[gogurt48]

I was at the mall the other day and I decided to go to the AT&T store because I knew they had a working model Q10 on display. After having read so much about BB10 here, I thought it would be fun to give it a try.

I wish they'd had a Z10 or a Z30 on display, because I think that would have given me a more direct comparison to my iPhone, but they didn't.

I'll start off by saying what I didn't like about it, then say what I did like about it, so I can finish on a positive note.

Cons

1) The first thing I noticed was that the screen didn't appear to be very sharp. I don't know why that is because it has a pixel density of 330 ppi. That's actually a few pixels better than my iPhone 5, and yet I didn't think it looked nearly as sharp is the iPhone. I know the two phones use different types of screens, so maybe that accounts for the difference.

That said, the screen wasn't bad by any means. Just not as sharp as I would have liked.

2) The keyboard. I really wish I could have tested BlackBerry's vaunted virtual keyboard, because I'd really like to know how it compares to the iPhone's. I tested the physical keyboard, though, and did not like it. At all. For one thing, I'm used to tapping lightly on the screen, and the physical keyboard required a stronger push than I'm used to.

Using both thumbs, and looking only at the keyboard (not the screen), I tried to type the phrase, "Here is the message I wanted to type." This was the result:



Not good. So, I tried again, this time using just my right thumb. That's how I usually type. This was the result:



Again, not good. Not only was I completely inaccurate, but the effort required to push the little buttons would have quickly strained my thumb.

For comparison, I typed on my iPhone the phrase, "This is the message I wanted to type". I used only my right thumb, and typed as quickly as I could. This was the result:



I don't think I typed any more accurately on the iPhone, but the autocorrect knew what I was trying to type. Say what you will about iOS's autocorrect, but in my experience, it's nearly psychic.

Still, I don't enjoy typing with one thumb (or two) on any keyboard, and I wish I'd been able to try the Z10's keyboard, to see if I would have liked it better than the iPhone's.

Pros

1) Build quality. The phone felt good in the hand, and seemed to have been well put-together. It was also light, and seemed sturdy. (I don't think the AT&T people would have appreciated it if I'd conducted a drop test, so I don't know how well the Q10 actually holds up in a fall.)

2) Gestures. I didn't know my way around BB10, so I just experimented, pretty much swiping at random, and trying to remember what I'd read here. There's a learning curve, to be sure, but on the whole, I really liked the gesture controls. I think that once I got used to them, and they became second nature, I'd prefer them.

A side note: I've read several times on this forum that BB10 doesn't have "home screens" like iOS does. But the Q10 seemed to have several, and I was able to swipe between them just the same as on the iPhone. The left-most screen appeared to be tiles representing currently running apps.

Bottom line: there wasn't really much I could do in just a few minutes at the AT&T store, with the phone tethered to the wall, but my initial impressions were largely positive. I didn't like the keyboard, but I didn't really expect to. I did like the phone itself (except for the screen resolution), and I really liked the BB10 gesture controls.

[Vorkosigan]

Good for you for giving it a try.

The keyboard thing - may be a preference issue. Most people like that they have to press a little harder on the physical keyboard. The comment I most often hear is 'I want to know that I hit the key'. I also found it easier to type on a physical keyboard when I had the phone on silent. My accuracy on my Z10 goes way down for some reason if I have it on silent and I don't get that audio feedback of hitting a key.

Posted via CB10

[Taigatrommel]

Just a few quick notes:
The Q10 (and the Z30 as well) is using an AMOLED display with a pentile matrix. Which basicly lowers the effective ppi by quite a bit. If you're more interested in this topic, I'd suggest a quick search on the web about it. The pentile is responsible for the not-so-sharp look the screen offers.

As for the keyboard, it completely depends what you are used to. It is plain wrong judging an unknown keyboard after just a 5 minute trying it out. For example I am an avid QWERTY phone user (sliders for most) all my life, yet I am more or less forced to use virtual keyboards on full-touch devices for work. I really can't stand them and have a hard time getting used to them, let alone enjoying to type a sinmple text or message with them. No matter if it is a Symbian, Android or iOS: I personally dislike all of them. I also can't type fast there, sure autocorrect really can help, but it also can really screw up like I currently notice on my work Android phone.
I think the Q10 also has some sort of autocorrection by the way, I don't really know though, since I switched all software related correction and typing aids off.

Posted via the awesome Blackberry Q10

[gogurt48]

Good for you for giving it a try.

The keyboard thing - may be a preference issue. Most people like that they have to press a little harder on the physical keyboard. The comment I most often hear is 'I want to know that I hit the key'.

Yeah, a lot of people seem to like it. Maybe I would, too, if I used it for awhile, but I sure didn't at first.

