[wbalogh]

Hello crackberrians,

I hope I put this thread in the right place. I don't have any experience with the android bb appsuite and my current task is to set up a work phone for a family member. It's not for a company, he owns his business, so I need to set up an environment for his own productivity. Other than calls and text messages, he uses Gmail, Microsoft office, google maps, and takes a lot of pictures (work related, he's a beekeeper )
I wanted to install blackberry keyboard from the playstore for starters, but couldn't find it on its own. Next would have been the hub, and after that a suitable backup solution.
My questions are: do you recommend installing the hub on a samsung device? What solution would you use for backups? Is the factory samsung one any good? Is there anything I need to pay attantion for?
I try to turn off every samsung and other preinstalled apps he will not need. any suggestions?

Thank you very much!

Posted via CB10

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I'm not too sure about setting up something for someone else... I find that if they can't do it themselves, it's better to keep it simple. And sadly installing and maintaining BlackBerry Apps isn't simple...

I have a Samsung... you can't turn off the core apps that HUB duplicates. That might cause your user some issue if they are clear on which Contacts App is which, which Calendar is which.....

The Keyboard has to be manually installed or as part of Cobalt's BlackBerry manager... but last time I used it, the phone was always wanting me to reconfirm what keyboard to use. It was just simpler to uninstall it.

If he was a BB10 users and he is ok fiddling with things, go for it.

[wbalogh]

No, he is not a bb10 user and he cannot do it on his own. Thank you for the answer tho, I won't set up the bb appsuit, I'll try to work with what the phone already has.

Posted via CB10

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

No, he is not a bb10 user and he cannot do it on his own. Thank you for the answer tho, I won't set up the bb appsuit, I'll try to work with what the phone already has.

Posted via CB10

Do you have the suite installed on a non BlackBerry? I'd just suggest you look at it first (over a few weeks) and see if you think he'd be able to function with it.

[wbalogh]

I don't and I have never used the bb appsuite on anything. I'm a bb10 user, so I have no experience with android bb software. I merely looked at it a couple of times on key devices belonging to friends.

Posted via CB10

[anon(10562251)]

And sadly installing and maintaining BlackBerry Apps isn't simple...

I have a Samsung... you can't turn off the core apps that HUB duplicates. That might cause your user some issue if they are clear on which Contacts App is which, which Calendar is which.....

The Keyboard has to be manually installed or as part of Cobalt's BlackBerry manager... but last time I used it, the phone was always wanting me to reconfirm what keyboard to use. It was just simpler to uninstall it.

None of the above.

It's easy, it works great, and there are no conflicts with any Samsung apps. Including the BlackBerry keyboard via Cobalt. And the system never asks me to confirm which keyboard I'm using.

I'm currently set up on an S10+ with no issues. Only wish is the BlackBerry Launcher wasn't so ancient or I would be using that as well.

BlackBerry developers also test their apps on Samsung (confirmed here by @LiamQ) which is another bonus IMO. Next best thing to a BlackBerry slab.

[joeldf]

I'm running most of the Hub+ Suite apps and the BlackBerry keyboard on a Galaxy S9 with Android Pie, and have no problems. Been running them since getting an S8 back in September of 2017.

I love the keyboard. Coming from a Z10, it felt like home when I installed after trying to live with the stock Samsung keyboard for about all of about 3 days.

[Vince Liew]

None of the above.

It's easy, it works great, and there are no conflicts with any Samsung apps. Including the BlackBerry keyboard via Cobalt. And the system never asks me to confirm which keyboard I'm using.

I'm currently set up on an S10+ with no issues. Only wish is the BlackBerry Launcher wasn't so ancient or I would be using that as well.

BlackBerry developers also test their apps on Samsung (confirmed here by @LiamQ) which is another bonus IMO. Next best thing to a BlackBerry slab.

how do we install the blackberry keyboard via cobalt?

[Ben xfg]

how do we install the blackberry keyboard via cobalt?

From here.

https://cobalt232.github.io/blackberrymanager/

Posted via CB10

[chain13]

I used hub once, but double notification is simply impractical for me and I ended up using it as email only inbox. But I don't use it anymore because it needs blackberry services running in the background all the time that drains my battery a lot.

