My Blackberry Z10 experience and problems

[JacquesZA]

Want one of these

 

[kingrob]

Want one of these

You've just read that the software is not prime time yet, and then you say '' want one of these''.

Or don't you understand English?

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

Followup (I am just using the Z10 on Wifi/data and not for voice calls)

I am still very uneasy and will probably not make the Z10 my primary phone (moving from iPhone is probably tougher than other devices due to the whole cloud system you are sucked into).

Biggest issue is the lack of apps though which will come over time and might not be an issue for current BB users, but certainly affects Android/iOS users:

• I am getting used to the keyboard and predictive text - really awesome and most innovative feature I have seen. Pity that I hardly ever have the use to type a lot on the phone (use the tablet for that or the laptop)
• Moving from iPhone is tough. No real obvious cloud services and funky features such as PhotoStream which syncs with Aperture/iPhoto or iMessage which allows me to seamlessly message on phone/Mac don't exist.
• Not sure if anyone managed to get BB Protect working? It is toggled on, but when visiting the website with my BB-ID it says I have no device registered.
• I don't think there is any way to move across SMS's. Contacts, Calendar etc is no problem since everything sits in Google or Cloud.
• Most of the 3rd party apps don't feel polished. This will change over time as many developers had to rush or just ported.
• Twitter, Foursquare, Facebook, LinkedIn work fine. No Google+.
• No Flipboard - there goes my morning-news-coffee-catching up
• No Nike app support (i.e. Nike Fuelband / Nike Running) - in fact Nike has announced that they will only support iOS going forward (Nike-iOS watch anyone?)
• Other than Google Maps no decent nav software. I paid 80 USD for Navigon on iOS and the software is awesome. I recently started using Waze to avoid traffic in the morning and will miss that app the most.
• I am using iTunes - how do BB peeps manage their music?
• Newsrack (RSS reader): Need to find a new one
• No Onavo (data shrinkage)
• 1Password (syncs password between laptop and phone), but BB's own version. Not sure if it handles passwords, logins and wallet as 1Password.
• No travel apps: Tripit, TripAdvisor, TripAssist, Expedia - super helpful when you are on the go and quickly need info. Especially Tripit.
• Need to find a decent currency app.
• Imdb app - not critical but good to have
• No Prowl (I use this to get Growl notifications from servers, monitoring etc to my iPhone)
• No banking app (Nedbank for business and SBSA for pvt)
• Most networking apps unavailable: Speed Test, VTrace, iSSH, Net Tools

Like others said - a very nice device and some great potential. It will work very well for the average user (the Twitter/BBM/FB/eMail/WhatsApp crowd). The more advanced users will surely be super-frustrated until BB manages to sort out the app environment and create a proper ecosystem.

Both Apple, Google Android and Samsung managed to do this very well.

 

[Claymore]

Cloud servers - Dropbox and Box are integrated into the filesystem.
Banking apps: Switch to FNB?

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

eish ..... after reading this im thinking twice of getting the device.
i had a few BB's, An iPhone, Galaxy Note, Lumia 920 and was eager to get the Z10 but doubting now.

Don't get me wrong - the Z10 is the perfect business phone. If I was still in an environment where I had tons of meetings and email on the go, this device will rock. The OS itself feels slick and some issues requiring reboots will be sorted out (it almost feels that the dev alpha device is more stable than the retail version - AFAIK the FW is the same) eventually.

iPhone/Android phones have the huge app market going for them right now. I honestly prefer the user experience on the iPhone over Android and BB10. I do prefer the user experience of the BB10 over Android though. Android/iOS feel stale. I think BB10 with QNX-OS has some great potential.

I do dislike that BB has fragmented the devices (I also thought that the initial Z10 will have LTE and only found out that LTE will only come around May). I do like the aspect that the Z10 has an SDCARD (retail phone comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage on board and a free SDCARD slot). The HDMI output looked great during the launch, but I have no idea how it will work, as no-one seems to have that special mini-HDMI cable (unless it's really just a standard connector - will have a look at this over the weekend).

I do feel that right now buying a Z10 cash is a gamble (I would probably rather wait for the LTE version). I would not lock myself into a contract either - 2 years is a long marriage for a phone which might or might not take off. Also remember that many of the funky features use BB services via internet and right now I am unsure what the monthly usage would be - I doubt that one will get by on 300MB - no idea how to measure usage - there is nothing on the device itself telling me combined data usage (i.e. 3g + wifi).

@Claymore - I think one should not have to change banks or adjust the lifestyle for a phone. I am sure over time the apps will surface, but right now the Z10 would not be able to replace my current iPhone 4.

