[MadMarti]

It's so far from a neutral position that you can't take it too seriously:

BlackBerry Q5 Review | Mobile Phones | CNET UK

"Its BlackBerry 10 software was supposed to be its big comeback. It arrived much later than expected though, and brought with it an all-touchscreen phone, the Z10. Hardcore BlackBerry fans were appalled at the lack of the physical keyboard, and the rest of the world was unimpressed."

"It's far from impressive in most respects, however. The software is frustrating, the camera isn't great, the processor is more suited to a bottom-end Android phone and the app store is as barren as the moon. Spend the same money on an Android or even Windows Phone device and you'll be able to snag a much more enjoyable piece of kit."

"It definitely doesn't look nearly as luxurious as the Q10. If you want to whip a phone out of your pocket that will raise approving eyebrows around the boardroom table, the Q5 isn't the fellow for you."

"It's far from perfect though. There's no default homescreen -- you'll be returned to a multi-tasking panel each time you close an app. The phone will also navigate to that screen every time you open an app, which involves an annoying and pointless animation. Turn the phone on from sleep and you'll see whatever screen you were last on. If you're used to having a central homescreen to return to, you might find BlackBerry's system a little hard to live with."

My thoughts:

No wonder they won't allow any comments on CNET. A thorough review doesn't look like this. I won't say it's even a review. It sounds as if the reviewer (a user which prefers Android or iOS) has read the latest bad news about BlackBerry, used the Q5 a few hours and then wrote this article while he had a load of other articles on his agenda and hated to be bothered with this particular one. Neglecting that the set price is just a recommended retail price. The street will tell what the true value of the Q5 is. And when the price drops, they surely won't edit the article although a fair amount of the criticism is built upon the said high price tag.

[00stryder]

Are they aware of the Q5's intended purpose in the market as a mid-tier device? No duh it measures up to lower-end Android devices. But then, maybe they were confused given the sim-free pricing of the Q5. Either way, as you said it's a poorly written review.

Posted via CB10 on my white Z10 & lovin' it!

[SlcCorrado]

They talk about whipping it out at the boardroom table, haha. I'd guess most folks in that position would be rocking the Q10

[STV0726]

One of worst "reviews" I've seen yet. Seriously...no joke. They should be ashamed of themselves posting effluvia like that.

And for anyone that's gonna quote me and just say I'm a fan boy and will rage out against anyone criticizing BlackBerry...no.

There are certainly some negatives I would point out and discuss in a review, but the way CNET did it sounded like a rant and was clearly not just biased...it was simply uninformed.

~STV on Z10STL100-3/10.1.0.2025 TMO US

[cwalt2166]

This review sounds about right....

[STV0726]

This review sounds about right....

You forgot the "jk"

~STV on Z10STL100-3/10.1.0.2025 TMO US

[MasterOfBinary]

Wow...

Not much else to say lol.

[kupfernigk]

They talk about whipping it out at the boardroom table, haha. I'd guess most folks in that position would be rocking the Q10

If I hadn't semi-retired I would probably still be on 7.1

And that's not a criticism. People in those very demanding jobs don't like change in essential tools. You only have to look at the complaints on CrackBerry.
In the same way, people with 6 years of iOS really don't want something different. Apple has to tread very carefully now to make only incremental changes.

[rthonpm]

CNET's reviews seem to compare every device to some magical unicorn phone that has never been built, but has every feature they want. For once, I'd like to see a review from them that actually evaluates a device on its own merits, or lack thereof, instead of saying that device x isn't like device y, device a, or device b. Lazy reviewing at its finest. If I want a device review I'd rather go to GSMArena or somewhere that actually gives more than a superficial lookover of a device.

[MasterOfBinary]

CNET's reviews seem to compare every device to some magical unicorn phone that has never been built, but has every feature they want. For once, I'd like to see a review from them that actually evaluates a device on its own merits, or lack thereof, instead of saying that device x isn't like device y, device a, or device b. Lazy reviewing at its finest. If I want a device review I'd rather go to GSMArena or somewhere that actually gives more than a superficial lookover of a device.

Whoever decided to compare the Q5 to an S4 has a few issues IMO.

[SlcCorrado]

If I hadn't semi-retired I would probably still be on 7.1

And that's not a criticism. People in those very demanding jobs don't like change in essential tools. You only have to look at the complaints on CrackBerry.
In the same way, people with 6 years of iOS really don't want something different. Apple has to tread very carefully now to make only incremental changes.

I believe you. And I really don't think there is much wrong with that. OS7 was really great

[anon(5828343)]

From the CNET review: Hardcore BlackBerry fans were appalled at the lack of the physical keyboard, and the rest of the world was unimpressed. The Q10 brought back the keyboard, but came at a sky-high price.

I dunno...sounds pretty accurate to me!

[Bobert_123]

Does CB have a review up for the q5 yet?

Posted via CB10

[cl8baller]

I feel that the issue here is the reviewer did not drive the phone long enough. Its like a car with new tires, you need to break them in a bit, but you can't just go off speeding on the freeway and expect them to feel "just right ".

