[leedium]

Just thought I'd share my thoughts traveling with this phone on my recent travels with the BlackBerry Passport.

I can honestly say that the added attention I have received from this phone has been incredible. From transport security to hotel concierge, to random travelers, the feedback has only solidified my passion for this device and that the red dot design award was legit.
BlackBerry Passport Wins Best of the Best Red Dot Award 2015! | Inside BlackBerry

From the Indian man in the check in line observing my use and his comment "nice BB... Passport?", to the KLM stewardess "nice phone, it's big and black", to the South African transport security( Robben Island), "I like your phone!", to pretty much every Thai baggage security person, who couldn't speak English very well and inspected my phone never seeing anything like it in their lives..."ooooh mobile phone?... BeeBee!" as they call it. Mobile phones are apart of us, our style, our personality, like a shirt, dress, perfume, or haircut. It's a nice feeling when people notice or compliment you.

As I sit here by the hotel pool, and observe all these other tourists fixated on their now traditional slab design devices, I dread the day that I may have to possibly move on from this minimalistic fusion of analog/digital, and an OS that makes my communication flow seamlessly.

My setup is OS 10.3.3.2031, Cobalt's google services only for patched Google Maps and a few android based banking apps which I hardly ever use. Everything else is native. I'm not on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, Snapchat, Hangouts, or anything else outside of Twitter(for news consumption). Will figure out a work around for Whatsapp when the time comes. Only thing missing is Uber, but I use it so infrequently that it's no major loss.

It feels great owning a phone that's not only a great tool, but is unique in its functional design. Maybe TCL can make an Android version while preserving or enhancing the overall design. I'm not a fan of Android, but I guess there is no other option.

Though, I'll enjoy this while it lasts.

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[spyros_81]

Thanks for sharing this!

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[Paulelmar18]

I make the same experiences while using my Passport SE. Everyone is looking on it, but only few ones can name it a BlackBerry.

I keep hearing statements like,"Is this new?" "Oh, man, it's big!" or "Wtf, a keyboard."

It is such a pity that BlackBerry has not been able to make the Passport popular to a large number of customers. I'll keep it to the bitter end and enjoy it.

[Qorax]

Nicely written piece, thanks for sharing.


Clicked by Passport, my 2nd one.

This is still my daily driver. And I have the same reaction everytime I pull it out. I haven't found anyone who hasn't admired it, yet. Makes me wonder how the phone failed in the market?

Yes, I'll hold onto it till doomsday!

Ps.: Currently testing my brand new Motion - overall a nice phone, no cribs - but nothing unique about it.

[Chuck Finley69]

Too bad all these people that "like" the device look, never cared enough to buy the phone. Unfortunately, when you're selling anything, it only matters if people buy. Most all people will only buy what they see everyone around them buying. It's a herd mentality in consumer retail. It always has been and will always be. It's the double-edged sword of consumerism. The Passport's very unique differences with OS, PKB and shape, would be it's very reason for lack of commercial success. Great device, unfortunately, commercial failure.

[elfabio80]

Too bad all these people that "like" the device look, never cared enough to buy the phone. Unfortunately, when you're selling anything, it only matters if people buy. Most all people will only buy what they see everyone around them buying. It's a herd mentality in consumer retail. It always has been and will always be. It's the double-edged sword of consumerism. The Passport's very unique differences with OS, PKB and shape, would be it's very reason for lack of commercial success. Great device, unfortunately, commercial failure.

You are right, but don't forget that lack of Marketing from BlackBerry. Lack of apps did the other...or also viceversa...

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[Chuck Finley69]

You are right, but don't forget that lack of Marketing from BlackBerry. Lack of apps did the other...or also viceversa...

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You can't successfully market a product or successfully create an ecosystem that doesn't have a strong enough demand to overcome the economic hurdles for that product or ecosystem. If they had created BB10 at same time as Android/IOS, that would have been there only chance. Even then, BB would have lost because they didn't have the economic resources of Apple, Google or Microsoft. Their economic cash flow was dependent on staying on BBOS for the SAF. BB was in the completely worst spot to be standing at time.

