[ljfong]

They thought that by releasing the PlayBook they would start app development and ecosystem creation for the new platform. Unfortunately they killed it all off with the announcement of the Android runtime before the PlayBook even launched, and by stupidly going with Adobe on the main part of the PlayBook's OS, and with Texas Instruments for the SOC. Once Adobe backed out of mobile, and TI did as well, and BlackBerry realized that Adobe's offering in TabletOS were an abomination, they basically had to start on Cascades, abandon the PlayBook, and delay having a new phone/OS ready, all while creating a one off abomination in the Playbook, (Maybe two off if you include the STL100-1 which was clearly the phone planned to run TabletOS for phones with that TI processor).

Posted via CB10

I thought PlayBook Android runtime came well after PlayBook was released and it had huge app problem?

Posted via CB10

[mnc76]

Apps are the problem. Most of the people that I've met in real life love their BlackBerry 10 phones but are frustrated with the lack of apps. Sideloading/downloading from the browser is not an option to them any longer. I'm pretty sure they'll sacrifice BlackBerry 's software in favor of another platform with a better ecosystem.

That's today's consumer market whether you like it or not, even I get frustrated that I can't get some android apps to work properly, that's why I only use my q10 as a WiFi device and the iPhone 6 as my main driver.

BlackBerry's software is brilliant, the ecosystem dragged them behind of apple and android together with their continuos faith on BlackBerry 7. Had the z10 been released one or two years earlier and today BlackBerry would definitely have a bigger marketshare. So for now it doesn't matter how many devices they release, they need to come up with some true and out of this world innovation (in regards to the consumer prospect) if they want to ever gain traction again.

Posted via CB10

The Android runtime could have worked well, but it still needs a lot of focused, low-level work done on it.

There are still way too many apps that don't use Play Sevices but STILL run painfully slow (even on a Passport), or run with weird glitches, or simply don't run at all. Common glitches include:

- app sometimes won't fully load (leaving black screen)
- app is totally unresponsive for multiple seconds when a user returns to it after multitasking
- app pauses randomly for multiple seconds at a time
- app loads very slowly
- media apps skip / jitter during media playback
- app graphics animate and load very slowly

I agree that the Android runtime isn't the perfect solution and that native apps are WAY better for BB10... BUT I would enjoy my Z30 so much more if apps like Spotify (that don't use Play Serices) actually ran consistently, or an app like tumblr would load GIFs at a reasonable speed (may dad's 2011 Galaxy Nexus is faster than my Z30 running tumblr!!!

My personal app gap has been pretty well filled using the Android runtime, but the weird glitches make using Android apps VERY VERY hit and miss.

Edit :
And let's not forget �Android Notifications!�
Not only do developers need to manually modify their apps for these to work properly, BlackBerry has only a shred of documentation for developers on how to upgrade their Android apps to make them work on BB10! They really need a sample app, with code, and a step by step tutorial on doing implementing this *vital* function.

It's seems like BlackBerry is pushing devs to Android for consumer apps but hasn't spent the time documenting the few places where devs need to actually modify their APKs.

Posted from my awesome White Z30

[anon(5818411)]

I'm not getting into the other parts because I really don't actually disagree with many of the points you've made, even though you attempted to make it out like I did.

My post just made me want OneNote and Here on my phone more than i already do

I have OneNote but without: headless, OS integration (calendar/email/alarm) it's almost point to have it as a note taking app on my blackberry.
Crappier part is that the API to make it is 100% open!!!! BB or 3rd party dev should be jumping on that opportunity, i have tried to voice myself but no use. I don't even see any android devs doing so either which is extremely odd.
At least IFTTT/Zapier (both in PushPlane) and evernote can sync with it

[Bbnivende]

I have google play store on my BlackBerry 10 device but the general population will ONLY go to amazon and BBworld. Amazon devs are starting to block BB users from even downloading their apps and most business apps aren't in BBworld or amazon. Business' will most likely hesitate to get apps from amazon anyways because it's not BlackBerry's native app store and the apps don't work fully all the time. The runtime is getting better but if you are downloading android apps on a blackberry you are crippling your business' productivity and resources. No IT department (except for maybe small business' and enthusiasts) will look on crackberry and download google play on everyone's phone.

