The BlackBerry Q10 is one of the latest 2013 smartphones. It is a bit similar to the BlackBerry Z10, but for many, it is far from being a huge leap from being old. It is, however, the latest attempt of the manufacturer to keep their loyal followers happy and to lure back those who have abandoned BlackBerry for more highly regarded units such as those from iPhone and Google. In a nutshell, it is an update to BlackBerry’s more tried and tested models.
If you are a fan and a loyalist of BlackBerry phones, you definitely would want to read this review first to find out whether or not this unit will provide you satisfaction.
Design
The design of the Q10 revamps the classic BlackBerry silhouette, with its shape being reminiscent of the BlackBerry Bold family line. It features a four-row keyboard and curved edges. Its glass-weave coating makes it easier to hold and grip. The design is unmistakably BlackBerry, which is one of the goals of the manufacturer to lure their past users back to them.
The BlackBerry Q10, since it made room for a keyboard, has a smaller touch screen (3.1 inches) compared to other high end display units. However, it does have a squarer and bigger screen size compared to the previous models. The AMOLED screen and the color saturation of this model is said to be comparable to Samsung’s Galaxy family. But again, since the screen is small, it is not a good idea to buy the phone if you plan to use it for video streaming.
Camera
The Q10 comes with an 8-megapixel camera and features that you will also find on the more acclaimed Z10. The Time Shift feature of the phone is also quite impressive, as it will allow you to take rapid-fire photos and pick those that have the best facial expressions. This means that you can put a photo together so that everyone in it looks great. This feature can prove to be handy if you commonly take group photos.
Apps
One of the biggest pitfalls of BlackBerry phones, which are not just limited to this particular new handset, is the greatly limited number of applications that can be downloaded. In fact, it is highly likely that you will be completely disappointed with the small selection of apps made available for BlackBerry units. The app store only offers about 100,000 apps, a number that is well beyond Google’s 800,000 apps and Apple’s 900,000 apps. Also, if you have become accustomed to using Instagram, Spotify, and Netflix, you will not be able to download and access them as these are still out of reach.
Connectivity
The BlackBerry Q10, just like many of the other phones from this manufacturer, comes with BBM (BlackBerry Messenger). Since BBM is now capable of handling VoIP calls, this can be useful if you need to make a lot of them. You may want to check out first RingCentral if you intend to subscribe to VoIP service to make excellent calls for business purposes.
The Verdict
If you are a big fan and a loyalist to BlackBerry, this phone may quite be up to your standards and may lure you back. On the other hand, it may not be a good idea to buy this phone especially if you are used to more high-end devices such as those from Samsung and Apple.
