[Hai Bo]

In my company, we have chat function in our system so we can communicate with colleagues in other countries, save the phone cost. We use it a lot. And everyone is on the same chat instead of a mix of Skype and Whatsapp and else.
Looking beyond the slab-of-cheese-on-the-screen pic, I would agree with her point about people communicating in more way. I translate it to BBRY has to be able to see more of the social trends to make a success.
I also like her statement about not only be the power professional but also power mother and power whatever, and was kind of waiting for some elaboration on how her phone can help her being such. But I guess she doesn't have a clue but use to saying big things.

[LuvULongTime]

The reviewer complained that there was no native instagram, snapchat, and uber. I had to tell her about iGrann, Snap2Chat, and Ober (which is in Beta Zone). I haven't downloaded the pro version if iGrann, but I believe it has hub integration. And this is supposed to be on Snap2Chat's roadmap.

To the OP, I don't believe BB is about email only. It is about communications. From within my hub I can not only reply to email, but I can also directly reply to texts, Whatsapp's, BBM's, FB messages. I can also tweet directly and update my FB status directly from the hub. I can also customize what I want to see in my hub and what I don't want to see.

BB's biggest problem is lack of breadth of apps. Everyone has their own handful of unique apps that they need, and this is where they are hurting. Lack of Google Apps is a close second. It's funny how the app problem is always a moving target. First it was skype, then angry birds, then netflix, then instagram, then snapchat, now uber. Sometimes I think reviewers will find any app that is missing and highlight it. When someone says that BB's can't do what iPhones can, I scratch my head. What can I not do on my Z30 that an iPhone can do? I can watch netflix, play candy crush, do my banking, chat on skype, download torrents, copy files to and from my USB key, check addresses on Google maps. Everything I listed above is available via the HW, BB world, or amazon, except Google Maps which you need Snap to get.

[walt63]

Seriously, these threads are so annoying. People need to realize that this is NOT a device designed for the average consumer.

Exactly. BlackBerry was never for the average consumer from day one. Never was intended to be the number one consumer mobile company at a point. The general public just wanted what the CEO's and high profile people used and no devices were offering superior communication at the time. When BBRY tried to capitalize on this, things actually went south because the business model wasn't built on the non-business consumer. It stretched them too thin trying to keep both parties happy.

Take Porche example. They make cars for a specific consumer, they leave everything else for Ford, GM, Chrysler, etc. Porche take care of those who appreciate what they offer, and nothing else. They don't sell millions of cars per quarter but they are still around. I'm not saying BBRY is like a Porche -- higher class compared to the others. I'm just saying that they have a niche consumer model - business. They took care of them in the past and that's what they are doing now. If the average consumer wants it, it's icing on the cake. And if BBRY ever gets back to prominent glory, I bet they won't give into temptation again. They'll stick with their business model - business, Business, BUSINESS.

Many outsiders including many here in CrackBerry needs to understand BlackBerry's foundation and what's they are getting back to....and guess what, it looks nothing like Apple, Google, or Windows.

[Ay sini]

I couldn't have said it better. Alot of times, I wonder what goes on in peoples' heads when they keep hitting on BlackBerry because of app Gaps. The Question is -What else do you want them to do about it? Force Google, Instagram or Whoever has refused to bring their apps over? They've offered money (port a thon), developed android run-time, begged, even gone out of their way to develop some apps on their own and now the Amazon deal. People still complain that its BB'S fault 'for not supporting ......apps on their platform'. Really? I think they're trying their best and we fans should just support them now that they're making efforts, not join those paid BB bashers

[sk8er_tor]

I'm sorry but what business are people in when the first mode of communications is neither email nor phone call???

[LLAmos]

The Wall Street Journal reviewers are a mighty clueless bunch.

Here's a tip from a CEO (me): The BlackBerry Passport is designed for a particular target market--those who read The Hill, the Washington Post...and the Wall Street (goddam) Journal.

Seriously, for publication that isn't designed people not associated with business decisions, it galls me that they couldn't see that the Passport was designed for their very own readers.

I kind of lost it with the WSJ writer who insisted that the device was square and likened the screen, in size, to a slice of American cheese (as if that was forefront in the minds of a Canadian tech firm). I told her that the iPhone 6+ was the size of a feminine menstrual pad and suggested she find another line of work.

Enough already.

[michael banjany]

I agree with everyone's posts. I said I wasn't trying to start a war. This is not the "another blackberry complaint thread". It's a business professional as a senior financial advisor at the largest firm on wall st gathering information about how everyone feels .

