[DiegoV_G]

The specs are bad. I expected a flagship

Posted via Passport SE

[chagheill]

The specs are bad. I expected a flagship

Posted via Passport SE

Correct me if i'm wrong, but when Chen originally announced the 3 new BB devices he stated that the PKB will be a mid-range device.
Also, they probably learned from passport/priv not to price the device out of the market.
There seems to be a consensus on the forum that users prefer smooth and efficient > big and battery draining SoC.
Unfortunately (or not) the Priv is the only option for flagship pkb.

[si001]

I sure hope for the physical KB lover who look forward to buy the mercury, that the KB will be better than the priv.

[Ulferini Schusterotti]

Also, they probably learned from passport/priv not to price the device out of the market.

What they really learned from the PRIV is that Snapdragon 808, qHD display and device encryption don't have the the best impact on temperature! That's why I'm really glad it will "only" be midrange. You want a Snapdragon 820? Great, then live with 5 hours battery life.

[aespix]

Correct me if I'm wrong,

But pkb devices have never been over powered in terms of specs, this is including the classic.

It's more about long lasting battery and getting the job done,

Price needs to be right though, if I'm paying for the form factor then It can't be over 500 usd!

I'm sold on the phone and will dump my priv the second it gets released with nougat.

[Niels B]

I will dump my priv the second it gets released with nougat.

Is it that bad? You dont know yet if the Mercury will be any better

[slagman5]

As long as it works without lag I'm fine. I don't plan to use it to play VR games or whatever...

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[Niels B]

As long as it works without lag I'm fine. I don't plan to use it to play VR games or whatever...

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

I think most PKB fans are alike. They use their smartphone as a tool, not a toy. VR gamers etc will never give up screen size for a pkb.

[TheBirdDog]

Correct me if I'm wrong,
But pkb devices have never been over powered in terms of specs, this is including the classic.
It's more about long lasting battery and getting the job done,

Passport was somewhat the exception. While it's specs aren't current, we have to keep in mind that the device is now two years old. When it was released, it was pretty close to flagship specs (perhaps the camera software was the biggest letdown, although it could still take some pretty great photos, just not super-fast autofocus which is really what most people want).
However, as someone with the Passport and the Classic, in actual use, the Classic battery seems to last just as long as the Passport, if not longer. The screen and the processor on the Passport balances out the fact that it has a massive battery. I drive the Classic because I can carry it around easier and the battery seems to last longer for actual screen on time (brightness setting minimal on both). My preference is efficient. I would rather a less blindingly bright and vivid screen in favor of longer battery life. The same way I would always prefer by device to be a bit more bulky instead of sacrificing battery size for razor thin. Not everyone thinks this way but I do believe that BlackBerry knows who their PKB audience is and they have consistently been offering the best they can for us. They can't really control what the market wants.
The fact is, the masses want the best phone they can have for $0. Samsung and Apple can do this by selling off their older models to make way for their new flagships. The masses don't actually do their research for what device truly matches their needs. Their thinking goes as far as "I want the latest iPhone or Samsung" or else "I'll see what's the best deal I can get." BlackBerry is a niche product and they've restructured with this awareness. I, personally, would be very surprised if BlackBerry is ever out of the handset business completely. Even if they only made one device ever 2 years, there would still be a market for it. However small it is. The downside is that they will probably always be a bit "over-priced" by common perception.

[keyboardweeb]

I, personally, would be very surprised if BlackBerry is ever out of the handset business completely. Even if they only made one device ever 2 years

Are you surprised yet? They ARE out. DTEK60 was the last. Any future phone that might carry the BlackBerry name will do only that: carry the name. BlackBerry will have nothing else to do with it. BlackBerry software may run on it, if the licensee chooses to pre-install it, but BlackBerry software also is freely available for any Android phone to download and run. Is a Galaxy S7 with Hub+ a BlackBerry?

[ardakca]

Are you surprised yet? They ARE out. DTEK60 was the last. Any future phone that might carry the BlackBerry name will do only that: carry the name. BlackBerry will have nothing else to do with it. BlackBerry software may run on it, if the licensee chooses to pre-install it, but BlackBerry software also is freely available for any Android phone to download and run. Is a Galaxy S7 with Hub+ a BlackBerry?

Actually this is not true. They have clearly said that they will have standards that the licensee must meet.

[Mirko935]

Are you surprised yet? They ARE out. DTEK60 was the last. Any future phone that might carry the BlackBerry name will do only that: carry the name. BlackBerry will have nothing else to do with it. BlackBerry software may run on it, if the licensee chooses to pre-install it, but BlackBerry software also is freely available for any Android phone to download and run. Is a Galaxy S7 with Hub+ a BlackBerry?

So, someone will make a good phone, BlackBerry will put its name and software on it, and that's a problem because...?

[TheBirdDog]

So, someone will make a good phone, BlackBerry will put its name and software on it, and that's a problem because...?

Not to mention that is EXACTLY what the DTEK 50 and 60 have been. So, if the Mercury never sees the light of day, The Priv would have actually been the last "made by BlackBerry (however this is still a debatable fact because they have had 3rd party manufacturing partners for some time now). The DTEK phones were not at all "made" by BlackBerry but they are still in the hardware business because of them. I don't see why we should assume this approach is already finished considering the most recent device is less than 2 weeks old.

