BlackBerry Priv: 5 things I like & 5 things I don’t
For everyone who used the first generation of smartphones, the name BlackBerry will invoke at least a moment of nostalgia for the Canadian company that was one of the fore founders of the mobile phone industry.
For many years, the world of BlackBerry – or RIM as it was known then – was relatively simple: dish up communication devices equipped with a hardware keyboard and watch the dollar signs fill up the bank. However, all good things must come to an end and like its peers of the time, a failure to keep up with the changing tech world almost spelt the end for the company. Yet, here we are at the end of 2015 and BlackBerry’s latest smartphone is certainly a marked difference from its past handsets.
Our very own Joshua Vergara is working on our full BlackBerry Priv review but ahead of it, I wanted to share my views on the BlackBerry Priv and whether it lived up to my lofty expectations.
£590 (~$890) later, was the Priv worth my money? Here’s 5 things I really like about the Priv and 5 things I’m not a massive fan of:
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Finally, a relevant Blackberry
Whether you were a fan of BlackBerry devices in the past or just a cynic, there was one thing that everyone agreed on: BlackBerry wasn’t who you went to for cutting edge hardware.
Clearly the failings of BlackBerry 10 has forced John Chen & Co into a decision to make BlackBerry competitive in the hardware stakes as well as the software. With the Priv, they’ve done just that, bringing a QHD display, hardware keyboard, stylish slider, powerful Snapdragon 808 CPU with 3GB RAM and a host of other flagship-worthy internals.
Yes, the Snapdragon 808 is not the best processor on the market and 3GB RAM isn’t exactly market-leading but compared to BlackBerry of old, it’s the most advanced that the Canadian company has been as a smartphone manufacturer.
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A show stopping design
10 years ago, the concept of a phone with a physical keyboard was certainly not special. As BlackBerry discovered, people transitioned to on-screen keyboards very quickly and the physical keyboard was lost to the world.
A genuine showstopper…
Yet, here we are in 2015 and for once, BlackBerry’s latest smartphone is a showstopper. How do I know? The proof is in the pudding as they say. Over the past couple of days, I’ve been using the BlackBerry Priv in the wild and especially when the keyboard was open, the Priv definitely piqued the interest of people nearby.
Why? It’s simple – weren’t we all saying that the keyboard was dead? Yet, here in 2015, we have a smartphone with a physical keyboard that is a genuine showstopper.
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Who said Android can’t be secure?!
Hats off to BlackBerry: if there’s one thing that the company knows, it’s security and the DTEK by BlackBerry security suite is nothing short of genius.
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Worried about what apps are doing on your smartphone? Which apps have been using location and how often? Concerned about whether there are any security loopholes that would allow someone to take advantage of your smartphone? Want to know how to make your smartphone more secure?
DTEK will tell you this and more in a simple and easy to use interface, that puts you in control of your smartphone. Well played BlackBerry, well done!
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To key or not to key?
Like most of the world, I’ve transitioned to touch screens and trying to use any physical keyboard is an interesting transition. When I first picked up the BlackBerry Priv, I dismissed the keyboard very quickly but in hindsight, I was too quick to do so. There’s a few things I’m not too pleased about with the keyboard (which I’ll touch on below) but once you get used to it – which took me about 30 hours of use – the keyboard becomes an invaluable tool in your pocket.
As I type this entire article in Microsoft Word for Android in testament of the keyboard’s capabilities, there’s one thing that comes to mind: I would have given up by now if I was typing this on a touchscreen.
A combination of gestures – such as swiping up on the keyboard to select a highlighted word or using a gesture to place a cursor in a block of text – the ability to select text and surprising comfort result in a familiar experience. A personal pet peeve of mine is when trying to select text or place the cursor in a particular position: Android doesn’t do this very well and although they’re slightly temperamental – which is likely to be fixed in a software update – the gesture to use the keyboard was a cursor is a great idea.
Remember the biggest complaint with touch screens when they first debuted: the lack of tactile feedback when typing? The BlackBerry Priv feels like it solves this problem, even though you didn’t know it existed. BlackBerry’s onscreen keyboard is also pretty good and while you might find yourself reverting to it at first, the Priv’s hardware keyboard will soon draw you back in. It takes a while but it will grow on you… as long as you let it.