I don't use BBM much because no one has a blackberry in my field, and yes the Hub is amazing, I'm actually very frustrated with the iphone 6 just for the lack of headless apps, unified inbox like hub, and battery life.

To the poster who made a remark about apple with OS updates draining cell service and a bendable phone...quite frankly I don't know even know why your reading this because it does not seem like th passsport is exactly a device for you.

Like I stated I'd choose blackberry over any other OS any day of the week. I'm just a tech fanatic so of course I had to get my hands on the iPhone 6. The only thing I do favor about iPhone over the blackberry is the native stocks app.. And access to it from the control center.

Very convenient, although I know there are some good apps to downlod for blackberry as I have them on my q10. This seems to be the best, especially with the interactive charts.

[michael banjany]

Also, I agree 100% that the iPhone email system is complete garbage. I have the emails set to push, and yet I receive them hours later (unless I manuallu go into the app to check) and who has time for that.

[walt63]

I agree with everyone's posts. I said I wasn't trying to start a war. This is not the "another blackberry complaint thread". It's a business professional as a senior financial advisor at the largest firm on wall st gathering information about how everyone feels .

That's valid and you have every right to do so. And we aren't trying to say that we are content with unengaging and exciting phones. We all would love for BBRY to have apps galore. But, that's Amazon's job now. As the Amazon goes, the BBRY app eco system goes with it. Hopefully, Amazon's eco system gets better with time.

[Ay sini]

The Wall Street Journal reviewers are a mighty clueless bunch.

Here's a tip from a CEO (me): The BlackBerry Passport is designed for a particular target market--those who read The Hill, the Washington Post...and the Wall Street (goddam) Journal.


ROTFL

Seriously, for publication that isn't designed people not associated with business decisions, it galls me that they couldn't see that the Passport was designed for their very own readers.

I kind of lost it with the WSJ writer who insisted that the device was square and likened the screen, in size, to a slice of American cheese (as if that was forefront in the minds of a Canadian tech firm). I told her that the iPhone 6+ was the size of a feminine menstrual pad and suggested she find another line of work.

Enough already.

[dbmalloy]

I just cannot figure why people are stuck in the past... What Apple has going for it is volume sales, great advertising and loyal following..... Same for Sammy..... BB has the last only.... People keeps posting as if BB is competing with Apple... They are not.... Chen has said as much... In a post event interview.. Chen said BB needed to sell 250,000 Passports for the line to be successful.... in earlier interviews... he made it clear that 10 million unit sales a year would be considered a success.... Apple sold that much in one week...

Why comparisons are being made is a mystery to me... Apple is taking its run at Enterprise, as is Microsoft and IBM.... sprinkle in the smaller MDM players and it is a crowded field.... This is why BB is focusing on backend software..... and security...... whether this is enough remains to be seen... Yes Apple and Sammy spend tens of millions on marketing.... more that BB could hope to do... but being in corporate world.... purchases are not determined by what companies advertising... it is much more personal... it is the personal approach that gets your foot in the door.....

As for the OP issues... well it is typical again...If I use it and like it ... there is something wrong with those who do not...... There is so much of this out in the forums now.... I am happy the OP thinks the Apple services are the best thing since sliced bread...I do not..... It is ironic how everyone complained that BBM never went cross platform.... big mistake on BB part... yet when Apple does it with imessage.... best thing ever.....in the world of BYOD... you go try to tell a company that you have to switch to Apple because there services are so wonderful.... unless Apple is willing to do it for free it is not happening....

Do some homework... what good is all these goodies the OP talks about when IT blocks them... When SIRI and Imessage were introduced the first thing IBM IT did was block them... SIri at that time was not encrypted and IMessage encryption was a joke.....Any company with security concerns will automatically lock down the phone to the point of not being able to do anything but email and make phone calls.... most do not realize this when they hear BYOD......

I believe innovative companies look ahead... not so much what others are doing...... because most copy each other this is why at functionality level as Smartphone basically look the same and do the same thing ... albeit differently... that for me is what make the passport exciting... would I buy one...no... not my cup of tea...but even so ,,,, I can congratulates BB for at least thinking outside the box....

As for reviews... there will be positive and negative reviews... I like both but depends on if the reviewer has an agenda.... One of the most fair I have seen oddly enough is Brad Molen at Endgadget of all places.... wll thought out an fairly accurate all things considered....

[LuvULongTime]

The thing that bugs me about the negative reviews is that the negativity is based on ignorance and lack of knowledge on the product. The verge complained that the hub was a mess as it had too many notifications. Yet had they done 1 minute of research they would have figured out that they could customize the hub to show only certain accounts.

WSJ complained about lack of apps. 3 of the 4 she complained about had native 3rd party versions in BlackBerry World. Ugh.

