Hands on: BlackBerry Q10 review

The BlackBerry Q10 is the second handset to come running the new BlackBerry 10 operating system, but it's the first to offer a physical QWERTY keyboard alongside.

Although it was announced alongside the flagship, fully touchscreen BlackBerry Z10 the Q10 won't go on sale at the same time.

BlackBerry told TechRadar that the BlackBerry Q10 will arrive six to eight weeks after the Z10 hits stores as the Canadian firm wants to concentrate its efforts initially on the handset which will have the widest appeal.

Indeed the Q10 won't have the same appeal as the Z10, but there are still people out there who swear by a physical keyboard on their smartphone.

It's certainly a much smaller market to aim at, but one which the BlackBerry Q10 has an excellent chance of succeeding in as the BlackBerry brand is synonymous for providing top quality QWERTY keyboards on its phones.

Currently there's no firm BlackBerry Q10 release date or price, and even the specs are being kept under wraps for now as the handset isn't completely finalised.

What's immediately noticeable upon picking up the Q10 is the size of the display – it's defiantly the biggest screen BlackBerry has put on a keyboard handset.

BlackBerry refused to give us the exact screen size and resolution, but sitting it side by side a BlackBerry Bold 9900 with a 2.8–inch display and you can plainly see the Q10 is bigger, and it's expected to clock in at around 3.1-inches.

The display is much squarer on the BlackBerry Q10 than on previous BlackBery handsets which sported landscape screens above the keys.

BlackBerry 10 looks crisp and clear on the screen of the Q10 and we reckon it has a similar pixel density to the 355ppi on the Z10.

A noticeable absence on the front of the BlackBerry Q10 is the menu keys and trackpad just below the screen, as BB10 is fully controlled via the touchscreen with the keyboard only coming into play when you need to tap out a message.

This puts an end to the tedious scrolling which plagued the BB OS7 handsets, with the tiny trackpad making moving down long lists a real chore.

Despite its larger dimensions the BlackBerry Q10 is well weighted, balancing nicely in the palm and not feeling top heavy when your hands are gripping the base of the handset as you use the keyboard – this reduces the fear of dropping the handset and that's all good in our book.

Round the back the Q10 is made of a sturdy and attractive material which BlackBerry is calling a "glass weave" and the edges are rounded making the handset fit snugly in the hand.

There's a camera and single LED flash round on the back, while on the front of the BlackBerry Q10 there's a front facing snapper - perfect for video calls especially since the launch of BBM Video.

While the official specs of the cameras have not been revealed we wouldn't be surprised if it was packing the same 8MP and 2MP combo found on the Z10.

On the right side of the Q10 the triple button setup is present with volume switches separated by a central key which can be used to play and pause tracks and launch the voice control app when held down.

Up top you get a centralised power/lock key very similar in position and style to the Bold 9900, which is neighboured by a 3.5mm headphone jack.

BlackBerry is really pushing connectivity on its new BlackBerry 10 handsets and the Q10 is equipped with microUSB and miniHDMI ports on the left side, while under the hood there's Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC – plus we hope a microSD slot has made the cut as well.

The BlackBerry 10 OS runs smoothly on the Q10 and we were able to breeze through applications without any issues.

"Peaking" at notifications was pretty simple thanks to the responsive touchscreen, but the slide-up motion from the bottom of the display didn't always register as there's not a lot of space for your finger to play between screen and keyboard.

The BlackBerry Q10 we got hands on with was running a development build of BB 10 and from time to time you could tell as certain applications didn't display properly on the square display, as the OS has been developed primarily for the longer screen of the Z10.

You can expect those display issues to be sorted before the BlackBerry Q10 goes on sale - we just hope app developers also adapt their offerings to utilise the squarer display.

We were able to test out the web browser on the BlackBerry Q10 which appeared to be in full working order and as impressively fast as the Z10 when loading both desktop and mobile sites.

The camera app was also a snappy affair with rapid shutter speed and the clever Time Shift feature making it an intriguing proposition.

However the main reason, if not the only reason someone would purchase the BlackBerry Q10 is for its physical QWERTY keyboard, a feature which is very much love or hate for a lot of users.

Each row of keys are separated by a silver fret which spaces out the buttons making it easier to type and letters themselves are all angled to different degrees to improve travel and speed.

The keyboard itself has grown in size which in our opinion is a good thing as we always found the tiny keys on the old BlackBerry handsets a bit too fiddly.

With the physical keyboard though you lose out on the typing smarts you get on the Z10, with next word prediction not available here meaning you're left to your own character by character input method.

