RIM finally releases their next BlackBerry phone, Z10

Candlelight · January 30 2013, 09:15 PM

http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/39...rry-z10-review

Research In Motion is about to enter the battle of its life, and as you'll see in my review of its new flagship, the BlackBerry Z10, it's using everything in its arsenal to win. Maybe win is the wrong word; perhaps victory for BlackBerry right now is something more like not losing everything. Because if you've been following this story, you know that everything is what's at stake.
The company is coming back into the game with force, that much is clear. Its new touchscreen smartphone is the serious contender BlackBerry has been claiming it would be, packing in the specs, software prowess, and services to take on even the most entrenched players in the game. This isn't a feint or a half-step, it's a long bomb with all the blood, sweat, and tears behind it you would expect from a company that's lost a significant piece of its value (to say nothing of its market power) over the last handful of years. But there are those entrenched players, and consumers as well as enterprise customers have proved fickle in the face of changing technology. The fans have gone or are going — can the Z10 win them back?
This isn't just about a single phone or a single OS, it's about BlackBerry's fight to stay afloat. Can the new phone along with BlackBerry 10 put the company back in play, or is this too little, too late? Read on for my full review and find out.

I really liked my BlackBerry when I had it, but our company switched over to iPhone mid last year due to RIM's inability to release stuff that our company needed in a mobile phone.

I doubt we'll go back to BlackBerry. I wish them luck though.

Squiggy · January 30 2013, 09:24 PM

I think they've already been measured for their coffin. Blackberry's bread and butter was corporate contracts, not the least of which is the Federal Government.

But what company would update their Blackberry fleet to the newest, top-o-the-line model? They're sort of in a lose-lose situation. They've been "safe" for so long but for the past couple of years safe has meant "let's not do a damned thing different and see how that works".

Now it's too late. I've been saying it for the past 2 years now. Blackberry is on it's way out.

marillion · January 30 2013, 10:37 PM

I miss my office BlackBerry.. It did what I needed it to do and did it with a LOT of reliability and ease of use.. The Droid RAZR Maxx they replaced it with has similar functionality for programs, but little else.. The touch keyboard is a nightmare and the big reason I got it - the ability to generate a 4G hotspot - performs horribly...

I'd love the Z10 to be a rebirth, so then maybe we'll get them back here at the office.

Owain Taggart · January 30 2013, 11:44 PM

Yeah, I think their time has passed. Blackberries came at a time when there wasn't all that much choice out there in terms of smartphones, and I don't think the iPhone was even out by then, and sadly, I think they took their success for granted. I think a lot of companies have switched to the iPhone.

Trekker4747 · January 31 2013, 02:17 AM

I have a Blackberry and I like it. It has it's... "issues" and I wish it had some of the app support other Smart Phones have, but I suspect this new device will have that as it seems to be closer to the phones that are out there. But, for me, a tactile keyboard is something I just have to have.

Captain Ice · January 31 2013, 03:58 AM

I am afraid that this really is a case of too little, too late. I think the only folks who will buy one are the die hard Blackberry fans. That means what, 1% of the market now?

Blackberry isn't dying. I think it's dead and it just doesn't know it yet.

Warp Coil · January 31 2013, 07:48 PM

I have a Blackberry for work. I find them to be cumbersome and strange compared to my iPhone. They also aren't terribly reliable. The average lifespan of one of these devices seems to be a year. After that, something inevitably goes wrong and I end up getting a new one.

I really think the company's updates are too little, too late. They should've made greater strides to remain competitive. There's just no way Blackberry can catch up to iOS or Android at this point.

Kirby · February 1 2013, 12:14 AM

I had a Blackberry for work and it was a piece of crap. After about six months, I would constantly have to take the battery out and blow off the contacts and then replace the battery. When I got a new one it developed the same problem after a few months. that soured me on Blackberry from then on, and now I just use my iPhone for work.

January 30 2013, 09:24 PM	#2
Squiggy Shit Supreme Location: Not on your life, my Hindu friend.	Re: RIM finally releases their next BlackBerry phone, Z10 I think they've already been measured for their coffin. Blackberry's bread and butter was corporate contracts, not the least of which is the Federal Government. But what company would update their Blackberry fleet to the newest, top-o-the-line model? They're sort of in a lose-lose situation. They've been "safe" for so long but for the past couple of years safe has meant "let's not do a damned thing different and see how that works". Now it's too late. I've been saying it for the past 2 years now. Blackberry is on it's way out. __________________ ENOUGH OF THIS TURGID BASH WANKERY!

January 30 2013, 10:37 PM	#3
marillion Vice Admiral Location: Hangin' with Smokey Bear	Re: RIM finally releases their next BlackBerry phone, Z10 I miss my office BlackBerry.. It did what I needed it to do and did it with a LOT of reliability and ease of use.. The Droid RAZR Maxx they replaced it with has similar functionality for programs, but little else.. The touch keyboard is a nightmare and the big reason I got it - the ability to generate a 4G hotspot - performs horribly... I'd love the Z10 to be a rebirth, so then maybe we'll get them back here at the office. __________________ Find a new way of life - www.marillion.com

January 30 2013, 11:44 PM	#4
Owain Taggart Commodore	Re: RIM finally releases their next BlackBerry phone, Z10 Yeah, I think their time has passed. Blackberries came at a time when there wasn't all that much choice out there in terms of smartphones, and I don't think the iPhone was even out by then, and sadly, I think they took their success for granted. I think a lot of companies have switched to the iPhone.

January 31 2013, 02:17 AM	#5
Trekker4747 To boldly go... Location: Kansas City	Re: RIM finally releases their next BlackBerry phone, Z10 I have a Blackberry and I like it. It has it's... "issues" and I wish it had some of the app support other Smart Phones have, but I suspect this new device will have that as it seems to be closer to the phones that are out there. But, for me, a tactile keyboard is something I just have to have. __________________ Just because it's futuristic doesn't mean it's practical.

January 31 2013, 03:58 AM	#6
Captain Ice BBT Fan Location: Captain Ice's alter ego	Re: RIM finally releases their next BlackBerry phone, Z10 I am afraid that this really is a case of too little, too late. I think the only folks who will buy one are the die hard Blackberry fans. That means what, 1% of the market now? Blackberry isn't dying. I think it's dead and it just doesn't know it yet. __________________ Captain Ice is now Captain Stoned. - KM You are too straight to be a floral designer. - da Bunny RIP Dad Apr 22, 1942 - Dec 2, 2011

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January 31 2013, 07:48 PM	#7
Warp Coil Rear Admiral Location: MD, USA	Re: RIM finally releases their next BlackBerry phone, Z10 I have a Blackberry for work. I find them to be cumbersome and strange compared to my iPhone. They also aren't terribly reliable. The average lifespan of one of these devices seems to be a year. After that, something inevitably goes wrong and I end up getting a new one. I really think the company's updates are too little, too late. They should've made greater strides to remain competitive. There's just no way Blackberry can catch up to iOS or Android at this point. __________________ "I managed to find Uno and Checkers, and also parts of Battleship and most of the pieces of Candy Land, which I figure, I can mix together to create a fabulous new game, CandyShipBattleLand. War never tasted so good." - Lorelai Gilmore

February 1 2013, 12:14 AM	#8
Kirby Rear Admiral Location: Alt: 5280	Re: RIM finally releases their next BlackBerry phone, Z10 I had a Blackberry for work and it was a piece of crap. After about six months, I would constantly have to take the battery out and blow off the contacts and then replace the battery. When I got a new one it developed the same problem after a few months. that soured me on Blackberry from then on, and now I just use my iPhone for work. __________________ Henderson!!!!