[hieupham]

Hi Folks,
This post is about the PP Silver Edition shortcomings from the Design & Build perspectives; as the Internals are well known back to the original versions. The strong points of the device will not be talked about, also maybe the camera has been improved as some may claimed a little bit, but not dramatically, might be the different hardware module vendors; the specs are the very very same + the psychology "hype"/ "placebo" impression of the new device.

The photos are taken from the BBVietnam, the device in hands is the test prototype but the build quality is 9x % of the commercial sample. (You know somehow Vietnam gets the very first prototypes/ Dev devices etc), so about the shortcomings:

- Price. You decide yourself. Yeah, BB keeps releasing the devices with dated specs; like Q10 and Z10 were delayed for a year, and then the very same S4 Pro chip gets used until now till the Leaps. And then the SE Passport with the very same specs as a year ago, and I will not be surprised if BB releases the budget PP or other devices running 801s etc.
Even the Venice (flagship) is delayed and when it comes out, ppl will be using 820s already, but in this case, is not as bad as the Q10 and Z10s.
You know, the 2100mah/1800 mah are not that bad, but still we get very juice hungry devices, this is all due to the dated HW. Like the Amoled in Q10 is something used in Sammy's Galaxies S1/S2 with low brightness, satured colors etc + high energy consumption. I remember the S3 was with good display.
And don't tell me in BB specs are not important, with the Android runtime integrated, specs does matter. You launch the virtual runtime, and an Android app on-top; so yes, the specs matters. Android even lags in top-notch native devices...

- The design is not a whole stainless steel, just the frame and the keyboard frets; other things: the sim back cover/ the chin or the bottom of the device/ the whole thing hugging the keyboard are plastic.



- The steel and the plastics are painted with silver matte colors (the steel on Original passport is just steel, not painted); so with time, the paint will be faded/ scratched etc. If you have been using 9900, Q10, Classic, AT&T Passport and even the Porsche designs etc, you will know that the painted plastic (normally black) will be faded and will look UGLY.
The plastic begins, where the steel/metal ends, in the PD phones, the plastic begins, right under the PD logos.
The paint painted using by Blackberry is sooo bad that with rough usage (not extra care), it comes off with time.
I hate the Q10 Golden (Special) edition as the painted golden color on frame metal is Okay, but the bottom (plastic) gets scratched easily and shows the black plastic. Blackberry doesn't just do the colored plastic, they just use black and paint it...
- The reason BB uses plastic here is due to the radio/ reception, if the frame is 100% metal, then the reception goes nuts. That's why you see the white lil stripes around the Iphone's frames, and so is the Sammy's S6 etc.

in this picture, on the right, you can see the steel/metal part frame, the rest are plastic.



- The camera in SE is popped out, so it got scratched easier.
Finger print magnet is the same, in SE it's less than in the original black, but due to they have a silicon or rubber layer on top, it gets better grip (better than White/Red editions as they use only plastic, more slippy) + you see the finger prints and the oil skin marks + as the design is dots, the dirt/dust will get in with time + you can see the device gets old. This is where plain plastic wins, like in the RED, in the White coz of the color, it's just get dirty (becomes yellowish with time and heat).


- The keyboard in new condition has some kind of dust on it, but with time you use the physical keyboard more and more, they keyboard just gets shinny, this happends to all BBs with physical buttons, nothing new.

In the Passport Silver edition, they put a soft-matte layer on top, like the velvet material, gives you soft and comfortable typing feelings, but with time, that layer will be gone, it's so thin just like the layer on the OG keyboard.






Here goes the Productional, commercial (final) sample:













And in the end, LOOKS nice on the MacBook rite? Don't you find interesting (Apple Product)

[petertinh]

Thanks.

Posted via my BlackBerry � Passport on newest OS 10.3.2

[amathtools]

Wow. Optimistic eh. This was a refreshing read.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[Poi25]

After looking at some tear down pictures, I don't think the frets are stainless steel either.

[Draven2666]

After reading this, I give up. Seems thought process has died in hub world. P

Posted via CB10

[Hazo]

Just another BlackBerry bash..... I have an original PP and it rocks everything I have put it up against in the field.... and that's a lot of phones!

[gnirkatto]

Tiresome charlatanish fortune telling.

Posted via CB10

[joshua_sx1]

Oh crap... you spoil the party...

Posted via CB10

[chw6922]

Excellent post and analysis!! I was on the fence to get SE in replacement of my current blk OG or not. Now, I have an answer! I may just hold off and save it for 9984.

Posted via CB10

[mad_mdx]

The paint on my z30 has never faded. You're a silly person OP for this thread.
You speak of design yet nothing you mention relates to design
In fact you mentioned nothing new at all
Painted plastic, raised camera, grippy back, everyone knew this already and none of it is a problem.
My favorite part... the keyboard is matte but after using it the oil from your fingers makes it shiny, and you blame BlackBerry? Lol

What's the point of your thread ?

[hieupham]

Just another BlackBerry bash..... I have an original PP and it rocks everything I have put it up against in the field.... and that's a lot of phones!