You could have given the Android OS to BB in 2005 and it would have failed because they lacked the economic resources to develop it. The other competitors were easily 10-20 times size in cash flow...even more in some quarters.

[ominaxe]

Too bad the attention you get from your phone doesn't get followed up by app developers.

[Chuck Finley69]

Too bad the attention you get from your phone doesn't get followed up by app developers.

Same problems as listed above. BB offered to pay app developers good money to design native BB10 apps plus good money to port their Android versions over. It's not the front end revenue, it was the app support expense to keep apps up to date and bug glitch free.

Microsoft and BB had the same problem. Both companies would be willing to pay you millions to have saved the billions they lost on failed mobile OS.

[arfeo]

Oops, wrong topic.

[elfabio80]

You can't successfully market a product or successfully create an ecosystem that doesn't have a strong enough demand to overcome the economic hurdles for that product or ecosystem. If they had created BB10 at same time as Android/IOS, that would have been there only chance. Even then, BB would have lost because they didn't have the economic resources of Apple, Google or Microsoft. Their economic cash flow was dependent on staying on BBOS for the SAF. BB was in the completely worst spot to be standing at time.

You could have given the Android OS to BB in 2005 and it would have failed because they lacked the economic resources to develop it. The other competitors were easily 10-20 times size in cash flow...even more in some quarters.

Following your opinion, then Ferrari should close. In order to contribute to give the best to a new product you have to create curiosity, bring some innovation, advertise, and so on. You have to support the developers, listening to what they need/want. And you have to be good enough to understand the needs of customers. Even with Android BlackBerry /BBMobile/Tlc is sinking.....nobody knows them. I am currently for work in Turkey. Speaking with some colleagues, locals and expats nobody knows about the BlackBerry with Android. So then applying your opinion, basically BlackBerry should have totally abandon even the transition to Android. Anyway, we could continue this discussion never ending. BlackBerry management sucked and sucks still. BlackBerry can only bring some results with innovation, radar, and maybe with enterprise or with the IOT and the car projects. But till when nobody knows about the Key one (apart the aficionados), hen there are no results.

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[arfeo]

Every topic ends in the same way...

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[waspyguy]

I have to agree. Here in Atlanta I can say that at least once a week I get either compliments or complete amazement about my Passport. Mine works great. I couldn't be happier.


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[Chuck Finley69]

Following your opinion, then Ferrari should close. In order to contribute to give the best to a new product you have to create curiosity, bring some innovation, advertise, and so on. You have to support the developers, listening to what they need/want. And you have to be good enough to understand the needs of customers. Even with Android BlackBerry /BBMobile/Tlc is sinking.....nobody knows them. I am currently for work in Turkey. Speaking with some colleagues, locals and expats nobody knows about the BlackBerry with Android. So then applying your opinion, basically BlackBerry should have totally abandon even the transition to Android. Anyway, we could continue this discussion never ending. BlackBerry management sucked and sucks still. BlackBerry can only bring some results with innovation, radar, and maybe with enterprise or with the IOT and the car projects. But till when nobody knows about the Key one (apart the aficionados), hen there are no results.

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Automobile manufacturing doesn't face all the limitations that OS development and support have faced. Automobile companies don't have to build the road infrastructure to drive the vehicles on.

As far as BBMo Android devices, I don't know how much advertising would matter. People know the BlackBerry name brand. Unfortunately, the brand name is pretty toxic for many people that brings up 10 year old memories of BBOS. Complicating matters is that BBMo parent company, TCT is having economic problems related to it's domestic market.

What does current BB management have to do with poor management? They exited the hardware business and they're getting licensing and software revenue from the different three licensee companies. They're now positive cash flow as company. Since the only businesses they operate in are healthy, what's the problem?

BB wasted millions of dollars marketing BB10 and realized the cash was just being wasted since BB10 was garbage to consumers. At that point, their cash ran out. This was all before current management was hired to save company... Then, current management saved company. How does that make them suck?

