[kfehling]

So I was lucky enough to receive my Passport Thursday from Shop Blackberry and have spent every free minute playing with it. Here are my thoughts thus far:

Good Stuff
1. Very well built, feels solids, nice texture on the back.
2. It does not feel top heavy like some have said. It has a nice substantial weight to it much like a good Swiss watch.
3. The screen is incredibly clear and brilliant. I really like the square shape as it does what Blackberry intended it to do: Allows greater viewing of web pages, documents, etc. After playing with it for a few hours, I picked up my Z30 and it felt oddly narrow. It is amazing how quickly the screen shape feels right.
4. Fast and smooth. The processor is very nice, fluid, everything works well with the exception of the Amazon app store which is the only app to crash so far.
5. I love the the new OS. The additional features really make it standout especially in the Hub. I like the new camera features as they make the camera much easier to use. I have not taken many photos or videos yet so I cannot comment there.
6. Return of short cuts such as "t" to go to the top of a page and "b" to the bottom.
7. Speed dials. "M" for my mom and "d" for Dad.
8. 10.3 continues to shine for productivity and ease of use.
10. The assistant is actually useful. I cannot say that I use it a lot but it is handy while driving to set reminders, calendar events, and dial the phone.
11. I am getting faster on the keyboard and now longer hit the virtual row by accident.
12. I had AT&T load in my old Z10 IMEI number and now I get LTE and visual voicemail!!!!!

Oddities

I refuse to call them negatives or cons as I am sure many will be addressed soon and some are just a factor of me getting used to the device.

1. Going back to a physical keyboard is difficult. After the glorious abilities of the virtual one on the Z10 and then Z30, this has been my biggest challenge. In fact, I consistently and accidentally hit one of the virtual keys at the bottom of the screen while trying to hit one of the physical keys on the top row. Just a matter of practice here. The space bar is small and I find my self missing it quite often. I am definitely slower on this keyboard than the Z30 but hopefully with time, I will speed up. The keys do take a firm press though.
2. Being middle aged, my eyes are not great any more so I bumped the font up to 10 point from the default 8 and in many apps such as Contacts, the rows or fields for the text and data do not expand to accommodate the bigger font. Thus, some of the text is cut off either at the top or bottom much like what happens in an Excel spreadsheet.
3. Apps. This is my biggest gripe and I expected it to happen. Many of the apps that were on my Z30 are not available from BB World. For example, The Weather Channel, Waze, Stub Hub, Contre Jour, Reaper, any of the Angry Birds, Where's my Perry, Kindle, etc. What is even stranger is that Kindle is not available from the Amazon App Store; of this list, only Stub Hub was. So I went to Snap and all were there. I downloaded Angry Birds, Kindle, Waze and The Weather Channel and each works great. Why these are not directly available from BB World is perplexing.
4. Watching videos or movies is where I miss the Z30. The landscape mode there provides that extra bit of real estate that will be missed.
5. Internet based videos like YouTube and those inbedded at CNET.com and the like suffer from a lag between the video and sound.
6. I had to load the NFL app from Snap and many of their videos are squashed with no ability to resize.
7. I have had it slow down on me even freeze when having multiple windows open.


That is it for now. Overall, I am really enjoying the Passport and hope it is a great seller for BB.

Kurt

[jaydee5799]

Thank you for your honest opinions after a short use of the Passport. Hopefully the apps will come soon.

[chrispmoto]

I have the exact same oddities. In fact, I am replying to this just so I can practice typing!

I do really like phone though!! Actuality, love is more of an appropriate word for it!
Awesome, not one spelling mistake...

Former Z30 user and lover, but now Passport rocker!

[tuxedo323]

OP makes good points. The space bar will definitely take some time getting used to. But as all early adopters have noted, there is a learning curve and in time it will become second nature.

From the days of yore, when 'Black'Berrys were Blue.

[manicdvln#AC]

I just don't know why anyone would buy Passport if they already love their Z30. Makes no sense to me, I guess some people need to have the latest toy.

[KDB84]

Thanks for the feedback! Waiting on the Classic personally, but the Passport is becoming more and more tempting, just because it's available.

[kfehling]

I just don't know why anyone would buy Passport if they already love their Z30. Makes no sense to me, I guess some people need to have the latest toy.

I do enjoy having the latest device but I also see it as an opportunity to have others see the Passport, ask me what it is and spread the news of Blackberry. I am an avid supporter of theirs and if my purchase helps get one or two others to buy it, then count me in. Plus, the screen size was my deciding factor. It really does make a difference in my productivity.

I appreciate your comment though.

