[Crazed_BB_Fanatic]

Let me just make a pre-emptive statement and say that I have BBs in forever. Love OS10. Love my Passport. The Priv was supposed to replace my private phone (Z30). The Passport is strictly my business phone.

Of course as an old timer BB user I was very vary about the fact that BB would actually design a device with a different OS. I was actually down right offended. But my Z30 is now 3 years old and before it eventually says good bye I took the leap into the world of the Android system.

I have to say that the phone is a beautifully designed hardware. Nice looking. Feels good in your hand. Slim yet sturdy. The design has BB written all over.
The operating system requires getting used too. The hub is there. BBM is there and I was good to dig deeper. I did run a lot of Android apps on the Passport and the Z30 already. So getting and finding my apps was rather easy. Using a Google account for syncing my address books in the past came in handy. My biggest problem really was just the nitty gritty part: how does Android work?

Couple days ago I sat down with an Android user for some questions I had. When I showed him the phone he was mighty impressed. He even said that the Android system feels better and is much faster on my phone. Blackberry made the Android system a better OS.
His help was extremely valuable. One of my problems was the battery drain. I always thought that I closed apps by just using the back arrow. But clicking on that square showed me all my apps running in the background. Once I got used to using that button and closing my apps properly my battery life quadrupled.

And with time and the more I get used to the OS I must say this phone is a kick *** smart phone. Now if anybody wants to know how popular this phone could be: It got more attention than the Passport.

Bottomline is: if you have never used Android in your life before (like me) it will take some time. It is different. But it looks to me that BB was trying to keep as close to what we are used to as possible. They did a tremendous job with this phone.

Don't get me wrong I still love OS10 and I hope they will get back to that. But in the interim this is a phone which should definitely make an impact on mobile sales for BB. The only thing I always want is for BB to continue to making phones. Because besides the software it is also all about solid and reliable hardware.

If anybody has any specific question about the Priv (like camera etc) go ahead and ask them. But in the mean time I can only recommend this phone.

[aha]

How do you like the keyboard? I tried it a little bit in a store today and it was not very good. I am coming from Passport too.

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.2.2639

[Crazed_BB_Fanatic]

How do you like the keyboard? I tried it a little bit in a store today and it was not very good. I am coming from Passport too.

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.2.2639

I use both keyboards (vrtual and hard). It is very much like the Passport which really did not have the typical BB design. It requires getting used to. And I think that is the problem most people have: being impatient. They think everything new has to work perfect from the first second on. Nothing can be different but has to be newer and better which is impossible.

If you work with it for a little while you will get used to it. The keyboard is really not that much smaller than the old Pearl. It also has that added function of scrolling which I like on the Passport.

[aha]

I use both keyboards (vrtual and hard). It is very much like the Passport which really did not have the typical BB design. It requires getting used to. And I think that is the problem most people have: being impatient. They think everything new has to work perfect from the first second on. Nothing can be different but has to be newer and better which is impossible.

If you work with it for a little while you will get used to it. The keyboard is really not that much smaller than the old Pearl. It also has that added function of scrolling which I like on the Passport.

I do agree with that. When I just got the Passport I wasn't used to the thumb travel distance on its larger keyboard, and after a while I got used to it and don't feel tired of stretching my thumbs anymore. I am sure I can get used to Priv's keyboard too.

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.2.2639