[consv93]

This PCMag hands on had some interesting tidbits.

Hands On With the BlackBerry Mercury | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

[Chris_R]

Glad this isn't the final piece of hardware...a few tweaks here and there and us keyboard lovers will be happy.

Classic "TeamMustang"

[khlover520]

I personally love the look TCL has done with the keyboard. With clear keys, there's no chance of the paint on keys to wear out like some of my old Blackberry devices had. I hope they keep the keyboard as it looks a lot more appealing

[Chris_R]

Hope it will not have all those double-typing issues as the BB10 used to have. That ought to have been solved by now..(i know, I can be pessimistic sometimes).

Classic "TeamMustang"

[stanfordprof]

"Keyboard is still a work in progress"

Sounds like a while until the phone will be available.

[Saidur_Ali]

CNET were saying it will be available to buy shortly after launch towards end of February so looks likely to be a 625 device. However I think there is a good chance of a PKB device with 835 chip coming later on in the year so not too fussed. Front camera looks good and hopefully offers decent battery life improvement over the Passport so still likely I will get it unless there is a 835 PKB device announced coming out by July time.

Posted via CB10

[thurask]

The carrier support is surprising, if true. I was expecting only at most 3 carriers (i.e. not Sprint).

[HAREESH_MAYA]

Not sure about the android apps suitable to the balckberry screen resolution

Posted via CB10

[howarmat]

CNET were saying it will be available to buy shortly after launch towards end of February so looks likely to be a 625 device. However I think there is a good chance of a PKB device with 835 chip coming later on in the year so not too fussed. Front camera looks good and hopefully offers decent battery life improvement over the Passport so still likely I will get it unless there is a 835 PKB device announced coming out by July time.

Posted via CB10

maybe july 2018

[antonrr]

All this hype and HQ hardware and the 625 processor. I still don't believe it.

Posted via CB10

[H4zN]

Not sure about the android apps suitable to the balckberry screen resolution

Posted via CB10

They support 3:2 ratio, the reviewers confirmed app suitability was no issue. Just google "mercury hands-on" and you'll read or hear the confirmation.

Posted via CB10

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

The carrier support is surprising, if true. I was expecting only at most 3 carriers (i.e. not Sprint).

I figured it would only be two.... AT&T and Verizon. Didn't think SPRINT had much of an ENTERPRISE business anymore, and they gave up on the BlackBerry Brand LONG ago. T-Mobile has done a lot of flip-flopping back and forth... but again more of a consumer carrier.

Of course the PRIV was at one time also said to be on all four Carriers..... but I'm thinking TCL as a brand is a company that is much bigger than most of us in the west really knew, they said they have been working for a number of years developing relationships with Carriers. And if they do for the smartphone business what they have done for the TV business, no one wants to get left out.

[Bla1ze]

The carrier support is surprising, if true. I was expecting only at most 3 carriers (i.e. not Sprint).

Yeah, well. Priv was confirmed for Sprint too.. sooo... lol

[stlabrat]

The carrier support is surprising, if true. I was expecting only at most 3 carriers (i.e. not Sprint).

hopefully it is true support - display in prominent place, got sales guy trained to use the keyboard swipe, etc. not just network has the bands you allow connect on. (including wifi hot spot access... white list all the valid mercury).

[Kwolkens]

My heart aches for this one to launch on Verizon. I'm switching back and forth between two phones (a Classic and a Samsung S5) during the day depending on what I need to do so having one phone that can do it all will simplify my life.

[Zmain]

CNET were saying it will be available to buy shortly after launch towards end of February so looks likely to be a 625 device. However I think there is a good chance of a PKB device with 835 chip coming later on in the year so not too fussed. Front camera looks good and hopefully offers decent battery life improvement over the Passport so still likely I will get it unless there is a 835 PKB device announced coming out by July time.

Posted via CB10

That would definitely be nice if they decide to go down that road which sounds very appealing .....some like Mercury Spectra ?

Posted via CB10

[ppeters914]

The carrier support is surprising, if true. I was expecting only at most 3 carriers (i.e. not Sprint).

Means we might actually be able to fondle and examine the device before buying. Playing with the Z10 convinced me to buy it.

OTOH, if the carriers are responsible for releasing updates, we're screwed again.

[Troy Tiscareno]

OTOH, if the carriers are responsible for releasing updates, we're screwed again.

That's not even a question. If you buy a carrier-branded phone, you're gonna be waiting on the carrier for updates (unless that phone has an Apple logo on it).

If you want direct updates, you buy your phone directly from the manufacturer, outright and unlocked. That's long been the way of things. Even Google's Nexus and Pixel phones sold through Verizon have to wait for Verizon for updates.

[ppeters914]

OTOH, if the carriers are responsible for releasing updates, we're screwed again.

That's not even a question. If you buy a carrier-branded phone, you're gonna be waiting on the carrier for updates (unless that phone has an Apple logo on it).

If you want direct updates, you buy your phone directly from the manufacturer, outright and unlocked. That's long been the way of things. Even Google's Nexus and Pixel phones sold through Verizon have to wait for Verizon for updates.

Thanks for the clarification. Guess I'll visit the store, but buy online.

[craftEcowgirl]

That's not even a question. If you buy a carrier-branded phone, you're gonna be waiting on the carrier for updates (unless that phone has an Apple logo on it).

If you want direct updates, you buy your phone directly from the manufacturer, outright and unlocked. That's long been the way of things. Even Google's Nexus and Pixel phones sold through Verizon have to wait for Verizon for updates.

Verizon people are not able to do this. Buy unlocked phone etc

[twelvezero8]

Glad this isn't the final piece of hardware...a few tweaks here and there and us keyboard lovers will be happy.

Classic "TeamMustang"

This should have been known when they said this was an "alpha" version. Anyway blackberry fans won't change.

[macterp]

Need T mobile to step up and carry this phone. Lot of loyal BlackBerry folks have stayed with T mobile and would be a nice payback for them. As well as believe would bring in new cst base for T mobile as well

Posted via CB10

[Ecm]

This PCMag hands on had some interesting tidbits.

Hands On With the BlackBerry Mercury | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Lol, some of those tidbits were referenced directly to a blog post from some character named "Bla1ze".

[Troy Tiscareno]

Verizon people are not able to do this. Buy unlocked phone etc

Actually, Verizon does accept some phones as BYOD now - they were forced to do so by the FCC in certain circumstances. For example, the LG V20 for North America includes radios that allow it to work on all 4 US carriers, and you can buy an unlocked model and bring it to Verizon and activate it. They don't like it, but they'll do it (sometimes you have to escalate, but they will). I believe the Pixel is the same.

However, if a model is made specifically for Verizon - as is the norm for Verizon - then Verizon buys them all and there is no such thing as an unlocked model, even if you buy outright - they'll be Verizon-branded and you'll have to get updates from Verizon.

It's too early to know the situation for the "Mercury".

[Matty]

The carrier support is surprising, if true. I was expecting only at most 3 carriers (i.e. not Sprint).

Was thinking the same thing. Carriers have not been very interested in Blackberry devices, which is understandable. Locally for me, the last device carriers supported was the DTEK50. If it is true, that would be very good news for Blackberry and hopefully sales numbers will pick up a bit.