[BB Adict]

This isn't their flagship device. Call it the BlackBerry stub or the BlackBerry joke maybe.

Posted via CB10

No stub! No Joke. It is called a Passport. Deal with it.


Posted via CB10

[SK122387]

Its a major improvement imo. It almost looks like a completely different device and I much prefer it over the sharp corners.

I would like to know if this has ever been done before though. I've never heard of a Carrier making design changes to a phone that was already released. I guess its happened but it sure does seem odd. Its almost like AT&T said "Nope, your first design doesn't cut it, here's what we want."

Remember the 8700? It had different models, like the 8700g, 8700c and 8700r. T-Mobile got the g, while Cingular/at&t got the c. They had the same keyboard, buttons, and screen, but had slightly different designs and *gasp* corners!

Posted via CB10

[alan510]

I couldn't care less about the rounded or square corners. Just hope they both sell wherever they are offered.

Posted via CB10

[keepingsane101]

The rounded corners gives more subtlety to the phone to me. And more gentle (and acceptable) to the eyes (of general consumers) . Then again, I totally dig the squarish sharp look of the original. Gives me the impression of a durable, clean professional look.

Posted via CB10

[zlatno]

i like the rounded design more for sure but this is stupid on BB part. You **** off some people that just bought the device and now you take on more manufacturing costs

Who exactly are BB pissing off? First, not everyone will like the rounded edges more. Second, the got the biggest carrier in the U.S. to carry their two newest devices.
Chen IS listening to his customers and one of his biggest potential customers (AT&T) want rounded edges.
As for customers that bought the 'original' Passport, this isn't the first time that a smartphone maker made an exclusive design for a carrier. Why is it when BlackBerry does the exclusive design, all of a sudden it is stupid to do so?

[Kopmonster]

I prefer the original. It looks more class and unique than all the rest of the phone.



Posted via CB10

[hanto]

i have the original one but like the cornered passport better

[anon(153966)]

It is so difficult to get carriers and manufactures to make cases for BlackBerry devices. It will be interesting to see if they will make cases for the AT&T version of the Passport...

[last_attempt]

With the extra space under the keyboard, are they laying the ground work for the fourth row of keys on a passport 2?

Posted via CB10

[AnimalPak200]

With the extra space under the keyboard, are they laying the ground work for the fourth row of keys on a passport 2?

Posted via CB10

I doubt it, they probably added that space because the AT&T product selection vp tried the Passport for an hour (ok, 10 minutes) and felt the keyboard was too low.

Posted via CB10

[dmateo]

I doubt it, they probably added that space because the AT&T product selection vp tried the Passport for an hour (ok, 10 minutes) and felt the keyboard was too low.

Posted via CB10

That or they need space to fit the att logo

Posted via CB10

[raqball]

Load an autoloader or unlock and put a different SIM in. None of anything you said really applies to anyone here at all except for the logo maybe

Maybe hardcore users won't be effected because they will use an autoloader but the statement that it won't apply to anyone here is a bit odd and puzzling.. As I am sure you are well aware (based on your post count and user title) a very large portion of BB users don't or won't load a beta OS or want to use autoloader

I for one have zero interest in it and happily wait for official releases. I'd bet a large portion of BB users are the same. The bloat on AT&T devices IS an issue and the long waits for OS updates IS an issue.

The ugly logo that will more than likely be on the back of the device can easily be covered up by a case if you use one.

Sure the 10% (probably a higher % than real) that load beta OS won't have to deal with the bloat but the other 90% will and based on AT&T's past, I'd say the bloat will be massive and the wait for updates will be lengthy!

My .02

[Jerlexis]

I can't do the rounded corners. 1) AT&T carrier branding on the back, and 2) the AT&T variant is a bigger device. My square corner Passport just fits in my tightest pants pocket without having to pry it out.

[lylesilverman]

As a US consumer who couldn't wait for ATT's release, I love the square design, it's sleak and it definitely makes the device stand out more. That said, I understand exactly why ATT would have requested this design and I hope it pays off in more sales.