If there are BlackBerry branded phones on the market, regardless of the manufacturer, I don't consider them 'out of the handset business'. They are just out of the manufacturing side of it. If a business wants to license BlackBerry's design (and be sure they have plenty to tap there yet) there will be other devices. Also, if a 3rd party wants to use their own design and it is approved by BlackBerry, they will get the BlackBerry software and a  logo on the back of the phone, still a "new BlackBerry device" in my book.

[slagman5]

So, someone will make a good phone, BlackBerry will put its name and software on it, and that's a problem because...?

Exactly. A lot of companies do not physically make their own products. Heck, a lot of singers do not write their own songs, lol. As long as they are diligent in ensuring that they only put their name on quality products then it's all good in my opinion...

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[keyboardweeb]

So, someone will make a good phone, BlackBerry will put its name and software on it, and that's a problem because...?

It's not, and I didn't imply such. But can one really say BlackBerry is in the handset business when they are not designing, building, selling, or marketing any handsets?

[TheBirdDog]

It's not, and I didn't imply such. But can one really say BlackBerry is in the handset business when they are not designing, building, selling, or marketing any handsets?

www.shopblackberry.com

...If all of your above were true, you COULD say that. But they ARE still selling devices even if they are not designed or built (or marketed) by BlackBerry so you can't say that they are out of the device business.

[ray689]

Well BlackBerry hasn't truly marketed a device for a while now. If you consider tweeting about it Marketing then I'm guessing they will still tweet about devices that are licenced by a third party

[slagman5]

It's not, and I didn't imply such. But can one really say BlackBerry is in the handset business when they are not designing, building, selling, or marketing any handsets?

I guess if you're like betting with a friend and money is on the line, that might matter. But for the rest of us who are simply consumers wishing for a BB device to use, whether it's made by them or not, I don't see why that matters...

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[Mirko935]

It's not, and I didn't imply such. But can one really say BlackBerry is in the handset business when they are not designing, building, selling, or marketing any handsets?

Well, you did say that they are out of the handset business. Kinda weird thing to say a week after the release of a new device, but ok.

If more people here were discussing actual devices instead of repeating how BB is dead and how this or that isn't real BlackBerry (and all of it goes on for a few years already, as far as I can see), perhaps more people who stumble upon CB would buy them and then BB wouldn't be out of the handset business.

[anon(6038817)]

A physical keyboard on Android can never be as useful as a physical keyboard on a "pure" BlackBerry phone. The entire OS and most of the apps in BB10 and BBOS are designed to be used and interacted with via a physical keyboard. Many BB10/BBOS apps have keyboard shortcuts built in, which greatly enhances their efficiency and usefulness.

BlackBerry can only do so much with Android - third party app developers would need to make that sort of integration happen with their apps.

Posted from my Z30 via CB10

[slagman5]

A physical keyboard on Android can never be as useful as a physical keyboard on a "pure" BlackBerry phone. The entire OS and most of the apps in BB10 and BBOS are designed to be used and interacted with via a physical keyboard. Many BB10/BBOS apps have keyboard shortcuts built in, which greatly enhances their efficiency and usefulness.

BlackBerry can only do so much with Android - third party app developers would need to make that sort of integration happen with their apps.

Posted from my Z30 via CB10

Exactly right. But in the end of the day, it's still more useful to have one than to not have one. Because the touchscreen is still there, so everything you can do with the touchscreen you can still do, anything, even if less than BB10, added by the keyboard will be a bonus. There would be keyboard homescreen shortcuts/speed-dial from homescreen with the BB launcher and probably like a form of universal search. And who knows, maybe some app developers might add keyboard shortcuts in the future, who knows.

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[ardakca]

Well if andromeda comes they are poised to include keyboard shortcuts .

[JAS0NB0URNE]

Exactly right. But in the end of the day, it's still more useful to have one than to not have one. Because the touchscreen is still there, so everything you can do with the touchscreen you can still do, anything, even if less than BB10, added by the keyboard will be a bonus. There would be keyboard homescreen shortcuts/speed-dial from homescreen with the BB launcher and probably like a form of universal search. And who knows, maybe some app developers might add keyboard shortcuts in the future, who knows.

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

Bingo. Spot on.

Posted with my  Classic

[anon(6038817)]

Exactly right. But in the end of the day, it's still more useful to have one than to not have one. Because the touchscreen is still there, so everything you can do with the touchscreen you can still do, anything, even if less than BB10, added by the keyboard will be a bonus. There would be keyboard homescreen shortcuts/speed-dial from homescreen with the BB launcher and probably like a form of universal search. And who knows, maybe some app developers might add keyboard shortcuts in the future, who knows.

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

There will likely never be enough market share to justify adding physical keyboard shortcut support to Android apps.

The only developers who would ever consider doing that would be physical keyboard fans themselves.

[Zeddepher]

BlackBerry shouldn't be bothering with the Mercury device. It won't sell and will just make the Android flop experiment even worse.

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