[lift]

On my Sony Xperia Z3 I blocked ALL connections and whitelisted some that I needed. Even the Play Store didn't work. So why is that not secure? I use an iptables root firewall, don't think that's available on BB10?

Posted via CB10

Just the fact that you NEED to do that on an android say's enough. Doesn't it?

[Thunderbuck]

Why don't they just use some of the millions to produce the top 100 or so apps as native?

Yes, that would be awesome, wouldn't it.

They tried that, with moderate success (they got Songza and Waze that way), but there were two strong headwinds against them: 1) Maintaining an app for multiple platforms is a pain in the ****. It's an even bigger pain in the **** when there are very few users on that platform. 2) I think at least some of the publishers had political reasons for withholding apps from BB10 (Netflix puts their app on almost every platform known to man, so it wouldn't have killed them to do even an Android port).

If you're talking about using public APIs and just doing native BB apps, that wouldn't necessarily work either, because some of those public APIs aren't actually authorized for large scale publications (Instagram is an example of this).

[dbmalloy]

I think people are deluding themselves if they think a switch to Android will do much in the long run for BB... Sure.. there is lots of fanfare and much written initially about Venice... but after a couple of month and a couple of new product announcements from the competition... Venice will long forgotten... Then what is there that BB can come out that differentiates itself from all the Android sets being released every month??? nothing... if Chen follows his road map and release the productivity package with hub et al... to Android and IOS..... it is game over as then the only thing BB has going for it is security and physical keyboard... and time and time again it has been shown... consumers do not care about and does not come into their buying descision with respect to how secure a device is... this seems to me to be grasping at straws and hoping they come away with enough to keep the hardware division viable... in the end.. there will be no compelling reason to buy one save the PKB... as more of the market matures the "need" for it will fade to the point that is no longer a selling... we will tell come November... sales always tell the tale....

[6stringriffs]

Android-powered BlackBerry is just another Android device in the market... Open your eyes people, BB10 is what makes BlackBerry a BlackBerry.

And so are lousy to Non-existent apps that defeats the whole purpose of having a pocket sized computer is what makes a BlackBerry too.

[JulesDB]

It is good for me that BlackBerry sells Android handset because this would help sales, keeping the handset division alive and spreading the BlackBerry world.

Until they keep BlackBerry 10.

It makes me laugh to read the people already on the Android bandwagon deciding that BlackBerry10 isn't sustainable.

I am sure that Chen is more committed to BlackBerry10 than you might think...

[kbz1960]

The exit strategy appears to be coming in the form of the "Choose your own Adventure OS", where the user will be given the choice of BB10 or Android on first boot. BB10 fans (and yes, there are some out there) will be able to continue, but users like you who increasingly need Android can move on. As far as that goes, those BB10 users will always have the option to wipe the phone and start over in Androidland, so that future-proofs it a little.

My guess is that this will not be just a Venice thing, though that's likely where it will debut, with at least some BB10 phones having the upgrade later.

I wish people would either provide any kind of proof that is even a thought or quit saying that

[vladi]

The only thing BlackBerry has going on for themselves right now in Android market is the freakin timing for releasing PKB device. People are pretty much bored at this point with all the slab devices so this thing is a breath of fresh air. If they did two years ago no one would even blink an eye.

Anyway I still believe that Android will not help them with sales at all. After the debut factor wears off they will be lost in shuffle much like Sony, HTC and many other "premium" Android manufacturers. Chinese guys are showing everybody how it's done right now.

[tufcustomer]

Oh please ... this is the "_____ owes me" mentality talking. BB owes you nothing to go promote the product - and neither does any other company for its products.

Exactly, I don't owe them anything either so what's your point exactly?

Posted via CB10

[BigAl_BB9900]

(heads of state use BlackBerry, the next generation probably won't, they have never used it and do not know what they are missing)

I think Heads of State will use whatever device their security people tell them is secure, irrespective of which generation they are from

[ayngling]

I think Heads of State will use whatever device their security people tell them is secure, irrespective of which generation they are from

And I wish that would be BlackBerry for ever, but look at Narendra Modi, etc. There are fewer and fewer heads of state using BlackBerry, what happens is that the leader enters the office and says "I will be using the phone I am used to, make it safe". Even if they can't, they try. It takes something like Snowden for Angela Merkel to switch to BlackBerry.

If the BlackBerry was a hardened android, a "normal phone" the leader was used to, it would be easier for the secret services of the world to force it on them ("this android has a hardware root of trust, it is the only brand we trust")

[BigAl_BB9900]

That is pretty much my experience. I have "converted" eight people (one Q10, six Classic and a Passport), and I constantly have to help them sideload apps etc, which I don't mind that much, but the worst part are the constant complaints about missing apps and buggy, laggy behaviour (of the sideloaded apps). Mostly small, local apps for banking, flight information, railroad tickets, etc, and the odd comment about snapchat/instagram and the like.

And off course, half the time I sideload some local app it only half works, like when one of them could buy a ticket with the app, but the app crashed when the conductor asked to see the ticket (the page for displaying didn't work).

I've 'converted' quite a few people to BB10 too, or rather, supported their evolution from BBOS - BUT none of them are really interested in anything other than stock apps, none of them wanted any apps that I don't already have on my Passport (and Q10 before that).

The only 'extra' app that I have downloaded for a few of them, is the one that shows when the next bus is about to arrive (London, UK). [This is a 'standard' app from the Amazon Store that doesn't require Snap or anything clever to install].

Unfortunately for BlackBerry, none of these users that I have supported onto BB10, are greatly representative of the majority of smartphone users (in the UK anyway).

[Thunderbuck]

I wish people would either provide any kind of proof that is even a thought or quit saying that

I have a source who has a source.