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Android, but not as you know it
The beauty of Android is that it allows OEMs to create unique experiences with the Android OS underneath. The open sourced nature has also played right into BlackBerry’s hands as well because the company has been able to deeply customise some parts of the experience.
BlackBerry has taken the route used by the likes of Sony and Motorola, who use a mostly stock-like experience with a few welcome additions on top. BlackBerry was always known for relatively decent software and its changes to the Android OS are actually very impressive.
Android CAN be the saviour of BlackBerry
From shortcuts to apps, contacts or speed dials using the keyboard on the home screen to a wide range of settings, a customisable style of app launcher – of the choices, tiles are my favourite – and a whole lot more including the Productivity Hub that swipes in from the side, there’s a lot to like about BlackBerry on Android.
The best way to describe it is: the BlackBerry we know with the more powerful and widely-supported Android OS beneath it. Regardless of what happens with the Priv, Android can be the saviour of BlackBerry and the company shouldn’t give up on this path.
So that’s the positives of the new BlackBerry Priv but is it all positive? Of course not; when is it ever? Here’s a few of the not-so-good parts of the BlackBerry Priv:
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A disjointed software experience
BlackBerry have… pulled a BlackBerry
Yes, BlackBerry have certainly put their own stamp on Android but sadly, they’ve pulled a BlackBerry. There’s a lot to like but there’s also a lot to dislike and the simplest explanation is that some decisions just don’t make sense.
The biggest criticism is how the BlackBerry Hub handles email but it’s worthy of its own section below. Other than this, the BlackBerry software doesn’t quite seem to be completely finished.
Let’s take the curved display as an example: a key selling point of the handset in terms of design, the feature works less often than you might expect. When using the Productivity Hub – which slides in from either the left or the right and offers your calendar, favourite contacts, notifications and tasks at a glance – the data can sometimes vary from the up to date information found in the BlackBerry Hub. Similarly, the battery charging indicator doesn’t seem to always appear on the Edge when the display is switched off and charging and as a key USP, we’d have expected better reliability.
One feature that almost made me give up the Priv immediately is the “Picture Unlock” protection option. Simply put, it asks you to pick a number from 0-9 and then choose where to drag that on a picture to unlock the phone. Sounds complex right? It’s worse than you think – the number appears several times when you want to unlock your phone which makes it virtually impossible and, unless you’ve switched this option off in the settings, it will wipe your phone when you inevitably enter it wrong ten times. As I learnt to my peril, having your phone wipe itself is certainly not something you want to go through when trying to see some pictures you’ve just taken.
Whichever way you look at it, one thing is clear: BlackBerry’s software has a lot of positives but also a few elements that haven’t been fully thought through. Luckily for the Canadian OEM, software can be fixed and hopefully, the company will issue performance and interface updates to improve the overall experience.
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No longer the best for email
What used to set BlackBerry apart from the competition? It’s legendary email of course. Unfortunately, this is no longer a strong point for the company and this could be bad news for BlackBerry in its fight to be relevant in the consumer market. As you might have expected, the Priv uses BlackBerry’s antiquated BES servers to handle email and unfortunately, BlackBerry kinda forgot to update these for a modern era. For enterprise customers with the existing infrastructure, the reliance on BES won’t be a problem but for pro users, it’s definitely an issue.
First, you have to configure each email account individually with BlackBerry Hub. That means if you’re like me and you have multiple Gmail or Google Apps accounts that you want to sync – I have a total of 7 – you need to configure them individually in BlackBerry Hub and then add them again in the Android OS if you want to use them with any Google services. Talk about redundant!
Second is how BlackBerry Hub handles Gmail or Google Apps accounts: it uses imap and has to manually fetch email. That means the lovely modern world of push email that we take for granted is no more if you want to use BlackBerry Hub. Of course, you could choose not to configure the email but that would then render the BlackBerry Hub and the Productivity Hub useless.
As an example – yesterday I was having an urgent business conversation via email and in the 15 minutes it took BlackBerry Hub to refresh the inbox – 15 minutes is default but it can be set to 5 minutes or more – I had exchanged 10 emails with the person using another Android phone.