I also found it easier to type on a physical keyboard when I had the phone on silent. My accuracy on my Z10 goes way down for some reason if I have it on silent and I don't get that audio feedback of hitting a key.

It's funny, I've never liked that sound. I turned it off years ago. Of course, my accuracy sucks. If it weren't for autocorrect, I'd be unintelligible.

[iN8ter]

Going from a Curve to a Bold pre-BB10 I noticed I got way less accurate when typing because the keyboard is cramped on the bold-type keyboards compared to the chicklet Curve keyboard. You have to poke at the keys a bit more accurate otherwise you risk pressing two buttons, which seems like what you did, or pressing the wrong button first in an attempt to depress the key you want (seems like some of that happened as well).

Also, there is a difference in effort and you can get much more hand fatigue on their virtual keyboards than on a touchscreen (especially if you are use to a swipe keyboard). They do get easier to press as you use it more and it "breaks in" a bit, though!

[gogurt48]

Just a few quick notes:
The Q10 (and the Z30 as well) is using an AMOLED display with a pentile matrix. Which basicly lowers the effective ppi by quite a bit. If you're more interested in this topic, I'd suggest a quick search on the web about it. The pentile is responsible for the not-so-sharp look the screen offers.

Thanks, I didn't know that.

As for the keyboard, it completely depends what you are used to. It is plain wrong judging an unknown keyboard after just a 5 minute trying it out. For example I am an avid QWERTY phone user (sliders for most) all my life, yet I am more or less forced to use virtual keyboards on full-touch devices for work. I really can't stand them and have a hard time getting used to them, let alone enjoying to type a sinmple text or message with them. No matter if it is a Symbian, Android or iOS: I personally dislike all of them. I also can't type fast there, sure autocorrect really can help, but it also can really screw up like I currently notice on my work Android phone.
I think the Q10 also has some sort of autocorrection by the way, I don't really know though, since I switched all software related correction and typing aids off.

I agree. That's why I said that these are my "first impressions." I'm open to the possibility that if I used the physical keyboard for awhile, I might grow to like it. But my initial impression was not favorable.

[BryanVilla]

Yeah, a lot of people seem to like it. Maybe I would, too, if I used it for awhile, but I sure didn't at first.



It's funny, I've never liked that sound. I turned it off years ago. Of course, my accuracy sucks. If it weren't for autocorrect, I'd be unintelligible.

Sounds like you need to try a Z10 or Z30 they're free on contract for AT&T online as well. I'd recommend heading over to your nearest Verizon store to try one out.

Life Through a BlackBerry Lens, Photography BBM Channel C000EE502

[gogurt48]

Sounds like you need to try a Z10 or Z30 they're free on contract for AT&T online as well. I'd recommend heading over to your nearest Verizon store to try one out.

Life Through a BlackBerry Lens, Photography BBM Channel C000EE502

I would like to try the Z10/Z30 keyboard. Perhaps next time I'm near the Verizon store I'll pop in and see if they have a display model.

[Mirk]

I have a Z10, I've tried the Q10 keyboard, I can't type on it either... going from a screen keyboard to a physical one is just as bad as going from a physical keyboard to a screen one. Everything is different, including the auto-correct as it assumes you can and are hitting the correct keys.

[m1kr0]

Well I'm impressed with your open mindedness in giving the BB at least a try. Pity you could not assess the full BB10 experience, but I guess given the time constraint, it is not really possible to do a thorough assessment. Good on you mate.

Z10 goodness

[canuckvoip]

I'm kind of surprised by your keyboard results. Ha! Makes me wonder if the auto correct was off. I believe the result, but it is rather surprising (to me). Good for you to try it out.
If you spend 15 mins on a Z10 or 30 keyboard with flick word suggestion on I suspect you would like it. Just a guess.

[gogurt48]

Well I'm impressed with your open mindedness in giving the BB at least a try. Pity you could not assess the full BB10 experience, but I guess given the time constraint, it is not really possible to do a thorough assessment. Good on you mate.

Z10 goodness

Thanks. As I said, for the most part, I liked what I saw. Wish I had more time to check it out.

[gogurt48]

I'm kind of surprised by your keyboard results. Ha! Makes me wonder if the auto correct was off. I believe the result, but it is rather surprising (to me). Good for you to try it out.
If you spend 15 mins on a Z10 or 30 keyboard with flick word suggestion on I suspect you would like it. Just a guess.

I hope someday I get to try it. A lot of people like it. Maybe I would, too.

[anon(5624621)]

I really do think you'd love the vkb of the Z10/Z30. It is just outstanding. Hopefully you get a chance to try it out.

