[BB18244]

Will curious android loyalists feel limited with the Mercury?

With the staggering appearance of the Mercury in the tech world recently, most first impressions have tech folks interested in the Mercury. I haven’t heard of much negative feedback on the device yet but there hasn’t been much feedback really.

So far I really enjoy the look of the Mercury. It’s great to see a company finally innovating. Pretty much most smartphones out right now are all pretty similar in design but they all carry something on the inside that makes them appealing. To see blackberry not sell out and keep the keyboard alive is refreshing and it makes the phone a way more interesting device because it’s different!! It’s not an all touch slab with questionable antenna lines or an aluminum slab of questionable decision. It’s its own weird looking thing and I dig that! It really shows consumers that phones aren’t washed out or boring or matured. It shows consumers that there is room for innovation and I think blackberry and TCL really nailed the general design…Somewhat, more on that later!

But first! Let’s all keep our fingers crossed for the software. Blackberry’s take on android was good. It offered a near stock experience; love it! It was easily somewhat customizable with icon packs; a great thing to include! And it was often a whole ton slow; ouch. Not always, but quite frequently. I worked with the blackberry software on some of my android phones (launcher, keyboard, apps such as calendar and password keeper, hub, hub services etc.) and the software would often bring my phone slower than a snail with a brick on its back. I really wanted to adore the software on the dtek phones, priv and wherever I also installed it. But it was things like that, that drew me away. I liked a lot of the software and the Mercury is obviously running Blackberry’s take on Android but I hope they truly nailed it this time around.

Back on the build, its greatest strengths are also its greatest weaknesses! When I say that I think they nailed the design doesn’t mean it’s the most appealing piece of awesome to everyone. I actually worry that the die-hard Android loyalists will have the most issues with the phone. Regardless of its near stock OS something as simple as the keyboard can really alter their opinion on the phone.

I’m a phone guy and I love to play with phones, Android, BB10, iOS, Windows phone etc… it’s all interesting news to me. On my android phones, I love to customize it and make it my own and I really appreciate that privilege because it’s Android! I’m not limited, its open source blah blah blah… But the Mercury seems to be limiting Android in some ways. With the physical keyboard how are some people going to have fun and download Swiftkey for a change or the Google keyboard? With the lack of such capability I feel that some android users won’t feel the freedom to want to tweak it with a different launcher or whatever, then they’ll find other little nitpicks to point out then give some negative feedback.(even if it were possible to get a 3rd party keyboard what's the point to do so on the mercury?) That could possibly draw some android users away. BUT WAIT! ISN’T THIS PHONE DIRECTED TOWRADS THE ENTERPRISE FOLKS? Yes it is, but blackberry is also making it available through carriers for (in theory) anyone to have. It’s almost as if they’re treating it as a “normal” android smartphone (to an extent), but if they go down that route I doubt the Mercury would be the saving grace for Blackberry. UNLESS the Mercury is rocking some awesome stuff on the inside or the camera is super awesome or something to keep the audience there despite its potential “weaknesses”, that would help make the Mercury even greater. Now its super rad as is and people don’t even know (to my knowledge) what kind of screen the thing has!

But, are people ready for this though? (When I say “people”, please remember that technically, this phone is available for the masses!) Are people ready to accept this super QWERTY Blackberry machine? Unfortunately, people are used to the “normal” smartphones, the world is in a comfort spot for them. Personally I really want the Mercury to do well! And I have hope it will! It all depends on how the official feedback on the phone is.

Have any thoughts, comments, I’d love to hear them! I want to know your opinion on the Mercury now that it’s actually been officially seen by the tech world!

Cheers!

[Ecm]

Will curious android loyalists feel limited with the Mercury?

Personally, I'd say "Yes". Specs have become such a yardstick for Android devices that the rumoured Mercury specs will likely cause many (if not most) hardcore Andoid users to pass on it. The exception may be some ex-BlackBerry users with a bent toward the nostalgic side. They may give it a fair shake.

[mithrazor]

I would say people are so used to a touchscreen that pushing on keys would be a turn off for them.

So I don't expect many to dive all in with the phone. It would definitely take time for it to gain momentum.

[thurask]

Mid-range spec, unorthodox input method and unusual screen ratio points to yes.

[consv93]

If the unlikely rumors that the phone uses fuel cell technology are true, that would be huge. If there's a huge capacity battery, that might help.

[Critical Observer]

the unlikely rumors that the phone uses fuel cell technology

What is this I don't even.



Posted via CB10

[WT44]

What is this I don't even.

RIM Applies for 2 More Patents; Takes Fuel Cell Technology Injection Ahead - BBin

[slagman5]

Almost every Android user I know started off with a pkb phone. Whether it was one of the old Droids with the pkb or BB phones. My wife included, she used a BB Curve (that thing was USED like keys missing, paint all rubbed off the keys, etc) when I met her...

