[agp423]

Hi everybody!

Long time BB user here, coming back from a one month hiatus. My 9930 was due for an upgrade, so I wanted to get the Q10. I was grandfathered in Verizon's $15 data plan (150MB/month, more than enough for me), but the sales rep said the Q10 would be $30 since it's 4G LTE instead of 3G. Then I decided to go with the HTC One instead. After using it for a month, I purchased a Q10 last night from the forum's market place. Androids are great great toys, but BB are better phones. Sure I will miss Google Now and Google Maps navigation, but I do not use those as much as I use my phone for the purpose of a phone - call, text, and email.

It's good to be home!

[thouvou13]

Hello to everyone,
Coming from Android. I think Z30 will be my next phone!

[sgt50]

Bought Z10 when it came out, loved it, wanted more apps, traded for an S3, had the apps did not like os, freezing, locking up, apps crashing, and so on, traded S3 for Z10 again because I love the os, lack of apps I can deal with.

[omar_q10]

I have been using android on so many devices for the last three years, last week I got the Q10 and I must say the OS is great, am in love with the keyboard, and the battery life is amazing. However I do miss some of the applications from the Google play store but I am hoping that they will find thier way to blackberry world soon.

Posted via CB10

[Carter26]

Been a blackberry user for more then 5 years... I jumped to the iphone 5 for a bit...... but after selling the iphone I plan on getting that Q10 again. I used to get mad when my cousins from the states made fun of me for using a BB. But after using a different phone I realized no matter what, the blackberry product is right for me.

To much debates over which phone is better these days. Blackberry may not be the best but its right for some.

PS. When I get the Q10 and finally get that keyboard in my hands again I will jizz my pants just a little. lol

[omar_q10]

I know, just pressing those keys is amazing, am not faster in typing than when I do so on a touch screen keyboard but the feeling is just fo different and I must say that having the physical keyboard is way more convenient especially with one hand typing. However I don't know if this feeling will fad away.

Posted via CB10

[anon(6038817)]

I've been researching BlackBerry 10 phones all week, poring through written and video reviews, and scouring forums to get a feel for real-world experiences. I was pleased enough with what I learned to want to actually see for myself what they were all about, so I went to my local Verizon store today to look at their display models.

The Q10

At first, I thought I would want a Q10. I mean, if you're going to get a BlackBerry you might as well get what they're known for - an amazing physical keyboard. I have always dreaded typing out anything longer than a few sentences on my iPhone because I tend to spend a lot of time fixing auto-corrected words and correcting typos (although recently turning off auto-correct and trying to type in landscape mode whenever possible has yielded a notable improvement for me).

I once used a BlackBerry Curve as my daily driver and remember flying through emails and texts on it, so surely I would be happy with the Q10, right? Actually, after giving it some serious thought, I don't believe I would. As great a device as the Q10 is, I've become so used to the screen real estate of touch-screen-only devices that I didn't want to sacrifice that even for the physical QWERTY goodness. Q10 owners in general absolutely love the device. It's just not for me. And I've also heard some great things about BlackBerry's touch-screen keyboard.

So that led me to look at the Z10.

The Z10

The first BlackBerry device to run the new BlackBerry 10 operating system, the Z10 has been put through its paces by many and proven to be a great device in many respects. Common complaints are battery life (true of just about any smartphone on the market), and lack of apps (a deal-breaker for some). The screen actually has higher pixel density than the iPhone's Retina display. It has 2 GB of RAM (twice the amount of the iPhone 5 and even the newer 5S), a more-than-decent 1.5 GHz dual core CPU, 8 megapixel rear camera, front-facing HD camera, user-replaceable battery, and expandable storage up to 64 GB.

Two of the many things that made me seriously consider this phone above its BB10 buddies were the user-replaceable battery (Q10 is also user-replaceable, Z30 is not) and the good-sized, gorgeous high-pixel-density screen (in terms of screen resolution, it's the best BB10 device).