[collinc93]

I like the fact that you were willing to give it a fair lash...good on you

[mkmilan]

Good for you for trying! In a parallel experiment, I am a long-time BB user inn loove with Bold 9900. I sincerely tried all BB10s and am totally dissolutioned for, yes, the missing thub-friendly trackpad, missing functions/features, etc. I gave up on my Playbook for a Galaxy Note 8 and love the Droid tablet. I am still wavering on a droid phone, as the 9900 is totally my goto ..... Sigh what to do what to do ..

[Kamika007z]

Nicely written and thank you for giving it a try as well as being honest and objective about it.

Agreed. Simply put, tactile response keyboards are totally different than touch screen keyboards. It's like comparing apples to oranges (pun not intended ). Like everyone else had said, give the Z30 a try at a VZW store and let us know what you think. It would be interesting to know your conclusions on it.

[BBUniq01]

I totally understand what u mean about the keyboard. I had the Q10 and sold it. Kept my Z10. Which is nuts since I was a diehard physical keyboard user since the Curve 8320. I felt that the Q10 keyboard was more Curve like vs the the awesome Bold 9900 keyboard. Loved that one. Anyway, I love my Z10. I have to type with the sound on too. Thx for trying it out.

BB Uniq BB Bold -Z10

[Oofa]

Your negatives are all because it's a totally different system. Your first impressions are expected to be what they are. Of course you can type on your iPhone better than on a BlackBerry with a keyboard you are not used to using. Any device with a radically different keyboard than what you are using on a day in and day out basis will trip you up for a while. Once you get used to it, it becomes second nature. Just like all the swiping gestures in order to get what you need.

The fact that the screen didn't seem very sharp to you is understandable because the iPhone has a totally different type of screen that you are accustomed to viewing. Once you get used to an AMOLED screen, you shouldn't have a problem at all. I use a Q10 and an iPhone 5s on a rotating basis and feel the same for a short time when going from one to the other.

[21stNow]

My typing looks like yours on physical keyboards and virtual keyboards. I tend to do better with landscape slider physical keyboards than portrait keyboards, but find both to be frustrating.

My history, I had a Nokia 3300 with a split (somewhat landscape) physical keyboard for around three years, a Nokia E62 with a portrait physical keyboard for about three years, an iPhone for almost two years and several Android devices for over three years (one with a landscape slider keyboard). Even after spending six years with physical keyboards, I came to prefer virtual keyboards when I tried Swype. The iPhone keyboard isn't much better for me than a physical keyboard.

I didn't type much on the Nokia phones; I mostly only entered web addresses and rarely sent text messages on those phones. With the Swype keyboard, I respond to email messages, do some text messaging and have done some forum posting from my phones. Overall Swype works best for me.

I agree that you should try a Z10 to get an experience closest to your iPhone due to size. If the Z10 isn't available for you to try, the Z30 will give you an idea, but I think that the Z30 being tethered in a store will limit the experience for you. Since I take it that you're in the US, it would be a bad idea for me to suggest that you find someone with a Z10 and ask them to try it. You probably would have to ask here on CrackBerry for addresses to find us rare birds!

[CecilTsunami]

I used to be a diehard physical keyboard fan. I thought I'd get the Q10 over the Z when it came out. Well, I'm glad they released the Z first because now I can't imagine going back to physical keys. I used to be able to type on my 9800 without even looking, now, my sister hands me her Bold, my typing becomes pathetic. I also can't believe I used to have to press those buttons that hard. No wonder my carpal tunnel has stopped bothering me since I swapped phones in February.

That said, I still can't type on an iPhone keyboard when presented with the challenge. Just too small. OP, wish you had gotten to try one of the Z keyboards.

Posted via CB10

[SK122387]

Great review, comparing apples to oranges.

[SparkyBC]

Not sure how you can even compare and iphone keyboard to it. The iPhones keyboard has been the biggest pos since the phone has been out and the autocorrect is out right horrible.

Apple will never change it because people are to use to using a crap keyboard now. One thing people hate most is the keyboard, but apple knows best..

As for gestures up down left right pretty complicated stuff. Lol

[21stNow]

Not sure how you can even compare and iphone keyboard to it. The iPhones keyboard has been the biggest pos since the phone has been out and the autocorrect is out right horrible.

Apple will never change it because people are to use to using a crap keyboard now. One thing people hate most is the keyboard, but apple knows best..

As for gestures up down left right pretty complicated stuff. Lol

I've met plenty of people who like the iOS keyboard. It works well for them and doesn't work at all for me. Different strokes for different folks.

[Dave Bourque]

You need to try Z10 or Z30. For a better comparison. I agree about the physical keyboard part. It's one of the main reasons I never had a BlackBerry.

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.1925