[lazypapichulo21]

To all of CrackBerry Nation, Hello! For about the past year or so, I have been on CrackBerry.com as a �fly on the wall,� by reading various forums and posts and by keeping up with BlackBerry news. In other words, I have used this site as a great resource. I have had an interest in BlackBerry and their products for a while. For the time being though, I�ve been using an iPhone 4S. Before the 4S, I owned a Droid 2 and a Droid X. I did try a Bold 9930 before going iPhone, but I ended up not keeping it (I�ll explain why later). From the experiences I have had with both iOS and Android, I have concluded that I�d like to try something different, something BlackBerry. Therefore, I am upgrading to a BlackBerry Z30 this week and I couldn�t be more excited!

Anyway, I just wanted to share my personal history with smartphones up until this point and explain my interest in BlackBerry and why I chose BlackBerry 10 as my next smartphone platform instead of anything else out there. Enjoy!
(Warning: this is an opinion post and it is VERY long! Lol)

Back around 2010, my first smartphone ever was a Droid 2 Global and when I first got it, it was an amazing phone! The slide-out physical keyboard was great, the interface was highly customizable and the phone overall was just fun to use. However, that did not last long. After about two months, it started acting frustratingly odd: the battery life become horrendous, the phone kept locking itself up or freezing (or just doing things on its own without my input), and it just kept crashing every time I would open an app or do something on it. I couldn't take it anymore!!

So, in a matter of months, when my brother upgraded his phone, he gave me the Droid X he had been using. Thinking that it was going to be better than my Droid 2, I took it. However, in an even shorter amount of time, the Droid X met with the same fate. It too crashed often, along with forming a lot of dead pixels on its display and generally becoming an annoyance to use. I think all of these bad experiences are mostly due to Motorola�s then-use of the �Moto Blur� skin and Android being very young at the time of these phones� initial releases. Although I haven�t owned any of the new Android phones (Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, or Kit Kat), I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that they are most likely much better than the Androids of yesterday (�clair, Froyo, Gingerbread). Still, after being left burnt by those two Droids, I�m not exactly rushing into Google�s arms.

Anyway, after these bad experiences, I decided that I needed to change my smartphone. Since I enjoyed using the Droid 2�s keyboard (one of the only good things I took away from having used it), I knew that I�d prefer using a smartphone with a keyboard on it. That led me to the Bold 9930, one of the only smartphones out at the time (it was around late 2011/early 2012) that had a physical keyboard. So I decided to get that phone.

I had the Bold 9930 for a few weeks and I enjoyed the phone for what it had: slick hardware design, premium build quality/materials, and its great keyboard. However, as I was using the 9930, I couldn�t help but imagine how much better this phone would be if it was running a modern OS to complement the greatness of the phone itself. Ironically, a few years later my wish came true in the form of the Q10. Hypothetically, if the Q10 came out instead of the 9930 I would have kept it, but I digress.

Anyway, as much as I wanted it to, the 9930 just wasn�t quite doing it for me. Its poor app store and outdated software (BBOS 7) was what pushed me away. As great as the phone�s form-factor was, I couldn�t continue using its archaic user interface.
Despite this experience, I saw the underlying philosophy that drove (and still drives) BlackBerry products: improving productivity, communication, and overall efficiency. Along with BlackBerry�s great keyboards and the uniqueness/exclusivity that the brand and their phones emit (in my opinion, at least), this ultimate idea was what has always attracted me to BlackBerry as a whole. However, it wasn�t enough for me to keep the Bold.

Therefore, after a couple of weeks using the 9930, I returned it and got an iPhone 4S instead. Even though I was going to miss typing on a physical keyboard, the iPhone brought with it so many more benefits that outweighed this con for me. The iPhone 4S, with its elegant hardware build, great apps, and its fast & modern UI navigation, was simply much more enjoyable to use. Despite my ownership of an iPhone though, I still had those feelings about BlackBerry.

iOS was (and still is, mostly) a very simple, fluid, stable, and fully-functioning OS (especially compared to the Androids I�ve owned). As a whole, I have had a much better smartphone experience with the iPhone. It has done me a lot of good the past two years, but I have become frustrated with certain things: the screen is very small, the on-screen keyboard is not that good, and as I began downloading more apps, my home screens became quite cluttered and I don�t like that. Notifications aren�t handled that well on it either. And, iOS has become boring to me. I updated my 4S to iOS 7 and initially I liked it, but now I find it super annoying and it has made my phone very slow.