Until I actually handled the display models and looked at them side-by-side, I wasn't sure if I wanted the Z10 or the Z30.

It only took me about 30 seconds to decide that the Z30 was THE phone I had been looking for. I ordered one on the spot.

The Z30

The photos and video I viewed of the Z30 in action didn't do it justice. In person, the phone just looks fantastic. At first, I was afraid the lower pixel density and resolution of the Z30 compared to the Z10 and my iPhone 5 would be painfully obvious. I notice those things. But actually, from a normal viewing distance, it looked great. All I saw was that big, beautiful screen with crisp detail and vivid colors. Side-by-side with the Z10, the Z30 appeared a bit more polished and refined, like BlackBerry had really taken their time with this one and put a lot of thought into it. That is not to say the Z10 isn't well thought-out or designed, but the Z30 is not so angular and imposing as the Z10. It still looks like a phone that means business, just with a bit more finesse. I think the look and feel of it could really appeal to a wider audience than the Z10 or Q10.

The non-user-replaceable battery turned out to be a non-issue for me, as well. The Z30 has a massive battery that will last notably longer than my iPhone's (which was also not user-replaceable). These Verizon model Z30s also support wireless charging, a feature that might come in handy. The other specs are comparable to or an improvement upon the Z10, with the exception of the screen resolution and pixel density.

Overall, it really is just a great phone in terms of form and function and I'm excited to put it to use when I receive it in a couple days!

A Little Context

Let me back up a bit and share with you why I even looked at BlackBerry devices again in the first place, especially so soon after getting an iPhone. There are many reasons, but as I was thinking about this more today I realized it really comes down to a few major points for me.

First, my wife's iPhone 4 - while it has been a great device since I got it for her a year ago - is showing its age. She sometimes expresses frustration at its slowness with certain apps. And the carrier she's with doesn't have the best coverage in our area. She's on a no-contract plan, so this affords her a good opportunity to come over to my Verizon plan. She was more than happy to take my iPhone 5, which allowed me to switch to the phone of my choice.

In trying to decide which phone I would get, the iPhone 5S was just not an appealing choice. I got my iPhone 5 back in July, before the newer 5C and 5S models were released. I did this on purpose, knowing that the 5S would not have any significant upgrades from its predecessor. I don't need or want a fingerprint scanner, and it will be a long time before 64-bit processors are put to good use in mobile devices. The RAM is the same and the form factor is the same. iOS 7 is, I believe, an improvement over its predecessor, but still not something that absolutely blows away the competition in my view. The iPhone 5S just didn't offer me any compelling reasons to wait for it back in July, and it still didn't offer me any compelling reasons to get one now when I had an opportunity to do so.

The second reason, simply put, is BlackBerry itself. BlackBerry, for me, stands apart from other platforms in a good way. As troubled as it has been over the past few years, I like the company and I like its approach to mobile devices. I'm cautiously optimistic about BlackBerry's future now that they have a new, proven CEO at the helm along with an infusion of cash. While Apple, Android, and Windows Phone devices seem to be focused primarily on content consumption with the actual communication aspects as an afterthought, BlackBerry devices are designed with communication as the primary focus. Apps are great, don't get me wrong, but if you have to switch in and out of several different apps just to catch up on all your texts, emails, IMs, social media, and other communications, it gets rather repetitive and inefficient. The so-called "app gap" may not be an issue for BlackBerry much longer, anyway. The upcoming version of BB10 will allow you to install Android apps.

But for me, it's all about the BB10 Hub! This fantastic feature unifies all your communications into one easy to manage feed that you can access with a simple swipe no matter what you are doing on the phone. That is exactly the kind of functionality I want! If I'm watching a YouTube video, for example, I don't want to have to pause it, return to the home screen, and open a separate app to see how many unread emails or texts I have. On a BlackBerry 10 device, with a simple swipe I can see all of that and keep the video playing. And with BB10's true multi-tasking capabilities, I can even keep the video playing in the background while I respond to an email without ever having to return to the home screen. Android, iOS, and Windows Phone just can't do that. Not as efficiently or effortlessly, anyway.

