[drfever]

Every new app these days seems to be an Android Port of a previous BlackBerry native build.

No longer able to buy music or movies natively anymore, fewer and fewer native apps, Android ports that in many cases are bug filled or lack full functionality.

I'm giving 10.3 the benefit of the doubt. If at the very least Android Apps aren't fully functional (work like their supposed to, notify if they are supposed to etc) then I'm gone.

Waited for 10 years for BlackBerry to finally catch up. They did with BlackBerry 10 but haven't marketed it for shi t.

Half the world still doesn't know you can run Android on these devices.

No more side loading please. No more workarounds that take me 30 min so that something that should work on installation actually works. No more Android ports stripped of the many features that used to be in the native app.

The Government can spy on me all they want (haha) if you really believe all that tin foil hat conspiracy stuff (applications permissions are needed for the apps to work not because big brother wants to turn on your front camera while you are taking a shower) ... if 10.3 isn't the "deal" I'm gone. after 10 years, I am out to Android and at least be happy knowing an app works the way it should and I won't have to first run home to side load something.

The Passport is being pumped up as being this great device. Let's all be honest. It's ugly. At least I think it's ugly. I want to watch HD on something that at least replicates 16:9.

Give me an update to the Z30, the best phone I have ever used but flawed by the aforementioned issues with the software end of things. BlackBerry still haven't fixed their horrible contacts app and I still can't do a simple sync with my outlook calendar (no wonder legacy devices outselling BlackBerry 10)

Anyways I had a real bad day with my device and I'm sorry I had to rant away. It's not like me. I've been a huge BlackBerry supporter to a fault for a decade but enough is enough. Not everything BlackBerry does is great. Too many people are used to applauding mediocrity.

Everything I want to work right seems to start with "plug in device, switch to developer mode etc".

Come on. A keypad that spell checks and replaces a correctly spelled word??? Lol

Again, sorry. 10.3 better be the bomb or I'm afraid it's bye bye for me.

Cheers

Posted from my Z30 on CB10

[gebco]

I've also been a huge BB supporter, but I'm sharing some of your pessimism lately. The Amazon app store, although with more choice than BBWorld, is still a step behind GPlay. My teenage boy for example has an S4 and wanted me to play a multiplayer game (Worms 3) with him; only Worms 2 is available in Amazon. This is an example of why young people who want the latest apps may not choose BB; my son certainly won't. Now we have no native way of getting movies and music. What do I tell friends who might be interested in BB? There's a workaround? Something is coming? Something is always coming with BB.
Don't get me wrong, I love my Z30, and the Q5, Q10 and Z10 in my family, and even my old Storm 2. The Z30 meets my needs and I have a couple of years before I change phones. I held out real hope for the future of BB10 but things don't look great on the consumer side right now. My hope is that there is significant improvement for the consumer side of things.

[Thunderbuck]

I can't honestly argue with much of what you're saying here. We're pretty much all agreed that native apps provide a better experience than Android apps/ports. No question there.

I likely have the reputation of being BlackBerry's biggest booster on CB by this point, but I hardly agree with all the decisions they've made. They ran themselves into the ground with a hubristic culture, plain and simple. They had a rough time with the Storm (though could have survived), but the PlayBook was a remarkably good device that got marketed as badly as I can imagine. I'm considering doing my MBA using the PlayBook as a case study.

I'm more optimistic than you are about the Passport, of course (letterboxed video will be fine for me), but I'll agree that it's clearly a polarizing device and if it doesn't deliver real, provable usability benefits it will be quickly dismissed as gimmicky and desperate.

The big thing to remember: BlackBerry found themselves having to pivot very quickly when it became clear they wouldn't be able to run legacy BBOS apps on QNX. Had they actually been able to deliver on this, they could have had a backward-compatible QNX phone out in late 2011 or early 2012, and taken another year to work out BB10. I think Heins did a reasonable job of navigating them through that crisis, but clearly his market awareness was wanting. Chen seems to have a better grasp of what BlackBerry needs to do to redeem itself, and I look forward to his next moves.

[jvictor77]

Something IS coming. BlackBerry struck a deal with Amazon. Done deal.

ZZwiped up on my Z10!

[drfever]

Something IS coming. BlackBerry struck a deal with Amazon. Done deal.

ZZwiped up on my Z10!

I said after 10.2 that BlackBerry would be better off just making the hardware and going full out Android OS.

