Former Android users, how are you enjoying your Blackberry?

So I'll start by saying that I'm a huge physical keyboard guy (Treo 650, 755p, Curve 8830, Nokia e73, Palm Pre, etc.) I gave the Passport a try about six months ago but ended up returning it ( I found myself side loading so many Android apps that I started to wonder why I had jumped ship from Android in the first place)

I'm getting that itch again to purchase a Passport, but I'm also willing to wait it out for that Blackberry slider and even if it's not running Android, I'm still willing to give it a try.

My question is to some of those users that enjoyed the Android experience and eventually made the jump to Blackberry, how are you guys holding up?

My biggest issue is the lack of widgets, I love widgets on my Android device, I have an entire calendar basically telling me what I have planned and also an agenda widget, which helps me alot. Here's what some of my home screens look like.

Attachment 359922Attachment 359924

I love physical keys but I just feel that I'd be missing some of the features that are great on Android. I understand Blackberry OS is more secure, along with a few other things but, I would just like to hear some honest feedback from Android users.

I might even consider switching back and forth from a Note 4 and a Passport/Classic.

Stick with android. That's where you at.

You won't get what you want on BlackBerry. Us BlackBerry users tap the calendar app or get a notification to let us know where we're supposed to be.

Passport SQW 100-1 OS 10.3.2.2204

Originally Posted by MO3iusONE

My biggest issue is the lack of widgets, I love widgets on my Android device, I have an entire calendar basically telling me what I have planned and also an agenda widget, which helps me alot. Here's what some of my home screens look like.

Blackberry isn't your place, we love to tap icon to get information and don't want any widgets messing around in the home screen (although it helps a lot for being productive).

I use my S6 edge as a very expensive 'digi-cam' now.
Though it mainly for multimedia anyway and I could not bring myself to buy an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus.

BlackBerry Classic, Passport and Z30 :).

For the calendar widget you mentioned, you can keep the calendar open as a active frame in BlackBerry 10, so that you get some basic info available and also be able to open the calendar when you need it.

Ever since I switched to BlackBerry, I am actually opposed of flipping through multiple home screens since I think it is a waste of time instead of going to where you want to be as soon as possible. And with the widgets, you have to have multiple home screens.



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Originally Posted by skstrials

For the calendar widget you mentioned, you can keep the calendar open as a active frame in BlackBerry 10, so that you get some basic info available and also be able to open the calendar when you need it.

Ever since I switched to BlackBerry, I am actually opposed of flipping through multiple home screens since I think it is a waste of time instead of going to where you want to be as soon as possible. And with the widgets, you have to have multiple home screens.



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That's some good points. My biggest issues with the passport.. Or bb os was that all my aps where there on screen. I like how android has the app drawer which holds all your apps then you can just put the apps you use the most on the home screen.

I'm still a little torn though and to be honest I feel like I didn't give the passport enough time. I had it for a week then returned it for the note 4.

I think I'll wait to see what this new slider is a out then go from there [emoji1]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by MO3iusONE

That's some good points. My biggest issues with the passport.. Or bb os was that all my aps where there on screen. I like how android has the app drawer which holds all your apps then you can just put the apps you use the most on the home screen.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

Did you know you can create application folders to put all the applications you think go together in one place?

Z10STL100-3/10.3.2.798 SR 10.3.2.516

I had about every Android Flagship and switched to a Q10 and then to the Classic while trying the HTC One, Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact and other phones. My opinion about Android has changed DRASTICALLY: A phone should not run Android as OS.

For example: Android is lacking core features like a stock QR scanning app. And with the "there's an app for everything"-mentality everyone downloads a QR App from the Play Store. My favourite QR app is collecting geolocation, scanning, and other data and shares them with other companies. Thats a typical example of core apps that are collecting personal data an no one knows / cares. BlackBerry has a built in, full featured QR App that can even write NFC Tags and has a ton of features. Built in, Stock, without spying.

Then there are the Google Apps which you have to manually opt out from data sharing. Hangouts, Youtube, hell even the Google Keyboard has that option turned ON by default! It's getting worse when it comes to third party apps and games.

