[JS92]

I am currently locked into my contract on an older Android device, I want to get a new phone and I am currently looking to buy off contract either the BlackBerry Z10 or the Galaxy S3. I chose out of those 3 because they are both available to me off contract around $160. They both have dual core processor and 2GB of RAM which edges out other device in this range (namely the iPhone 4S, Droid DNA, and the Razr Maxx HD) and that means I won`t want in terms of multitasking. I am deeply concerned however about the Z10`s battery life. I am currently a college student and battery life comes first before anything. I am also concerned about OS bugs. I hear problems of reboots as well.

So heres my questions:

The Z10`s battery life, bad or terrible? Because I see a lot of posts talking about the weak battery life.

Can you download Paid Apps through Snap? I have some games I have bought and I want to know if I can play them.

I am getting the Verizon Z10, so are there any Verizon users who can chime in terms of network performance? (e.g. Data speed, radio strength)

Are there any current OS bugs or limitations I should know about?

I am guessing Google Services is practically nonexistent on BB10, so what subustitutes do you use for Google Services? I namely use Google Keep and Google Maps most of all.

Also, how is BlackBerry Maps vs Google Maps?

Any help would be appreciated. Whichever of the two phones I do get I`ll be using for the fall semester and it needs to be reliable.

[Elite1]

First off, welcome to CrackBerry!
Please update your profile to include device (when you know!), carrier, and location. This makes it easier for others to help you.

They are comparable devices specwise.

The reboots were issues with Z10 on the earlier OS versions like 10.0.10. On the current 10.2.1 it's not a thing anymore. I don't find BB10 particularly buggy.
You'd need to give more details about your specific usage if you want feedback on any shortcomings or bugs with how you'll use it.

You cannot buy apps via Snap, but you can install apps you have previously purchased. You can also visit the Google Play website from your PC to buy apps and then be able to download with Snap immediately after.

I thought the Z10 and Samsung S3 had similar battery life, but that's not from experience so maybe I'm mistaken.

The Z10 wins for most multitasking, especially if you receive different types of messages regularly. On BB10, the new message preview "toast" at top of screen can actually be answered right there without leaving your current app. Works for texts, BBM, WhatsApp, and possibly others I don't use.

[JS92]

First off, welcome to CrackBerry!
Please update your profile to include device (when you know!), carrier, and location. This makes it easier for others to help you.

They are comparable devices specwise.

The reboots were issues with Z10 on the earlier OS versions like 10.0.10. On the current 10.2.1 it's not a thing anymore. I don't find BB10 particularly buggy.
You'd need to give more details about your specific usage if you want feedback on any shortcomings or bugs with how you'll use it.

You cannot buy apps via Snap, but you can install apps you have previously purchased. You can also visit the Google Play website from your PC to buy apps and then be able to download with Snap immediately after.

I thought the Z10 and Samsung S3 had similar battery life, but that's not from experience so maybe I'm mistaken.

The Z10 wins for most multitasking, especially if you receive different types of messages regularly. On BB10, the new message preview "toast" at top of screen can actually be answered right there without leaving your current app. Works for texts, BBM, WhatsApp, and possibly others I don't use.

Good news on the App end of things then as I already have purchased some apps and games before. My last concern would be battery life. I was just looking at a thread (it`s trending right now) that has multiple users complaining about bad battery life on the Z10. Is it really that bad?

[Govind Krishnan]

BlackBerry z10 all the way


Posted via CB10

[tinochiko]

And just to add, on the Z10 battery life you can get a 4500mah battery which comes with a bigger battery cover to accommodate..(although you likely won't be able to trust your % reader anymore )

Or get a BlackBerry battery pack, shop Crackberry stock it, this will mean you can swap out batteries in a few seconds/recharge in the go

Or a solar battery pack (this would be applicable for the S3 also)

As said above, more information about how you intent to use your phone on average will mean you can be better advised..

TechCraze C0008DDD1 :

EDIT - I personally had a solar batter pack before, which meant everywhere I went i had to lug around a pack and cable and it could get quite awkward..