Honestly, I guess I wouldn't stake my life on it, but as a business proposition it's likely BB's simplest way out. Producing separate BB10 and Android versions of the Slider is logistically cumbersome, and the only real alternative is to just EOL BB10 completely.

[crazy mazy]

Okay Thuderbuck i won't argue with you but trust me Blackberry will not EOL BB10, too many people have bought, and are still buying Passports, Classics, and Z30's. They would **** off too many people, so maybe a few years down the road but not right now. Now go away!

[willtothewong]

I just hope whatever is released is not half done or in "beta".

BlackBerry does not need to cater to the masses like Apple does. but their products need to be stellar for those using BlackBerry devices.

Posted via CB10

[Thunderbuck]

Okay Thuderbuck i won't argue with you but trust me Blackberry will not EOL BB10, too many people have bought, and are still buying Passports, Classics, and Z30's. They would **** off too many people, so maybe a few years down the road but not right now. Now go away!

I agree that BlackBerry isn't going to EOL BB10 yet. There's even a teeny-tiny prospect of more users buying new BlackBerries and selecting BB10 first just to try it out. That's part of the beauty of the OS-select scenario.

[crazy mazy]

No i don't think having a Android or Bb10 Slider, is cumbersome. It can be done OTA at boot up, or they can have a batch of devices with BB10 or Android pre-installed. That would not make too much of a difference in cost, and since it can be done during production all it would require is a run of android install and a run of BB10 install. After that yes they will be stocking two version of the slider, but what is the difference they have to stock different color variants.

[crazy mazy]

My hunch is that Blackberry will release an Android version first, since the Venice was really intended to run Android, (notice there was never any mention of BB10) then later they will release a BB10 version. It's sort of like when they start off with the black color first then later release the silver version.

[DJM626]

I think people are deluding themselves if they think a switch to Android will do much in the long run for BB... Sure.. there is lots of fanfare and much written initially about Venice... but after a couple of month and a couple of new product announcements from the competition... Venice will long forgotten... Then what is there that BB can come out that differentiates itself from all the Android sets being released every month??? nothing... if Chen follows his road map and release the productivity package with hub et al... to Android and IOS..... it is game over as then the only thing BB has going for it is security and physical keyboard... and time and time again it has been shown... consumers do not care about and does not come into their buying descision with respect to how secure a device is... this seems to me to be grasping at straws and hoping they come away with enough to keep the hardware division viable... in the end.. there will be no compelling reason to buy one save the PKB... as more of the market matures the "need" for it will fade to the point that is no longer a selling... we will tell come November... sales always tell the tale....

You can really say the same thing about any of the other phones that are out there already, or the up and coming phones. The novelty wears off with anything in time. Not only in the cell phone industry, but this is what makes successful companies innovate and strategically plan for their next move. Only difference is being BB it's scrutinized more so then any of the others.

Black Berry has to just hope that it has that little something extra or some promising new feature to build off, that it picks up a few followers along the way who may just be interested in seeing what else they can come up with down the line. If it gets good reviews and keeps them afloat even for a little while, they are still in a better position then they are now. The future is now

[kbz1960]

Okay Thuderbuck i won't argue with you but trust me Blackberry will not EOL BB10, too many people have bought, and are still buying Passports, Classics, and Z30's. They would **** off too many people, so maybe a few years down the road but not right now. Now go away!

I think it will EOL and will be supported for a few years yet. Just security patches.

[Thunderbuck]

No i don't think having a Android or Bb10 Slider, is cumbersome. It can be done OTA at boot up, or they can have a batch of devices with BB10 or Android pre-installed. That would not make too much of a difference in cost, and since it can be done during production all it would require is a run of android install and a run of BB10 install. After that yes they will be stocking two version of the slider, but what is the difference they have to stock different color variants.

Logistically, having separate Android and BB10 models is much more complex. They need their own SKUs, and it gets very difficult determining how many of each to build. It also leaves the BB10 customers the prospect of having to change phones if BB10 stops meeting their needs.

One other reasonably significant business consideration: if BlackBerry makes one phone that can go both ways, they avoid any awkward questions about how many Androids they're producing vs. BB10s. That might sound trivial, but it isn't.

Having one device that gives the user the option to choose on first boot is much easier for BlackBerry AND for customers

[NickMcBride]

BlackBerry 7 will always be the most secure because it went through BlackBerry's servers which is what I miss most about the old system. I would pay 5 dollars a month on top of my bill to know that my information was being sent securely through BIS

Posted via CB10

[Daanisawesome]

BlackBerry 7 will always be the most secure because it went through BlackBerry's servers which is what I miss most about the old system. I would pay 5 dollars a month on top of my bill to know that my information was being sent securely through BIS

Posted via CB10

You could use a vpn

Posted via CB10

[NickMcBride]

You could use a vpn

Posted via CB10

If that will do the same thing than BIS used to then I would love to... How would I go about setting up my own VPN?

Posted via CB10

[ThaSwapMeetPimp]

We're all going to buy one though

WRONG! YOU might buy one. OTHERS here will too. I won't. Riding this BB10 horse til it's dead in the ground! Late adopter to BB10 (was pretty mad about it not coming to my beloved PlayBook), and if it's the end of BlackBerry, it will be the end of me using a phone for anything other than my bosses calling me (got a Samsung Galaxy Light S sitting around here that my sister got me so she could get a gift card from TMo last year that I would use only for calls, if I absolutely had to). I am not saying I don't use any Android apps, but I use as few as I can get away with, and could honestly go without them once Bleach is done (main Android use is to read Manga, and Bleach is the only one still going that I care about).

Posted via CB10

[Danow11]

90% of you guys who use BlackBerry for "security" don't really know what security means

Seriously, its like nobody has seen Breaking Bad, or Sons of Anarchy. Burners folks, Burners