BlackBerry Passport

“BlackBerry takes a risk because it has to in order to stop losing market shares. The Passport is a daring device because an unusual yet very practical screen format is used, and because it features a physical keyboard. The proprietary software that is intuitive to use and actually offers all features needed for routine has been upgraded strongly via emulated Android apps. Though that is not the silver bullet and will cause a few problems for BlackBerry (why should programmers still have to develop native apps for RIM now?), it will please users. And those who have taken a side-glance at a BlackBerry will have another reason for changing.More positive aspects are the good speakers, the high performance, and the quality casing that is, however, a bit heavy. The screen is also high-quality, the temperatures are kept within limits, and the wireless communication options are diverse. The battery life is just as convincing.Small details lessen the quality impression. For example, pressure on the back is passed on to the screen, the cover for the micro-SD and SIM card can only be opened with force, and the camera is sooner mediocre. Thus, the buyer should carefully consider which aspects are important for him or her.BlackBerry will certainly win over individualists with its Passport because not everyone has such a smartphone in their pocket. Users who find virtual keyboards nerve-racking, and have to often study documents on their smartphone, and consider weight unimportant will get a rigid and swift companion. However, they should also have the necessary wherewithal.”

“So, okay. Here's a weird thing. My BlackBerry Passport review period overlapped with my iPhone 6 review period. And while I was doing the iPhone 6 review, I kept checking the Passport even though it had a cracked screen for my e-mail. I'll just put that out there.The BlackBerry Passport is the apotheosis of the work phone. It is spectacular at the things you need to do for work: fitting in your jacket pocket, lasting all day, calling, emailing, Web browsing, editing PowerPoints, and showing them on a big screen. It's awful for things you don't need for work: Instagramming, game playing, movie watching, taking photos of kids, fitting in pockets of tight pants. But maybe that's a feature. Maybe you aren't supposed to do those things on your work phone.You may notice there aren't a lot of comparisons with other phones in this review. That's because the Passport doesn't really compare with other phones. Either you're a Passport or you aren't. Either you want that keyboard or you don't. Hopefully I've given you enough information to decide.”

“After finishing up my two-week test run on the Passport, there was a brief pang of regret over having to send it back. Some may blame Stockholm Syndrome, others may blame my high tolerance for the ratchet and general low expectations.The strong business and security features of the Passport make it appealing. Blend and Link feel like genuinely winning ideas. But we don't know if those features are enough to recommend the Passport to anyone who wouldn't be a BlackBerry user already. Outside of the hard-core business features, the rest of what's in BlackBerry OS seems like a holding mechanism. It's meant to keep those still left in the BlackBerry community from running off into the arms of Samsung.Still, I'm personally now willing to consider what was once unthinkable—a jump back to a BlackBerry for my next phone upgrade—if my carrier (AT&T) ever gets around to offering it on contract. And if my employer were to force me to use one, I wouldn't complain that much.”

“If you're a potential BlackBerry Passport owner, you'll know. And you'll be happy to know that AT&T may have rounded the corners here, but it hasn't loaded down the Passport with bloatware or crippled its services. This is the full BlackBerry Passport experience, with the full support of AT&T. I'm giving it such a high rating because there is literally nothing else like it. The BlackBerry Classic$389.99 at Amazon, while easier to hold, is irritatingly sluggish, with Web page load times that are twice as long.But it's not like AT&T has fixed or improved anything, either. BlackBerry exists in its own little world to the side of the main Android and iOS realms. Many BlackBerry fans like this, they appreciate a distraction-free, productivity-focused experience that's secure and manageable. But you need to think about whether you, say, might need an unsupported IM system, banking app, line-of-business app, or media app before you jump on board here.If you're buying your Passport at full price, by the way, you shouldn't buy it from AT&T. BlackBerry is currently selling its unlocked Passport for $599—that's the same one AT&T is selling for $649 unsubsidized, but with sharper corners. It works just fine on AT&T's network, you can switch it to T-Mobile if you ever feel like trying a different carrier, and it even comes in a fetching red color.”