[RodolfoAP]

Can you show us a screenshot of instagram (android port) on the Passport? I'm interested to see how it fits into the screen

Posted via CB10

[kareem_ruhi]

Kareem your posts and pictures have been excellent, thanks so much for taking the time to answer everyone's questions.

I have a question of my own... How is the Passport to type on? The Q10 for me was great, as per all Blackberry keypads, but I wondered if this is similar given that it is a lot different?
Is it inconvenient to not have the symbols on the keys, or is it just as handy with them being on the screen above?

Also, how are you finding the track pad capabilities of the Passport? Good, bad, not using them?

Any thoughts would be brilliant! Thanks again

As i've mentioned earlier in the thread, its a matter of getting used to the keyboard.. am still not as fast and comfy I was on my Q10 but the experience is getting better every time I type. I feel that in few days, i'll find the Q10 hard to be used.

Trackpad (keyboard gesture) is simply fascinating whoever I show off the device to. It is something really useful with super fast response. Magnificent addition from BlackBerry

Posted via CB10

[kareem_ruhi]

Can you show us a screenshot of instagram (android port) on the Passport? I'm interested to see how it fits into the screen

Posted via CB10

Here you go:



In general, I believe all android apps are better over here than what I had on my Q10

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[rakeem147]

woow boss am getting this

[darwincruz20]

Passport really doesn't have much appeal to me since I first saw the photos. Yet it is indeed a great device. If I would be given a free one, why not use it? Thanks for your posts. But as for me, still keeping my Q10 for now. Need not to jump into an upgrade since my phone is still working and be able to deliver the job.

"Blackberry is the extension of my hand" - C00182421

[comwave]

Karin, Your post is exactly what I posted last week on Crackberry under "Passport for 24 hours". As a developer we received a unit and I too couldn't wait. I was speechless too. The specs are great and productivity is fantastic. That said so is a Volvo and you don't see to many of those. Not a single person in our office wanted the device (and we use Blackberry devices exclusively at our company). I wanted to like it, I want to like it, I want a bigger scene... but these industrial designers should be fired. One handed operation of any task is impossible now. They should farm out design to Porsche Design only. Its mind blowing to me that after so much going on at Blackberry, that they would risk iota like this. I can't imagine their focus groups saying "This is a hit"! Come on Blackberry. All they needed to do was add an inch on the top of the Q10 and that would have been great. Maybe 1/4 in wider too.... but a square is against common convention of what people expect in phone design.

[flyersfan76]

Karin, Your post is exactly what I posted last week on Crackberry under "Passport for 24 hours". As a developer we received a unit and I too couldn't wait. I was speechless too. The specs are great and productivity is fantastic. That said so is a Volvo and you don't see to many of those. Not a single person in our office wanted the device (and we use Blackberry devices exclusively at our company). I wanted to like it, I want to like it, I want a bigger scene... but these industrial designers should be fired. One handed operation of any task is impossible now. They should farm out design to Porsche Design only. Its mind blowing to me that after so much going on at Blackberry, that they would risk iota like this. I can't imagine their focus groups saying "This is a hit"! Come on Blackberry. All they needed to do was add an inch on the top of the Q10 and that would have been great. Maybe 1/4 in wider too.... but a square is against common convention of what people expect in phone design.

Psst. They didn't design it for the masses in mind.

Posted via CB10

[D3C0D3R]

Karin, Your post is exactly what I posted last week on Crackberry under "Passport for 24 hours". As a developer we received a unit and I too couldn't wait. I was speechless too. The specs are great and productivity is fantastic. That said so is a Volvo and you don't see to many of those. Not a single person in our office wanted the device (and we use Blackberry devices exclusively at our company). I wanted to like it, I want to like it, I want a bigger scene... but these industrial designers should be fired. One handed operation of any task is impossible now. They should farm out design to Porsche Design only. Its mind blowing to me that after so much going on at Blackberry, that they would risk iota like this. I can't imagine their focus groups saying "This is a hit"! Come on Blackberry. All they needed to do was add an inch on the top of the Q10 and that would have been great. Maybe 1/4 in wider too.... but a square is against common convention of what people expect in phone design.

I'm almost 100% sure that everyone here has already agreed that BlackBerry is approaching this with new designs in mind to break free from this rectangular ice cream bar design that every company is so eager to dish out. BlackBerry is trying to define themselves once again and this is a great start! Hopefully you guys can see the potential of this phone soon and see the benefit of the new designing!