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

[bluetroll]

oh, so we're talking about marketing to past pkb users using memberberries!

[85_305]

I'm not an android loyalist, I'm a BlackBerry loyalist.

Posted via CB10 Passport

[thurask]

RIM Applies for 2 More Patents; Takes Fuel Cell Technology Injection Ahead - BBin

That's from 2012. I'd put that in the crazy-**** folder that quite a few BB patents are in.

[supertom]

Hmm.. I think they would be delighted that a manufacturer decided to do something different. Once they get their hands on the Merc, they'll figure out that the physical keyboard has many more functions than just a keyboard, like shortcuts, scrolling, fingerprint sensor, they can also swipe on the capacitive touch keyboard to type, just like swiping on their virtual keyboards, etc etc.

I personally don't like how the market is going, with thin and light phones, i feel like they'll break as soon as i put them in my pocket. I've always liked the hefty, premium feel, design of a blackberry.

[ppeters914]

After living with BB10, every time I've dealt with my wife's Androids (first a Motorola something, now an LG G3), I want to smash it into the concrete. Unfortunately, I recognize that BB10 is not moving forward (dead/dying/EOL/on life support/whatever you want to call it), which means I need to go iOS or Android.

I don't require a pkb, but will checkout the BlackDroid Mercury once it finally releases and we get a full hands on review.

[gebco]

After living with BB10, every time I've dealt with my wife's Androids (first a Motorola something, now an LG G3), I want to smash it into the concrete. Unfortunately, I recognize that BB10 is not moving forward (deal/dying/EOL/on life support/whatever you want to call it), which means I need to go iOS or Android.

I don't require a pkb, but will checkout the BlackDroid Mercury once it finally releases and we get a full hands on review.

I felt the same way. Except mostly with iOS. Moving to the Priv was easier than working with my wife's iPad for example. Android still plays decently nicely with others whereas iOS not so much.

[MidnightWatcher]

I'm talking my wife into getting the Mercury after it's released. Coming from the Q10 she'll in no way feel limited. Android will open her up to a whole new world of work-related apps not available on BB10.

[JAS0NB0URNE]

I'm talking my wife into getting the Mercury after it's released. Coming from the Q10 she'll in no way feel limited. Android will open her up to a whole new world of work-related apps not available on BB10.

I suspect many current BlackBerry owners will feel like a whole new world of possibilities with apps. But the OP's question is about Android users and I'll agree with prior stated belief that it'll be some nostalgic former BlackBerry users who might give it a long look.

Posted with my  Classic

[slagman5]

I suspect many current BlackBerry owners will feel like a whole new world of possibilities with apps. But the OP's question is about Android users and I'll agree with prior stated belief that it'll be some nostalgic former BlackBerry users who might give it a long look.

Posted with my  Classic

Eh, probably true for most, but for me it would be Google Maps and like the Dunkin Donuts app. Both of which I use on my Classic anyway, but then it'll be native. Ooh... lol. I am not really an apps guy, haha.

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

[Samir Shocker]

Almost every android phone look and work the same loool, imagine if car companies made same cars with same engine and body lol

Posted via CB10

[Samir Shocker]

All consumers care is camera, ram and cheap light phones. Make it very light and call it premium lol

Posted via CB10

[hobgoblin1961]

of cause Android fanboys will be limited to this Mercury device for ever... jealously peaking at the Passport form factor... doomed to use a lookalike... LoL

Posted via - OS-10.3.++ device, it's all you need

[slagman5]

Almost every android phone look and work the same loool, imagine if car companies made same cars with same engine and body lol

Posted via CB10

Well, the car companies would love that, but thankfully so far they have been unable to convince the consumers that it is what they want, as Samsung and Apple has done with the mobile phone consumers. But I see it coming for the auto industry as well. As more and more of these Millennials know less and less about cars and care less and less about performance and the fun of driving, I feel we will likely see fewer unique cars and more cookie-cutter self-driving cars where gas mileage is the only concern... You are already starting to see the trend where most sedans look exactly the same across al brands...

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

[JAS0NB0URNE]

Eh, probably true for most, but for me it would be Google Maps and like the Dunkin Donuts app. Both of which I use on my Classic anyway, but then it'll be native. Ooh... lol. I am not really an apps guy, haha.

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

Yeah you are not an apps guy lol. I see your comments on various threads, you a good dude Slagman.

Posted with my  Classic

[slagman5]

Yeah you are not an apps guy lol. I see your comments on various threads, you a good dude Slagman.

Posted with my  Classic

Well, even those two apps being native means they will run a lot better, so it's still nothing to sneeze at. I had to restart my phone just the other day because the ART decided to stop working...

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