[Hevroth]

This post is about my experience with these 2 phones. It's mostly for my benefit, but others may find it useful.

I have played with both devices, and will keep one and return the other. The one I keep will be my daily driver for the foreseeable future.

Needs

A : 1-handed usability
B : speedy in operation & multitasking
C : lengthy battery life

disclaimers

A : 1-handed usability

• will keep in front jeans pocket

B : speedy in operation & multitasking

• fast at whatever you're doing (operation)
• fast at switching between things you're doing (multitasking)
• usage concerns only BB10 apps
• usage includes : phone calls, emails, texts, web browsing, calendar & contacts management, document editing, and maps & navigation
• usage does not include : games / video / social media / etc.

C : lengthy battery life

• 18 hours under heavy usage

I will be comparing {Classic}, {Passport}, and in some cases what I refer to as {5.5" portrait}, which is based off my experience with a 5.5" Android device, the LG Optimus G Pro.

basic idea

A : comfortable to use

• quickly and painlessly do what I need to do then put it away

B : fast and able to handle whatever I ask it to do
C : be there for me during the day when I need it

Comparisons

A : 1-handed usability

Classic

• + very comfortable to use with 1 hand
• +/- slightly larger than ideal (for me, Bold 9700 is ideal)
• + fits great in the pocket; I can even turn it sideways in there
• + the toolbelt lets you operate almost entirely without touching the screen, drastically reducing the necessary operating range of your thumb

Passport

• + I can reasonably operate it with 1 hand (reaching all keys on the keyboard)
• +/- not as comfortable as the Classic, but it's not uncomfortable either
• + "swipe up -> autocomplete" gesture makes text entry easier
• + fits fine in my pocket; nowhere near as much of an issue as {5.5" portrait} (this is because it is squarer and not taller)

comments

I'm finding 1-handed use rather reasonable on the Passport. The {5.5" portrait} I used before was not comfortable to use with 1 hand, and the difference boils down to [portrait] vs [square]. Because my thumb has the same reach sideways as it does up and down, the square ratio is ideal. I do have to stretch a bit to reach the Q, A, and Z keys (I'll call them the "end keys"), but it's really not bad. It's more comfortable reaching for the end keys than it ever was pulling down the notification tray on {5.5" portrait}. On the Passport, I was able to type multiple sentences (utilizing the end keys) 1-handed with perfect accuracy and at an acceptable speed. And this is without the "swipe up -> autocomplete" gesture, which I haven't even begun to use yet.

• in reaching for the end keys, there's a much lower probability of accidentally selecting something on the screen than there is on an all-touch device, since you'll be pivoting your palm against the lower-right corner of the Passport's keyboard, away from the screen itself
• because the square ratio affords more screen space than a 16:9 screen of the same diagonal, I am easily able to zoom in and out on webpages using my right index finger and thumb, while holding up the device with my last 3 fingers and resting the corner/edge into my palm

Overall, I am genuinely surprised at how reasonable 1-handed operation is on the Passport.

I consider myself having "normal-sized hands", and the trend towards bigger devices is precisely what initiated my exit from Android. But for me, the reason why those large portrait phones are uncomfortable and the Passport is comfortable is because a square feels more natural in the hand than a tall rectangle. It sounds crazy and may not make sense until you actually try it for real. Of course, everybody's hands are different and everyone has different levels of what they consider acceptable comfort. For me, the Passport is a "good to go".



Sorry for the poor quality - it was recorded with the Classic. (har har)

With either device, typing with 1 hand can become wearisome after awhile. This is due to the physical keyboard and the weight, requiring more energy to type on and hold each device.

results

Classic : 10/10
Passport : 7/10

5.5" portrait : 5/10

B : speedy in operation & multitasking

Classic

• + very capable; it was able to handle almost all my use-cases without issue
• +/- scrolling around webpages is a tad slower, and it does sometimes have to re-render portions of the page as you scroll
• - the GPS is terrible; sometimes it's "reasonable" (within 3000 feet), but maybe 60% of the time, it thinks I'm anywhere from 2 - 14 miles away (edit : it's much more reliable now, but who knows if it will repeat when I go to a new location)

Passport

• + very quick
• +/- some lag here and there; at times no faster than the Classic
• +/- "reasonable" amount of error in the GPS (within 3000 feet)

comments

Don't even try typing in "smart" fields in the browser, e.g. the text editor when posting on a forum such as this. It is horrendous, for both devices. The typing lag is unbelievable, and when characters do appear, they are often completely wrong, showing a jumbled string of random characters (and with no spaces, despite pressing the space bar).

They're both also really slow at closing tabs in the browser. I'll hit the X and have to wait more than a second before it actually closes. It may not sound like much, but it's a bit jarring and really disrupts the fast and fluid pacing of BB10.

results

Classic : 7/10
Passport : 9/10

C : lengthy battery life

comments

Too early for me to tell; I've only been using these for the past couple days. Based on what I've read, though, they're both plenty capable 1-day devices, with the Passport ultimately lasting longer by half a day to a day. With heavy usage, I would expect the estimate for each to shorten by up to half a day.

results

Classic : 8/10
Passport : 10/10

misc.

