[randomroyalty]

First a little background :

Been a die-hard BlackBerry user since I had a Torch from my job, first in line for a Z10, and been pounding away at a Z30 for almost 2 years.

About a year ago I started feeling BB10 was slipping in many areas and picked up a Nexus 5 and battery life aside, I actually liked many aspects of the phone and Android lollipop. Google services like Now, Fit and Maps are awesome, among other things. And now on Android 6 battery life on this phone is extremely good. Still, my Z30 was my daily driver mainly for the hub, email and excellent file management integration. But BB10 is languishing and my Z30 can barely make it to mid afternoon on a charge.

Really excited about the Priv and after playing with it for only a couple of hours I must say BlackBerry did a terrific job with the software. I actually like the hub better than on BB10, and the enhancements to the Android experience are well thought out. My productivity is going to soar on this phone and I can see amazing battery life and permissions enhancements coming with the Marshmallow update. Both Google and BlackBerry should be very happy with the results, by far better than any other skinned Android phone (e.g. LG, Samsung, HTC, etc)

Having said that I have a few quibbles. While the software is awesome for its first iteration, for the average human the learning curve is quite steep. Just about anyone can use iOS and even though that OK is quite limiting, the out-of-the-box experience is excellent. People just don't have the time or the inclination to optimize their phone or learn productivity tools, and when it comes to productivity are happy to follow what's given to them.

From the hardware perspective, high end phones these days have a myriad of "lifestyle" sensors such as fingerprint, barometric pressure, and movement. And what about water resistance? Completely missing on this phone.

I am also struggling with the physical keyboard and find it cramped. Considering how good the Torch was by comparison, I see this as a failure for what BlackBerry should be the best. While the virtual keyboard is the best on any device (including the Z30) the screen has play some play and the result is it taps the phone body ever so slightly and this is disconcerting.

Are these reasons not to get the phone? Not really, and as a shareholder I hope this direction for BlackBerry is a huge success. I had hoped BlackBerry 10 would be a success, (enough to keep it developing) as it really is a superior architecture that has not even scratched the surface of its potential, and it would be a shame to see QNX languish as an embedded OS in cars and refrigerators.

Having said all that the Priv is a very impressive phone that recaptures much of what has been lost from BBOS, with the added benefit of Google services which has become indispensable to so many people.

Hardware shortcomings notwithstanding, the problem is the learning curve. But for those who put in the effort , the payoff will be worth it.

Posted via CB10

[Techno-guy]

I am also struggling with the physical keyboard and find it cramped. Considering how good the Torch was by comparison, I see this as a failure for what BlackBerry should be the best. While the virtual keyboard is the best on any device (including the Z30) the screen has play some play and the result is it taps the phone body ever so slightly and this is disconcerting.

Thanks for your review! Pretty much my experience as well. I like a lot of things about the Priv (slider style, great screen, near stock Android experience, clever widgets, of course the Hub) except for the high price, which will turn off many, and the small, cramped keyboard. When consumers are comparing the keyboard (and not even favorably) to the Torch (one of BB's worst keyboards yet) it's not a good starting place for the Priv.

In my view, the single compelling reason for most people to buy a Priv was the keyboard and if they didn't hit it out of the park with that (Classic or Bold quality PKB) then it's just not going to sell well because there are so many other great and much cheaper Android options out there with many more features like you pointed out - fingerprint sensors, barometric pressure, movement - and with better specs (4GB RAM, Snapdragon 810, Marshmallow, etc).

I'm really bummed about the keyboard experience (and I know there are many on this Forum who somehow think it's great) because that was Blackberry's hook for a grand comeback. Maybe they will be clever and still try to claw their way to a comeback by putting Android on updated versions of the Passport and Classic. I actually think those would do quite well in the market.