Some business' aren't even allowing you to use your BlackBerry for BYOD because it doesn't have the apps the business requires, natively.

Ironic, that some business' don't allow you to use a business specific phone, eh? It's just the type of world we live in now. BlackBerry seems to be stuck in 2007 when there were barely any apps. (AKA sending all "consumer" devs to the amazon store disaster)

I do find the whole banking apps thing a bit odd on WinStore too. Big name banks just pulled from it recently. My bank is on it personally (RBC) and it's much more useful then the HTML5 port that is on BB10. I am curious what security apps you use that is native on BB10 and not on WP though?

Honeywell ..I do not think it is on the windows phone. Right now using it to just monitor heating.

Posted via CB10

[anon(5818411)]

Honeywell ..I do not think it is on the windows phone. Right now using it to just monitor heating.

Posted via CB10

You are right but there are 3rd party apps for it http://www.windowsphone.com/en-ca/st...ch?q=honeywell

3rd party app support is pretty good on WP if there is an app they are missing with an openish APIS there most certainly will be an app for it.

Typing honeywell, nest and thermostat get you no results in bbworld.

Posted via CB10

[blackmoe]

I am pretty sure I'm getting an Olio smartwatch http://www.oliodevices.com this summer and if the Android app doesn't work on my Z30 then I'm going to rethink my platform choice. If the phone doesn't do what I need then it makes sense to find one that does. If BBRY needs to do any fixing on their Bluetooth LE and 4.0 then I hope they get it done soon.

[BigAl_BB9900]

That was 2013 and by the end of 2014 is already all different
FBI concerned about Apple, Google encryption - CNN.com

Btw that does not explain why the FBI now uses the Silent Circle end to end encryption ios app instead of Blackberrys phones

Interesting.....

....but as far as I am aware, only BlackBerry still has (the full banana) FIPS 140-2 certifications, and the equivalent for NATO, and lots of governments. Has this changed?

[lnichols]

I thought PlayBook Android runtime came well after PlayBook was released and it had huge app problem?

Posted via CB10

It came way after, but was announced before it was released. Typical BlackBerry speedy development and they didn't have the carrier excuse with the PlayBook. Plenty of things announced for the PlayBook never materialized so I guess we should be grateful the runtime even made it.

Posted via CB10

[Blacklatino]

Wow, everyone has an opinion. Blackberries are not selling because - with a few exception along with this site, no one wants to buy or sell BlackBerries........meaning consumers and carriers. My statement has nothing to do with the current and past CEO. It's unfortunate, but, after the Z30, the next BlackBerry I get should be a step up and not backwards. As far as Chens' priorities / attempt to take BlackBerry back to it's beginnings, I applaud him. For other decisions........history repeats itself.

Sent from my Z30 using Tapatalk

[CharlieV]

App usage is case by case. My phone is for communication and while I have every app on my Passport (or at least a functional equivalent) that I had on my Samsung Note 3 I can see that people want to do everything, even control their thermostats or whatnot, from the phones. To those people, BlackBerry is an epic fail.

But I think the pendulum swings. Most people work from computers and tablets, too, and no sane person uses a Playbook only. When security becomes a more prevalent concern and people want to able to type like humans on their phones BlackBerry will be back... if it lasts that long.

Posted via CB 10 on my Passport SQW100-1 sporting 10.3.1.2582

[lnichols]

When security becomes a more prevalent concern and people want to able to type like humans on their phones BlackBerry will be back... if it lasts that long.

Hmmm. Every time I see portrayals of the future in movie and sci-fi I don't see keyboards all over place or on any portable devices. I don't see more buttons in cars and other daily things I use, I see less. Most people are not writing books and dissertations on their smartphones and VKB on a touch screen meet 99% of the smartphones markets needs. BlackBerry is catering to the dying PKB niche with stuttering keyboards so enjoy, but don't think that some day mass amounts of people are going to want to give up valuable screen real estate, to replace with a fixed set of buttons again.

