
I have been testing the new Blackberry Q10 handset. As a longtime Blackberry user I have had hopes that this new series of handsets would bring Blackberry back to the days before Android and iOS when they were the best business handsets by far. The Z10 looked interesting but the main advantage Blackberry's had over all other handsets was the physical keyboard.
Opening the box the Q10 handset felt rather chunky and solid compared to the Samsung Galaxy S4 which is my main phone. After starting the phone up it is very confusing how to navigate, with no dedicated back or home buttons, but after using the handset for a few days it becomes easier to use. With no activation to a Blackberry Enterprise Server the only option is to use an Exchange Activesync account. Configuring email synchronisation with IBM Traveler server was easy and works well.
Pros
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Excellent physical keyboard. Much easier to type on than any on screen keyboard.
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Works with IBM Traveler server for syncing Mail, Calendar and Contacts.
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Interesting Sleep mode accessed by swiping down on the lock screen.
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Hub interesting aggregation of messages from various applications to provide unified inbox.
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I like being able to swipe at any time to go to my messages.
Cons
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Navigation different from previous Blackberry's. Not as intuitive as other mobiles.
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Poor selection of Apps in App World. Apps seem to be written for iOS then Android. Not everyone wants the cost of developing another version for Blackberry.
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Web browsing not ideal on small display. Also square display not great for watching video.
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Does not work with BES server. Requires Blackberry Express server or Traveler/Activesync server.
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Does not hide filed emails even when configured in options. Possible bug in BB10.
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Price. Similar to iPhone/S4. Forthcoming Q5 handset may address this issue.
Overall a good device but with the similar issues as previous series of Blackberry's. Blackberry have really shot themselves in the foot by making this phone incompatible with older versions of BES, as it had always been their main advantage over other phones. This will not win their market share back from iOS and Android.