[jondecker]

Everyone thinks they are a photographer these days and everyone is also starting to be a writer of some form, blogger, posting to forums, posting to social networks, working on personal projects, work, etc.

Couldn't Blackberry be the phone for writing? Or more specifically the phone that can keep up with your thoughts whether they be written, audio or visual? I know Blackberry has marketed themselves this way before but they don't seem to have executed yet.

How about baking 3 areas deep into the Blackberry experience:

1. Make the ability to post and reply to social networks even more dynamic in the hub and include all major networks.

2. Create or purchase the best mobile app for writers.

3. Something similar to the Evernote cloud experience mentioned below.

Capture anything
Save your ideas, tasks, projects, files, research, and more.

Access anywhere
Evernote makes all of your memories available anywhere you go.

Find everything fast
Search by keyword, tag, and even find text inside images.

That and an improved camera seem like they would appeal to a large audience not thinking about Blackberrys at the moment.

What do you guys think?

I was just spitting out ideas here so maybe you can tell me if this is a realistic vision, thanks and happy holidays!

[middbrew]

Sounds good to me. There was a person who wrote a whole book using a BB. A Bold if I remember right.

[middbrew]

Here's an article on it. Zombie Horror Novel Written on BlackBerry by CrackBerry member sees release (stars me as the Michaluk virus...woohoo!) | CrackBerry.com

[Tre Lawrence]

I'm working on a book that is primarily being done via swiping.

Most of my paid writing is done via swiping, but I still depend on my laptop for portions.

I love to hear about other writers that leverage mobile solutions.

[Jerale Hoard]

Most Rap and R&B artist use their BlackBerry's to write their music i.e. Drake and Trey Songz. I'm pretty sure Beyonce uses her P'9981 to write most of her music too.

Posted via CB10

[jondecker]

That's awesome and I believe it. A platform like Medium seems like the type that would be brilliant for BB's.

[jondecker]

That's awesome Blackberry should try and use this in their marketing.

[GadgetTravel]

I'm working on a book that is primarily being done via swiping.

Most of my paid writing is done via swiping, but I still depend on my laptop for portions.

I love to hear about other writers that leverage mobile solutions.

Back in the 90s some friends and I finished a scientific manuscript and submitted it for publication from a train using an old Windows CE clamshell device. I have been trying to integrate Scrivener with some ipad software and also working pretty extensively on Google Docs for shared documents that are mobile accessible (iPad).

[keypad]

Creative arts should be a focus for the BlackBerry 10 platform. Period.

This lack of vision from BB was a direct result of Dinosaur managment practices and complete failure to think outside of the box by the marketing executives regarding unique marketing oportunities.

Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!

[jondecker]

So true, could be a great phone to capture the thoughts, sounds and images of the creative mind. "The phone that can keep up with your thoughts."

[Pilot Prop]

I believe there has been postings on CB about two authors that have written books on BlackBerry devices.

Besides Canadian artist, Drake, I know of plenty of recording artists that write their song lyrics on a BlackBerry.

A BlackBerry just may be the writers phone.

Posted via Q10

[BitPusher2600]

This thread is also me in a nutshell. I've been saying that BlackBerry's are a writer's dream for a long time. I too published a book written entirely on a 9650, and maintain a personal WordPress that's gotten some age behind it as well.

I couldn't be the only person out there who loves to relax by just laying back on the couch or in bed and engaging in a little wordsmithing. It's nice to be able to have everything you need anywhere, right there in the palm of your hand and be able to just "go" at a whim. I'm also convinced the speed and accuracy of a real keyboard are a big factor in that, being able to concentrate more on words and less on actually typing them.

I can certainly attest that yes, the BlackBerry is definitely top notch, perhaps superior, for the writer or clammering wannabe (me) alike

Posted from BitPusher's Q10

[Tre Lawrence]

Depends on the user.

I've been writing on mobile devices for years, and I've found more folks that write consistently on iOS. Blows my mind, coz I can't type on the iOS keyboard to save my life.

I don't think a physical keyboard gives an advantage; I'd prefer tools that help writers to a physical keyboard.

[GadgetTravel]

Depends on the user.

I've been writing on mobile devices for years, and I've found more folks that write consistently on iOS. Blows my mind, coz I can't type on the iOS keyboard to save my life.

I don't think a physical keyboard gives an advantage; I'd prefer tools that help writers to a physical keyboard.

Which are all in iOS or Android I suspect. There are a lot of really nice, thin editing apps in iOS including for standard text or markup. Many have iPad or even Mac OS versions and you can move the files around through Dropbox or iCloud. Some will even work with full fledged manuscript editors such as Scrivener.

