memorable.
But I need it to work as promised, day in, day out. If not, resolved. I don't need to be told that Blackberry is almost non-existant as if what was I expecting.
Blackberry devices have a lot going for them in my humble limited experience. Sure you can position yourself so that companies issue devices to employees. Then what? The perception remains. It won't Blackberry that pulls themselves up. It will be the distributors and customers.
And for the record, Apple and Andriod would be my least favorite choices.

[7onZ]

Other than feeling sorry about your situation, I can't help myself to say that this post should belong in Passport thread.

Clickety-Clack via CB10

[Mmickel Abraham]

So true.


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