So my first tasks I did was to root the phones, install AdAway, and App Ops to restrict apps permissions. But even after doing that I don't trust Google, Android and those third party app developers anymore.

Now for the positive things regarding usability:
I have Exchange Active Sync, Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp set up and push notifications work best compared to Android while beeing very ressource friendly. My Blackberry is even 10 seconds faster getting emails than Outlook on my PC.

For Youtube I use FastTube and while Android, even with AdAway shows Ads, this one doesn't. And on Android I really missed background playback, which is great with FastTube.

I love the camera of the classic, I can easily take photos one handed, and even taking selfies when drunk is a safe and easy task.

The list goes on and on, my Classic is perfect for messaging, mailing AND media consumption.

For all things Android, I use a tablet but don't set up any Accounts like Facebook, Email or anything.

Originally Posted by Ulferini Schusterotti

I had about every Android Flagship and switched to a Q10 and then to the Classic while trying the HTC One, Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact and other phones. My opinion about Android has changed DRASTICALLY: A phone should not run Android as OS.

For example: Android is lacking core features like a stock QR scanning app. And with the "there's an app for everything"-mentality everyone downloads a QR App from the Play Store. My favourite QR app is collecting geolocation, scanning, and other data and shares them with other companies. Thats a typical example of core apps that are collecting personal data an no one knows / cares. BlackBerry has a built in, full featured QR App that can even write NFC Tags and has a ton of features. Built in, Stock, without spying.

Then there are the Google Apps which you have to manually opt out from data sharing. Hangouts, Youtube, hell even the Google Keyboard has that option turned ON by default! It's getting worse when it comes to third party apps and games.

So my first tasks I did was to root the phones, install AdAway, and App Ops to restrict apps permissions. But even after doing that I don't trust Google, Android and those third party app developers anymore.

Now for the positive things regarding usability:
I have Exchange Active Sync, Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp set up and push notifications work best compared to Android while beeing very ressource friendly. My Blackberry is even 10 seconds faster getting emails than Outlook on my PC.

For Youtube I use FastTube and while Android, even with AdAway shows Ads, this one doesn't. And on Android I really missed background playback, which is great with FastTube.

I love the camera of the classic, I can easily take photos one handed, and even taking selfies when drunk is a safe and easy task.

The list goes on and on, my Classic is perfect for Messaging, Mailing AND media consumption.

For all things Android, I use a tablet but don't set up any Accounts like Facebook, Email or anything.

Hey thanks for your 2 cents on this. I'm very tempted to pick up a classic since they're pretty cheap off Amazon. I'm just worried it might not run android apps as smoothly as the passport

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

You shouldn't expect that. I use very few Android apps but no games or Material Design ones. Those are definetly lagging a bit.

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I'm happy I've left Android. Blackberry is amazing, it's a whole different experience as Android. And I love it.

Well I "enjoyed" Android so much that I left it. I'm not that type of user who uses widgets a lot. Still I'm quite happy about the ability to leave apps opened on my home screen and see my upcoming appointments and tasks. This is convenient...

For Blackberry user, we don't have to go to calendar app to find out what the schedules for today or tomorrow, we just swipe the screen to peek into the HUB, that's it.

I would also add that the universal search is great in BlackBerry 10. Instead of worrying which panel your apps are on, just start typing the name and click to launch. The calendar for upcoming events in just a swipe down away in the hub as well. I imagine it is all about preferences and habits. If you give it enough time you might find that you like it.

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Blackberry os10 is the far more superior os,having saying this, I do miss being able to root,rom,theme,etc...Bottom line if you like to tinker with your phone stick with android or get both!

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The calendar agenda for the day is one swipe down when you are in the hub.

You HAVE to use BB10 different way than Android and you will actually see that it is more efficient. I Cary both a Q10 and Moto X 2013 with Lollipop.

The Q10 is much better for business. For example, I receive a new invite, and if I am in the hub, without opening it, I can swipe up to see my schedule for the day.

Also, your home screen is your multitasking view (recent apps as they call it since Android doesn't have real open apps taskbar) and you arrange it the way you want. No endless scrolling through apps.

