1. cirian75's Avatar
    looking to return to BB

    used to have the 9700 and 8800

    loved my 8800, the toughest best pre touchscreen phone I ever owned.

    so

    questions.

    the apps gap and the way around them

    things I use my nexus 5 for

    EMail

    2 GMail accounts only

    1 syncs all, email, calander, contacts

    other is email only.

    Entertainment

    YouTube, I'm addicted to it, subbed to loads of channels so need a YT app I can sign into

    BBC iPlayer.

    NetFlix

    Twitch

    Social
    Facebook and its messenger

    twitter

    Google plus a little bit

    Foursquare/Swarm

    News

    BBC and CNN

    Documents

    on Google Drive atm

    Irc

    I use mIRC on my PC's and AndChat on the Nexus

    Shopping

    eBay/Paypal

    Amazon

    Argos

    Management of file system

    I used ES File Explorer

    Personal protection from scammers and lies told by boss = automatic phone call recorder

    Misc

    Comicology/comix

    TeamSpeak 3 ?
    11-28-14 04:48 PM
  2. HedoBum's Avatar
    Well BB10 is also capable of running Android apps, so whatever you were running on your Nexus you can run on a BB10 phone. If you can't find it on the Amazon app store or 1Mobile, you can easily find the apk for what you want and side load it. This means that BlackBerry has the largest app store on the planet.
    If you hurry, you can get in on the deals at BlackBerry right now...a new unlocked Z30 is only $249 ($225usd).

    Now brought to you by the amazing Z30!
    Last edited by HedoBum; 12-01-14 at 12:25 AM.
    Mecca EL and GodGibson like this.
    11-28-14 04:57 PM
  3. dvarnai's Avatar
    msot of the stuff either fully supported out of the box (like file manager, email, calendar, contacts, youtube, facebook (with integrated messenger), twitter) but some likely never will, like google drive. or even if it will it wont integrate with the built-in file manager, but you can use dropbox, onedrive, salesforce, box and so on out of the box with full integration. about the apps you use i have no idea. if they dont use gplay services they are very likely to be fully compatible
    11-28-14 05:25 PM
  4. cirian75's Avatar
    elcheapo tpu �1.85 case ordered, to stuffed with a foam insert for a pocket test
    11-28-14 05:47 PM
  5. vader42's Avatar
    Android apps which use Google services don't seem to work at the moment, however most other stuff does. You can use the full desktop Web page and save the link as shortcut on your desktop, so things like google+ can be used via the browser. Same goes for pretty much anything that you can use your pc browser for.

    Youtube works well, and there are many apps, or you can use the full web page with flash. The screen is smaller for videos as there is no landscape mode with the square screen, but the videos are crisp and clear.

    Email on the pp is awesome, no more needs to be said. I don't do much social app stuff, so I can't comment on that.

    Posted via CB10
    11-28-14 05:53 PM
  6. whatsever's Avatar
    There is not a really app gap for me. All extra apps I download from 1mobile . I installed some apps with streaming also the latest test news, I have my bank account, I have spotify, netflix, live streaming tv (42 channels) like disney jr,nickjr, discovery,history and all national tv channels etc.

    So missing apps. Not really

    Posted via CB10
    will308 likes this.
    11-28-14 06:44 PM
  7. Tre Lawrence's Avatar
    The app gap is real, and no amount of apk hunting solves it completely.

    If you're heavily invested in the Google ecosystem, your Nexus is probably best.

    If you don't mind tinkering though, you can make a go of it. The hub is fantastic. BB10 is smooth, and getting better, so much so that I'd say if OS quality is the only deciding factor, most folks wouldn't be disappointed.
    11-28-14 06:58 PM
  8. gogogadgets's Avatar
    Your Gmail and calendar stuff is no sweat. Just add the accounts and it will all sync up fine.

    Fakebook is fine on BB10. YouTube works great in the browser, and there's a native app called Super Tube that is splendid.

    The rest of it will require you to install Android APKs via either Amazon or Snap.

    Really, though, there are native alternatives that are better. Get your Fakebook friends on BBM. It's a lot more fun because of the privacy factor -- your current boss or future employers can't see what's up.
    11-28-14 07:06 PM
  9. 4everForever's Avatar
    Most of the people are saying we can sideload or install the android app from snap, Amazon, etc. Make me wonder what's the point buying a BB device then? Since most of the app the BB users using are also android app, might as well they just get an android or iOS device..
    11-28-14 07:23 PM
  10. jupiter8's Avatar
    Most of the people are saying we can sideload or install the android app from snap, Amazon, etc. Make me wonder what's the point buying a BB device then? Since most of the app the BB users using are also android app, might as well they just get an android or iOS device..
    In that case you would miss the superiority of the BlackBerry operating system. It is the smoothest and most innovative. Battery life and security? BB10. It really does make Android and iOS seem old.