Let's critique the phone based on things that that are deserved. For instance it would be nice to be able customize an active frame (size, display content, etc) to utilize it as a widget. Criticize them for features still missing from bbos. Criticize them for their horrific advertising etc. But please don't criticize them for something that does not warrant criticism. Aye...

Posted via CB10

[LuvULongTime]

The Wall Street Journal reviewers are a mighty clueless bunch.

Here's a tip from a CEO (me): The BlackBerry Passport is designed for a particular target market--those who read The Hill, the Washington Post...and the Wall Street (goddam) Journal.

Seriously, for publication that isn't designed people not associated with business decisions, it galls me that they couldn't see that the Passport was designed for their very own readers.

I kind of lost it with the WSJ writer who insisted that the device was square and likened the screen, in size, to a slice of American cheese (as if that was forefront in the minds of a Canadian tech firm). I told her that the iPhone 6+ was the size of a feminine menstrual pad and suggested she find another line of work.

Enough already.

Well said. I'm underwhelmed with Joanna Stern's work. She seems to write every review from the perspective of a 16 year old girl.

I still think the best BlackBerry 10 review was the Z30 review done by Dan Nessel on Dad Does. He showed off Miricast, OYG, android apps, the hub, bluetooth keyboard connection, hdmi out, etc. These reviewers really need to watch that review and get a clue.

Posted via CB10

[michael banjany]

your post was a rave and a rant, and completely irrational. As i never stated "apple products are the best thing since slice bed, for 1- i don't use analogies from 1940, and 2- i stated over and over and over again that BB is THE BEST operating system.

unfortunately pal, its people like you that cloud the judgement of others and actually push them towards other platforms. You must work for BB, who would of knew !

personal life lesson - when your trying to influence someone to see your point of view, put yourself in there shoes, than think, than reply.

This was a discussion, what a f***** forum is meant for. I asked for opinions, and you give demands. relax mr Chen

[Dmessenger]

I agree with you a 100%, I am self employed and work in the auto industry and the primary form of communication is phone calls, email and now SMS text seems to be the messaging system of choice for most of my clients these days. The Blackberry and OS10 has worked perfectly in all these areas and was much improved as I discovered when I installed the 10.3 leak on my z30.

I have also used the iPhone and iMessage of which the majority of my clients hate the iPhone and constantly complain about how bad the email and messaging system is on the device. But, most of them don't say much because as they see it, the company is paying for it, so who cares!!. This is the real issue, until folks start complaining in numbers, the tide will not turn in favor of Blackberry or any other company for that matter.

I use Mac's in my business and they are great machines and perform flawlessly for years with out any issues, Apple has built a great reputation in terms on their computer reliability. I used the iPhone and IOS for years, but I came back to Blackberry last year with the introduction of OS10 and now that I have the 10.3 leak installed on my z30, I am not looking back.

Yes, I am a real business professional who depends on his device for emails and messaging and to me, this is where Blackberry really shines. I know their are folks out there who use their device for everything from social media, gaming, web browsing and watching videos. But, you will find their still is a large percentage of folks like myself who just want a reliable device for my emails, messaging and social media.

Yes, I bought a passport, based on the credible reviews of folks who actually used the device longer then a day and provided me with information based on what I am going to be using the device for. Yes, I spent the 599.00 + 34.00 for a case and the tax and I not going to regret it, I am going to love the device just like my z30. My review of the passport will follow as soon as it makes it's way into my waiting hands.

Looking forward for your realistic and sensible review like always.

Posted from my Black Beast Q10

[JG_Agustin]

Let's see... Most of the people I communicate with don't have iPhones, perhaps only 5 in my regular network. What do I need iMessage for then?

My parents living and working at a high level abroad, both have BB10s (Z10 and Q10) so we use BBM video. My mom also has an iPad, and we've never even Skyped since we all got BB10. My GF has a Q10, I installed Snap on it, and she's happy with her Instagram and IGrann (uses both), Pinterest and Etsy... And for the rest of the people I communicate with, almost all have Androids, so we use WhatsApp and also with those who have iPhones.

I actually frequently talk over BBM voice with one of my iPhone user contacts, a good friend, colleague and junior partner at a top law firm in Bogota. He's actually amazed we can do multi-platform calls.

If I need to do videoconferencing with non BB users, I have Skype installed on my Z30, my HP Notebook and my Dell desktop. That's the program most people use for video calls.

When sending information to clients or other colleagues I use email, not Facebook, not Linkedin, not Twitter and definitely not Instagram (I actually don't even have accounts on these last two).