Lastly, I am a fickle technology geek. I love tech. I love to read about it. I love to tinker with it. I love to talk about it. I love to hear others talk about it. You get the idea. I've owned and used devices from the other major platforms - Android (Galaxy Nexus), iOS (iPhone 5), and Windows Phone (Lumia 521). BlackBerry 10 is the only platform I haven't tried. I'm curious. And if I don't give BB10 a good shot like the rest, I'll forever wonder what I'm missing.

There are many more reasons behind this latest move, but the above are the major ones.

I have a feeling (and I sincerely hope, for the sake of my pocketbook and my wife's sanity) that my BlackBerry Z30 will keep me happy for a long while and satiate my technological fickleness. At least when it comes to smartphones. ^_^

[Jsmt_3]

I bought my Z30 2 days ago and I'm very happy with it, I had an iPhone 5 but the OS for me was very boring, so I decided to go to Android with an LG G2. It's a solid phone but LG's software is crap! And I don't like to use custom ROMS so I thought: I want a phone that delivers an amazing experience, good battery life, and a phone that won't be so common... here in Melbourne Everybody has either iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, so I looked at windows phone and BlackBerry. The first one was fine but the OS didn't convinced me to much, so I looked at the Q10 and Z30, played with them a little and finally I made my choice. The Z30 looks amazing, the screen is crisp, a very good camera, the sound is outstanding! In other words I'm in love with this phone and I'm very happy to made that switching decision

Posted via CB10

[superflux]

I'm making the switch from the iPhone 4S to the BB q10 in a matter of days. I prefer the organization that BB lends to users of the product. By the way, I used to own and love a BB Curve 8530.

[Coblehagen]

Made the switch from Android S3 and I couldn't be happier and feel more organized! Android just feels so "cluttered" to me and not very efficient business phone. I love the simplicity yet functionality of my z10. If only we can get a way to sync outlook wirelessly I would truly be a crackberry addict

[bayman111]

First time Blackberry phone owner here, proud owner of z10. Our family does own a couple of playbooks and still use them. Wife and I both had samsung galaxy s before. I looked at all the different operating systems, to be fair. I wasnt impressed with the previous samsung quality, it was actually a poor quality device.
I looked around at the different phone kiosks Bell, telus the source etc. I did get to see first hand the lack of Blackberry to actually look at. Only a telus store had one on display. I knew of the gestures/swipes so was very interested to try it on a real phone. The display phone didnt work and when i asked for assistance the salesperson said thats Blackberry, i dont recommend that to anyone too many returns. I wanted to try it not get a lecture. I make up my own mind on facts. So I told him thats not how you sell something and left. Made complaint to Telus, either respectfully sell your products or dont stock something you have too many returns.
I was still interested in Blackberry but could find no other display models in my area to try. I have researched Blackberry quite a bit and found no more problems than other os .So i bought a bnib phone from ebay.
Very impressed with the phone and BB10 very easy to use after having a playbook, virtually no learning curve. My wife who has a note 2 was impressed as well.

[code2solutions]

Purchased a Z10 last night and loving it. Previously had been using a Droid Razor Maxx for the last 1.5 years. Waiting to get the 10.2 updates so that I can install more apps. Phone came with 10.0 and I am not able to update to 10.1 yet for some reason.

I am really impressed with the Z10 and it meets all my needs. Wish I would have made the switch sooner.

[emscapt47]

Purchased a Z10 last night and loving it. Previously had been using a Droid Razor Maxx for the last 1.5 years. Waiting to get the 10.2 updates so that I can install more apps. Phone came with 10.0 and I am not able to update to 10.1 yet for some reason.

I am really impressed with the Z10 and it meets all my needs. Wish I would have made the switch sooner.

When you did the switch did the rep give ya the a bb is junk speech?

[steve4nj]

I ditched Sprint and my Galaxy S2 after 18 months of headache and heartache. I used an old Curve for a few months prior to that so I guess I am sort of coming home even though home only lasted a short while. Just got a Z10 and in less than 48 hours I am totally in love with the phone. The bling and flash of the other devices have worn thin for me. I guess at 45 I wanted an "adult" phone.

[anon(5061193)]

Now that you have an "adult phone" maybe consider adult Sun Glasses... LOL

[webber27]

Got my first BlackBerry phone 2 months ago when my contract was up (had an HTC Desire before). The HTC, even for an entry level device, was pretty awful. The browser was so slow it was unusable even with good WiFi, it was super choppy, and it was really hard to text because of the small screen and often laggy keyboard.

I did a lot of research and played with a lot of phones before deciding, and decided to go with BB for 3 reasons:
1) I'm from Canada and want to support a Canadian company
2) The majority of what I do is text and send emails and I found the keyboard so much better for that
3) The OS is super smooth.

Decided to go for a Q5 over a Q10 because I actually think it's a bit easier to type accurately, and for my personal purposes I didn't see any reason to spend more money on the higher end phone.

Quickly, a few months in, the good and the bad:
Starting with the negatives, really only 2 things I can think of, first is that the voice recognition is pretty bad. It often won't recognize what I want unless I use the right word combinations (e.g. won't understand "How do I get to the airport?" but does understand "Directions to the airport".) And it usually misses people's names if they aren't especially common. Second, not a huge fan of the maps. I find it to be rather slow to update my location and not great for directions. Then again, on my HTC I couldn't even open the maps app.

The good: Love the keyboard. So much so that I actually look forward to having to type out long emails or texts. The browser is super fast. The hub is probably the most useful thing I've ever had on a phone. The excellent speaker was a pleasant surprise. And the OS is so damn smooth! When I upgraded my girlfriend also upgraded to an S3 and already hers is a bit laggy even when scrolling through the app menu, whereas I've never experienced the slightest lag. I don't think I can ever go back from gesture-based controls.

As far as apps go, I've never really cared for that. I know the new OS update lets me have Android apps but I haven't downloaded a single one yet, not sure if I ever will (maybe google maps). It's nice to have the option, but even before knowing about the update it didn't matter to me. I'm pretty low maintenance

Overall, for a lower end device, I give this phone a solid 9/10. Really loving it so far. Hope BB keeps making phones because as long as they do I have no plans to leave!

[Heavy Fluid]

Long time BB user, see sig. Just activated my new to me Q10. Setting it up, and looking forward to researching some more.

[JesseBabe23]

I've had Androids, iPhones, and mutiple BlackBerries, and something always keeps me coming back to a BlackBerry. I just ordered a Q10 (AGAIN) from using an iPhone 5 for a year and a half (switched between a BlackBerry Bold for a bit, and then bought a Q10 for a sec before switching back to iPhone.) I get really bored with phones.

I originally had an HTC Evo from Sprint. Liked the customization, hated the touch screen keyboard and the battery life was beyond horrible. I went and purchased a refurbished BlackBerry Tour and used that for 6 months before I bought an iPhone 4S. Enjoyed the iPhone 4S (first iPhone) for about 6 months, but missed my BlackBerry. I was originally going to get a BlackBerry Bold 9930, but I broke my iPod Touch so opted to get an iPhone instead and integrate all my music together. Switched to a Bold for a few, then got an iPhone 5, used that for about 5 or 6 months, switched back to a Bold, then went back. Kept telling myself I should stop wasting money on BlackBerries, but I kept finding myself getting bored, hating the battery life, and don't even get me started on autocorrect. Just purchased a Q10 from AT&T today online. Can't wait to get it in the mail!