I got the 4500mah and the phone fits better in my hand I don't have to worry about the battery anymore, finally lasts the whole day and then some..

plus I've got a spare battery for emergency.. the only negative is inaccurate % reader, though I'm trying to see if an app can be made as a fix, it's not looking likely..

that just means your % will read 0 after about 8 hours but it will still have about 50% juice left..but for me it's more than worth it..

I'll add also durability.. Z10 is more durable than S3 from my experience, both in hardware and software terms..

[JS92]

This is my daily phone usage:

• Check 3 email accounts (I have an .edu exchange email, outlook, and gmail).
• Check Feedly 2-3 times during the day
• Use phone for music for around 2 hours during the day during my commute to my college (I live an hour away)
• I use Google Maps for searches for restaurants, or businesses
• Use Google Maps for navigation
• A lot of web browsing (A LOT). I check various websites every day.
• I also look at pdfs and documents on my phone
• I also take quick notes and view them through the Google Keep app.
• I don`t really play games, but I do play a causal game (namely don`t touch the white wiles currently).

So that is my usage for my phone. Think the Z10 can handle it?

[tinochiko]

This is my daily phone usage:


So that is my usage for my phone. Think the Z10 can handle it?

That doesn't sound too bad but I would advise using on of the methods mentioned above just to be safe

TechCraze C0008DDD1

[cloudberry]

U definitely a secondary battery pack. I almost have similar daily usage like you...after getting the 2nd batt pack problem solve...if u get the STL2 there's 4,500 maH sold on ebay. unfortunately I had stl 1

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk

[anon(153966)]

I think battery life is the SAME on all devices. It is, to me, in all how you use your device. I say get a Z10, use it for a few days and see how it goes. I'm also recommend using the official OS for now, just to see how the battery does.

Again, this is merely my opinion.

[howarmat]

You seem to use google services quite a bit which is going to be a bit tricky on the z10. Googles services are a no go really so google maps and keep will probably not work. I would say battery will be close to the same perhaps as i never really get spectacular battery life on my Z either. How much more would an S4 cost or nexus over the S3? If you got the BB I would really get the Z30 over the Z10. Better battery by far and some other nice features that the Z lacks. Price wont be the same though.

[JS92]

I think battery life is the SAME on all devices. It is, to me, in all how you use your device. I say get a Z10, use it for a few days and see how it goes. I'm also recommend using the official OS for now, just to see how the battery does.

Again, this is merely my opinion.

Unfortunately battery life can vary widely between OS`s and battery sizes. Optimization also comes into play as well. The Moto X has some of the best battery life with only a 2000 mAh battery which is mainly because of it`s optimization. The Droid Maxx, LG G2, 1520, and Note 3 have the best battery lives and that`s mainly because they use large batteries.

I am also on Verizon, so there is no trying a phone out for $160 and seeing how it goes. Whatever phone I pick I use for months.

[tinochiko]

You seem to use google services quite a bit which is going to be a bit tricky on the z10. Googles services are a no go really so google maps and keep will probably not work. I would say battery will be close to the same perhaps as i never really get spectacular battery life on my Z either. How much more would an S4 cost or nexus over the S3? If you got the BB I would really get the Z30 over the Z10. Better battery by far and some other nice features that the Z lacks. Price wont be the same though.

To clarify, Google maps works great on my Z10 (although android apps do put more strain on the battery) , just doesn't have any of the benefits of linking with your play account (saving location history etc) which can be good or bad depending on your perspective..

I don't know about keep as I don't use, but most andorid apps work fine, if you get a 'need Google services' pop up, tapping any space around it should make it go away and you can use the app normally..

TechCraze C0008DDD1

[grover5]

Unfortunately battery life can vary widely between OS`s and battery sizes. Optimization also comes into play as well. The Moto X has some of the best battery life with only a 2000 mAh battery which is mainly because of it`s optimization. The Droid Maxx, LG G2, 1520, and Note 3 have the best battery lives and that`s mainly because they use large batteries.

I am also on Verizon, so there is no trying a phone out for $160 and seeing how it goes. Whatever phone I pick I use for months.

You're buying a Z10 on contract through Verizon for $160?

Posted via CB10

[AlphaCardServ]

*Z10 is better for adobe reader, pdf annotations, docs to go and battery life. I own a z10 & my wife owns a Galaxy s3. Maps are equal.

*Galaxy is better for Google apps.