[Qorax]

Following your opinion, then Ferrari should close. In order to contribute to give the best to a new product you have to create curiosity, bring some innovation, advertise, and so on. You have to support the developers, listening to what they need/want. And you have to be good enough to understand the needs of customers. Even with Android BlackBerry /BBMobile/Tlc is sinking.....nobody knows them. I am currently for work in Turkey. Speaking with some colleagues, locals and expats nobody knows about the BlackBerry with Android. So then applying your opinion, basically BlackBerry should have totally abandon even the transition to Android. Anyway, we could continue this discussion never ending. BlackBerry management sucked and sucks still. BlackBerry can only bring some results with innovation, radar, and maybe with enterprise or with the IOT and the car projects. But till when nobody knows about the Key one (apart the aficionados), hen there are no results.

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Well said.

[Chuck Finley69]

Well said.

Read my comment above. Explain what you could realistically do that hasn't been done with all the limitations that BB faced.

[LSDBerry]

I am amazed at the random comments I get just walking around.

"What kind of phone is that?"

"Wow, is that a BlackBerry?"

"Oh, I didn't know they still existed"

"I want your phone"

The level of public brand awareness is shockingly low most of the time, it's almost as if the device was never marketed. . . . Not sure how it could have been different though it was already a 'specialist' device when it was released.


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[Qorax]

I am amazed ...

The level of public brand awareness is shockingly low most of the time, it's almost as if the device was never marketed...

Absolutely true.

Non-info was a death knell for the Passport. Many folks are still unaware that Blackberry is still out there. And most people have no clue that a phone like the Passport existed.

If they had marketed it well, if there was enough media presence AND if there were enough units in the shelves ~ this unique cellphone could have a chance. And the BB story could be different.

[Chuck Finley69]

Absolutely true.

Non-info was a death knell for the Passport. Many folks are still unaware that Blackberry is still out there. And most people have no clue that a phone like the Passport existed.

If they had marketed it well, if there was enough media presence AND if there were enough units in the shelves ~ this unique cellphone could have a chance. And the BB story could be different.

There were plenty of units on the shelves, that was a big part of the problem. You contradict yourself with your own comments.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Every topic ends in the same way...

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Passport was a great phone design three years ago.... but yeah the story is still the same.

[Chuck Finley69]

Every topic ends in the same way...

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How should it be?

[JJBBgreat]

Yes, I have loved my Passports (black and SE). With that said, and with no comment necessary on the absence of apps, its reliability even as a communication device has declined. I worry that the OP's passion is a bit misplaced. Yes, there is a bit of satisfaction that people take an interest in the way my device LOOKS. But, at the end of the day, that is its most redeeming quality. I love the way it looks, too. And, as I have opined in previous posts, I love the display, the font, the pleasure and accuracy of the swipe. But, it's like ogling at a vintage car sitting on cinder blocks. Gosh, it looks good! Now, how do I get to my next destination?!

[arfeo]

How should it be?

I was talking about sentences like "BB is dead", "Devices are old pieces of ***", "Chen is ***", etc. in almost every single topic started over here. Even when OP describes his/her story about traveling with the fabulous Passport.

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[Chuck Finley69]

I was talking about sentences like "BB is dead", "Devices are old pieces of ***", "Chen is ***", etc. in almost every single topic started over here. Even when OP describes his/her story about traveling with the fabulous Passport.

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It's the nature of the site. Censorship is frowned upon. As long as no one breaks any rules, it's allowed. There's no safe place to gush about things from one side with rainbows and unicorns. If you see a comment that's inappropriate, hit the report button...

[spacemanZ10]

Last week on business in portugal air host on the plane asked me if it my Passport was one of those new blackberrys? LOL
Still love it and I'm torn, stay with it another year or so or go Keyone in 2018? Though if going android might go full on with a samsung edge? But love the individual look of the keyone like my passport!

Swiped on my Passport!