Android will benefit from the far superior back end which I'm sure can be configured to be Android Compatible and give Google entry and probably instant dominance into that space and the front end user will benefit from the vast ANDROID library. It just makes sense.

My beef has never been with BlackBerry hardware just with the exceptionally poor front end.

Posted from my Z30 on CB10

[d3r3k79]

I definitely feel your pain, my friend.

But I recently let my frustration get the best of me and I got myself an S5. Android is by far the worst POS I have ever used. Typing is absolutely horrible, the apps are readily available, but they all work like sh!t. Apps constantly crash or are slow as hell.
The OS itself is an unorganized jumble of crap with no flow or organization. Originally I was so excited and couldn't wait to leave BB10 because of similar gripes.
But beleive me... BB10 is by far the best mobile OS on the market today. I am not a fanboy. I was always very quick to point out BlackBerry shortcomings.

Believe me... the grass is definitely not greener on the other side and I wish I had got a z30 instead of a S5

Posted via CB10

[Thunderbuck]

There's still a chance for BB10. If they move 30 million phones or so, it starts to become a compelling platform for developers.

It's going to take awhile to get there, and in the meantime, yes, we'll need to put up with a lot of Android. But I'd rather that than no BB10 at all...

[gebco]

There's still a chance for BB10. If they move 30 million phones or so, it starts to become a compelling platform for developers.

It's going to take awhile to get there, and in the meantime, yes, we'll need to put up with a lot of Android. But I'd rather that than no BB10 at all...

I hope you're right. And from what I've seen and used, I also prefer BB10, but who knows what iOS, Android and WP have in store? Perhaps they will be closer to our BB10 experience in the next couple of years?

[HabsFan9860]

Something IS coming. BlackBerry struck a deal with Amazon. Done deal.

ZZwiped up on my Z10!

...the Amazon 'deal' is nothing more than a band aid fix, don't kid yourself...had BlackBerry marked the new devices and OS properly from the get go, they likely wouldn't be in the problems of having to take this route...BlackBerry World was finally what it needed to be (I mean by offering all types of media and apps), now stripped of music and video...it's back to the BlackBerry Legacy OS level...and native developers are going to look at this mess and wonder why bother doing a native app if they already have and Android one...or won't bother putting in the extra work when they just have to make one for both markets...it's a chicken sh*t move...plain and simple...I've been a hard-core BlackBerry user for close to a decade...and it makes any other 'whoops' pale in comparison to what this 'whoops' can do...

Posted via CB10

[HabsFan9860]

..i would rather get my tunes from iTunes and convert them to mp3 before giving one cent to Amazon...

Posted via CB10

[saxxman]

..i would rather get my tunes from iTunes and convert them to mp3 before giving one cent to Amazon...

Posted via CB10

I'll continue to get my music files in FLACC format, make mp3 and ALAC copies and manage it all in Media Monkey.

Badass music collection for sure!

Posted with my incredible Z30!

[saxxman]

And I will also wait for Chen to fix things. He seems to have a great vision for what is needed. Stabilize the finances and then put out desirable products. That also gives time for bb10 to mature

Posted with my incredible Z30!

[tdyhedge]

I've got to agree with everyone here. I mean what's up with BlackBerry? Does anybody really know? I've been with them since my 8700c in 2005. I thought BB actually caught up a little by offering music and movies in BlackBerry World. Now it's gone and you're telling me I can load another Android app, or port, to make up for it? Big mistake IMHO.

[drfever]

And I will also wait for Chen to fix things. He seems to have a great vision for what is needed. Stabilize the finances and then put out desirable products. That also gives time for bb10 to mature

Posted with my incredible Z30!

Wasn't Heinz supposed to fix this? Seems like the apps and os we are always waiting for someone to fix this. It's really frustrating.

Posted from my Z30 on CB10

[Dave Bourque]

Wasn't Heinz supposed to fix this? Seems like the apps and os we are always waiting for someone to fix this. It's really frustrating.

Posted from my Z30 on CB10

You don't seem to understand how this works... it takes developer support and not someone to fix this. it takes cooperation to build a platform and many people are involved.... it is not so simple which is why the android runtime is the only short term solution. long term solution is to sell more devices to attract developers to build native apps. There is no other way.

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.3247

[MarteeNL]

I don' underdstand why people want to watch movies on a 16:9 SMARTPHONE screen. Thats stupid. Use a tv for that...