There’s no doubt that 5 minute sync times will be acceptable for most users but it’s definitely disappointing that BlackBerry, and in particular BES, doesn’t support push email in 2015. Furthermore, the number of email solutions on the Play Store measures into the hundreds or thousands and even Microsoft has an (excellent) Outlook for Android app. Let’s hope this is solvable in a future update.
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A physical keyboard… With a twist
Chances are, you’re going to buy the BlackBerry Priv for the keyboard. Yes, the software might be of interest but the real draw for almost all consumers – business customers will have their own additional reasons – is most likely to be the hardware keyboard.
Before you take the plunge, there’s something you should know: this is NOT the BlackBerry keyboard you might be used to. Rather than the luxurious wide easy-to-use keyboard of BlackBerry devices of old, we have a much smaller keyboard with smaller keys that definitely takes a lot of getting used to.
NOT the BlackBerry Keyboard you might be expecting
I have quite large hands and it did take me a while to feel somewhat comfortable with the keyboard. The good thing is that once you’re familiar with it, it does feel rather good. Unfortunately a personal favourite of mine on old BlackBerry devices – the ability to Cut, Copy and Paste using keyboard shortcuts (e.g. Alt+C) which mimic the familiar PC method (Ctrl+C) – are not available on the BlackBerry Priv, which means you have to use the standard on-screen Android options.
The smaller keys also means you have to be more precise with the gestures and as such, they don’t always work the first time you swipe. In particular, the swiping up to select a suggested word and using the keyboard as a cursor are both gestures that are somewhat unreliable. Hopefully this is a software feature that can be improved with an update but this remains to be seen.
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A HOT phone
The BlackBerry Priv is powered by Snapdragon 808 CPU with 3GB RAM and the 64-bit hexacore CPU certainly gets a workout. Right from when you first turn the handset on, it’s noticeable how hot the phone can run and this is a trend that becomes all too familiar.
When completing the initial installation of apps, the phone becomes quite hot and it takes a couple of hours for it to cool down. When charging, the handset can heat up considerably and after a period of navigation, it can be hot to touch. Interestingly, since the first 24 hours the Priv has been somewhat cooler and it’ll be interesting to see whether the handset remains cool or overheats in the weeks to come but other user reports have suggested similar issues with overheating so the jury is out.
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Mixed Battery Life
Imagine turning on your phone only for it to lose over 20 percent in the initial install. You’d think there was a problem right? In the case of the BlackBerry Priv, this happened to me each of the two times I set the handset up, so it’s definitely something to be wary of. After all, 20 percent in an initial install is certainly excessive.
Since the accidental reset, the battery life has certainly been interesting. It’s too early to report detailed findings of the battery, which is something we’ll look at in the full review but I will say that expectations of more than one day battery life are unrealistic.
As I write this, the handset has drained 17% battery in the 2 hours I have been writing. Furthermore, in the 14 hours it’s been off charge, the Priv has dropped to 43 percent battery which suggests it’ll barely make it through a day. With BlackBerry’s new approach to mobile, there’s no way to remove the battery on the Priv so if you’re a heavy user, a portable battery pack will be a must-have in your bag.
However, to make this piece fair, we continued to use the BlackBerry Priv over the past weekend and the battery life is certainly much better, with an average screen on time of over 4 hours and average battery life of 36 hours with medium usage. Like most smartphones, the BlackBerry Priv battery life does seem to get better after a few days’ of use.
Blackberry Priv – The preliminary verdict
There you have it – my initial thoughts on the BlackBerry Priv, having just spent $900 on BlackBerry’s latest flagship smartphone. If you read my preview, you’ll have learnt that I was very excited about the Priv and the overall experience has certainly been mixed.
On the one hand, the keyboard isn’t as easy to use as I would have liked, the software needs work, BES is antiquated and the battery isn’t as long lasting as we might have hoped. On the other hand, the keyboard and gestures are great once you get used to them, the Priv is one secure, sexy beast and BlackBerry’s additions to the Android OS are certainly useful.
Is it worth the money? I would say it’s not but it isn’t that far off and if you can gain enough value from it, it’ll definitely be worth the money to you. That being said, am I going to keep it or will it go the way of many other Droids and end up being sold on? This I honestly can’t answer; I ordered the Priv wanting to love it and while it has disappointed in some areas, it’s been surprising in others. I think to really understand BlackBerry’s latest flagship, I’ll need to live with it some more and I’ll return to this question in a few weeks to let you know whether I end up keeping it or not.
