BlackBerry Passport
What will probably strike you as odd right off the bat about the Passport is the shape and size of this phone. It’s big, yes, but it’s also incredibly square. Plus, this is the first time we’ve seen aphysical keyboard on a BlackBerry in quite a while! Whereas other models like the Z3 have entirely gesture based navigation, it’s nice to have some physical buttons to press.
Before going onto the specifications of the phone, I’m going to spend a while talking about how this phone feels when actually using it. The size of the phone is 128 x 90.3mm, that is large yes, sometimes it can be a bit awkward (don’t try using this phone with one hand, unless you like to live dangerously), but for the most part, it was incredibly comfortable in both my hands. Due to the wideness of the 4.5” square display, you can easily read e-books or webpages without having to be constantly scrolling.
The phone is also incredibly robust, weighing at roughly 200g, the heaviness of the phone never feels cumbersome, but more premium than anything. The phone is made from very solid materials that makes it seem like it can take quite the beating with its stainless steel frame. The display itself is also protected with Gorilla Glass 3, so rest assured this is one tough phone.
Now, onto the stats:
- 1400 x 1400 resolution (with 453 ppi pixel density)
- 10 finger multitouch
- 32GB internal storage
- 3GB RAM
- 13MP rear camera, 2MP front facing camera
- Blackberry 10.3 OS
- Quad-core 2.26GHz Krait 400 CPU
- 23 hour talk time, 444 hour standby time
The specifications are pretty impressive. I’ll start with the screen. It’s fantastic. Moving on… No, but really, you can stand in direct sunlight and have no problem viewing the screen. Coupled with the fantastic resolution and pixel density, you’re in for a visual treat. What’s also very impressive about the screen is that you can use it one-handed, by flipping the phone sideways. The keyboard actually has a touchpad built into it that lets you scroll through whatever you’re viewing. Quite innovative if you ask me. The keyboard is also used to type in unique ways via gestures while pressing the buttons. Although it takes quite a while to get used to (along with the abnormally small spacebar in the middle of the “v” and “b” keys), once you do, you’ll find yourself swiping as if it’s second nature.
As for the other specs, you’ll be pleased to know how smoothly the phone can run multiple apps. Although BlackBerry’s apps are severely limited in comparison to the Apple Store or the Google Play store, what apps you do decide to download will run smoothly and without any hiccups. The apps are another massive drawback of this phone, developers aren’t making apps for BB10, and even some of the most popular apps on Google Play or the Apple Store are no-where to be found. What gives, developers?
The BlackBerry hub is also still here which is nice, it’s a fantastic way to manage all of your communications into one specific hub and simply browse through that to check new messages. The camera is brilliant, although the front facing one is nothing to boast about. You’ll also never be finding yourself running out of battery life, even if you’re running intensive apps, you’ll still find yourself with a nice amount of juice left.
Keeping this short, there are downsides of this phone. The size and shape are definitely something that you have to get used to, the keyboard again, takes a while to get used to. It’s also a bit on the pricy side at roughly £480 (or ₦112,000), so if you’re looking for your first smartphone, look elsewhere. If you can get around all these downsides, this phone is actually a unique piece of technology that is well worth trying out.
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