    Posted via CB10
    Q10Bold, Mecca EL, thedose and 2 others like this.
    11-28-14 07:32 PM
  11. dbmalloy's Avatar
    Actually it is not side loading in the case of Amazon or 1 mobile etc... BB10 installs apk and bars directly through the OS now... the only program in theory that has to be side loaded is snap.... once installed you no longer need to side load anything.... snap installs apk directly from google store.... as mentioned the main exception are programs that need google services.... as for whether you should come back to BB,,, depends mostly why you are looking to leave Android in the first place... personally I only change phones when it breaks for stops doing what I need..... otherwise I stay where Iam....
    Mecca EL and ponpiri like this.
    11-28-14 07:38 PM
  12. Viet Ton's Avatar
    I come from android to BlackBerry just recently but I don't miss my galaxy s4 at all. I actually use only native apps now. Almost everything you "need" (I mean I need) or use on android has a nice (or even nicer) alternative native app. So there is no app gap for me at the moment. The ones that are causing the most trouble are the games. The square screen causes some bizarre resize.

    From what you listed. they all have nice native apps that fit you right now. For irc I would suggest tin can irc (nice), for twitch there is blink, for bbc iplayer there is not a good one right now, for other bit just search here there are like loads of them. Google drive does not fit well with BlackBerry because it's google's. I am using box and dropbox atm. For email and social network, nothing can beat the Hub.

    Good luck hunting. Oh and one more thing, on android, most apps are free but here in BlackBerry, buying apps will result in much nicer apps (most paid apps are really awesome and well worth the price)
    Posted via CB10
    11-28-14 07:40 PM
  13. walt63's Avatar
    I recently (2 weeks ago) left BlackBerry for Android, Note 4...took it back as it was too big for my taste and now working with a LG G3. I like what the G3 offers but its inferior in regards to the efficiency that BB10 brought to the table. I still have my Z10 on deck just in case I just can't take my G3 any more.

    As for apps, Android apps runs waaaaay smoother than when I had my Z10 and that's kind of expected. Really no surprise. Now, I will say that the Z10 is lacking the power so Android apps will suffer. I'm sure many will vouch for a better experience on the Z30 or Passport. But it is very refreshing at the moment to have my apps always running the latest version, updated automatically, and optimized for the OS.

    In conclusion, if you are okay with workarounds and possibly not having all the Android apps you like fully compatible with the OS, try BlackBerry. But if not, suggest to stay with Android.

    Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
    11-28-14 07:51 PM
  14. Ankit RS's Avatar
    Most of the people are saying we can sideload or install the android app from snap, Amazon, etc. Make me wonder what's the point buying a BB device then? Since most of the app the BB users using are also android app, might as well they just get an android or iOS device..
    Lolwut? Because there's a difference between a "device" and an "app". An app is just one of the mediums to get things done. A device is associated with how smooth apps runs, how fast you can get things done (using app is one of them), how intuitive the os is to your needs.

    Just one example of why not Android or iOS: composing a message is wayyyy more efficient on BB10. To compose an message on Android or iOS, you'll have to open the particular app, then compose new message, then switch to another app to compose another type of message. Same thing on BlackBerry is available in just one place: Compose option which let's you create every kind of message without having to jump through individual apps. And with keyboard shortcuts it gets even better, press c and s, and voila message composed.

    This is just one example. If it was just about apps for you, why don't people get a Xaomi, Oppo, Asus, Lenovo , Micromaxx etc handsets which run Android apps, instead of buying the Nexus, Galaxy series? Because device matters.

    Posted via CB10
    Q10Bold, Mecca EL and KingOfQwerty like this.
    11-28-14 09:26 PM
  15. jevinzac's Avatar
    Just sideload Snap on to your BB10 device, it's a Google PlayStore Client, and all your app probz should be solved!

    Posted via CB10
    11-28-14 09:31 PM
  16. Ankit RS's Avatar
    EMail: it's BlackBerry. Enough said.

    YouTube: Yes. I use Fast Tube which also allows you to download youtube videos in the app.

    BBC iPlayer: no idea.

    NetFlix: you'll have to use Android Netflix app from Snap. From what I've read, it works Okay.

    Twitch: don't use this app at all, but there's a native twitch client available.

    Facebook and its messenger: native fb app. And you don't need a separate messenger app on BlackBerry. The app still has a lot to be improved, but it works. If you don't like it, you could always get the Android app from Snap.

    twitter: Yes. After the latest update, the native Twitter app is really good. If you don't like that, there's a native app called Blaq which is the best third party Twitter app across platforms, imo.

    Google plus: I am guessing the Android app for this wouldn't work since it needs Google Play services. But there's a way to get Google Play services on your BB10 device too.

    Foursquare/Swarm: Yes. Both native and android app available for Four Square.