What do you think of the BlackBerry Priv and do you have one? Are you planning to buy one? Let us know your views in the comments below and don’t forget to stay tuned for the full review. If there’s anything you want us to look at in particular, shout off down below!
PS. 2700 words later, my hand is very cramped from typing on the Priv’s keyboard. Its definitely usable to type long pieces but writing your masterpiece on the BlackBerry Priv might be taking it a step too far.
PPS. for the number crunchers out there, 2800 words in 1 hours and 43 minutes equates to 27.12 words per minute, which is somewhat impressive given that I was writing this from scratch and not following a script. With SwiftKey for Android, my typing speed is approx 32 words per minute and on my Mac, it is 91 words per minute. Certainly food for thought about the need for a physical keyboard.
Humble Bundle putting an end to biweekly Mobile Bundles for Android
The team at Humble Bundle has been releasing dedicated biweekly game bundles specifically for Android devices for some time, and that’s now coming to an end. Humble Bundle has just announced that they will no longer be offering a new Mobile Bundle every two weeks. That doesn’t mean support for mobile titles is going away completely, though. Instead, the team will place mobile games in more places across the website going forward. This means you’ll need to resort to other Bundles to get your mobile fix, such as the Humble Weekly “Made in Singapore” Bundle, which features Autumn Dynasty and Mooncake Shop for Android.
You can also visit the Android section of the Humble Store to download some premium mobile titles as well, though they won’t be as cheap as what you’d find in the dedicated biweekly Mobile Bundles. The team at Humble Bundle says they will feature special mobile-focused bundles throughout the year, so you’ll still have a chance to save big on some great games.
See also: Humble Mobile Bundle 16 now available with Block Legend, ALONE… and more
What are your thoughts on this change? Have you been looking forward to new Humble Mobile Bundles every few weeks, or do you get your mobile titles somewhere else? Be sure to speak up in the comments below!
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 now features a warning about backwards S Pen insertion
Not too long after Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 was released to the masses, many consumers began trying to insert the S Pen in their devices the wrong way, only to discover that this would actually stop the phone from recognizing when the S Pen was being inserted or removed. If you managed to get the S Pen out after inserting it backwards, you could still use it, but there would be no sound or vibration, and the relevant software-related action would no longer trigger upon removal. Some say this is a design flaw on Samsung’s part, some say the fact that this is happening is a user error (I’m in the former camp, by the way). The fact of the matter is, it’s a problem, and Samsung has been doing very little to ensure this doesn’t happen to consumers.
That is, until now. Samsung is now stepping up its efforts to ensure users don’t break their $700 smartphones by putting a warning label on the factory screen protector on new Galaxy Note 5 devices. The warning reads:
Warning! Be sure to insert your S Pen with the nib pointed inward. Inserting the S Pen the wrong way can cause it to become stuck and can damage the pen and your phone.
It’s still entirely possible for users to disregard this warning label while unboxing their phones, sure. But now that Samsung is putting a warning on the front of new Note 5 units, it’s becoming a little more difficult to blame the phone maker for this flaw.
If you happen to own a Note 5 and have inserted your S Pen in backwards, be sure to watch this handy YouTube tutorial on how to get your S Pen unstuck with just a piece of paper.
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Galaxy Note 5 wrapper warns you to insert the pen the right way
You probably don’t need someone to tell you to insert the Galaxy Note 5’s pen the right way, but Samsung isn’t about to take any chances. As evidenced in a recent unboxing, at least some newer Note 5 units come with a wrapper advising you against inserting the S Pen backwards lest it “damage the pen and your phone.” Is this one of those obvious “coffee is hot” warnings meant more to avoid frivolous lawsuits than anything else? You bet. However, we can’t exactly fault Samsung for including it. While most of the people who’ve shoved the pen in backwards knew what the consequences would be, there’s bound to be someone, somewhere who’s genuinely caught off guard.