I frequently keep in touch with my ex boss (a Director General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) through email, as it's the Government's preferred mean of inter communication. Last time I visited her, she was using an iPhone and was impressed with my Z30, couldn't believe it was a BlackBerry. Now she rarely answers emails outside of her office since switching from BlackBerry to iPhone, it seems she is no longer comfortable with it.

Again, email is the way to communicate for serious official stuff. Not the so called "social networks", which serve to reach a wide audience, but not for proper work communication. A friend I have who works for the Office of the Legal Advisor for the President has a Q5. As she informed me, these where the chosen devices given by her office due to communication and security features.

Heck, I only use Facebook for my personal stuff and Linkedin for "professional" networking, both have apps on BB10. If I occasionally need other apps not on BB World, I can find the Android version or simply use the amazing browser.

Just for the record, I also use my Z30 for gaming and watching videos. It is as capable as any other device, but the way it handles work and email services is second to none. If I want to entertain myself at home, I have a Smart TV and Blu-Ray player, computers and of course, game consoles. And guess what? I use my Z30 much more than all these combined... Actually, on my free time I prefer to do real, non virtual, activities, such as Historical European Martial Arts!

This so called "review" by WSJ is a real shame and a bad joke, it shouldn't even be taken seriously. You might not like the Passport, but that doesn't mean other people can't recognise it's value as the business device it is designed to be.

Loved the Q10 but now it's Z30 power time!!!

[aha]

BlackBerry 10 does support many many ways of communication other than email.



Posted via CB10 with Z30STA100-5/10.3.0.1154

[Tre Lawrence]

I think for a lot of reviewers, for something new to catch on, it has to provide most of what is already available PLUS value-added.

That's probably why the reviews might be a bit tough.

[spikesolie]

I think for a lot of reviewers, for something new to catch on, it has to provide most of what is already available PLUS value-added.

That's probably why the reviews might be a bit tough.

I disagree. Why don't they do that with iPhones when they are playing catchup?

Plus anyways some aren't criticizing features that are newly introduced, I mean how tf can you criticize the hub? It's an organization of the mess she's used to apparently

Posted from zee flicking coolest smartphone evah!

[Thunderbuck]

Point is, blackberry is just not keeping up with the technological environment. Excellence is in the details. The most minute details in fact. Not saying apple is better than blackberry because their each unique. But look at apple. Global device rollouts on the same day. iOS updates on the same day across the globe. Blackberry can't even release a phone in the same state on the same day.

Just unorganized, too many restrictions placed upon them from media and carriers.

The iPhone 6 didn't release in all markets the same day. It's been staggered. Many markets haven't launched yet. And the iOS update borked the phones of many users and had to be rolled back.

Posted via CB10

[Tre Lawrence]

I disagree. Why don't they do that with iPhones when they are playing catchup?

Plus anyways some aren't criticizing features that are newly introduced, I mean how tf can you criticize the hub? It's an organization of the mess she's used to apparently

Posted from zee flicking coolest smartphone evah!

Fair point, but the iPhone is the status quo. I would counter that most people would contend every other platform is playing catchup to it. Plus, we also have to take into consideration the fact that for the entrenched iPhone user, BB10 might not be enough of a value to make them change.

I find it hard to criticize the Hub.

[Banco]

I run my own business, and the reason I have a BlackBerry ultimately is because of the messaging capability. Iphone was always completely out of the question because of its inability to send attachments.

So yes, some reviewers are missing the point that for a work device the primary need is calls and email. It just is. But they almost always write from the consumer perspective, and there many of the criticisms are valid in that context, but missing the point somewhat.

However, this is less true of something like a Z30, which is plainly aimed at consumer as well as corporate, but for the Passport, which is unashamedly a business device, that really is the point of it. There aren't many social activities it's going to be outstanding at, simply because of the form factor. You can do better with something else. I doubt BlackBerry would dispute that either.

Posted via CB10

[tinochiko]

BlackBerry has a number of native instagram apps, get out of here man , and please when has the hub been just for email? It's a communication powerhouse that has the potential to support EVERY type of communication

Posted via CB10

[pgg101]

I'm use BBM 99.9% of the time. I'm in banking, my co-workers, and industry friends at other FIs all use BlackBerry.

BlackBerry is terrible at marketing but the author sees things through an American POV where iPhone is ingrained in the American lexicon. It's like Apple Pie, Nascar, and black Friday sales. I can't begin to understand Americans and I live in Canada.

Z30STA100-5/10.3.0.1130 /Telus

[II ARROWS]

What review?
I did not see any review of the Passport from WSJ.
I've only see a bad amateur mocking video, so bad that at the end, it starts again...