[DroidBerryGuy]

The Mercury will have a smaller screen, same keyboard (size) and a SoC 625 (while many other phones are going for the 820 and 821). Not sure if I want to lose the screen real estate for the same size keyboard as the Priv. Was hoping for a larger keyboard on the Mercury. Also, I am happy with the Priv camera. Who knows what will be in this. Even if it is decent, I doubt it will be a large step up from the Priv camera.

I am interested in the Mercury, but am I incorrect in suggesting this could be a Priv without a slider and the keyboard on board? Just looking for arguments and points to differentiate the two phones to help make a decision.

[thurask]

The 808 is more powerful on paper, but the 625 is better for battery life. The screen shape and size is a tradeoff made to incorporate an always-there keyboard; a 16:9 screen at the same 2.5" width would be 5.1" high (about the height of a Galaxy Note 7 screen from napkin math), which would be even sillier on top of the extra couple inches of a keyboard and hardware home/back/overview buttons. The rear camera should be about the same as the DTEKs, while the front camera is a definite win for the DTEKs over the Priv.

A direct upgrade from the Priv would be more like a DTEK60; the Mercury is intended to replace the Passport, Classic and older phones as BlackBerry's "workhorse" (ugh) QWERTY device.

[UrbanGlowCam]

A direct upgrade from the Priv would be more like a DTEK60; the Mercury is intended to replace the Passport, Classic and older phones as BlackBerry's "workhorse" (ugh) QWERTY device.

Nailed it... but such a hater for the pkb devices.

[aha]

Some news from China saying it's going to be 821, instead of 625.

[thurask]

Some news from China saying it's going to be 821, instead of 625.

https://twitter.com/rquandt/status/812355537882869761

[Bure03]

Some news from China saying it's going to be 821, instead of 625.

You have a link/source?

[DroidBerryGuy]

I guess I gotten spoiled having a full screen and the PKB LOL

[slagman5]

Nailed it... but such a hater for the pkb devices.

It's not what he prefers, so obviously it's crap.

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[jbarrack]

For me there's something about the convience of having the PKB always there that I really like about this Mercury.

I am currently a Priv user, came over from the passport. I do enjoy having the larger screen size, but I miss having the PKB always at my fingertips. I really enjoyed using the touch sensitive keyboard for navigation on the passport.

In terms of specs, I've come to realize that for what I use a phone for, the chip sets are just numbers. Sure the 821 will perform great, but do I need that for answering emails? Probably not. If the trade off with the 625 is better battery life for less performance, I'll take it. As for the priv's 808, mine gets really hot on basic tasks. If the 625 can perform as well as the 808 and stays cool, for me it would be worth the upgrade.

[ToniCipriani]

BlackBerry's "workhorse" (ugh) QWERTY device.

"tools".

Remember: tools, not toys.

[ChainPunch]

The Priv heat issue is more than likely a factor in why people are looking to switch from the Priv to the mercury. The Priv is a nice phone, but start doing stuff that taxes the cpu and you can feel the phone heat up even through a case. I don't trust using Hotspot on the Priv, as the back of the phone heats up quickly. If Verizon does carry the mercury, then I will consider the mercury for the phone factor, even if it a small downgrade in cpu and screen size.

[thurask]

"tools".

Remember: tools, not toys.

Toys for tools.

[tnewton3]

The Priv heat issue is more than likely a factor in why people are looking to switch from the Priv to the mercury. The Priv is a nice phone, but start doing stuff that taxes the cpu and you can feel the phone heat up even through a case. I don't trust using Hotspot on the Priv, as the back of the phone heats up quickly. If Verizon does carry the mercury, then I will consider the mercury for the phone factor, even if it a small downgrade in cpu and screen size.

I notice the heat issue occasionally when multitasking on my PRIV but honestly it's become more rare. I'm going to look into the Mercury if released on Verizon but if it never comes I could see myself using the PRIV for the next 2-3 years.