 

[xcpointx]

- The HDMI cable is a standard one you can buy from places like Dion. I'm about to play NOVA3 on my big screen TV with the Z10!
- Nedbank has a BB10 banking app - (there's also an amazing Ster Kinekor app, Property24 and News24)
- Dropbox and Box cloud syncing work AMAZINGLY well.
- There is also Evernote syncing natively with the Remember app -flagging an email automatically puts it in Remember btw.
- Nike app. That sucks they arent doing any other OS, but makes it easy for them to maintain one app. I use Endomondo which doesn't have a BB10 app as yet. For the time being Im using Sportstracker which has actually impressed me a lot with their site and app design!! Im importing the gpx files into my Endomondo profile every so often.
- BB Protect. Really needs to be jacked up. So far it doesnt support remote wiping or protect itself from being turned off but of course those improvements WILL come.
- Flipboard. pretty much untouchable. I still consume my RSS in Google Reader on a PC, but the best BB10 has so far is gnewsreader. Im a lean and mean kinda guy. I consume a lot of 'data' so I kinda like apps being simple and not too graphically heavy. They obviously should look good, but if Im getting the same info it doesnt really bug me.
- BBM - my messages go through instantly. I can also voice and VIDEO call other Z10 users through BBM using a cellular connection (no wifi only restriction). This is mindblowing. To be clear.. BBM now supports voice and video chat using your mobile connection. By the way, the audio quality DESTROYS what you're accustomed to on a normal phone line. Its kinda like Facetime but NOT restricted to wifi only and that during these calls you can also share your screen, and do things like browse through pictures for example talking a family member through holiday snapshots, or perhaps showing a client new mockups for a website design, or showing an employee how to access certain features of a website..
- I agree with Android feeling 'old' - to me it's always felt a little 'cheap Chinese' though?. BB10 feels slick and modern. Very, very fast.
- Music. Syncs with your 'My Music' folder? Im also impressed with the 8tracks and Deezer BB10 apps.. check them out if you're into cloudbased/streaming music. Deezer is also able to make your collection playable offline which obviously means they download to your device. http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/4624/
http://www.deezer.com/en/
Songza gets spoken highly of but I've yet to check it out (it may not work in SA)
However...
- You can now buy music through Blackberry World, pretty sure movies will follow soon.
- BB10 Travel is coming:
http://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-10-apps-f274/bb10-travel-screenshots-765172/

- Some people mention reading emails on their Z10 and it not showing up as read in their gmail, only after 15mins. Or deleting an email on Z10 and it only deleting in gmail after 15mins. This isnt device specific. Mail can be setup to sync every 15mins to every few hours, and when a sync happens is when your mail in gmail will change. Also bear in mind you have 2 ecosystems talking to each other. One is the BB, the other is Gmail. Gmail too has limitations. I send an email from Outlook.com to 2 personal accounts... it shows up in my personal webservers inbox before it shows up in Gmail. I presume this is because there are obviously thresholds in place with something as huge (and free) as gmail. If you are using a Z10 to send mail, once your mail has left your device, it is in your service providers hands, it goes through their network, all the way to America and then routed to someones inbox. Just because the Z10 says 'sent' doesnt mean it's delivered. The same goes for ANY phone. You're relying on so much backend infrastructure.
- Camera quality in low light is less than that of my BB Torch 9800. Disappointing but no game changer. Made up for by the (now standard) 8MP picture resolution and 1080p video recording (do we really need any more than this?)
Other things:
- I'm impressed with the Newsstand app. - on device magazine buying
- 1280 x 768 display with 356 ppi. That's the sharpest screen on the market right now. Forget the buzzword marketing hype 'retina display' thats thrown around. BB have never been one for gimmicky names. The display is 356ppi. It's the best. Move on
- Lame, but Im also thankful the charging connector is standard. I think its called 'micro USB'. So I can use my old cables and car charger.


Im using the UK LTE Z10 with Snapdragon processor.. So far I havent experienced any crashes or need to reboot at all. Really, really impressive and stable device. Being able to switch between apps quickly just like on a desktop really makes for a great experience. I havent experienced any stuttering, drag, hesitation or any hint of the device taking strain.. even while having an HD video open in the background pausing it, switching to the browser, opening a few tabs, going back to BBM, making a video call, switching back to the browser, and then back to the HD video. This things freaking handles.


I didn't intend to write this much, seems to have turned into a mini review.

This might be a good currency app: http://forums.crackberry.com/app-announcements-f281/currency-app-bb10-769494/

 

[xcpointx]

Flipboard alternative: Taptu
Check out Taptu - DJ Your News in BlackBerry World! You can find it at http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/64480


https://www.taptu.com/
Really flipping cool

 

[JAM007]

thanks to both u guys for the PROs and CONs of the Z10.
Really Appreciate your guys "reviews" as u guys use it daily and can give us feedback.

If i do decide to get the Z10, should i wait for the LTE version or get the Non LTE ?

tnx

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

thanks to both u guys for the PROs and CONs of the Z10.
Really Appreciate your guys "reviews" as u guys use it daily and can give us feedback.