*If you crack your screen on a z10 it becomes useless until you get the screen repaired.

*If you crack the screen on a s3 the phone will work almost like there aren't any cracks. Several of my employees have smashed screens to the point of hardly being able to see the screen and their s3's work almost perfectly still.

*z10 is a workhorse, student and business laptop like device. I run 3 different businesses from my z10 daily. Without a blackberry device it would be nearly impossible for me to run my businesses efficiently.

*s3 is a great entertainment and social media phone. You can entertain yourself for HOURS (unlimited games, apps, movies and social media apps with the s3)

Good luck!

Posted via CB10

[tinochiko]

This is my daily phone usage:

• Check 3 email accounts (I have an .edu exchange email, outlook, and gmail).
• Check Feedly 2-3 times during the day
• Use phone for music for around 2 hours during the day during my commute to my college (I live an hour away)
• I use Google Maps for searches for restaurants, or businesses
• Use Google Maps for navigation
• A lot of web browsing (A LOT). I check various websites every day.
• I also look at pdfs and documents on my phone
• I also take quick notes and view them through the Google Keep app.
• I don`t really play games, but I do play a causal game (namely don`t touch the white wiles currently).

So that is my usage for my phone. Think the Z10 can handle it?

1) you'll find checking your email accounts easy and efficient with the hub, from where you can send/delete emails etc,I found it extremely easy setting up my accounts (apart from when I first got my Z10 I cloud accounts had issues)

2) on feedly I've already talked about

3) music player is decent (though I use a pricey (but worth it for me) third party app called Neutron that has automatic cross fading as well as hundreds of options.. it's a beast

4) Google maps works awesome for me, but for car navigation the native map os even better

5) Browser is a beast and only gets better with an upcoming update *rumour*

6) only downside about PDF is you HAVE to download PDF to view, but on the plus there's native PDF viewer with great functionality, native read/write for excel, word and power points (along with a great native easy powerpoint maker called BlackBerry Express

7) no play store as said above so sync etc but there's native remember which syncs with your calender and also you can save along with note voice notes, reminder etc

8) great little games, don't know about that in particular, but I've enjoyed the variety of games from the beginning

Hope some of that helps..

TechCraze C0008DDD1

[teostar]

Good news on the App end of things then as I already have purchased some apps and games before. My last concern would be battery life. I was just looking at a thread (it`s trending right now) that has multiple users complaining about bad battery life on the Z10. Is it really that bad?

Most of us complain about battery life as compared to other Blackberries. My gf had a s4 it had worse battery life than my z10. Coming from an Android device it nay not be unusual for you. But for us coming from traditional bbos it's a big deal.

Posted via CB10

[tyrone smith3]

I would say BlackBerry Z10 it's better and much faster the galaxy S3 lags so much

Posted via sexy BlackBerry Z10 10.2.1

[NaijaBerry]

I just finally dumped my S3, do not get that phone, battery life on 3G is terrible, but worse still is the laginess of that phone, its loaded with bloatware and this makes the OS highly inefficient, slow and annoying (S4 when I tested is marginally better). I used a Z10 briefly, battery life is not great but it is much faster than the S3, I use a Q10 now, the battery life is great, but you have to be a qwerty lover to really love the phone, the screen is small, but it is a workhorse for such a small footprint. I just got a Nexus 5 as my second daily driver, one word.....WOW!

[trwallace]

lots of questions and thats a good thing before you buy the phone. Battery life issues. Mostly the battery life is good. i went with the charger bundle as well which gives you an extra battery and charger its a just in case battery so you dont run out of juice. The battery life is actually okay you just have to remember to turn off the things you dont use like nfc, bluetooth etc. The software has been upgraded so alot of the glitches are no longer present and actually i have to say my android kit kat has more problems then my blackberry for sure. Google maps is good but it works only as a stand alone and wont work with google services as those are not approved through google to work with blackberry unfortunately. paid apps as well will unfortunately not work. you can use snap to download alot of these and some work and some dont but then again this is an android emulator and not true android and they do that to contain it so you have a more secure phone experience. im not on the network in the US but i heard they have good connections and lots of variables as it picks up LTE and 3g signals should your signal strength be a problem. The antenna for the phone is top quality so its usually more a case of the network being a problem then the phone. Signal and call quality are usually first class. It beats any iphone for call quality hands down. The phone is a rock now the new software has come through. The early software releases were the problem and those have all been resolved for the most part plus we are due to see a new upgrade in july that should add more functionality and work really well. This isnt android where many phones you cant upgrade due to the version etc. you should be able to use google maps through the browser and google keep as well. This is always the alternative if the android version cant or wont work. The installation process is a breeze now so the days of having to sideload every app are basically over. you do have to sideload snap but its a basic process and there are lots of instructional posts on how to do it. Definitely simple as i figured it out and i dont consider myself to be any techno wizard thats for sure. So i would say weigh all your options but definitely many of the things you ask about are not issues i would say the paid apps would be but that may change with new software upgrades as well. Good luck hope you make a decision to go with blackberry well worth it.