[ToniCipriani]

Toys for tools.

"I don't care about whatever the market wants, something something I hate Google so I carry 2 Passports as my laptops."

[Fastmarc]

The Priv heat issue is more than likely a factor in why people are looking to switch from the Priv to the mercury. The Priv is a nice phone, but start doing stuff that taxes the cpu and you can feel the phone heat up even through a case. I don't trust using Hotspot on the Priv, as the back of the phone heats up quickly. If Verizon does carry the mercury, then I will consider the mercury for the phone factor, even if it a small downgrade in cpu and screen size.

I think with the latest update the heating issue seems to be gone based what I've seen posted. Certainly in my case it has. I haven't found a task that gets it to warm up and the battery life has really improved.

[aespix]

No upgrade , no matter how you look at it.

Same performance with better battery life,

I guess the battery life is the upgrade .

Dont over analyse it, the 625 isn't going to win any performance awards.

[slagman5]

No upgrade , no matter how you look at it.

Same performance with better battery life,

I guess the battery life is the upgrade .

Dont over analyse it, the 625 isn't going to win any performance awards.

Uh, it depends on what you're going for. For me if I own a Priv, the Mercury would definitely be an upgrade. Better keyboard, no need for an extra step to slide out keyboard, better battery life, no moving parts to fail, and for those people who care about having their face in every photo, the front camera will likely be better as well.

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[fockx]

No upgrade , no matter how you look at it.

I would also assume from your point of view no upgrade specs wise.
From my point of view, my Q10 Keyboard delivers me for all kind of shortcuts. That was the reason why I skipped the Priv, because I didn't want to slide out as a first step. And second was, when it was slid out, it was so huge..

But performance wise, as already mentioned, i'm with you.

[Fastmarc]

When I was moving to the Priv from the Classic, I was dreading the size. This would be my 1st 'candy bar' phone. Having been using the Priv it has 'shrunk' considerably. I would not go back to the always out PKB form factor. My experience with the Priv has totally changed how I felt. I would have bet money back then that I would never had felt this way.
Going to the Mercury would be a downgrade for me. This slide out PKB is the best of both worlds IMO.

[Avenzuno]

The Snapdragon 821 would be great, if it were true. Was Mercury already submitted to the US FCC? If so, that might reveal more about the device's SoC. If Mercury is truly a PRIV successor, the former ought to have the 821. But if it is the 625 under the hood, then perhaps BlackBerry will price the device better for its customers, even the consumer ones. Someone should check when the PRIV's announcement date was and the actual release. I'm thinking Mercury will be announced approximately sixty (60) days before release to the public.

[UrbanGlowCam]

Someone should check when the PRIV's announcement date was and the actual release. I'm thinking Mercury will be announced approximately sixty (60) days before release to the public.

The Priv was announced, pre-order up a month later, then available a month after that.

The DTEK50 was available for pre-order at announcement and I believe shipped out weeks after.

The DTEK60 was available at announcement.

Did I get that right?

[ChainPunch]

Both the dtek50 and dtek60 had already been spotted at the fcc before an official release announcement was made. it seems the heat issue is kinda of hit and miss with my Priv. The only time that it really gets hot badly is when I am using the hotspot and I can live with that for right now. The Priv is my first Android phone as my main device, so I am treating it as my training wheels to Android. I prefer the classic/q10/bold form factor, but I can wait until 2018, if TCL is going for a 1 year release cycle for their blackberry phones.

[UrbanGlowCam]

Both the dtek50 and dtek60 had already been spotted at the fcc before an official release announcement was made.

True. I believe the Priv was spotted at the FCC right around the time pre-order went up and released weeks later.

[Eno Karapici]

New pictures, courtesy of C0003C1A4


Posted via CB10

[BB-JAM215]

New pictures, courtesy of C0003C1A4

That would be an updated render based on the photographs of the Mercury prototype from a few weeks ago.