Via: SamMobile
Source: J. Williams (YouTube)
Parrot’s Bebop 2 drone doubles flight time to 25 minutes
If you haven’t already bought one of the hundreds of drones that seem to be filling the market, Parrot has a new version of its personal flying camera. The Bebop 2 now has a 25 minute flight time which is more than double the 12 minutes of the previous version. It sports a 14MP fisheye-lens camera and 8GB of onboard flash storage. To make sure the videos are sharp, all the image stabilization is done with an software image processor instead of mechanical to keep the weight down. The new quad-copter is also faster than its predecessor hitting 37 miles per hour. The first Bebop topped out at 24 miles per hour. All that speed and flight time will cost you though. At $550 it’s not exactly something most folks would buy for their kids for the holidays. But if you’re in the giving mood, the Bebop 2 will be available on December 14. Slideshow-341595
Tumblr gives you an easy way to make reaction GIFs on mobile
Tumblr made it easier to search for GIFs earlier this year, but if you’re tired of seeing the same old stuff, you’ll like this update a lot better. The social network has created a built-in GIF maker for its mobile apps that can process videos without having to fire up another app or a website. You simply have to compose a new Photo post and pick any video or photo burst (that iPhone 6s/6s Plus format that captures actions in the pictures you take) you want.
Source: Tumblr
LG’s smart TVs will stream Google Play movies this month
Who said that TVs with Google Play Movies & TV had to be running Android? Certainly not LG. It just announced that many of its recent smart TVs (including both webOS– and NetCast-based models) will offer Google Play streaming this month. While it’s not as if you’ve been hurting for viewing options on any of these sets, this could be extremely useful if you prefer to buy or rent movies and want to sync your viewing between your smartphone and a big screen. TV shows will only be available on launch in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US, but you’ll find movies in a whopping 104 countries.
Source: LG Newsroom
LED implants could ease your pain
One day, eliminating pain may just be a matter of flicking on a light. Scientists have shown that you can implant LEDs that stop neurons from firing and cut out pain reception. The current technique (tested in mice) requires altering the neurons’ DNA — you couldn’t just stick them in anyone. They’re soft, however, and safe enough that you can leave them under the skin for long periods of time without limiting motion or wrecking tissue.
Source: Nature
INVIDIA SHIELD K1: The ultimate tablet for gamers is available for $199
Just in time for the holidays, the ultimate gaming tablet is back at a new price of $199. The NVIDIA K1 tablet is specifically designed for gamers with a full HD 1080p 8″ display, a 192-core Kepler architecture GPU and dual-front facing speakers. The SHIELD K1 focuses on incredible graphics, and in the graph below shows how it outperforms the competition in performance tests.
NVIDIA also offers GeForce NOW, a gaming service for $7.99 per month(three months free), which allows you to stream real PC games to your tablet at 1080p(60fps). Over 50 games can be streamed from GeForce NOW, and some of the popular titles include Mad Max, Red Faction: Armageddon, LEGO Hobbit and Saints Row.
And just like other gaming platforms, the NVIDIA SHIELD K1 has an optional gaming controller for the optimal gaming experience for $59.99. In addition to the gaming controller, NVIDIA also offers the SHIELD DIRECTSTYLUS 2 which allows for note taking and accurate painting and drawing on the screen. If you’d like to learn more head on over to NVIDIA.com or Amazon.com where you can get the K1 tablet for just $199.
Full Specs:
| PROCESSOR |
NVIDIA® Tegra® K1 192 core Kepler GPU |
| DISPLAY | 8-inch 1920×1200 multi-touch Full HD display |
| AUDIO | Front facing stereo speakers, dual bass reflex port with built-in microphone |
| STORAGE* | 16 GB *Portion of storage occupied by system software. |
| WIRELESS | 802.11n 2×2 Mimo 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.0 LE GPS / GLONASS |
| INTERFACE | Mini-HDMI output Micro-USB 2.0 MicroSD storage slot 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack with microphone support |
| MOTION SENSORS | 3-axis gyro 3-axis accelerometer 3-axis compass |
| GAMING FEATURES | SHIELD controller compatible GeForce NOW™ cloud gaming Console Mode NVIDIA ShadowPlay |
| CAMERAS | Front: 5MP HDR; Back: 5MP auto focus HDR |
| VIDEO FEATURES | 4K Ultra-HD Ready |
| SOFTWARE UPDATES | SHIELD software upgrades directly from NVIDIA |
| BATTERY | 19.75 Watt Hours |
| WEIGHT AND SIZE | Weight: 12.6 oz / 356 g, Height: 8.8in / 221mm Width: 5.0in / 126mm, Depth: 0.36in / 9.2mm |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Android 5.0 Lollipop |
| INCLUDED APPS | Google Play™ NVIDIA SHIELD Hub NVIDIA Dabbler™ Squid Twitch |
| OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES | SHIELD tablet K1 cover SHIELD controller SHIELD world charger SHIELD stylus |
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AudioFly AF78 in-ear headphones (Review)
I recently got the opportunity to review AudioFly’s complete performance in-ear headphone collection. There are four headphones in this collection that each fit into a consumer’s budget. There is the under $50 pair, the under $75 pair, the around $100 pair, and the around $200 pair. I recently reviewed the AF33, AF45, and AF56 earphones, but now it is time to check out the AF78 earphones that are the most expensive pair in AudioFly’s performance line at $200. Is the extra price worth it?