    BBC and CNN: not sure.

    Google Drive: Yes. Playcloud app, which is awesome by the way.

    I use mIRC on my PC's and AndChat on the Nexus: no ides about these, but you can download the Android app from Snap if they aren't natively available.

    eBay/Paypal: Search for eBay available as a native app, and eBay android app from Snap which works perfectly fine. No idea about Paypal.

    Amazon: Search for Amazon app as a native option, and Amazon android app from snap which works as it would on an Android device.

    Argos

    File Explorer: built in file manager.

    automatic phone call recorder - there are phone call recording apps available. Most of them need you to be on speaker, but there are some that don't and work fine.

    Comicology/comix: I use DC Comics from Comixology and Marvels Android apps, and they run as smooth as they run on a Nexus 5 in my house.

    TeamSpeak



    Posted via CB10
    garpt and Mecca EL like this.
    11-28-14 09:48 PM
  17. BerryPirate's Avatar
    I'm tired of blackberry fan boys who keep on insisting that the app gap is closed thanks to bandage solutions like snap.

    If you are a heavy duty android or iPhone app person and if you rely heavily on the Google or iPhone ecosystem then stick to those platforms because you will just be very annoyed and disappointed with your blackberry.
    11-28-14 09:50 PM
  18. jevinzac's Avatar
    I'm tired of blackberry fan boys who keep on insisting that the app gap is closed thanks to bandage solutions like snap.

    If you are a heavy duty android or iPhone app person and if you rely heavily on the Google or iPhone ecosystem then stick to those platforms because you will just be very annoyed and disappointed with your blackberry.
    I don't understand your point! I agree about Apple ecosystem, and due to its shi**y locking up of its users, most of them would be having an iPad, Macbook or an iMac etc. So switching platforms might be difficult! But how difficult is it to switch from Google's android to BlackBerry? I don't find it difficult at all, it's just Google has tons of native apps, but that doesn't lock u up in its ecosystem. So when u switch to a BlackBerry 10, you can use all those android apps(a quarter of it is available on BBW) except Gmail (BB10 integrates emails better) etc, even Chrome now works on BB10, but it's basically useless, since BB10 browser is the best out there. And plus u can enjoy BlackBerry 10's awesome OS and UI!

    Posted via CB10
    jupiter8 and Mecca EL like this.
    11-28-14 10:12 PM
  19. anon(19759)'s Avatar
    I'm tired of blackberry fan boys who keep on insisting that the app gap is closed thanks to bandage solutions like snap.

    If you are a heavy duty android or iPhone app person and if you rely heavily on the Google or iPhone ecosystem then stick to those platforms because you will just be very annoyed and disappointed with your blackberry.
    I agree to some extent, but for me, the apps not on bb10 are mostly utilities and the android ones function well enough for me. Jetblue, Marriott, Hertz, Waze. They all work pretty well.

    For the gamers, the android apps on bb10 will not perform anywhere close to what they do on Android os.

    Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android on my Q10
    11-28-14 10:12 PM
  20. Mirk's Avatar
    I think just about everything in your list is supported in some way, I'm not sure about a few but there are ways to make it work usually, but in all honesty when it comes to apps it's not green acres over here.

    The Passport is a great phone and I couldn't imagine myself using anything else. There are some features, and the form factor, that I really like. Don't let anyone sugar coat the app situation though. You can make things work, and Snap is great, but it's a band aid solution in my honest opinion. It inevitably leaves some things out and overall hampers the native experience. It does afford me the ability to get some apps that I would never have otherwise.

    It's a bit of a give and take, what I gain in user experience I lose in the more refined app ecosystems of other platforms. Don't get me wrong though, it's not that bad, and I don't mean to discourage you. Just be prepared.
    11-28-14 10:20 PM
  21. Tre Lawrence's Avatar
    I don't understand your point! I agree about Apple ecosystem, and due to its shi**y locking up of its users, most of them would be having an iPad, Macbook or an iMac etc. So switching platforms might be difficult! But how difficult is it to switch from Google's android to BlackBerry? I don't find it difficult at all, it's just Google has tons of native apps, but that doesn't lock u up in its ecosystem. So when u switch to a BlackBerry 10, you can use all those android apps(a quarter of it is available on BBW) except Gmail (BB10 integrates emails better) etc, even Chrome now works on BB10, but it's basically useless, since BB10 browser is the best out there. And plus u can enjoy BlackBerry 10's awesome OS and UI!

    Posted via CB10
    I think what some folks need to remember is that "best" is subjective.

    For example, if one uses Gmail for work, or manages a Gapps domain, the best utility is Gmail.

    Or take the BB10 browser. For folks who work across devices, the ability to sync work and history is crucial.

    UI tends to take a back seat to raw functionality.