Most of my writing is collaborative so we use Word or Google Docs. I would love to use Scrivener more. I have a couple projects ongoing, one a book chapter and one editing a 20 chapter or so book that I need to get done. After that the next project I may try to talk my coauthors into going with Scrivener.

[iN8ter]

An Android or Windows Phone Phablet would be best for this.

But I think of a smartphone as a supplement to the PC for this kind of work.

There is no way I could seriously write on a smartphone because formatting, etc. on screens that small is pretty terrible. You'd have to be writing some relatively simple documents compared to what people do on a PC.

I've tried it. Working with tablets, embedding different types or media, etc. drove me back to my PC...

I use a laptop for this stuff. All the layout is done on it. I generally on use the phone for adding or editing the text. Cloud Services like SkyDrive integrate on both the Desktop and Mobile level, so even if I have to take pictures with my phone there are almost instantly there on my PC, anyways (after the upload is completed on the phone).

People do this because they can, not to show mobile as some superiority over full desktop word processing or page layout applications or workflows.

[ajst222]

"Real" writers wouldn't write a book on a phone. Not to criticize anyone out there but cmon. This isn't something that BlackBerry should focus on marketing/promoting. This still screams "I AM A WORK PHONE!" which is what BlackBerry needs to break.

[93Aero]

I see your point, I think for me it's the physical KB my fingers need to feel that response back as if I'm actually typing.

There is writers app that I love because it allows me to type in a certain font that BlackBerry doesn't have, but because I have to have the KB I don't use my iphone to type, forgoing that app.

Posted via CB10

[93Aero]

"Real" writers wouldn't write a book on a phone. Not to criticize anyone out there but cmon. This isn't something that BlackBerry should focus on marketing/promoting. This still screams "I AM A WORK PHONE!" which is what BlackBerry needs to break.

But ideas come when the come and we always have our phones with us. Plot adjustments and twist come at the darnest moments.

Posted via CB10

[Tre Lawrence]

But ideas come when the come and we always have our phones with us. Plot adjustments and twist come at the darnest moments.

Posted via CB10

Yep. Even if it is a simple idea to jot down, I do it via mobile.

I blog primarily via my smartphone now... 300+ words a pop. I still prefer to format and proofread on a bigger screen, but the main work is done via Swype.

[Tre Lawrence]

I also do a fair amount of voice notes via mobile too

[ajst222]

But ideas come when the come and we always have our phones with us. Plot adjustments and twist come at the darnest moments.

Posted via CB10

But it's not like people can't write things on iOS, Android, or Windows Phone. It's not like BlackBerry is anything special. Yeah, yeah, the keyboard, but that is personal preference. There are blog apps and word processing apps on all 3 other platforms and most likely in larger numbers.

[Tre Lawrence]

But it's not like people can't write things on iOS, Android, or Windows Phone. It's not like BlackBerry is anything special. Yeah, yeah, the keyboard, but that is personal preference. There are blog apps and word processing apps on all 3 other platforms and most likely in larger numbers.

This is very true.

Still, I think BBRY could highlight it. It would be a better commercial than DJs or the lady who writes "a thousand emails everyday."

[ajst222]

This is very true.

Still, I think BBRY could highlight it. It would be a better commercial than DJs or the lady who writes "a thousand emails everyday."

Anything is a better commercial than that crazy lady haha. I think that BlackBerry needs to find some sort of wow factor to create a boom and a "writers' phone" just isn't it. It needs to be something that other platforms clearly can't do or can't do as well AND aren't really personal preference. For example, the App Store for iOS is a wow factor on its own or the cameras on Nokia's high end Lumia phones are so good that they are wow factors. But things like communication, keyboard, security (and there's always someone who says "The Hub") just aren't.

[93Aero]

But it's not like people can't write things on iOS, Android, or Windows Phone. It's not like BlackBerry is anything special. Yeah, yeah, the keyboard, but that is personal preference. There are blog apps and word processing apps on all 3 other platforms and most likely in larger numbers.

Understood, I wouldn't even put iOS in the running for writing, the keyboard is horrible. Word predict suggestion and small KB space killed it for me.
My home button is wearing from having siri do everything just so I don't have to type.
I'm not ashamed to admit when I do iMessage I use the microphone for text to speach. I took all my email accounts off the iphone.

Posted via CB10

[ajst222]

Understood, I wouldn't even put iOS in the running for writing, the keyboard is horrible. Word predict suggestion and small KB space killed it for me.
My home button is wearing from having siri do everything just so I don't have to type.
I'm not ashamed to admit when I do iMessage I use the microphone for text to speach. I took all my email accounts off the iphone.

Posted via CB10

But that's not the case for most iPhone users. They use it as if they would use any other phone. A lot like the keyboard, the home button, and the simplicity that comes along with the OS. All of that is personal preference.