Unboxing and Accessories
The AF78’s come in a box similar to the AF56’s, but this time the box is covered in a brown canvas instead of cream. The box is also larger which is needed to accommodate the extra accessories that come with the AF78. You get a circular, metal case to store your earphones in, but I still find it to be too small for the earphones to fit. They have to be carefully wound up so they are small enough to fit in the case. Although it is small, the case is protective and does give you a safe place to store your earphones when not in use.
Along with the case, you get a ton of different earphone tips. Aside from the standard silicone ones, there are also two pairs of the Comply foam tips that are fantastic. There is one pair already on the AF78’s and a spare set with all the other tips. It was great to see these included with the earphones as they are extremely comfortable and help with noise isolation.
You will also find a couple of accessories that are not included with the other AudioFly earphones. There is a headphone splitter in the box as well as an airplane adapter that allows you to use the AF78’s (or any earphones) on a plane. There is also a brush for you to use to keep your earphones clean and pristine. The accessories included with the AF78’s are a huge step up from the other AudioFly earphones.
Design and Build Quality
I can easily say that these are the best looking and most comfortable set of earphones in AudioFly’s performance collection. Of course, that opinion will vary depending on who you ask, but to me these are the highest quality pair. We still have the braided cable that looks slick in the black version, but it continues to suffer from too much cable noise. It is not bad enough for me to not recommend the AF78’s, but it is definitely noticeable.
AudioFly included a hybrid driver setup in the AF78 that is made up of a separate dynamic driver and armature driver to increase sound quality. We will get into whether or not this configuration actually makes a difference in the sound quality part of this review, but the two separate drivers makes the shape of the AF78’s a little different.
They have a much longer rear portion to make room for the extra driver which may make these earphones uncomfortable to wear for people with smaller ears. For me, this really helped hold the earphones in place, and combined with the Comply foam tips, you are given awesome noise isolation. The AF78’s remain light enough to be comfortable to wear for long periods of time but sturdy enough to show their great build quality.
Sound Quality
As I said earlier, the AF78 comes with two separate drives that AudioFly claims increases separation and makes for an amazing listening experience. Does that claim hold up? YES! Listening to music on the AF78 is incredible and the sound quality is superb for the price.
The lows are powerful and tight, but unlike the AF56’s, they are matched beautifully with clear mids and bright highs. AudioFly worked hard to make sure the balance across the audio spectrum was perfect, and it definitely shows listening to the AF78’s.
With the hybrid driver setup, AudioFly touted that separation and clarity would be greatly increased. I can say without a doubt that they were right in saying that. I have heard instruments in songs that I never knew were there listening on these earphones, and the songs I know and love became even better.
For their $200 price tag, I am not sure if I can find a fault with their sound quality. Even after using them for a while, I am continually impressed every time I listen to music with them. They have immediately become my go to pair of earphones for just about anything.
AudioFly’s top of the line AF78 in-ear headphones have done everything they can to impress me, and I have to say that they have succeeded. When it comes to sound quality, these are by far the best AuidoFly has to offer in the performance line, and they can even compete with earphones above their price point. The cable noise is not great and the included case is small, but when it comes to sounds and build quality, the AF78’s deliver where it counts. You can pick up a pair for yourself at AudioFly’s website or on Amazon.
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AIVAnet 