1. mcgilcoli's Avatar
    My BB Motion's battery is acting up, and given that updates appear to be dead, I don't see the point in replacing the battery. I mean, I'll keep the device around the house for various uses I can cook up for it, but it won't be a suitable daily driver for very much longer.

    As a replacement, I'm getting a Motorola Moto G8 Power -- mostly because it's about the largest battery I can find, and that's one feature of the Motion that I've really appreciated.

    So I'm asking for suggestions how best to replicate my BB Motion experience on this Motorola phone? I know for sure that I'm going to want to install the Blackberry VKB, which I love. I am less certain about other Blackberry Android apps?

    If you've got ideas, I'd love to hear them, thanks!

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    7230 Electron 8700 Curve 8300 Bold 9700 PlayBook z10 Priv Motion
    Last edited by mcgilcoli; 09-21-20 at 10:28 AM. Reason: bio
    09-21-20 10:24 AM
  2. conite's Avatar
    My BB Motion's battery is acting up, and given that updates appear to be dead, I don't see the point in replacing the battery. I mean, I'll keep the device around the house for various uses I can cook up for it, but it won't be a suitable daily driver for very much longer.

    As a replacement, I'm getting a Motorola Moto G8 Power -- mostly because it's about the largest battery I can find, and that's one feature of the Motion that I've really appreciated.

    So I'm asking for suggestions how best to replicate my BB Motion experience on this Motorola phone? I know for sure that I'm going to want to install the Blackberry VKB, which I love. I am less certain about other Blackberry Android apps?

    If you've got ideas, I'd love to hear them, thanks!
    Best way is the start with a clean slate and get used to non-Blackberry apps. You can always try the SwiftKey keyboard over the stock Google keyboard.
    09-21-20 10:27 AM
  3. spARTacus's Avatar
    ....So I'm asking for suggestions how best to replicate my BB Motion experience on this Motorola phone? I know for sure that I'm going to want to install the Blackberry VKB, which I love. I am less certain about other Blackberry Android apps?

    If you've got ideas, I'd love to hear them, thanks!
    Installing the BlackBerry Hub Suite (from google play) and then the BlackBerry Keyboard (from apk - although I think it is not straight forward to find that anymore) are my core recommendations for trying to replicate BlackBerry experience on any Android phone. Biggest ones for me was hub itself and BlackBerry Keyboard. I've also copied over all the BB10 tones/notification sounds that I wanted to use. BlackBerry Contacts and Calendar were less important for me because many Android apps can provide these functions (although I still think the BB10 app ones are better). I also use the BlackBerry Password Keeper Android app, but there are other Android Password apps that I think work well. I came from an IPhone4 and Playbook way back when to a Z10 and a Samsung Tablet, now with a Samsung A21 and still a Samsung Tablet. If you already earlier used a Priv and then Motion, then you are way further already fully Android then you think, compared to where some of us came from, are you not?
    mcgilcoli likes this.
    09-21-20 11:12 AM
  4. mcgilcoli's Avatar
    This is really helpful, thanks! Yes, I have been using the Android Blackberry products since they were released, but I've never had to do anything with them other than use them as they are straight out of the box, so this idea of having to find and load things is new to me. Looking forward to learning by doing!

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    7230 Electron 8700 Curve 8300 Bold 9700 PlayBook z10 Priv Motion
    09-21-20 11:41 AM
  5. spARTacus's Avatar
    The entire suite is on Play Store, except the Keyboard. The suite has a trial period of 30 days, then it shows ads (or you buy a subscription to rid the ads). BlackBerry Contacts doesn't work after the trial period (didn't for me) unless you do the subscription thing (not sure why they choose that one for that model). So, if you already now know you don't want to do the subscription after the trial, then I suggest don't even start to use BlackBerry Contacts.

    Cobalt used to have a Blackberry Manager standalone apk app that would also help download the BlackBerry apps from Play Store, and previously also provide the BlackBerry Keyboard and also ad free versions of all the BlackBerry apps. However, I am not sure if the method fully works anymore (Cobalt's BlackBerry Manager). Also, if you like the BlackBerry apps then you should support them (via either a subscription or leaving the ads in place).
    This is really helpful, thanks! Yes, I have been using the Android Blackberry products since they were released, but I've never had to do anything with them other than use them as they are straight out of the box, so this idea of having to find and load things is new to me. Looking forward to learning by doing!

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    7230 Electron 8700 Curve 8300 Bold 9700 PlayBook z10 Priv Motion
    mcgilcoli likes this.
    09-21-20 11:54 AM
  6. spARTacus's Avatar
    Something I am still looking to figure out on Android (but haven't really searched too hard yet for) is how to get bedside mode, like BB10 Z10 bedside mode. That has served me well for years and I still use my Z10 as my alarm clock. Plop the thing in the charger (landscape) and slide over the clock, set the alarm and then off to sleep.