So I just move to other outlook mail app with built in calendar in it. For anything else, I'm pretty much covered by microsoft (for mobile office apps), google apps (for browsing and navigating), and some other 3rd parties (for mobile payment and banking).

[joeldf]

I never got double notifications, and don't know how that would happen if no other email app is used.

The stock calendar app still picks up all accounts created (since they all tie into the built-in AOSP calendar storage), but turn off all notifications from the stock Samsung calendar app and everything's fine.

[chain13]

I never got double notifications, and don't know how that would happen if no other email app is used.

The stock calendar app still picks up all accounts created (since they all tie into the built-in AOSP calendar storage), but turn off all notifications from the stock Samsung calendar app and everything's fine.

I got double notifications from whatsapp, twitter, sms, and some socials I linked into the hub. That's why I just used it for email that time. I log in all my mail accounts (including work mails) into samsung calendar so it shows all my date life and work plans. But in outlook I only log in my work mails so the built-in calendar will only show me work related plans, just to make it clean and less distractive.

How is hub services impacting your battery life? Last time I used it, it was really battery hog. Downside, it needs hub services to run entire suite apps even if I only use one app (only hub). That's second reason why I moved entirely to 3rd party independent apps separately that doesn't need specific service runs in the background just to make the apps run perfectly.

[joeldf]

I got double notifications from whatsapp, twitter, sms, and some socials I linked into the hub. That's why I just used it for email that time. I log in all my mail accounts (including work mails) into samsung calendar so it shows all my date life and work plans. But in outlook I only log in my work mails so the built-in calendar will only show me work related plans, just to make it clean and less distractive.

How is hub services impacting your battery life? Last time I used it, it was really battery hog. Downside, it needs hub services to run entire suite apps even if I only use one app (only hub). That's second reason why I moved entirely to 3rd party independent apps separately that doesn't need specific service runs in the background just to make the apps run perfectly.

Ahh. I don't use Twitter or Whatsapp. For SMS, I use Textra, and that seems to play well with the Inbox in that the notification comes just from Textra. LinkedIn seems to notify just from that app too even though it also shows in the Inbox, except for the accompanying email notification from my home account, but that's just the usual envelope notification.

Both home and work email is in the Hub, and only the BlackBerry calendar is actively notifying me of things.

I will say that Samsung's email and calendar apps look better, but I couldn't set account colors of email accounts (or at least back when I first used the S8, I couldn't), it picked them for me. Also, I like to see my sent items in the main list without having to navigate my way to the sent folder. No other email app does that from my time trying several other client apps, including Outlook.

The Hub Services have never been a big drain on my battery. Looking at battery usage over a period of a week, and the Inbox is 6th down on the list at 17%. Heck, the CB Forum app is 3rd at 39%. BlackBerry Hub Services is way down at 14 on the list with just 7%. Firefox, and the Nova Launcher are bigger drains than any BlackBerry App.

Looking at daily use, and the Hub Services is regularly around 0.1%.

I'll get between 20 to 24 hours on a charge, and I'm always on the phone doing something. When I get home, my 10-year-old likes to play with the Samsung Notes app (because he can draw things with it) and time things with the clock app - don't ask... it's a thing with him. I don't mind.

[anon(10562251)]

I got double notifications from whatsapp, twitter, sms, and some socials I linked into the hub. That's why I just used it for email that time. I log in all my mail accounts (including work mails) into samsung calendar so it shows all my date life and work plans. But in outlook I only log in my work mails so the built-in calendar will only show me work related plans, just to make it clean and less distractive.

How is hub services impacting your battery life? Last time I used it, it was really battery hog. Downside, it needs hub services to run entire suite apps even if I only use one app (only hub). That's second reason why I moved entirely to 3rd party independent apps separately that doesn't need specific service runs in the background just to make the apps run perfectly.

You probably know this, but you can easily remove accounts from the Hub if you don't want notifications duplicated in the Hub Inbox.