    Now, the Android Runtime can be a decent stopgap for folks thus inclined (I refuse to use Android apps on my BB devices for ethical reasons), but it can be a tough sell if one isn't willing to be flexible.
    11-29-14 12:44 AM
  22. bakron1's Avatar
    I have had a love hate relationship with the BlackBerry brand for the last few years and decided to commit to the brand 100% and have sold my iPhone 6 and my Note Edge.

    At first I was concerned about the app gap and having an extensive paid app libraries in both platform's, but after being on BlackBerry OS10 for a while now, I found most of the apps I use every day are available in the BlackBerry app world.

    The only Android apps I am currently using are sports and news apps because some of the ones that were available for the z30 have not been updated for the passport. The USA Today news app is one I am hoping will be updated soon.

    I find the native social media apps like Facebook, Twitter and iGram pro work fine on my passport and I have no reason to use an Android version of the app. I use the eBay app off the Amazon app store because the one the BlackBerry world hasn't been updated in a while. For Craigslist I use CraigIT and GeoYeo which are both native apps.

    For me the transition back to BlackBerry has been a simple one and now I couldn't imagine having a device without "The Hub" which in my opinion is the key piece of software that makes BlackBerry OS10 a messaging machine. All of my email, messages and notifications in one spot.

    Sorry for the long post, but I love my new passport and I proudly show it off whenever I go and preach the BlackBerry brand here in the USA to whoever has an open mind and wants a device that will improve their productivity and user experience. I am proud to be a member of this unique community who's members have a great passion for the BlackBerry brand.

    Posted via my lovely passport on T Mobile USA
    11-29-14 04:21 AM
  23. Phone Guy 4567's Avatar
    I'm tired of blackberry fan boys who keep on insisting that the app gap is closed thanks to bandage solutions like snap.

    If you are a heavy duty android or iPhone app person and if you rely heavily on the Google or iPhone ecosystem then stick to those platforms because you will just be very annoyed and disappointed with your blackberry.
    Having had my Z30 for just under a week I have to agree that the Android runtime is a band aid solution. The worst IMO is Snap, because it gives you access to the play store but it's a crap shoot whether the apps will work or not once installed. It also tells you that there are updates available for your apps but once you install them the apps may not work, because of changes made within the newer versions of the apps. This happened to me with Vevo which i downloaded from the Amazon store, then Snap said there was an update. After updating Vevo complains about play services and asks you to install them, which I think will happen more and more with popular Android apps.

    The native blackberry store also has a lot of Android ports in it and fewer 3rd party native apps then the Windows Phone store, the other phone I use is a Lumia 920.
    11-30-14 07:41 PM
  24. jevinzac's Avatar
    Having had my Z30 for just under a week I have to agree that the Android runtime is a band aid solution. The worst IMO is Snap, because it gives you access to the play store but it's a crap shoot whether the apps will work or not once installed. It also tells you that there are updates available for your apps but once you install them the apps may not work, because of changes made within the newer versions of the apps. This happened to me with Vevo which i downloaded from the Amazon store, then Snap said there was an update. After updating Vevo complains about play services and asks you to install them, which I think will happen more and more with popular Android apps.

    The native blackberry store also has a lot of Android ports in it and fewer 3rd party native apps then the Windows Phone store, the other phone I use is a Lumia 920.
    Not a single android app I tried had any problems running on my Q10 with 10.3.1.1151 or previous Z30. And I have always used Snap!
    I have downloaded over 200 android apps!
    It's obvious it wouldn't work if that android app(Vevo, in ur case) needs PlayStore services, since apps in Amazon Appstore doesn't need PlayStore services! So whichever app needs PlayStore services to operate, you have to download that from Amazon Appstore, if that app is available there!
    You complan just because of that one app? And say rest of us are having the same issues? we can run 99% of the android apps in the PlayStore, the rest 1% are the ones which requires Play services. But Cobalt here in CB has come up with a solution for PlayStore and PlayServices, we can install both on our BlackBerry and those apps which require it will run. If not you can patch it with lucky patcher!

    Posted via Q10
    11-30-14 07:57 PM
  25. Phone Guy 4567's Avatar
    When I first got the Z30 I was running the official stock release and installed Snap. I tried running One Note after installing it and it wouldn't work, same went for MS Office mobile. They do work with 10.3.1.1151 but that's a leaked version, and having to install a leaked version of the OS just to get apps working would probably be unacceptable to the average smartphone user IMO. The same holds true for having to sideload PlayServices or patching APK's, and workarounds tend to stop working eventually in my experience . The OP has a Nexus 5 and is accustomed to a Android experience that just works, or as close to just works as Android can get.

    I like my Z30 especially for the price I got it at, but if I already had a Nexus 5 I would not think of replacing it with a Blackberry. I would only switch from the Nexus 5 only if I hated the Android experience or wanted a physical keyboard.
    11-30-14 10:49 PM
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