    The other thing is BB10 picture password. Miss that also.

    I also miss the built-in file (samba/smb) sharing from BB10, but Android has several apps that will do that.

    Oh and BlackBerry Hub on Android jus isn't the same as Hub on BB10. BlackBerry's Android Hub is more of just an inbox (I guess that's why they not call it that).
    Last edited by spARTacus; 09-22-20 at 04:02 AM. Reason: Auto correct error
    09-21-20 07:08 PM
  7. Chuck Finley69's Avatar
    Something I am still looking to figure out on Android (but haven't really searched too hard yet for) is how to get bedside mode, like BB10 Z10 bedside mode. That has served me well for years and I still use my Z10 as my alarm clock. Plop the thing in the charger (landscape) and slide over the clock, set the alarm and then off to sleep.

    The other thing is BB10 picture password. Miss that also.

    I also miss the built-in file (samba/smb) sharing from BB10, but Android has several apps that will do that.

    Oh and BlackBerry Hub on Android justice isn't the same as Hub on BB10. BlackBerry's Android Hub is more of just an inbox (I guess that's why they not call it that).
    Don’t laugh but I think your bedside mode request was a tough one if memory serves.
    09-21-20 09:51 PM
  8. Koekiemonster's Avatar
    Last week I moved to a Sony Xperia 1 II. All apps, including the Hub suite and even BlackBerry Launcher got installed through my Google account, so this will do for the same experience. 🙂
    mcgilcoli likes this.
    09-23-20 10:01 AM
  9. Traciberry's Avatar
    My Motion completely died April 2020, much like you want to do, I went through this process to make my new device as if it was still in a BB eco system.
    I migrated to a Samsung 20+ 5G. Installed Cobalt's BB Manager and keyboard, link here https://cobalt232.github.io/blackberrymanager/ .
    As well, more info about others installing the keyboard in threads, CB forms https://forums.crackberry.com/androi...l#post13516638

    I installed BlackBerry Hub+ Inbox from Google Play. I pay for the non-advertisement subscription, at a $1.99 or $24/year its cheap to have what we all like about the Hub, so well worth to rid the ads imo.
    The BB keyboard on Andriod is amazing, It works just fine on my Samsung S20+, as if it was the Motion, the Hub is awesome to have and you can use the BB suite to customize your new phone as a Motion over the other manufacture's desktop view and app layout.

    I agree with some of the other's comments, I don't use the BB Calendar or Contacts, rather, I use the Samsung contacts and Google Calendar apps, my choice anyway.

    In the end, I'm sad about migrating to another brand device but I gained a great powerful phone, amazing camera and running seamless using BB Hub+ and BB Keyboard. Extremely happy!

    I hope this helps you and that you'll likely find that once you're set up, you'll never regret the switch.

    Cheers,
    Traci

    BB8300 Curve, Bold 9700, BB Classic, Z10, Playbook, Z30, DTEK60, BB Motion > Samsung 20+ 5G
    mcgilcoli likes this.
    09-23-20 01:27 PM
  10. mcgilcoli's Avatar
    Thank you so much, Traci! It gives me hope that I will be able to transition to my new device while retaining as much familiarity as possible

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    7230 Electron 8700 Curve 8300 Bold 9700 PlayBook z10 Priv Motion
    Traciberry likes this.
    09-24-20 08:29 AM
  11. jagrlover's Avatar
    Something I am still looking to figure out on Android (but haven't really searched too hard yet for) is how to get bedside mode, like BB10 Z10 bedside mode. That has served me well for years and I still use my Z10 as my alarm clock. Plop the thing in the charger (landscape) and slide over the clock, set the alarm and then off to sleep.

    The other thing is BB10 picture password. Miss that also.

    I also miss the built-in file (samba/smb) sharing from BB10, but Android has several apps that will do that.

    Oh and BlackBerry Hub on Android jus isn't the same as Hub on BB10. BlackBerry's Android Hub is more of just an inbox (I guess that's why they not call it that).
    I don't really remember what made bedside mode so special, but the stock clock app on my S10+ has a "screensaver" mode that works well.

    As for moving from a Motion, I used the BlackBerry keyboard for about a year. It seemed to be acting weird so I decided to try SwiftKey. I was concerned that support for the BB keyboard would eventually end and I'd have to use something else anyway. SwiftKey is probably as close as you can get. It does some things better, some worse. You'll miss the flicking for sure. I still do.

    I still use Inbox. It's great. I've tried lots of other email apps, but Inbox is still the best.