With the BlackBerry 10 OS, I can't help by preach enough that you need to accept the operating system's differences from other OSs. You have to use it for a while and let the gestures, the feel, and the experience to sink in to grab the best experience. Back to cars, driving a FWD car then going to an AWD, the feeling is different, you can drive the cars the same way but it won't feel Right. In more relatable terms, driving an automatic then driving a manual, you would hate it ,but after a while driving a stick, you'll enjoy the experience more.

Posted via CB10

[yueytan]

i honestly don't think it's THAT biased. most of their points are valid. i've always thought it looked quite cheap for that price! blackberry need the revenue..

[vladi]

Not a clearly biased review but more of a review from somebody who doesn't need nor care about hardware QWERTY and whose primary function of mobile phone is rather app entertainment, media consumption and then communication, in that order. Reviewers constant push for larger screen and call to try onscreen keyboard through out the text tells you the whole story.

Anyway they have few valid points like Hub notification not going away even though you went to the app first instead of going to it via Hub.

And there are some invalid points like "lack of homescreen", in other words BB10 is not app centric OS and that's a huge plus in my book btw.

[diegonei]

From the CNET review: Hardcore BlackBerry fans were appalled at the lack of the physical keyboard, and the rest of the world was unimpressed. The Q10 brought back the keyboard, but came at a sky-high price.

I dunno...sounds pretty accurate to me!

Guess you don't know then.

What we have seen was massive approval for the Z10, even if the person was committed to switching to the Q10.

Posted via CB10

[iN8ter]

Guess you don't know then.

What we have seen was massive approval for the Z10, even if the person was committed to switching to the Q10.

Posted via CB10

That explains why Windows Phone is outselling then.

Review was accurate. They mind as well should have never released this phone. It looks cheap, the specs are subiouavat best, and it cost too much for its intended market.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

[STV0726]

it cost too much for its intended market

I did you a courtesy and edited out your post in the quote above, leaving only the true statements...er statement



~STV on Z10STL100-3/10.1.0.2025 TMO US

[MasterOfBinary]

That explains why Windows Phone is outselling then.

Review was accurate. They mind as well should have never released this phone. It looks cheap, the specs are subiouavat best, and it cost too much for its intended market.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

Subiouavat? I'm not even going to try to guess what that's supposed to mean.

But the thing is, the phone wasn't supposed to be an ultra high-end one. It was supposed to be a cheap version of the Q10 for people who don't have enough money to be picky. And the specs? I thought besides the battery and processor it's the same as Q10.

[IgotsThis]

Subiouavat? I'm not even going to try to guess what that's supposed to mean.

But the thing is, the phone wasn't supposed to be an ultra high-end one. It was supposed to be a cheap version of the Q10 for people who don't have enough money to be picky. And the specs? I thought besides the battery and processor it's the same as Q10.

Lmao i Googled the word, but alas, no result.

Z10? Why yes it is.

[babaroga]

It's so far from a neutral position that you can't take it too seriously:

BlackBerry Q5 Review | Mobile Phones | CNET UK

"Its BlackBerry 10 software was supposed to be its big comeback. It arrived much later than expected though, and brought with it an all-touchscreen phone, the Z10. Hardcore BlackBerry fans were appalled at the lack of the physical keyboard, and the rest of the world was unimpressed."

"It's far from impressive in most respects, however. The software is frustrating, the camera isn't great, the processor is more suited to a bottom-end Android phone and the app store is as barren as the moon. Spend the same money on an Android or even Windows Phone device and you'll be able to snag a much more enjoyable piece of kit."

"It definitely doesn't look nearly as luxurious as the Q10. If you want to whip a phone out of your pocket that will raise approving eyebrows around the boardroom table, the Q5 isn't the fellow for you."

"It's far from perfect though. There's no default homescreen -- you'll be returned to a multi-tasking panel each time you close an app. The phone will also navigate to that screen every time you open an app, which involves an annoying and pointless animation. Turn the phone on from sleep and you'll see whatever screen you were last on. If you're used to having a central homescreen to return to, you might find BlackBerry's system a little hard to live with."

My thoughts:

No wonder they won't allow any comments on CNET. A thorough review doesn't look like this. I won't say it's even a review. It sounds as if the reviewer (a user which prefers Android or iOS) has read the latest bad news about BlackBerry, used the Q5 a few hours and then wrote this article while he had a load of other articles on his agenda and hated to be bothered with this particular one. Neglecting that the set price is just a recommended retail price. The street will tell what the true value of the Q5 is. And when the price drops, they surely won't edit the article although a fair amount of the criticism is built upon the said high price tag.

Thoughts are one thing and real experience is another.
Statement "It definitely doesn't look nearly as luxurious as the Q10. If you want to whip a phone out of your pocket that will raise approving eyebrows around the boardroom table, the Q5 isn't the fellow for you." is absolutely correct!!
Have both Q and you can't compare Q10 keyboard and screen superior quality with Q5!
Anyone who has been longer Bold 9900 user should consider Q10 only.
Any further discussions about Q5 - 10 differences without having them in hands, are stupid.

[garnok]

it is accurate

with $400 price tag you can buy other cheaper or same price android phone or windows phone with better specs and much more useful exp : Nexus4, sony xperia SP, samsung galaxy grand, Nokia Lumia 720 or 820