1. lawguyman's Avatar
    I received my Passport a few days after launch. I've used it since then, got in on the coupon deal, and had to return the original because of the horror that is ShopBlackberry. Here are my impressions.

    I've been using Blackberry phones for over a decade now. It has been a crazy ride with too many ups and downs. Not too long ago I doubted that we would ever see a new Blackberry phone. The company put itself up for sale and it seemed like the Fat Lady was on stage, at the mic, and ready to belt one out.

    When I saw the original Passport leak -- that odd, huge, square screen--I felt it was a joke. It had to be. It was crazy. I remember when the first photo of the device itself emerged. There was disbelief. I remember a thread here on Crackberry in which some plausibly argued that the dimensions of the picture were off. It really had to be compressed to make it look like Q10. The corners had to be more rounded. I remember thinking that made sense. BlackBerry was not crazy enough to make a phone that looked like THAT.

    As more and more information was leaked, reality set in. This square cornered, square screened device was the next Blackberry.

    I am one of those people who bought a PlayBook on launch day, a Z10, and then a Z30. I had joined the ranks of touchscreen users. Passport was not what I was looking for. I wanted a new high end all touch device. Still, there was something about this odd device that made complete sense to me.

    Imagine a world in which Blackberry avoided all its past mistakes and iPhone and Android and Blackberry were competing for shares of the market. Passport looks like the kind of phone that Blackberry would be making in this alternate reality: bold (in more than name), arrogant, confident, and a huge, huge F-you to everyone out there carrying a 16x9 touchscreen. It is a device that makes absolutely no sense, yet that is exactly the source of its appeal. It is BlackBerry doubling down on the things that it built the company around.

    When you first open the box and see it, you will have to smile. It is Blackberry saying "I don't care if you like me." When you pull it out of the box and hold it in your hand, it feels substantial. It doesn't care that its not the thinnest or the lightest. The cold feel of the Stainless Steel screams, "who cares if aluminum is lighter." This is stainless f-in steel baby! Stainless F-in Steel. You wont be bending this. Go and try if you want.

    When you boot it up and delve into the Hub you will see that Blackberry finally remembered what people like about Blackberries. 10.3 (and the leaked 10.3.1) gives you back all those contact options to tinker with. It is Blackberry saying that they're done trying to make an iPhone. This is about the serious work of organizing your life, not playing Flappy Bird.

    But, this is 2014. People want apps. Blackberry is working on it. You've got Bb World. You've got Amazon. If you try harder you've got Snap and all of Android (as long as the App doesn't require Google's services). And guess what? Everything runs very well. Apps are snappy and responsive. Compatibility is excellent. Load times are not on par with Native Android but that does not mean the Apps are slow. I heard Crackberry Kevin say that the App Gap is gone. I think he's right, but only if you try hard.

    Like I said, I'm a touchscreen guy. Going back to real keyboard, actually, a hybrid keyboard, can be expected to have some challenges. For me, it was not a big deal. Can I say that a touchscreen is an advantage? For me, I'm not sure. Certainly it won't be for everyone. But that is kind of the point of the Passport. It is not a one size fits all device.

    When someone says Passport is too wide or too square or too unconventional, those people are absolutely, 1000% percent right. But guess what, Passport doesn't give a sh@t about what everyone thinks. Neither do I.
    nomi1978, FF22, idssteve and 53 others like this.
    10-12-14 10:11 AM
  2. Andy Wijaya's Avatar
    All you've said is true. I don't think all people, especially from Q10 or Z30 should all upgrade to this phone. It's so different. The experience, that is. Very different way to input data. Very different screen size. Everybody has taste. And BlackBerry Passport would be dividing those taste and opinions very widely. Either love it or hate it. Me? I love it. But I love my Z30 too.
    jojo beaconsfield likes this.
    10-12-14 10:39 AM
  3. lawguyman's Avatar
    It's not for everyone. That's the point.

    Posted via CB10
    10-12-14 11:12 AM
  4. sandman10's Avatar
    It's not for everyone, but it's right for meeeeeeeee!



    Posted via CB10
    10-12-14 11:17 AM
  5. anon721037's Avatar
    Great review, I think you hit the nail squarely on the head. Lol

    Posted via CB10
    Carjackd and moody like this.
    10-12-14 11:20 AM
  6. Pdinos3's Avatar
    I thought I'd never go back to full touch. I have a z10 and a z30. But once I received it and played with it for a few hours I realized that this was a great device and I have no regrets.

    Via CB10 Rockin PassportSQW100-1/10.3.1.632!!!!! And Proud member of the Peevishlicious Crew
    10-12-14 11:21 AM
  7. rstites38829's Avatar
    My kids will hate this phone and that's OK because I won't buy it for them. I pound out emails and text all day long. I copy, paste, forward all day long. Guess what else I do? I talk on my phone. A LOT! I need great reception, and great sound quality. I like the thought of having a conference call anywhere Vs needing to be at my office phone. I need to view spreadsheets, web pages, and PDF's on my phone. One of the products that helps run my company is a web service that tracts our company fleet. It's brutal to try to use on any mobile device I have tried other than a tablet. I can't wait to try it on the Passport. There are a few banking apps that Blackberry Word didn't offer but Amazon does and they work great. In my world I need all the help I can get. I can't wait to get my hands on this workhorse.



    Posted via CB10
    10-12-14 11:28 AM
  8. shorski's Avatar
    Wow. This is a great review.
    Front page please!!!!!!!!!