Z10STL100-3/10.3.0.1052

[dejanh]

Karin, Your post is exactly what I posted last week on Crackberry under "Passport for 24 hours". As a developer we received a unit and I too couldn't wait. I was speechless too. The specs are great and productivity is fantastic. That said so is a Volvo and you don't see to many of those. Not a single person in our office wanted the device (and we use Blackberry devices exclusively at our company). I wanted to like it, I want to like it, I want a bigger scene... but these industrial designers should be fired. One handed operation of any task is impossible now. They should farm out design to Porsche Design only. Its mind blowing to me that after so much going on at Blackberry, that they would risk iota like this. I can't imagine their focus groups saying "This is a hit"! Come on Blackberry. All they needed to do was add an inch on the top of the Q10 and that would have been great. Maybe 1/4 in wider too.... but a square is against common convention of what people expect in phone design.

The last sentence really irks me, "a square is against common convention of what people expect in phone design". So was the iPhone when it first showed up, as was the concept of apps, and a four cylinder engine with a twin turbo, etc. Many things go against "common convention". If they did not, we'd still think the Earth is flat and everything spins around us.

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[D3C0D3R]

The last sentence really irks me, "a square is against common convention of what people expect in phone design". So was the iPhone when it first showed up, as was the concept of apps, and a four cylinder engine with a twin turbo, etc. Many things go against "common convention". If they did not, we'd still think the Earth is flat and everything spins around us.

Posted via CB10

Everything there is exactly what I was trying to say, thanks lol

Z10STL100-3/10.3.0.1052

[Igoran69]

Kareem, thanks for your posts!
Have you like listen music on your smartphone? Can you compare Passport and Q10 for sound quality in headphones? Volume compare? It is very strong upgrade factor for me. Q10 is pretty good for sound quality, but not enough. And amp power is not so high for good headphones.

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[kareem_ruhi]

Kareem, thanks for your posts!
Have you like listen music on your smartphone? Can you compare Passport and Q10 for sound quality in headphones? Volume compare? It is very strong upgrade factor for me. Q10 is pretty good for sound quality, but not enough. And amp power is not so high for good headphones.

Posted via CB10

I did play few 320Kpbs mp3s from my media card as well as few youtube videos and i believe the sound is better than the Q10 specially after playing around with the Equalizer.

I had JBL headphones connected to the handset and not BB ones as i didn't receive the handset with the box.

[--TommesJay--]

Here you go:



In general, I believe all android apps are better over here than what I had on my Q10

Posted via CB10

Hey Kareem,

Thanks for that screenshot. But a question remains for me: since Instagram photos are always 1:1 aspect ratio and since they always scale to the entire width of the screen it seems to be logic to me that Instagram on 1:1 screen will never be able to show you any Instagram pic in total, no? Likely you will always have to scroll a bit vertically to see a picture, since top and bottom will always display the app controls, therefore cutting any pic vertically.

Just to clarify: is it like that?

I use iGrann (BB10 native 3rd party app) for Instagram, so anybody knows how it's solved now for Q10 users?

Posted via CB10

[kareem_ruhi]

Hey Kareem,

Thanks for that screenshot. But a question remains for me: since Instagram photos are always 1:1 aspect ratio and since they always scale to the entire width of the screen it seems to be logic to me that Instagram on 1:1 screen will never be able to show you any Instagram pic in total, no? Likely you will always have to scroll a bit vertically to see a picture, since top and bottom will always display the app controls, therefore cutting any pic vertically.

Just to clarify: is it like that?

I use iGrann (BB10 native 3rd party app) for Instagram, so anybody knows how it's solved now for Q10 users?

Posted via CB10

True. Unfortunately, you still need to scroll down a bit to see the rest of the photo.

I use iGrann as well but it's got a problem when i tag people while uploading a photo; for some reason they cannot view the photo? So i keep juggling between both - Instagram for uploads and iGrann for browsing (just in order to view the full photos).

One of the bugs in iGrann is that sometimes it doesn't show you the full comment.

I don't think we'll have a solution until there's an official app from Instagram - God knows when..

[Smokeaire]

I want to thank the OP for a great review, and responding to our questions. Before his review I figured the Passport will be replacing my Note2, now I'm positive it will.

[KenFletch]

All they needed to do was add an inch on the top of the Q10 and that would have been great. Maybe 1/4 in wider too....

Uhm, see elsewhere. Classic. Yes this is risky, nut some think the Classic is risky too. Classic is volume device and I wild guess many are already sols. Just like the new run of Bold 9900s .