Posted via CB10

[MarsupilamiX]

Hmmm. Every time I see portrayals of the future in movie and sci-fi I don't see keyboards all over place or on any portable devices. I don't see more buttons in cars and other daily things I use, I see less. Most people are not writing books and dissertations on their smartphones and VKB on a touch screen meet 99% of the smartphones markets needs. BlackBerry is catering to the dying PKB niche with stuttering keyboards so enjoy, but don't think that some day mass amounts of people are going to want to give up valuable screen real estate, to replace with a fixed set of buttons again.

Posted via CB10

I want a slider

[birdman_38]

I want a slider

[MarsupilamiX]

Damn, you got some nice insider info here.
Can you show me a pic with the slider being open?
Since you got that close to it...
Any ideas about the specs?

[birdman_38]

Since you got that close to it...
Any ideas about the specs?

It's metal. And it slides.

[KR2013]

I see two reasons BlackBerry devices are not attracting the masses. The main reason is the apps. There is no denying that BlackBerry has a bad reputation in that area. The first reaction I get when I try to show off my BlackBerry to my friends and colleagues is "but, it doesn't have any apps". The Android runtime may have narrowed the app gap, but hasn't been enough to overcome people's concerns. And, let me tell you, some BB fans may be into side loading, but the majority of people are not (my guess is not even amongst the BB fans).

The other reason is the devices themselves. For one thing, I believe PKB is dead to the outside world, and even Enterprises. I do like them myself, but nobody around me does. I have been successful converting a few people to BB10 from Apple/Android, but only with Z10 or Z30. People's reaction to the Q10 and Classic has been extremely cold. As for the enterprises, our large company is still on BBOS7 (or older?). So, you still see bunch of people carrying legacy BB PKB devices, but majority also carry a second full touch phone (other brands). These people seem to be stuck with PKB not because of their love for the device, but because that's what their company forces them to use. So, I am one of those who thinks that Enterprises may also be more interested in the full touch devices.

Talking about devices, I also believe BlackBerry has a unique weakness. When a competitor releases a new flagship, the majority of its fans would want to upgrade if they could afford it. That doesn't seem to be the case with BlackBerry. Half of the time it is hard to tell whether the device is a flagship since there are not much improvements in the specs. Even in the case of an apparent flagship (Passport), the form factor is a turn off to even some of the hard core BlackBerry fans. I believe the division amongst the BlackBerry fans regarding which style is better (PKB, full touch, slider, ...), also makes them not buy a newly-released device because of the hope that their favorite device will be released later!

If BlackBerry can not please and unite its own fans with their flagship devices, how are they going to excite the outside world, considering its app situation?

[ADGrant]

The Z10 remains the best selling BlackBerry 10 device of all time.

Still, you're right in the fact that most people will have moved on by this spring with no Z10 successor or this fall with no Z30 successor.

Even if that is true, being the best selling BB 10 device is not that impressive when you consider how few BB10 devices have sold.

[ADGrant]

Why do people think BlackBerry PKB devices will sell? Why would someone abandon the phones you mention for a Passport or Classic or Slider? Those devices you mentioned have made people in business and Government want that form factor their business and Government issued devices. They have shown that PKB is no longer necessary to pound out the quick communications that would comprise 99% of the messages sent from a phone. Once the iPhone and high end Android devices became popular, BlackBerry was really only selling PKB devices in low end, data plan price sensitive markets. It had nothing to do with the PKB, and everything do to the best option for those markets. As soon as cheap Androids flooded these markets and data plans came down they too abandoned BlackBerry showing the PKB was not what got them on the phone and wasn't enough to keep them.

So how will sticking with a differentiator that has been shown to be a differentiator that won't keep people on or bring them back to the platform, be a solid strategy for hardware?

Posted via CB10

BB10 as a consumer smartphone platform is pretty much dead at this point so what the enterprise wants is the question. I am not sure why I would need a corporate BB to be a full screen device if my personal device is already full screen and the corporate device is locked down to prevent third party apps being installed. OTOH a PKB might help in ensuring work emails aren't full of typos.

[Elephant_Canyon]

It's metal. And it slides.

Is it motorized? I want to do some cool timelapses.

[ALLYSON1989]

How about a samsung dual os bb10 and android. Best of both worlds. I know the Qnx base os can run both os at same time but they need to make a deal with Google to do this.