Mobile phone with buttons is like sex without condom! Metaphor a side, most tasks are one hold away.

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One advise though - everything other than Passport will introduce extra lag and less speed, so don't buy.

I my self wish I had 3gb ram and faster CPU but Passport size isn't for me (or my shirt pocket to be exact).

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I love my all touch z30. Bb10 is my first experience with BlackBerry, and coming from android, it's a breath of fresh air. Can you believe I typed all of this without a single mistake? Never would have happened with a Droid. Bb10 is unbeatable in my opinion.

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Originally Posted by djsvetljo

One advise though - everything other than Passport will introduce extra lag and less speed, so don't buy.

I my self wish I had 3gb ram and faster CPU but Passport size isn't for me (or my shirt pocket to be exact).

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Yeah I really loved the passport but trying to use it one handed was nearly impossible

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I am on BlackBerry Z3 for last 5-6 months. Before this, I was on an Android device.

I love being on BlackBerry OS, but really miss application availability & updates. Apart from that aspect, BlackBerry 10 devices are far better than an Android device. I love my Z3's solid built, stability of OS, less resource hungry system, overall good integration of hardware & software.

In future, I intend to stick to a BlackBerry Device even if they stop BlackBerry OS 10.

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Originally Posted by MO3iusONE

That's some good points. My biggest issues with the passport.. Or bb os was that all my aps where there on screen. I like how android has the app drawer which holds all your apps then you can just put the apps you use the most on the home screen.

I'm still a little torn though and to be honest I feel like I didn't give the passport enough time. I had it for a week then returned it for the note 4.

I think I'll wait to see what this new slider is a out then go from there [emoji1]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

I frequently move the apps I use the most to the first page of my app list, which is sort of like the Android UI. However, with the Passport, Classic, or Q10, it'd be much more efficient just to start typing the name of the app you want from the homescreen. It usually takes only one or two characters and I'm in. If, for instance, I want Facebook, I type f and I'm presented with the option of entering that app or directly posting a status update without ever having to enter the app.

You can engage with other devices like iOS/Android like this, but you usually have to tell it to start spotlight or search or something and if you have to do that, you might as well just go directly to the app. But, on BlackBerry, this allows you to keep your hands on the keyboard. You just start typing what you want and it's there. That's one of the advantages of having an always-on keyboard.

I think one of the design mistakes from BB10 was that they kind of compromised the goal of ending the "in out paradigm" to make sure people could use the devices like Android/iOS devices... and unfortunately, many people use their BB10 devices exactly like a more old fashioned UI experience -- Android/iOS/BBOS. That's true in so many ways from app selection, etc. Most people use BB10 like a wannabe Android and that's sad.

In terms of calendar widgets, I never really used widgets on my Samsung S3 because the screen was too small for them to be really useful. I imagine that would be much better on a Note or other phablet.

On BB10, I either access calendar entries or views from instant actions / search as I mentioned above OR I swipe down in the hub and see all my upcoming appointments. I'm almost always in the hub anyway and why leave it in order to check out a standalone calendar app or widget if I'm just going to return to the hub again. (I do leave the hub to actually edit and enter Calendar info on the phone, but that's more rare than it sounds because I use Blend or Google Apps calendar for that on the desktop. So does my assistant. My MBP and her PC have an even better keyboard for lots of typing than the Passport..)

Anyway, I loved the performance of my old Android phone, but it didn't compete with my productivity under BB10. On the other hand, if I merely used BB10 with all the UI conventions of Android and didn't learn things the BlackBerry way, I suppose Android would be tempting. There are many more clumsy things about Android, but I suppose I could get used to it and get fast. I think iOS is far superior though, now... If BlackBerry went Android, I'd go iOS.

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I miss the root privilege of my old android in BlackBerry.

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Sure. Calendar widget, google voice, google keep notes.

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Hmm, I just create folders for my apps so I have a tidy home screen
Attachment 361544

See how easy it is to create an "Android" landscape with BBOS10!

Z10STL100-2/10.3.2.840

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