Kurt

[Spawn12]

I just don't know why anyone would buy Passport if they already love their Z30. Makes no sense to me, I guess some people need to have the latest toy.

How about you relax on the attitude, some people want the passport because it's the latest toy. That I don't doubt but there are people who miss the physical keyboard but wanted a larger screen to go along with it ie me for instance. I have owned my z30 now for a year and as much as I love it, I miss being able to type out emails without having to go back and rectify my mistakes.

People have different needs/wants and who are you to question that??

Seriously some people are a really miserable bunch in here. We get it, some of you don't rate the passport which is fine but don't be having pops at the ones who do want one or have got theirs.

Posted via CB10

[fanisk]

Thanks for the thread! Very useful.

Sent from my Z 30

[gover_2]

I love my new passport having come from being a long term android user and occasional iPhone user but I did find it strange that their was no kindle client for a phone that is so focused around the consumption of text.

Posted via CB10

[anon(8263181)]

People are too funny here!!! Can't say anything without someone taking it to the next level

[Publisher1963]

Seriously some people are a really miserable bunch in here.

Hear, hear!


Posted via CB10... on my Z30 10.2.1

[Stomps01]

Does anybody find that the space bar has less of a click to it making it feel worn? I don't find it has the same solid feel as all the other keys.

Posted via CB10

[kfehling]

Does anybody find that the space bar has less of a click to it making it feel worn? I don't find it has the same solid feel as all the other keys.

Posted via CB10

Mine feels the same as other keys.

[Adif_70]

Use 1marketplace. I downloaded the apk and Kindle can be found.

Posted via CB10

[FirstBerry101]

A few days in and I am good with the keyboard. I do have to look at it to type. Can't do it blind like I did on my q5. Yet


Posted via CB10

[ubizmo]

I'm okay with the space bar and 'B', but swiping predicted words is so far not happening.

Also, the comma should automatically add a space; it doesn't. That's a bug.

And the Amazon app store doesn't open. I think that's a bug too.

I'm loving the sound that comes out of this thing.


Posted from my Q10.

[digitladestined]

Appreciate the feedback..cant' wait to get a Passport of my own!

[bold007]

I am having trouble on the keyboard. The flip up. I am ok on the left and right column but center is hit and miss. Hopefully it is just the learning curve. But it is perfect for work.

Posted via CB10

[SK122387]

I've had mine since the 25th in the morning and am already so comfortable with it. I was expecting like a week or something to be able to get used to it. It's just the same as my Z30 in terms of the swiping to delete and swiping up or down to access the symbols.

I'd be curious to know if age has anything to do with it. My mom has a Q10 and was amazed by the Passport but said she would never be able to remember all the swipes and everything that the Passport has that add to its efficiency for a power user.

Posted via CB10

[ubizmo]

I'd be curious to know if age has anything to do with it. My mom has a Q10 and was amazed by the Passport but said she would never be able to remember all the swipes and everything that the Passport has that add to its efficiency for a power user.

Posted via CB10

I'm probably as old as your Mom, if not older. I have no trouble swiping to delete words or to bring up the symbols, but swiping to select predicted words is very iffy for me. I tend to overshoot and hit the punctuation marks. Since I'm very used to tapping predicted words on the Q10, that's what I tend to do. For now.


Posted from my Q10.

[gallopiton]

in my case, even when i enjoy my Z30, i do miss the pkb... so, want to see if the new format suits my needs... i don't like making spelling mistakes and waste time going back to correct them... ans even when the vkb in the Z30 is great, it's not perfect... only trying it out by yourself you can really decide if it makes sense going back to the pkb

I just don't know why anyone would buy Passport if they already love their Z30. Makes no sense to me, I guess some people need to have the latest toy.

[guygardner73]

I have the exact same oddities. In fact, I am replying to this just so I can practice typing!

I do really like phone though!! Actuality, love is more of an appropriate word for it!
Awesome, not one spelling mistake...

Former Z30 user and lover, but now Passport rocker!

*Actually*

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.0.1052 O2 UK

[d.roc]

To those referring to the Amazon app store, it won't open if you reload your previous apps. This problem is easy to fix as just install the app again. You don't need to delete it either. Just re-download from the. Apk file that's probably already on your phone or just download it from the interwebs. It will work fine. Not only am I an advocate for this method but I'm also a client.

Brought to you by...My sweet Passport

[cartoon2007]

I just don't know why anyone would buy Passport if they already love their Z30. Makes no sense to me, I guess some people need to have the latest toy.

Probably because most of them are working adults and spend THEIR money as they please

Rockin the Q