Because of all this, I began looking towards BlackBerry 10 and fortunately, it has satiated all of my smartphone needs and wants, especially the Z30.
In fact, I feel like BlackBerry 10 has taken their philosophy and applied it into modern-day form, and that�s exactly what I've been looking for. BB10 is a completely new OS built from the ground-up, its interface is aesthetically pleasing to me, its gestures and multitasking abilities are amazing, and its keyboard (both virtual and physical) is awesome! And personally, I just think that it is unique and different from what�s out there now, which I admire quite a lot about it. The best part is that BB10 can only improve from this point moving forward because it�s so new. This is what has led me to BB10 and the Z30.

Regardless of BlackBerry�s past mistakes and stagnant leadership as a company, I accept the company for what it is today and I can appreciate what they�re trying to become in years� time.

Thanks for reading everybody! I really appreciate it!

[BergerKing]

Gotta love a positive outlook and a sharing of past experience. It takes guts to step out against the tide and go the other direction in a crowd, but sometimes, it's the right thing to do.

[Joao Oliveira]

Congratulations friend.... enjoy your Z30, hope it does suit all your needs. Install OS 10.2.1 (leak), and enjoy intalling android apps in your Z30 directly from different android stores

[Antoniius]

I agree with most of your points. The earlier Moto phones were garbage after a while. But you definitely should at least check out the more current android. It's pretty much flawless and blows iOS out of the water. But I agree both android and iOS have become stale and boring. Blackberries hub and swipe features are amazing. Once you get used to them, it makes other devices seem dated. Good luck with your z30 you will love it.

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[lazypapichulo21]

Thank you so much for all of the positive feedback! I actually just picked my Z30 up this afternoon, around 2pm. It was running on roughly half a tank of battery power or less, the same amount that it came with straight from the factory. However, I had a busy day and was constantly on the move, so I wasn't able sit down to charge my phone until after I came home around 8:30pm, but even at that time I didn't charge it because the Z30 simply kept going! It wasn't until about 10 o'clock when it finally died on its own and I had to plug it in the charger! It simply blew my mind! If the Z30 can last that long without a charge under those circumstances, I can't wait to see how it performs with a full charge!! So far, I am absolutely loving this phone (and I didn't even install the 10.2.1 leak on it lol)!!!!

[calicocat2010]

I've seen people post screen shots of their Z30 battery percentage and with Heavy use, the phone kept running almost for 48 hours!

But with it being a larger battery I can see why.

[SK122387]

That post wasn't too long. You're a good writer and it was a good read.

Sounds like you've been all over the place in your phone life, but the Z30 is definitely the best one you've had. I don't have one, since T-Mobile doesn't sell it and BlackBerry doesn't sell it on their site either, but all the reviews have been positive, and the one thing everyone mentions is the battery life and the speaker.

Be prepared for the best virtual keyboard you've ever experienced. Have fun with your new Z30, I wish I could get one too, but my Z10 and Q10s are keeping me company

[bigglybobblyboo]

Well done. We'll done indeed.

It's true, BB10 is the world's best kept secret! Now join the thousands of other owners online who are contradicting the poor reviews by the 'experts'.

Reviewer....

'Nice try BlackBerry '

Actual owners...

'Eh? This phone is incredible! 5 stars! '



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[fanisk]

Welcome! I am sure you will enjoy the Z30!

Sent from my Z 30

[dslocumb]

Well written explanation of your experiences and needs. I hope you enjoy the Z30 as much as I do.

[mjs416]

I agree with most of your points. The earlier Moto phones were garbage after a while. But you definitely should at least check out the more current android. It's pretty much flawless and blows iOS out of the water.
Posted via CB10

Have to agree here.

Had a Droid 2 global that began crashing 3 weeks into use.

Recently picked up a samsung galaxy s3 cheap while I have been working on repairing my q10 and was pleasantly surprised how stable ICS was so I'm sure kit kat is better.



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