I'm just glad it's out there now. Sell these damn things ATT! I want more PP like products in the future and I want to see them replacing iphones in people's hands!

[raqball]

From the AT&T webite here is a photo of what the back logo looks like.. YUCK! Double YUCK!

[Meok]

Really?

Please post a picture of a smartphone that the redesigned Passport looks like since it's now generic looking as you put it.

Omnia>i3G>9630>9650>Droid Pro>9650>9930>i4S>i5>i5S>Passport

Crackberry already has. There are pictures of this next to the Classic. Same design language for the frame. The breaks in the side of the frame look like the Q10 and the shape of the device is very Q5-ish. There's a lot "Classic BlackBerry" in this new Passport, whereas you saw the old one and you knew it wasn't business as usual. I look at this and I don't expect it to have high specs. Whereas people are never shocked when I tell them specs of my regular Passport. The very look of it tells them up front that it's not your mother's BlackBerry.

Passported to you with a touch enabled keyboard!

[NaijaBerry]

While I personally prefer the old look, I do tend to feel this is probably not such a good move for BlackBerry with regards to customers. I'm just thinking what if I actually liked the new design, I'd be pretty peeved right now because I just bought mine a month ago.....clearly its a business move and a very good one at that, because you don't approve a redesign for a few thousand phones, it would be interesting to know the minimum order quantity AT&T had to purchase for this...

[lylesilverman]

I understand bloatware complaints about phones from carriers but am I the only one who doesn't remotely care about a carrier's logo on my phone? It's not exactly shocking that a carrier would want their logo on a phone their selling and providing service for and it sure as hell wouldn't detract from how much I love this phone.

Seems a pretty trivial complaint.

[raqball]

I understand bloatware complaints about phones from carriers but am I the only one who doesn't remotely care about a carrier's logo on my phone? It's not exactly shocking that a carrier would want their logo on a phone their selling and providing service for and it sure as hell wouldn't detract from how much I love this phone.

Seems a pretty trivial complaint.

I know a lot of people who don't care about the carrier logo but it bothers me. See the image I posted a few posts up. Some might say it does not look bad but to my eye it's unneeded and ugly. I pay full price for my phones and am not interested in being a walking billboard for them.

Granted the AT&T logo size and placement is nowhere even close to being as bad as how Verizon butchers up their phones. Ever seen a Verizon branded Note 2? They stuck their logo right on the front home button and also had a large one on the back. That phone has to go down in history as one of the ugliest ever and it's all due to the VZW logos.

[lylesilverman]

I know a lot of people who don't care about the carrier logo but it bothers me. See the image I posted a few posts up. Some might say it does not look bad but to my eye it's unneeded and ugly. I pay full price for my phones and am not interested in being a walking billboard for them.

Granted the AT&T logo size and placement is nowhere even close to being as bad as how Verizon butchers up their phones. Ever seen a Verizon branded Note 2? They stuck their logo right on the front home button and also had a large one on the back. That phone has to go down in history as one of the ugliest ever and it's all due to the VZW logos.

Different strokes I guess, I was just curious. I'd probably feel slightly annoyed if the phones were all nascar'd up with sponsorships and crap but just a logo isn't something I'd lose sleep over. I do know what you mean about VZW though, just nothing I ever cared about.

[jefpoon]

I wish BlackBerry would start making just the round model so the square ones would become collector's items.

Posted via CB10

[mslifkin]

Round for sure!

[dejanh]

Showed the new design to my wife (she uses the original Passport as well). She called the new design BlackBerry Poptart.

Posted via CB10

[Denise in Los Angeles]

Straight Edged Passport

[ajst222]

I am more astonished by the fact that BlackBerry will manufacturer a whole new device (essentially a new device) for a carrier. This is rather unprecedented. I wonder how many units AT&T promised to buy from BlackBerry.

Posted with my super duper BlackBerry Passport.

Not unprecedented. Nokia has done it before with their Lumia line. AT&T got the 920, T-Mobile got the 925, and Verizon got the 928. All basically the same phone in a different shell