If i do decide to get the Z10, should i wait for the LTE version or get the Non LTE ?

tnx

I think if you wait a few months and then get the Z10 LTE you will have an awesome experience. By then most of the kinks I mentioned will hopefully be sorted out and most of the apps which are not there (and many of them which are just ports and not native) will have been revamped.

 

[Aharon]

Hi Everyone,

PLEASE can someone check for me if one can use the old 0-9 keypad layout on messages / sms composing etc...

Not for me, but for someone for whom I would like but this phone and only likes to type on a 0-9 layout

 

[xcpointx]

The LTE version also has the Snapdragon processor which (apparently) is 'better' ?

 

[Aharon]

The LTE version also has the Snapdragon processor which (apparently) is 'better' ?

When is LTE model expected in SA?

 

[Claymore]

Thanks for the reviews and comments, guys. Nice to see the viewpoints.

It must be difficult coming from different environments though. I see the comments from MagicDude4Eva, obviously coming from iOS, and I think about the conceptual hurdles I have with getting to grips with iOS. I guess a lot depends on what you're used to and what your expectations are.

 

[Crowley]

Nike-iOS watch anyone?

Nike, know for their good choices...

 

[Aharon]

Nike, know for their good choices...

Huh?

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

When is LTE model expected in SA?

Not sure about the official launch date, but we need to have our app ready by 31 March. A similar date was 31 January (global BB10 launch) and devices became available mid Feb. I would think service providers would offer the LTE model then towards the end of April.

 

[Crowley]

Huh?

It has not been a good few months for the Nike brand. First the termination in October last year of its seventeen-year partnership with American cyclist Lance Armstrong, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after he finally admitted his involvement in, what the US Anti-Doping Agency described as, “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen”. Now the sportswear giant has announced it is dropping Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee runner who is accused of shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day. Nike has had to pull an unfortunate advert featuring an image of Pistorius running with the slogan, “I am the bullet in the chamber”.

Nike has a long history of sponsoring athletes who then become embroiled in scandal and the sports brand has shown itself to be bizarrely loyal to its sporting mascots. The company stuck by Armstrong until the bitter end, insisting that “Lance has stated his innocence and has been unwavering on this position.”

Nike remained loyal to the American sprinter Marion Jones even after she was linked to the Balco drug scandal. Instead of cancelling her sponsorship deal, they simply did not renew her contract in 2005. In 2007 she admitted to lying to federal agents and spent six months in jail. Nike was also forced to end its partnership with Justin Gatlin, winner of the 100m gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics, when he tested positive for testosterone and was served with a four-year ban from athletics. In 2007, American footballer Michael Vick served 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to financing a dog-fighting ring. Although Nike dropped Vick when he was convicted, they resigned him after he was released from prison.

Perhaps the most famous branding nightmare for Nike was the revelation in November 2009 that squeaky-clean family man Tiger Woods had had a string of extra-marital affairs. Woods was made to apologize on live television and many of his sponsors – Gatorade, General Motors, Accenture and AT & T – severed ties with him. The loss of his sponsorship deals is rumored to have cost Woods an estimated $22 million.

http://theworldweekly.com/bad-branding/

 

[Nerfherder]

Followup (I am just using the Z10 on Wifi/data and not for voice calls)

I am still very uneasy and will probably not make the Z10 my primary phone (moving from iPhone is probably tougher than other devices due to the whole cloud system you are sucked into).

Biggest issue is the lack of apps though which will come over time and might not be an issue for current BB users, but certainly affects Android/iOS users:



[*]Not sure if anyone managed to get BB Protect working? It is toggled on, but when visiting the website with my BB-ID it says I have no device registered.

On every other BB device you do it though the BB protect app. Possibly they have not released it, on my current phone it was pushed down automatically.

[*]I am using iTunes - how do BB peeps manage their music?

There is no hope for you.

The BB desktop software does come with a media manager though.

[*]No travel apps: Tripit, TripAdvisor, TripAssist, Expedia - super helpful when you are on the go and quickly need info. Especially Tripit.

I use Tripit on my BB.... so like all the other apps, I assume they are coming soon.

[/LIST]

Like others said - a very nice device and some great potential. It will work very well for the average user (the Twitter/BBM/FB/eMail/WhatsApp crowd). The more advanced users will surely be super-frustrated until BB manages to sort out the app environment and create a proper ecosystem.

Both Apple, Google Android and Samsung managed to do this very well.

 

[JAM007]

Anyone know what's the price of Z10 LTE in UK ( cash price not contract) ? Tnx

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

Another brief update for Mac users: I just installed BlackBerry Link (a native Mac version) and the app allows you to sync iTunes and iPhoto and other content via USB - truly awesome. My dealbreakers are slowly disappearing - perhaps the best solution is to just get an iPod for the iOS apps I need ;-)