    Official Board Member of the Peevishlicious Crew
    moody and Carjackd like this.
    10-12-14 11:29 AM
  9. mainely_linux's Avatar
    Excellent review. I probably wont like it, but I will have it. Ill make a better decision then.
    10-12-14 11:32 AM
  10. Pdinos3's Avatar
    Wow, LGM. Great review.

    Passport don't care!



    Via CB10 Rockin PassportSQW100-1/10.3.1.632!!!!! And Proud member of the Peevishlicious Crew
    damien kupuku and Carjackd like this.
    10-12-14 11:33 AM
  11. Jonard Bais's Avatar
    Nice review

    Posted via CB10 for BlackBerry Z30
    10-12-14 11:35 AM
  12. tdyhedge's Avatar
    Now this is one review that I can honestly believe is truthful out of the several others that have appeared in this same forum section. Well done OP.

    Via my simply amazing ? Q10 10.3.0.1418
    Carjackd and gvs1341 like this.
    10-12-14 11:49 AM
  13. lawguyman's Avatar
    Wow, LGM. Great review.

    Passport don't care!



    Via CB10 Rockin PassportSQW100-1/10.3.1.632!!!!! And Proud member of the Peevishlicious Crew
    Indeed. Passport don't care.

    Passport too busy being productive.


    Posted via CB10
    10-12-14 11:49 AM
  14. moody's Avatar
    Well written LGM thanks!!

    "Proud 'Mrs.' of the Peevishlicious Crew"
    10-12-14 12:17 PM
  15. AnimalPak200's Avatar
    Seriously though,.. I know most of us have been carrying around our BB10 devices with a bit of insecurity and self-doubt (at least when we're not in our warm and fuzzy CB home). That ends with the Passport. It's weird, yes,.. but it's also, undeniably, 'a' right choice.
    10-12-14 12:54 PM
  16. ruben1975's Avatar
    All you've said is true. I don't think all people, especially from Q10 or Z30 should all upgrade to this phone. It's so different. The experience, that is. Very different way to input data. Very different screen size. Everybody has taste. And BlackBerry Passport would be dividing those taste and opinions very widely. Either love it or hate it. Me? I love it. But I love my Z30 too.
    I have a Z30 and love it, but I want the Passport especially because it is different, the form factor, the square screen that makes absolute sense.

    Posted via CB10
    Thunderbuck likes this.
    10-12-14 01:02 PM
  17. collinc93's Avatar
    great review....great thread--even with all the swearings and what not
    moody likes this.
    10-12-14 02:23 PM
  18. BlackBerry Guy's Avatar
    [WARN]Enough OT banter. Back on topic please![/WARN]
    10-12-14 08:25 PM
  19. corstr's Avatar
    Solid review. I love my Passport also, typing and swiping on it right now.

    Posted via CB10
    10-12-14 09:03 PM
  20. Carjackd's Avatar
    Great review Lawmanguy! Let's face it...it's so damn different that is the attraction to the device...at least It is what catches people's eye!! It is what makes it stand out and say "I am Passport and I don't give a damn!"
    Last edited by Carjackd; 10-14-14 at 12:05 AM.
    moody likes this.
    10-12-14 09:53 PM
  21. d_abes's Avatar
    It's not for everyone.

    That should be BlackBerry Marketing tag line.



    Posted via CB10
    10-12-14 10:00 PM
  22. southlander's Avatar
    Lol. Passport. Like if a honey badger was reborn as a smartphone.

    Posted via CB10
    Nharzhool and RWB3325 like this.
    10-12-14 10:01 PM
  23. Carjackd's Avatar
    It's not for everyone.

    That should be BlackBerry Marketing tag line.



    Posted via CB10
    Or "Looks like Sh*t but works great!"

    "Official International Accountant of the Peevishlicious Crew " via my Canadian Passport!!
    10-12-14 11:23 PM
  24. Insync's Avatar
    Not for everyone, but it maybe for you, it is for me!

    Posted via CB10
    10-12-14 11:50 PM
  25. ubizmo's Avatar
    Imagine a world in which Blackberry avoided all its past mistakes and iPhone and Android and Blackberry were competing for shares of the market. Passport looks like the kind of phone that Blackberry would be making in this alternate reality: bold (in more than name), arrogant, confident, and a huge, huge F-you to everyone out there carrying a 16x9 touchscreen. It is a device that makes absolutely no sense, yet that is exactly the source of its appeal. It is BlackBerry doubling down on the things that it built the company around.
    This is the part of the review that I most like, although I also disagree with it. I think the square screen actually makes a lot of sense, but to understand the sense that it makes, you have to see it for real and use it. Then you get it. We don't read and write content the way we watch videos. Mobile devices have defaulted to the video-watching format, forcing us to read and write content in either letterbox or pillarbox mode. Who decided that was a good idea?

    Until now, we never got to vote on it.
    BACK-2-BLACK and gritsinct like this.
    10-13-14 07:42 AM
72 123

Similar Threads

  1. ProClip Car Mount for Passport
    By shakingthrough in forum BlackBerry Passport
    Replies: 58
    Last Post: 05-24-15, 06:41 PM
  2. How can I restore my music?
    By CrackBerry Question in forum Ask a Question
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 10-20-14, 11:00 AM
  3. Feedback from users switched from Z30 to Passport
    By ArsenG in forum BlackBerry Z30
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 10-19-14, 08:06 PM
  4. Replies: 4
    Last Post: 10-13-14, 04:07 PM
  5. Tmobile and 10.3.0.738
    By Chavez78 in forum BlackBerry Passport
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 10-12-14, 10:33 AM
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD