[KOOLWATER]

I'm in the market for a high level premium device for both me and my wife. We both currently own BB 9860's on Verizon. So yesterday I went into my local Verizon and spent a considerable amount of time with the premium smartphones. This is my opinion as of now:

Q10: Does not look or feel like a flagship device. It's being marketed as THE blackberry to have right now and I just can't see it. Contract price is $199 while the Z is $99. Should be switched. Z appears to be the more "premium" device. Compared to the quality of the Samsung phones and the iPhone 5 the Q looks "plasticy" and low budget. I think BB made a mistake when they decided to introduce an entirely new platform by way of mid tier devices. Naturally people are comparing this phone to the BEST that IOS and Android have to offer and from just an aesthetic point of view, BB loses on curb appeal. I guess I'm supposed to wait around for the A10 to be TRULY wowed by a BB10 "premium" device. (BB marketing still doesn't get it. They threw a jab when we all were thinking they were going for a knock out!) Sitting there beside the Android and Windows phones latest devices the Q10 looks small and really "out of its league" I picked it up and it disappeared in my hands! I mean this phone is smaller than my 9860! They should have went with the bold 9000 size and premium appearance. Of course I like the OS. BB10 is the best out there hands down but I need to like the look of my phone as well. if I'm phone shopping the Q10 will catch my eye for like 1sec. I do not like the look, size, and overall feel of this phone. And no I'm not just a touch screen guy. My first berry was the 8830 world edition with no camera and it had a nice premium look and feel to it. So as of now the BB10 flagship device is a big disappointment to this long time BB lover. I can't buy a phone that I think is unattractive.

Z10:
Looks great just sitting on its pedestal. I wanted to pick it up instantly. Clearly when you think about the flagship BB10 device, this has got to be it. How did they get these confused?! The Z felt great in my hand. The design and feel is sexy and current. Keyboard is AWESOME. My only disappointment came when my wife started asking about her favorite apps that BB10 still doesn't have like Audible. I found my self telling her the same lies I told when I convinced her we both should get playbooks and not to worry about the apps cause they were gonna pour in when OS2.0 was released. Boy was that a lie! So as of now she's very skeptical of blackberry and I don't blame her. We've been burned!!!

Samsung Galaxy Note 2:
This phone caught my eye (and I'm NOT the Android guy) so I gave it a whirl. I was VERY impressed!! It's a big boy but we don't mind that. It actually was a welcomed increase as my wife has been looking for another tablet since the playbook fiasco so it's like killing two birds with one stone. (playbook is currently the Facebook updates device) The Note2 exudes premium quality which is what we are looking for and flipping through the OS was a breeze. I felt kinda bad when I told my wife I like it and she said: "What?! You mean King BlackBerry is actually considering a different Device?!" For years I was the BB defender and now I feel like I might be walking away... Upgrades are up in July (her) and August (me). She likes to get the same phone I get so that when something is wrong, I can fix it for her so this Lil trip was the first recon trip for us and we will purchase her phone in July and mine a month later.

I'm hoping more apps and more info on the A10 is released soon cause as of right now the Note2 has our full attention. I do believe that BB10 is awesome and the apps will get better however, we are buying a device for what it does NOW this time around... Still can't believe I'm considering an Android device....

[Elite1]

I don't think you have to be platform-loyal. All BBRY can ask for is that you honestly consider a BB10 device and you have.

The downside to the Note 2 vs say the S4 is that the Note is last year's model. If you wanted to sell it mid-contract because BB10 got more of the apps you wanted, it won't be holding it's value as well as a newer one.

On the flipside, you could explore finding a nice Note 2 on craigslist or a refurbished model from an online retailer that will still provide some warranty. Then save your upgrade for a bit, but get your new toy now too.

[SK122387]

To each their own...


I wouldn't be caught dead with a Samsung phone, especially not that huge Note 2. I don't think the Q10 looks cheap at all... the back carbon fiber glass stuff, the stainless steel frets, and the black stainless steel housing.. Samsung's very, very found of tacky looking plastic with what can only be described as glitter in the paint. Their devices are bland...I've never used the OS for more than like 15minutes, when I hand my friend back their phone and run back to BlackBerry10.

Maybe the A10 will be what you're looking for...otherwise it seems like Samsung's got you sucked in.

Posted via CB10

[jrohland]

Get her a Kindle and forget about using a Samsung. When I see women talking on that Note 2 thing, it looks ridiculous. The Kindle has Audible. Although I closed my Audible account and use Audiobooks instead. I might go back to Audible if they would write a good, native BB10 app. That BBOS Audible app was horrible.

[Gearheadaddy]

We went from Blackberry 8530 (both of us) to 2 different androids. We are back to Blackberry running Z10's. Happy with being able to communicate again. We get all of our calls now. Browser is way faster than the EVO3D and Nexus s4g. BBM is stellar. Missed that feature long enough. Plenty of apps. Waiting for more. Good visually in bright sunlight. Camera is awesome.

I'm in the market for a high level premium device for both me and my wife. We both currently own BB 9860's on Verizon. So yesterday I went into my local Verizon and spent a considerable amount of time with the premium smartphones. This is my opinion as of now:

Q10: Does not look or feel like a flagship device. It's being marketed as THE blackberry to have right now and I just can't see it. Contract price is $199 while the Z is $99. Should be switched. Z appears to be the more "premium" device. Compared to the quality of the Samsung phones and the iPhone 5 the Q looks "plasticy" and low budget. I think BB made a mistake when they decided to introduce an entirely new platform by way of mid tier devices. Naturally people are comparing this phone to the BEST that IOS and Android have to offer and from just an aesthetic point of view, BB loses on curb appeal. I guess I'm supposed to wait around for the A10 to be TRULY wowed by a BB10 "premium" device. (BB marketing still doesn't get it. They threw a jab when we all were thinking they were going for a knock out!) Sitting there beside the Android and Windows phones latest devices the Q10 looks small and really "out of its league" I picked it up and it disappeared in my hands! I mean this phone is smaller than my 9860! They should have went with the bold 9000 size and premium appearance. Of course I like the OS. BB10 is the best out there hands down but I need to like the look of my phone as well. if I'm phone shopping the Q10 will catch my eye for like 1sec. I do not like the look, size, and overall feel of this phone. And no I'm not just a touch screen guy. My first berry was the 8830 world edition with no camera and it had a nice premium look and feel to it. So as of now the BB10 flagship device is a big disappointment to this long time BB lover. I can't buy a phone that I think is unattractive.

Z10:
Looks great just sitting on its pedestal. I wanted to pick it up instantly. Clearly when you think about the flagship BB10 device, this has got to be it. How did they get these confused?! The Z felt great in my hand. The design and feel is sexy and current. Keyboard is AWESOME. My only disappointment came when my wife started asking about her favorite apps that BB10 still doesn't have like Audible. I found my self telling her the same lies I told when I convinced her we both should get playbooks and not to worry about the apps cause they were gonna pour in when OS2.0 was released. Boy was that a lie! So as of now she's very skeptical of blackberry and I don't blame her. We've been burned!!!

Samsung Galaxy Note 2:
This phone caught my eye (and I'm NOT the Android guy) so I gave it a whirl. I was VERY impressed!! It's a big boy but we don't mind that. It actually was a welcomed increase as my wife has been looking for another tablet since the playbook fiasco so it's like killing two birds with one stone. (playbook is currently the Facebook updates device) The Note2 exudes premium quality which is what we are looking for and flipping through the OS was a breeze. I felt kinda bad when I told my wife I like it and she said: "What?! You mean King BlackBerry is actually considering a different Device?!" For years I was the BB defender and now I feel like I might be walking away... Upgrades are up in July (her) and August (me). She likes to get the same phone I get so that when something is wrong, I can fix it for her so this Lil trip was the first recon trip for us and we will purchase her phone in July and mine a month later.

I'm hoping more apps and more info on the A10 is released soon cause as of right now the Note2 has our full attention. I do believe that BB10 is awesome and the apps will get better however, we are buying a device for what it does NOW this time around... Still can't believe I'm considering an Android device....

[anon(4141156)]

This has been said several times already, but I have had BOTH the Z and Q. To me, the Q feels, looks, and acts like a much better phone than the Z. But my wife loves her Z, and would not trade if for anything.
I really think that neither of the phones should be a flagship device. The are not a game changer, they are a game catcher-upper. Don't get me wrong, they are a huge leap from the OS7 devices, but with the announcement of iOS7 they are already not the shiniest of things on the market.
I look forward to, and expect many more great things from BB10 over the next few years, things that will put BB way ahead of the competition. At least for true smartphone users, not the trendy isheep user.

[BBUniq01]

We have BlackBerrys and Samsung products in our household. Long story short, long term wise, we have had more issues with our Samsung devices. You might be enamored with the cool things it can do initially . But after awhile, we were having issues with the updates, product durability and reliability. The BlackBerrys endured. I totally understand your initial attraction to its glam. Pick a device that works for you and enjoy it. Nothing wrong with that.

Curve 8320, Bold 9780, Bold 9900, PB 64gb, Z10

[Stephen Cooper]

I'm with you on the Q10. Just not my cup of tea being labeled as "The premier BBRY device ". I think BBRY was mislead by the number of loyal subscribers that were still using a BBRY keyboard device. I wish though that since BBRY felt it strategically important to release a keyboard device, I think it should have looked like the Q10 with a bigger screen. A screen that small should be been pushed to the markets that wouldn't spring for a premium device due to costs.

Posted via the Super BlackBerry Z10

[mexicangangboss]

Audible actually works on BB10 from what I've read. You will have to go through the 'new' side loading method though which takes a bit of time to set up initially. Afterwards you can run pretty much every android app with ease.

Just have a look into the side loading sub forum and have the possibilities sway your opinion again .

Considering you basically have an android device built into your BB10 device, it really would be a waste to not get one - wouldn't it?

Posted via Z10

[20degrees]

I thought the Q10 felt premium and thought the note 2 with its big apple wannabe button felt cheap. Same way I feel about the other samsungs. I hate that button and the cheap bezels surrounding the phones. Dent and scratch all the time.

The Q10 reminds me of older nokias - built strong and feels sturdy.

Posted via CB10

[lynxs_claw]

Need to keep in mind about the plastics used in mobile phones, there's a reason for it when you compare it to the aluminum diecast housing of an HTC or iphone. You can't have it all. With the plastic you get NFC, better reception, and removal backing allowing for cheap storage expansion & a removable battery. When all is said and done, I'll take the plastic over the "cool" esthetics any day.

[TgeekB]

OP, I would go over to Androidcentral to get some honest opinions about the Note 2. You're not going to get them here as you can see. While Blackberry has made some major upgrades to their OS, they have a ways to go yet. Good luck with whatever you choose as your next phone.

[lynxs_claw]

I'm with you on the Q10. Just not my cup of tea being labeled as "The premier BBRY device ". I think BBRY was mislead by the number of loyal subscribers that were still using a BBRY keyboard device. I wish though that since BBRY felt it strategically important to release a keyboard device, I think it should have looked like the Q10 with a bigger screen. A screen that small should be been pushed to the markets that wouldn't spring for a premium device due to costs.

Posted via the Super BlackBerry Z10

Gotta disagree with you here. The hardware to incorporate a full physical keyboard is more expensive than making a full touch screen. Those costs need to be recouped. It comes down to personal preference. Some people value the keyboard in a big way. I prefer screen so I have a z10, and others at work who have the q10 that I've played around with feels solid in my hands.. The q10 is far from a cheap feeling device.

And just to note about adding a bigger screen, the screen on the Q10 is bigger than the Torch and already a bigger device than the Bold 9900. Making it bigger just gets it further away from a one-handed device.

[Bbnivende]

Gotta disagree with you here. The hardware to incorporate a full physical keyboard is more expensive than making a full touch screen. Those costs need to be recouped. It comes down to personal preference. Some people value the keyboard in a big way. I prefer screen so I have a z10, and others at work who have the q10 that I've played around with feels solid in my hands.. The q10 is far from a cheap feeling device.

And just to note about adding a bigger screen, the screen on the Q10 is bigger than the Torch and already a bigger device than the Bold 9900. Making it bigger just gets it further away from a one-handed device.

The 9860 has a 3.7 inch screen which is passable. Better than the 3.1 inch screen of the Q10. As to the size issue actually the Q10 is wider than the 9860 but equal to it's length. The plastic Keyboard is not that expensive to purchase so that can not account for the price difference.
The Q10 has a a forged stainless steel frame.
In my opinion the Q10 is the best looking QWERTY phone. I have seen them in the wild and they stand out more so than other BB phones.

The consensus by professional reviewers of phones is that the Q10 has the more premium look and feel of the two phones. For most all touch devices, looks are rather secondary since these phones quickly get encased in some sort of apparatus.

OP, the best value + quality Android phone right now seems to be the Nexus 4. I would also check out the Xperia ZL since it has a large screen but small body. Personally I think the ZL feels like a premium phone.

[pcguy514]

Hey OP if you go bb10 and your wife has issues with her phone you can always screen share over bbm to sort out the issues.

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