[jay64]

well, your stated needs might be better met with the larger screen (S3) . I have both and switch based on usage patterns. Days with browsing/screen emphasis S3, Call - signal quality/Z10. There is a very small difference re calling -signal quality and a larger difference re screen. You can't really go wrong wither way.

[red72]

i have the Z10 on VZW and my wife has the GS3 on VZW. Battery life is pretty equal we both use our phones pretty heavily and have to charge periodically during the day.

[Bdot-1]

Z10 battery is no worse then iphone or s3... if you use it alot, the battery will die. period.

For $30 you can get a charger and extra battery. It's amazing and very small. I swap my battery a couple times a day cause I'm a phone *****.


Posted via a mess called CB10

[tushargkwd]

http://forums.crackberry.com/showthread.php?t=928773

Its the best 4.2 inch non-apple phone you can buy!
Samsung Galaxy S3 is at end of life now!

Posted via CB10... and my awesome Z10

[m3ach]

I've owned both and they both get the job done but the Z10 gets it all done much quicker, the Z10 is the more grown up choice IMHO.

Posted via CB10

[BK_NY_RAY]

This is my daily phone usage:

• Check 3 email accounts (I have an .edu exchange email, outlook, and gmail).
• Check Feedly 2-3 times during the day
• Use phone for music for around 2 hours during the day during my commute to my college (I live an hour away)
• I use Google Maps for searches for restaurants, or businesses
• Use Google Maps for navigation
• A lot of web browsing (A LOT). I check various websites every day.
• I also look at pdfs and documents on my phone
• I also take quick notes and view them through the Google Keep app.
• I don`t really play games, but I do play a causal game (namely don`t touch the white wiles currently).

So that is my usage for my phone. Think the Z10 can handle it?

As someone who has owned them all and is extremely unbiased I will say this:

- No one does email better than BlackBerry. And on top of that the keyboard is the greatest thing I have ever used. You literally don't have to look what you're clicking, as long as it's close to the letter the phone will know what you want to type and correct it for you. It's mind blowing. That, plus the Hub and true multitasking makes email, and anything messaging for that matter, the best on BlackBerry hands down times 1000.

- Idk what feedly is lol.

- Music is basic, virtually all phones can do that.

- I use BlackBerry Maps to do what you want and it works great. I've read of people using Google maps so you can always use that.

- BlackBerry 10 web browser is the best on the market right now. That's a fact. Enough said.

- Pdfs and documents. Again, no one does it better than BlackBerry. Free Docs to go plus print to go are also amazing to have.

- Notes, they both have a bunch of note taking apps so you're good there but again, the BlackBerry 10 virtual keyboard is king and destroys everything without breaking a sweat.

- BlackBerry World has a lot of games but not all the ones found on play store. You casually play so what is there will be enough for you. I play more than casually and it's more than enough for me. Plus, it also have game pad compatibility.

As you can already tell, BlackBerry 10 is the best I have ever used and I have gone through everything. The battery life, at least on my phone, is ***, idk if it's just on certain OS versions but it should be fixed by the next update since it's something that only affects the Z10 and the Z10 is better than the Q5, the same as Q10 and pretty much the same as Z30. Also, having an extra $10 (or less) battery solves that issue.

Another pro is that BlackBerry updates all their phones as long as they can handle it, unlike on the Samsung and Android who will shaft and middle finger all their consumers without the latest phones for the most part.

Posted via CB10