Classic

• +/- toolbelt utilization is rough around the edges and in some cases, counter-intuitive (fixable via software)
• +/- can't charge it when powered off (supposedly a software fix is in the works)
• + fabulous textured backing (feels supreme and is grippy)
• + keyboard is fantastic
• + having a mouse cursor in the web browser is just plain awesome (highly useful for menus that expand out when hovered over rather than clicked on)
• + toolbelt encourages more natural and efficient navigation
• - lower PPI affects some things like reading in the browser (text is somewhat blurry until zoomed in)
• - 2-year-old CPU has some pretty heavy implications about the phone's usefulness as a long-term device
• - as a whole, the Classic feels rushed; the end-user experience is not as high as I would expect from BlackBerry

Passport

• - backing is smooth and more prone to slipping out of the hand (without talking about the size of the phone)
• + keyboard is wider and keys larger; more comfortable to type on, giving greater typing speed than on the Classic
• + pressing the keys feels softer and of higher quality
• + little things here and there tell you that this is a premium, flagship device that will be supported for years to come

results

Classic : 6/10
Passport : 9/10

Just for fun, let's tally up the score.

results

Classic : 31/40
Passport : 35/40

- bottom line -

Both phones meet my needs adequately, but there are a few significant factors to consider :

• my ability to reasonably use the Passport with 1 hand
• price of the Classic being way too high for what you get
• internals of the Classic making it unsuitable as a long-term device

I'm going to go with the Passport.

So, what did I learn? What was valuable about using these 2 devices personally that I couldn't have discerned from reading experiences from others?

• contrary to my assumption, the Classic really is able to meet my needs (except... [next bullet])
• the GPS on the Classic sometimes works, but sometimes is unusable
• contrary to my assumption, I can use and type on the Passport with 1 hand without much effort

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Thanks for reading.

[diegonei]

Quite the scientific approach there! I like it!

Thanks for sharing, I'm sure this should help many users around here. If you're still able, make sure both devices are running the latest leaked 10.3.1 possible, just to garantee all possible bugs are fixed.

Can I ask for some pictures? Pictures are great.

[Hevroth]

Quite the scientific approach there! I like it!

Thanks for sharing, I'm sure this should help many users around here. If you're still able, make sure both devices are running the latest leaked 10.3.1 possible, just to garantee all possible bugs are fixed.

Can I ask for some pictures? Pictures are great.

Thanks; I have to follow a detailed breakdown comparison in order to feel solid about my decision.

I'm not really into running leaks / custom / unofficial stuff, so I'll pass. I'm guessing the GPS on the Classic was sort of a fluke, but even so, there are other heavier factors that weigh in favor of the Passport for me.

What pictures would you like?

[diegonei]

Thanks; I have to follow a detailed breakdown comparison in order to feel solid about my decision.

I'm not really into running leaks / custom / unofficial stuff, so I'll pass. I'm guessing the GPS on the Classic was sort of a fluke, but even so, there are other heavier factors that weigh in favor of the Passport for me.

What pictures would you like?

Pictures of both devices illustrating your points.

As for leaks, all leaks come from the one and only source: BlackBerry. You sould be fine with 10.3.1.1949. I myself can't find any bugs on this version.

[evodevo69]

Actually read through the entire post. Very thorough and informative!

Gives me some things to consider although I haven't gotten a hold of the classic yet myself, the Passport has been an absolute pleasure to use.

After using it for some time it feels weird using the traditional qwerty whenever I switch back to my Bold. Despite me being not quite as quick on the Passport.

#CB10 #WorkWide

[bakron1]

Great post and I liked your approach and breakdown, myself, I went with the Classic because of the forum factor and the device takes me back to a simpler time when my trusty BlackBerry traveled with me around the world and never let me down.

I had the passport for a couple of months and I ended up trading it to my friends wife for her Classic and a few extra dollars to help offset my cost for the passport, have been using it as my daily driver for the past week and I am happy, she is happy so it's good all the way around.

Sent from my lovely Classic on T Mobile USA

[arifbsantoso]

Wew...great job dude!

From my Z30

[dlrogers81]

Good post on the comparisons. I was never interested in the Passport, until the AT&T model was revealed. The round corners make it look a lot better and better quality, imo.. I may get it with my upgrade, but my Classic is my fav, and will be my primary device. I can't put the Classic down!

Sent from my Classic using Tapatalk

[Hevroth]

OP updated with a video of 1-handed typing on the Passport.

[arifbsantoso]

Good post on the comparisons. I was never interested in the Passport, until the AT&T model was revealed. The round corners make it look a lot better and better quality, imo.. I may get it with my upgrade, but my Classic is my fav, and will be my primary device. I can't put the Classic down!

Sent from my Classic using Tapatalk

And..... I still stuck with my great Z30. LOL

From my Z30

[aha]

OP updated with a video of 1-handed typing on the Passport.

That's pretty amazing... I always type with two hands on Passport.

Posted via CB10 with PassportSQW100-1/10.3.1.1154

[koboss]

Great read thanks, im leaning toward the classic


Posted via CB10

[Alain_A]

I can't do what he does on his passport with only one hand on my Z 30

Z 30

[conbrio29]

This was a very informative thread. I like the comparisons between the two phones. Personally I am using a Passport, but still have a Classic that I did use prior for about two weeks. One issue that I find significant between the two is the autocorrect on each device. For whatever reason, it seems like the artificial intelligence of the Classic's autocorrect has been dialed down compared to that of the Passport or even the Z30. With the Passport (and the Z30) I am able to make a few typos here and there and the OS will accurately correct those words. However, if I make those exact same typos with the Classic, it is far less likely to autocorrect. I don't know why exactly this is the case, but it is quite significant, even with the latest OS versions installed.

Posted via CB10

[will308]

very nice I have both and love them both ........best phones ever I think