Just trying to be obvious mate, as you have noticed, I have been owning the listed devices, so I know what I write and know what I compare with Yes, even the PDs.

[hieupham]

The paint on my z30 has never faded. You're a silly person OP for this thread.
You speak of design yet nothing you mention relates to design
In fact you mentioned nothing new at all
Painted plastic, raised camera, grippy back, everyone knew this already and none of it is a problem.
My favorite part... the keyboard is matte but after using it the oil from your fingers makes it shiny, and you blame BlackBerry? Lol

What's the point of your thread ?

Sorry for my bad English, i'm not a native speaker so maybe some miss-understandings.
Your may not be faded, but ppl might. Some people use the fone "abusively" , coz the fone is a tool that works for them, so they don't really care.
Keyboard has some kind of dust in it, with time when the dust comes off, the keyboard becomes shinny, that's it, not coz of oily hands...

The point is to make some other point of views, apart from all the positive things that is written, and some personal thoughts and shares.

[AnimalPak200]

These are more like manufacturing technique/material choice shortcomings. Not really 'design'.

I'm sure the 'designers' would have loved for the whole thing to be carved out of a solid block of stainless steel, but those dammed RF engineers, and accountants trying to hit a $200 build price for 100,000 unit order, ruined the party.

Posted via CB10

[bullnuke7532]

Wow! Someone needs a hug!

Posted with awesome Passport SE!

[anon(2313227)]

You are comparing a pre-produciton unit. Hope you blurr out the IMEI before someone is fired.

[hieupham]

You are comparing a pre-produciton unit. Hope you blurr out the IMEI before someone is fired.

As for the IMEI thing, the original photos were not blurred.
Okay so here comes the Final product. (Recheck OP)

The frame is painted vs the unpainted frame of the black:

[hieupham]

After looking at some tear down pictures, I don't think the frets are stainless steel either.

Thanks, now me myself not sure about the fret part if its plastic or metal, coz the whole thingy is just topped on top to the frame.
As of the colors, it's more likely plastic (the whole thingy), painted

from the small picture, the metal is the frame showed, everything else is painted plastic

[tagumcity]

The Passport SE is a well balanced device. The internal hardware specifications seem quite capable in my experience, with long battery life too. The Passport SE at $550 US is comparatively priced.

I tried the iPhone 6+ and Nexus 6, both are capable devices for media consumption, but I don't see any significant performance lead in day to day use. What could you "throw" at a Passport and have the internal specs choke on it? Maybe a high res movie or game?

For most hardware (mobile & desktop) it seems that specs get way out in front of software development.

The iPhone 6+ may be connected to a monitor (with an adapter) and a keyboard, but no mouse capability. The Nexus 6 connects to a keyboard & mouse, but is limited to casting only for a monitor. The Passport performs well with all three, mouse, keyboard and monitor, plus the microSD card slot is huge benefit.

The blackberry design video explains how the camera lens is protected.

Having the paint wear off or keyboard wear showing on a Blackberry hasn't happened for me, though it's understandable for certain types of device users.

I'm okay with the designed use of plastic components on the Passport SE that may benefit antenna reception.

Based on my experience Passport SE refinements are well received.

[leeiling]

OP has a point. Don't get me wrong. I love Passport and I have four of them so that I can decide which to go with for the day or the week. I don't hate SE Passport but I am so not going to buy or recommend one. First thing first, I hate the color. That pretty much tells the story. I don't like silver. OP is talking about the fading paint,and yes, it happened to my black Q10 and even worse to my white Q10. There is no such issue on Z30 because the frame is not all around the device as it is on Q10. I cannot help but fall in love with the design on the frame of the original Passport. It is firm and it is beautiful. See the attached picture for yourself.



And here are my lovely Passports



Posted via CB10

[Poi25]

Thanks, now me myself not sure about the fret part if its plastic or metal, coz the whole thingy is just topped on top to the frame.
As of the colors, it's more likely plastic (the whole thingy), painted

from the small picture, the metal is the frame showed, everything else is painted plastic

http://forums.crackberry.com/attachm...rame-small.jpg
http://s29.postimg.org/kz7omf953/Bla...ion_Design.jpg
http://forums.crackberry.com/attachm...passpor-13.jpg

I think the frets are plastic. Look at your picture of the Passport in the dock. You can clearly see the seam around the entire keyboard assembly.

[shayanjvd01]

Wowowow, thanks for a tripped down version of it. Despite the shortcomings, still looking strikingly awesome. Looking forward to grab my hands on it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[cbvinh]

Is the frame on the SE thicker than on the OE? If so, would the extra thickness give it more rigidity?

[chuck188]

I find BB Passport to be really wonderful when it comes to its design. It feels like a chick and is really heart warming to look at. I bet whats inside it is also a system that is really good in quality and is to be trusted by which people can say that they would want to have one.

[Notna Nosyel]

How come you are criticizing the design when you haven't seen the actual device?

[Upright-Underground]

Owns four PP.

Dang.

 Classic