Blackberry Opinion?

[sparky]

Hi all,

I've been looking for a new phone for a while now. It seems there are always issues with new versions of Android being released and phones being shafted, Moto G and Sony Ex SP being two examples recently. I'm not also over convinced by touch screen phones, I just don't like typing on them. So I have been looking at a Blackberry Q10. They haven't exactly been flying off the shelves, but then there probably aren't so many people like me left (an oldie !  ) who simply want a phone with good reception, good call quality, useful battery life, mainly used for txting, email and occasional internet or apps for train times and the like AND that keyboard! I'm not into Facebook, twitter, youTube etc and with my eyesight I certainly am not going to watch movies on a phone or play games. BUT and here's the thing, are RIM going to be around much longer. I don't want to be saddled with a phone after a few months, that gets no updates etc.  Any one with any views on my debacle?

[Simon]

To be honest, I'd be surprised if anyone knows what the long term future of BlackBerry holds.  I was looking at the Z30 myself last month, just for something different to Apple or Android, but it seems there is a significant risk of jumping on board a sinking ship with the platform, and of course, if the BlackBerry email service goes down, that would kill the email facility on the phone, as I'm not sure you can use a more conventional email client with them.  Plus, as you said, there is the future of updates to consider. 

The upside of this is that the handsets are quite cheap at the moment, and there has to be a possibility that the company will recover, so I guess it boils down to whether you want to take a chance. 

[sparky]

if the BlackBerry email service goes down, that would kill the email facility on the phone, as I'm not sure you can use a more conventional email client with them.

Not sure that applies now Simon. I think that the Blackberry 10 operating system is different allowing you to set up any email account. Lots of info here:-
http://docs.blackberry.com/en/smartphone_users/deliverables/50635/Chunk1798662898.jsp#mwa1366831348555

[Simon]

Oh, that's interesting, thanks.  I hadn't realised that.  I had a Blackberry Storm, and despite famously trashing the handset after getting annoyed with it I still have a liking for them.  The Z30 is a touchscreen, but a conventional type, not the 'clicky' one the Storm had.  I'm not sure I could get on with the 'hard' keyboard on the Q10, but the Z30 does have some attractions, primarily the ability to upgrade the storage memory, which the iPhone sorely lacks. 

[pctech]

My understanding is the e-mail functionality in BB10 no longer relies on Blackberry Internet Services so if they turned off the servers and network tomorrow you should be able to use it although of course App World would be a dead duck.

For this reason I wouldn't go back to a Blackberry now.

[sparky]

I have to admit I have the same feeling.

However, I don't see the Blackberry infostructure going down the tubes, it must be a buy up option for a big telecoms company, worst case.

I'm still in two minds. 

[pctech]

Shame its fallen out of favour really as it still is a very good system.

[Simon]

I'm still half tempted by the Z30, but it's more out of curiosity than anything else, and I'm sure there would be some functionality of the iPhone that I'd miss.