    I stopped using BlackBerry Contacts as well. Too many duplicate issues. I now just use Google Contacts. No mess, no fuss, just works.

    I also still use the BlackBerry Calendar. I haven't been able to find a calendar app that shows attachments. In all of the other calendars that I tried, if the creator of an event adds attachments, they for some reason don't show up in the calendar.

    For Password Keeper, I use Bitwarden. It's cross platform, free, and it's super easy to copy your info from PK.
    mcgilcoli likes this.
    09-24-20 06:10 PM
  12. the_boon's Avatar
    I don't really remember what made bedside mode so special, but the stock clock app on my S10+ has a "screensaver" mode that works well.

    As for moving from a Motion, I used the BlackBerry keyboard for about a year. It seemed to be acting weird so I decided to try SwiftKey. I was concerned that support for the BB keyboard would eventually end and I'd have to use something else anyway. SwiftKey is probably as close as you can get. It does some things better, some worse. You'll miss the flicking for sure. I still do.

    I still use Inbox. It's great. I've tried lots of other email apps, but Inbox is still the best.

    I stopped using BlackBerry Contacts as well. Too many duplicate issues. I now just use Google Contacts. No mess, no fuss, just works.

    I also still use the BlackBerry Calendar. I haven't been able to find a calendar app that shows attachments. In all of the other calendars that I tried, if the creator of an event adds attachments, they for some reason don't show up in the calendar.

    For Password Keeper, I use Bitwarden. It's cross platform, free, and it's super easy to copy your info from PK.
    Why is it even a problem if a virtual keyboard app isn't being updated anymore?
    09-24-20 07:17 PM
  13. Ben xfg's Avatar
    Why is it even a problem if a virtual keyboard app isn't being updated anymore?
    If the device you're using is updated past what the keyboard supports... but until then, not an issue.

    Posted via CB10
    09-24-20 07:19 PM
  14. jagrlover's Avatar
    Why is it even a problem if a virtual keyboard app isn't being updated anymore?
    I just figured that it would probably stop working properly at some point.
    09-24-20 07:21 PM
  15. branflakes's Avatar
    My BB Motion's battery is acting up, and given that updates appear to be dead, I don't see the point in replacing the battery. I mean, I'll keep the device around the house for various uses I can cook up for it, but it won't be a suitable daily driver for very much longer.

    As a replacement, I'm getting a Motorola Moto G8 Power -- mostly because it's about the largest battery I can find, and that's one feature of the Motion that I've really appreciated.

    So I'm asking for suggestions how best to replicate my BB Motion experience on this Motorola phone? I know for sure that I'm going to want to install the Blackberry VKB, which I love. I am less certain about other Blackberry Android apps?

    If you've got ideas, I'd love to hear them, thanks!

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    7230 Electron 8700 Curve 8300 Bold 9700 PlayBook z10 Priv Motion
    I have a Pixel 3 and have the VKB installed, plus the HUB suite. Love it. Leaves me with what I like about Blackberry (vkb, BB's contacts/calendar, hub for work email) and all the good that is in Android. Just upgraded to Android 11; very pleased with the progress Android has made over these last years.
    mcgilcoli likes this.
    09-25-20 07:49 PM
  16. mcgilcoli's Avatar
    Many thanks to all who responded with so many helpful posts. I've loaded the Hub and am using the familiar Inbox, Contacts and Calendar. Most importantly I installed Cobalt's BB Manager and keyboard -- the latter is simply indispensable to me since I had become so familiar with it since the Priv came out.

    I'm keeping the Motorola "one button navigation" rather than using the BlackBerry Launcher, though -- the gestures remind me a little of the BlackBerry 10 experience on my z10

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    7230 Electron 8700 Curve 8300 Bold 9700 PlayBook z10 Priv Motion
    09-29-20 06:54 AM
  17. Traciberry's Avatar
    Awesome to hear the news! Glad you made the switch from the Motion and still retaining what we all love with the Hub and the amazing BB keyboard via Cobalt's hard work. Enjoy!
    09-30-20 03:44 PM
  18. Old_Mil's Avatar
    You can always find a phone with a form factor that you like and subscribe to BlackBerry's launcher and other apps through the Google Play store.
    03-06-21 05:38 AM
  19. conite's Avatar
    You can always find a phone with a form factor that you like and subscribe to BlackBerry's launcher and other apps through the Google Play store.
    However, the BlackBerry Suite was essentially abandoned 2 years ago, and is falling far behind its more modern and actively-supported competitors.
    03-06-21 07:45 AM
  20. Old_Mil's Avatar
    However, the BlackBerry Suite was essentially abandoned 2 years ago, and is falling far behind its more modern and actively-supported competitors.
    True, but it still does everything that you'd want it to do and these days, keeping up with more modern and actively supported personal surveillance technology is probably not to one's benefit. People who wanted to do that haven't been Blackberry users for quite a while now. The platform's forte was always privacy and security.
    03-06-21 08:19 AM
  21. conite's Avatar
    True, but it still does everything that you'd want it to do and these days, keeping up with more modern and actively supported personal surveillance technology is probably not to one's benefit. People who wanted to do that haven't been Blackberry users for quite a while now. The platform's forte was always privacy and security.
    How does Nine or Aqua mail clients, or Nova launcher surveil you?