I've never had an issue syncing to the calendar. That happens automatically when you receive and accept meeting notifications. Doesn't matter which calendar or email app you are using. Samsung has all its own apps for these things so as long as you don't mess with those and let them run on their own (turn notifications off of course), you shouldn't have any problems.

In terms of battery life, I've never noticed an excessive impact versus any of the other apps I use regularly.

[dakota403]

I set up my wife's S7 and now S9 with the Blackberry suit of apps and she is very happy with it. If you cannot disable the preinstalled apps, then delete the icon or hide it in a unused folder if it does allow you to delete it.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I set up my wife's S7 and now S9 with the Blackberry suit of apps and she is very happy with it. If you cannot disable the preinstalled apps, then delete the icon or hide it in a unused folder if it does allow you to delete it.

You can hide things on the "desktops" but not in the app drawer. I was a lot more successful with HUB Suite on my Moto Phone that allowed me to uninstall or disable all duplicate applications. But with Samsung it was an issue for a number of reason... I ended up just using HUB, Keyboard and Password Keeper for a long time. But then HUB started acting up last year and emails were too importation to deal with the bugginess of the HUB at that point.

[saxxman]

My experience with the suite on my S9+ has been very positive... Also downloaded from Cobalt.

[Naziem13]

is BlackBerry password keeper also available in de suite?

[joeldf]

is BlackBerry password keeper also available in de suite?

It's available, but I don't use it.

[gallouly]

Guys: I have a question for those who are using BB suite or any of the BB android apps on a Samsung or any other Android device : Is there a downgrade in the phone performance (speed) or do these apps take up much Ram and make the phone less responsive than before using these BB apps???
cause I am in the process of migrating from Priv to an A71 and read that BB apps downgrades the phone performance when installed on phones other than BB phones..
Thanks..

[joeldf]

Guys: I have a question for those who are using BB suite or any of the BB android apps on a Samsung or any other Android device : Is there a downgrade in the phone performance (speed) or do these apps take up much Ram and make the phone less responsive than before using these BB apps???
cause I am in the process of migrating from Priv to an A71 and read that BB apps downgrades the phone performance when installed on phones other than BB phones..
Thanks..

I'm using the apps on an S9, and it's had no affect on performance of the phone itself. It barely registers battery usage (averaging at the most over time about 2%, usually less) and i don't have any special settings to reduce battery or data, nor do i have that setting turned on to ensure faster email retrieval. It's always received emails even quicker than my PC at work or home does.

I have two Exchange accounts syncing - my personal outlook.com account, and work Office365 account.

Although, I don't know how an S9 compares to an A71 under normal regular use.

[gallouly]

I'm using the apps on an S9, and it's had no affect on performance of the phone itself. It barely registers battery usage (averaging at the most over time about 2%, usually less) and i don't have any special settings to reduce battery or data, nor do i have that setting turned on to ensure faster email retrieval. It's always received emails even quicker than my PC at work or home does.

I have two Exchange accounts syncing - my personal outlook.com account, and work Office365 account.

Although, I don't know how an S9 compares to an A71 under normal regular use.

Thank you very much for your feedback. Did you download from Google store or from Cobalt?? And lastly, have you felt that this had a drag on phone's speed or responsiveness other than the battery?? Thanks again..

[joeldf]

Thank you very much for your feedback. Did you download from Google store or from Cobalt?? And lastly, have you felt that this had a drag on phone's speed or responsiveness other than the battery?? Thanks again..

No drag at all on anything - speed, responsiveness or otherwise. I did get the apps from Cobalt. I use the keyboard too. I tried the stock Samsung keyboard when I first switched from my Z10 getting the S8. But i just couldn't deal.

[gallouly]

No drag at all on anything - speed, responsiveness or otherwise. I did get the apps from Cobalt. I use the keyboard too. I tried the stock Samsung keyboard when I first switched from my Z10 getting the S8. But i just couldn't deal.

Great... thanks fellow blackberrian.. Appreciated..

[RKSSDBB]

I hope you buy the BlackBerry apps from the Google store and get the keyboard from Cobalt. They are not very expensive and hopefully a purchase will provide a bit of income to encourage BlackBerry to keep updating them.