But what I find very odd is the apparently two developer shops had people who didn't want to even touch it. The lack of curiosity is bizarre for developers and since it will run the same square apps the Q10, Q5 and the PD9883. Gotta think your shops are not into BB10 anyway





HTC TOUCH, Nokia-N97, BlackBerry Torch 9800, Z10

[Superfly_FR]

OP, thank you so much for such time and efforts to report your experience. I'm glad to see that the more you use it, the more you like it, this should confirm others' experience too (except some, can't hit 100%).

IMHO, passport is not designed for single handed usage and we shouldn't point this as a "defect", it's by design. It is aimed to white collars sitting at their desk or traveling in a plane/train.
Btw, while doable, I'm 99% typing on my z30 with two thumbs. The "single handed operation" mantra is not applicable to these type of extra wide devices, again IMHO, it's not the point.

Keep us posted !!!
SF

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[irweezyy]

OP, thank you so much for such time and efforts to report your experience. I'm glad to see that the more you use it, the more you like it, this should confirm others' experience too (except some, can't hit 100%).

IMHO, passport is not designed for single handed usage and we shouldn't point this as a "defect", it's by design. It is aimed to white collars sitting at their desk or traveling in a plane/train.
Btw, while doable, I'm 99% typing on my z30 with two thumbs. The "single handed operation" mantra is not applicable to these type of extra wide devices, again IMHO, it's not the point.

Keep us posted !!!
SF

Posted via CB10

Exactly what I was thinking. The note 4 cannot be used efficiently with one hand, that does not make it defective or poorly designed.

If you want a bigger screen, you will need to use both hands to properly use it. It's just a given.



Posted via CB10

[deltact]

IMHO, passport is not designed for single handed usage and we shouldn't point this as a "defect", it's by design. It is aimed to white collars sitting at their desk or traveling in a plane/train.

I think it is capable of one-handed operation, in terms of reading/deleting messages. As for composing, clearly not, but any serious typing will be done two-handed. Even I avoid one-handed typing on my narrow Z10 because it's so inefficient, even with the ability to flick words.

[jay64]

Running up against IP6 launch was not the best planning but it is what it is. It will be hard for BB to get media space over the next 6 weeks as IP will dominate, as they do so expertly leading up to a release. The first 2-3 mos PB sales will be definitive as what coverage exists will fixate on sales. Corporate adoption will take time.

[Thunderbuck]

The last sentence really irks me, "a square is against common convention of what people expect in phone design". So was the iPhone when it first showed up, as was the concept of apps, and a four cylinder engine with a twin turbo, etc. Many things go against "common convention". If they did not, we'd still think the Earth is flat and everything spins around us.

Posted via CB10

Agreed. By his logic all innovation is wrong.

If this were some kind of gimmick, I'd be the first to go on the attack, but there are some sound design principles involved here. The square screen is a great way to accommodate both landscape and portrait without rotation, and allows for a huge viewing area.

The width is really the flashpoint of controversy, but this device is really built around a large, square screen. If it were narrower you'd lose a lot of viewing area for that 16:9 screen. I, personally, don't have a problem with that width. I hardly ever type one-handed on my device anyway.

I like the controversy with this design, though. No, it isn't for everybody. It doesn't have to be.

[early2bed]

IMHO, passport is not designed for single handed usage and we shouldn't point this as a "defect", it's by design....The "single handed operation" mantra is not applicable to these type of extra wide devices, again IMHO, it's not the point.

In other words - You're holding it wrong.

[Plazmic Flame]

Okay... okay... after seeing the battery stats on pg. 7 of this thread, I am SERIOUSLY considering the Passport.... holy moley!!!

OP, is it possible to use Google apps on this device? Like Google Drive and/or Google Maps??

[Thunderbuck]

That's true, like what is happening now with the NFC payments invented by apple, may be marketing is the most important factor this time? The device is innovative, has superb specs, functionality is top of the line and BB10 is a mature OS, what can harm it success?

Best wallpaper channel: C002103C3 Wall Paper Wednesday

Another great aspect of the Passport is that the form-factor may not be easily copied. Perhaps the keyboard has some proprietary tech?

[Thunderbuck]

Okay... okay... after seeing the battery stats on pg. 7 of this thread, I am SERIOUSLY considering the Passport.... holy moley!!!

OP, is it possible to use Google apps on this device? Like Google Drive and/or Google Maps??

There is a 3rd party native app that uses Google Maps (BeMaps).

Google Drive? Ehhh, there are a couple of 3rd party connectors that give you access. No, it won't be as good as on an Android.

Microsoft's OneDrive works really well, though, and there's a great native Evernote app.

BlackBerry devices will not attach to Google Services any better than Windows Phone. It's worth getting that expectation out of the way early.