    Besides, don't you use Netguard or Blokada to get rid of trackers?
    03-06-21 08:43 AM
  22. Old_Mil's Avatar
    How does Nine or Aqua mail clients, or Nova launcher surveil you?

    Besides, don't you use Netguard or Blokada to get rid of trackers?
    Nova Launcher's Privacy Policy: https://help.teslacoilapps.com/privacy/

    Mobisystems (Aquamail) Privacy Policy: https://www.mobisystems.com/privacy-policy/

    Nine's Privacy Policy: https://www.9folders.com/privacy-policy/

    Blokada seems alright. I'd pair it with Fairmail downloaded from Fdroid. As always, disabling all Google sourced apps on any android phone and running it without an associated Google account is the fundamental step to securing the device.
    03-06-21 09:07 AM
  23. conite's Avatar
    Nova Launcher's Privacy Policy: https://help.teslacoilapps.com/privacy/

    Mobisystems (Aquamail) Privacy Policy: https://www.mobisystems.com/privacy-policy/

    Nine's Privacy Policy: https://www.9folders.com/privacy-policy/

    Blokada seems alright. I'd pair it with Fairmail downloaded from Fdroid. As always, disabling all Google sourced apps on any android phone and running it without an associated Google account is the fundamental step to securing the device.
    BlackBerry does the same basic analytics. None of them monetize the data.

    I still don't understand why everybody that knows isn't using Netguard.
    03-06-21 09:14 AM
  24. RKSSDBB's Avatar
    Nova Launcher's Privacy Policy: https://help.teslacoilapps.com/privacy/

    Mobisystems (Aquamail) Privacy Policy: https://www.mobisystems.com/privacy-policy/

    Nine's Privacy Policy: https://www.9folders.com/privacy-policy/

    Blokada seems alright. I'd pair it with Fairmail downloaded from Fdroid. As always, disabling all Google sourced apps on any android phone and running it without an associated Google account is the fundamental step to securing the device.
    Do you, ir anyone else on CB have any similar suggestions for Apple IOS phones?

    I'm thinking of trying an IPhone 12 Mini for its small size and the latest version of IOS.

    That OS seems bit more flexible now in allowing one to use non Apple browsers, apps, etc (obviously obtained thru Apples App store).

    I am going to give up on the surviving BlackBerry apps, PKB and VKB. (And probably "BlackBerry" phones).

    But I don't want Apple to know any more about me than I have to give them. Nothing personal, I feel the same about Google, Amazon and Microsoft.

    I enjoy and use all their products and services, but I just want to keep myself as private and anonymous as I can without going too extreme. (My tin foil hat wore out a few decades ago and I'm not planning on replacing it).

    I am steeling myself to retire what may be my last BlackBerry's (Key2le and Motion).

    Thanks in advance for any ideas.
    03-06-21 10:48 AM
  25. conite's Avatar
    Do you, ir anyone else on CB have any similar suggestions for Apple IOS phones?

    I'm thinking of trying an IPhone 12 Mini for its small size and the latest version of IOS.

    That OS seems bit more flexible now in allowing one to use non Apple browsers, apps, etc (obviously obtained thru Apples App store).

    I am going to give up on the surviving BlackBerry apps, PKB and VKB. (And probably "BlackBerry" phones).

    But I don't want Apple to know any more about me than I have to give them. Nothing personal, I feel the same about Google, Amazon and Microsoft.

    I enjoy and use all their products and services, but I just want to keep myself as private and anonymous as I can without going too extreme. (My tin foil hat wore out a few decades ago and I'm not planning on replacing it).

    I am steeling myself to retire what may be my last BlackBerry's (Key2le and Motion).

    Thanks in advance for any ideas.
    You can actually be FAR more private on Android than iOS.

    Get a phone that you can install LineageOS on (a private, beefed up version of open-source, non-Google, Android). Like a Pixel 4 or OnePlus Nord or 7T Pro for instance.

    Then use Netguard to prevent all trackers from 3rd party apps.
    Old_Mil likes this.
    03-06-21 10:55 AM
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