Posted via CB10

[CharlieV]

Hmmm. Every time I see portrayals of the future in movie and sci-fi I don't see keyboards all over place or on any portable devices. I don't see more buttons in cars and other daily things I use, I see less. Most people are not writing books and dissertations on their smartphones and VKB on a touch screen meet 99% of the smartphones markets needs. BlackBerry is catering to the dying PKB niche with stuttering keyboards so enjoy, but don't think that some day mass amounts of people are going to want to give up valuable screen real estate, to replace with a fixed set of buttons again.

Posted via CB10

You may be right. But my experience is that I rely on my phone more and more for work emails, texting, and other text communications and that was a principle reason why I switched from Android to BlackBerry�. Even using a paid, excellent keyboard (swiftkey) I found that my typing was sometimes embarrassingly inaccurate and that I was opting to use smaller words to avoid having to make corrections.

When I bought my Passport I set it next to my Note 3, which is a large phone. And in the normal view (keyboard up) I had more screen to look at on the Passport.

Posted via CB 10 on my Passport SQW100-1 sporting 10.3.1.2582

[TgeekB]

I want a slider

Selfish! LOL.

Be classically hip with the BlackBerry Classic

[RubberChicken76]

BlackBerry is catering to the dying PKB niche with stuttering keyboards so enjoy, but don't think that some day mass amounts of people are going to want to give up valuable screen real estate, to replace with a fixed set of buttons again.

I buy this. But let me ask you: Should BlackBerry specifically, completely abandon any and all efforts to making physical keyboard devices and only do touchscreens?

I'm inclined to think they can't. Even if 99% of the smartphone population is on a touchscreen, 99% of BlackBerry users are not. I think too much of their personal business is tied to physical keyboards to just "get out of it".

Agree, they need a new touch screen model, if only to upgrade the Z10s out there.

even using a paid, excellent keyboard (swiftkey) I found that my typing was sometimes embarrassingly inaccurate and that I was opting to use smaller words to avoid having to make corrections.

This is how I view the physical keyboard as well. I've been on all touchscreens now since mid 2012. I'm infinitely better at typing on them now than I was then. The keyboards have gotten much better too. But I find I make a lot more mistakes on a virtual keyboard and it just doesn't feel as comfortable typing on glass for me. No doubt many feel differently, but it's my preference.

I'd go for a slider too. I liked the concept of the Torch (and Palm Pre) but didn't find either were executed well. The Pre felt cheap to me and I HATED the Torch keyboard.

I do believe it's in BlackBerry's core competency to figure out a good, solid slider though.

[lnichols]

You may be right. But my experience is that I rely on my phone more and more for work emails, texting, and other text communications and that was a principle reason why I switched from Android to BlackBerry�. Even using a paid, excellent keyboard (swiftkey) I found that my typing was sometimes embarrassingly inaccurate and that I was opting to use smaller words to avoid having to make corrections.

When I bought my Passport I set it next to my Note 3, which is a large phone. And in the normal view (keyboard up) I had more screen to look at on the Passport.

Posted via CB 10 on my Passport SQW100-1 sporting 10.3.1.2582

My BlackBerry virtual keyboard is great. I was a PKB fanatic until my Z10. Now with the wider Z30 the VKB experience is even better. Best of all I never have to work about keys stuttering or failing all together. I don't want to go back to PKB device, and BlackBerry has me liking their BB10 OS. So where does that leave me, and the other Z users, who made up the most BB10 sales to this point?

Posted via CB10

[Bbnivende]

My BlackBerry virtual keyboard is great. I was a PKB fanatic until my Z10. Now with the wider Z30 the VKB experience is even better. Best of all I never have to work about keys stuttering or failing all together. I don't want to go back to PKB device, and BlackBerry has me liking their BB10 OS. So where does that leave me, and the other Z users, who made up the most BB10 sales to this point?

Posted via CB10

The plan seems to be to satisfy Enterprise fleet customers & the prepaid market with the Leap before returning to the consumer market with an all touch. What I do not understand is why they could not have come out with two versions of the Leap at the same time. A Leap and a Leap plus. The time is now for BlackBerry and FoxConn has the expertise.

My hope for BlackBerry Enterprise is that Android ( Google Play At Work) apps can be assigned to BlackBerry devices where the Enterprise uses BES12. BlackBerry