Posted via CB10

[Gearheadaddy]

Good post...I'm getting a little tired too. 16 months in and my Z10 still acts like it it 2007...I'm trying to be patient but....

Crackberry Genius on Verizon STL100-4 10.3.0.296/442

[Doggerz]

.i gotta hand it to the OP - I get banned for "trolling" if I bring up a criticism of BlackBerry here. So I won't say that I agree with you. But my dog does. He doesn't have an account here.

Posted via CB10

[BruvvaPete]

I can't argue with the Op. 7 years ago the high school jock qb (BB) got outdone by the well established freshman (Apple). The jock got comfy and relaxed too much, thinking no nkotb is going to take his place at #1; he got treated like a fool, and now everyone is kicking his ***.

7 years to get back in the gym and fix things, but most of those years were spent being drunk and in denial about what the fans really want. When reality started to settle in, the fans had already switched. Now only mom, dad and a few nostalgic fans support the jock. 2% of the US market speaks for itself.

If BlackBerry were to fall to the axeman, it's their own doing. I hope the company is returned to profitability because competition is good for the consumer (like how Apple flipped the smart phone industry on its ears). I could go on, but there's no point.

@BruvvaPete :Channel: C0012176F. Live well

[BruvvaPete]

I don' underdstand why people want to watch movies on a 16:9 SMARTPHONE screen. Thats stupid. Use a tv for that...

Posted via CB10

I've traveled more this year than most times during the past. If your hotel's tv has no hdmi slot then you're kinda stuck. If you're having coffee at Timmy's with your pal and you want to share a hilarious YouTube video, what do you do?

My point is that there are many scenarios where you have no other option.

@BruvvaPete :Channel: C0012176F. Live well

[Northernlady01]

The grass is only greener on the other side because it is fertilized with bs!

Posted via CrackBerry App

[spacemanZ10]

Never had apps crash on android with my old HTC? Do now though!

Posted by my splendid Z10

[drfever]

The grass is only greener on the other side because it is fertilized with bs!

Posted via CrackBerry App

I used to buy into this logic. But in this side of the grass we we are always waiting for that fertilizer shipment to arrive and when it does, we can't spread it using a spreader but must figure out a way to modify our spreader to accept the pellet size of the fertilizer then sit back and hope it works while our lawn either burns or gets greener. Not to mention, they can buy their fertilizer with one push of the buy it now button. We have to download a special app first and hope it works before buying it and if we can't find the app in our own store we must get on our computers, find the store that does work from another manufacturer then side load it first and then click buy.

So while I agree that their grass is greener because it's fertilized with BS, at least theirs is fertilized and doing so was probably done with one click, something we can only dream of.

Posted from my Z30 on CB10

[bakron1]

I have stuck with Blackberry and I one of the major issues I have is why can't they fix the Facebook and LinkedIn apps???

These are two very important apps, not only for folks who use social media, but business folks such as myself. I still cannot modify my profile in the LinkedIn app??? WTF!!!

I have sent many messages to LinkedIn about this and with no response??? The Facebook app is done by Blackberry and still hasn't worked properly after several OS updates???

Why can't Blackberry commit some resources to fix these issues? Just venting some steam, oh well.

These are only a couple small issues but are big ones for new users coming into the Blackberry world and users like myself who feel that we shouldn't be having these issues this far along in OS10???


Sent from my lovely z30 on T Mobile USA

[Davehow]

I definitely feel your pain, my friend.

But I recently let my frustration get the best of me and I got myself an S5. Android is by far the worst POS I have ever used. Typing is absolutely horrible, the apps are readily available, but they all work like sh!t. Apps constantly crash or are slow as hell.
The OS itself is an unorganized jumble of crap with no flow or organization. Originally I was so excited and couldn't wait to leave BB10 because of similar gripes.
But beleive me... BB10 is by far the best mobile OS on the market today. I am not a fanboy. I was always very quick to point out BlackBerry shortcomings.

Believe me... the grass is definitely not greener on the other side and I wish I had got a z30 instead of a S5

Posted via CB10

Couldn't disagree more. If you had blamed your woes on Samsung rather than android I'd be more inclined to be on the same page as you. The Sony Xperia Z2 is damn close to being one of the best smart phones ever made. Once android 5.0 comes out in November that's going to address all the criticisms that get leveled at android for not appearing unified enough. Although I have to say, using a BB 10 phone that runs 2 app stores and an android runtime along with BB10 is an odd device to be pointing fingers with about not being unified...