Early Verdict

The BlackBerry Q10 will appeal to a few but likely be overlooked by many as the touchscreen era is now in full swing.

For those who simply can't live without a full keyboard on their smartphone the Q10 is an enticing proposition with a decent size keyboard and larger touchscreen coupled with the new BlackBerry 10 OS making it a far more powerful and diverse handset.

BlackBerry is targeting a very exact market with the Q10 and we're sure that market will be more than happy to receive this latest offering, but we don't expect the BlackBerry Q10 to be making huge waves in the mainstream arena.

Steve Ballmer plays down Office for iPad speculation

For the last couple of years, it's been a case of 'when' not 'if' Microsoft brings dedicated Office apps to the iPad, but bossman Steve Ballmer might have other ideas.

Despite numerous leaked screenshots and rumoured release dates, everyone is still waiting for the world's most famous productivity suite to hit Apple's tablet, and it looks like they'll be waiting a good while longer.

In an interview with Businessweek, the larger-than-life Microsoft CEO appeared almost affronted by a reporter asking how the Office for iPad project was coming along.

He said: "I have nothing to say on that topic. We're very glad with the product, very happy with the product that we're putting in market."

Does it make sense?

Furthermore, Ballmer hinted that a release for the iPad wouldn't make sense at this time, despite the company optimising Office 2013 for Windows RT touchscreen tablets like the Microsoft Surface.

"It makes sense on the devices like the Mac and the PC. We have a product that we think makes a lot of sense," Ballmer said.

Ballmer also pointed out that users can do limited editing of Office documents through the iPad's web browser and refused to rule out the launch of dedicated apps in the future.

He added: "We do have a way for people always to get to Office through the browser, which is very important. And we'll see what we see in the future."

Prickly Steve

Ballmer's comments do seem a little prickly, but he's probably right to be coy about the possibility of Office coming to Apple's iPad, given the lukewarm commercial reception given to his own Surface RT tablet.

However, It does seem like Big Steve might have jumped out of the wrong side of the bed on the day Businessweek pointed the tape recorder in his general direction.

In the same interview he slapped down Dropbox, referring to the cloud storage company, with 100m users, as a "little start-up."

Via BusinessWeek

BlackBerry Z10 UK release date confirmed

Newly-minted BlackBerry has confirmed that its first BlackBerry 10 handset will go on sale in the UK tomorrow.

The BlackBerry Z10 was announced at glitzy events around the world today and will hit the shops tomorrow.

The handset comes with a 4.2-inch screen, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.

Saviour

It also features the new BlackBerry 10 OS as well as a snazzy camera feature that allows you to rewind through frames to get a good picture.

The handset is also set to go on sale in the US, but sadly not until March 2013 at which point it will set you back $199.99 at Verizon.

The SIM-free BlackBerry Z10 UK pricing is yet to be confirmed but it will set you back £36 a month on all major networks from Carphone Warehouse.

Phones 4 U, meanwhile, has a temporary exclusive on the white edition of the Z10, which it will be selling from tomorrow as well.

4G fans will be relieved to hear that EE will be selling the Z10 on 4G EE plans from £41/month for 24 months, with an upfront cost of £49.99.

The handset will also be available across a range of 3G plans from EE including £49.99 on a £36 per month, 24 month plan.

Vodafone, meanwhile, will offer the BlackBerry Z10 for £29 on a £42 a month deal, while 3 promises that the Z10 is 'coming soon' but doesn't offer anything in the way of a price.

Stay tuned for more detail as we get it - in the meantime, here's our full BlackBerry Z10 review.

BlackBerry 10 finally launches; can it save the brand?

In a move that's designed to safeguard RIM for the next decade, BB10 has been unveiled.

Although the Canadian firm is still relatively cash-rich, the 'brand new platform' is seen by many as the last roll of the dice for RIM, so a re-tooled OS is seen as ultra-necessary.

The main feature of the operating system is BlackBerry Balance, allowing users to have partitions between work and personal sections of the phone. The new OS is also designed to scale to other machines as well, which means it can be used in the car, home or healthcare applications, as well as tablets.

Hub of the matter

BlackBerry Hub is at the heart of the phone; with a swipe to the right from anywhere within the phone a list of all your messages, interests and notifications.

It's similar to the universal inbox of the BlackBerry of old, meaning anything that pops up in your life, be it BBM, missed calls or a simple tweet, it's only ever a gesture away.

Bringing Balance

As mentioned, BlackBerry 10 offers your IT department the chance to control at least a part of your smartphone. This means the app store can exist in two place on your phone at once, and allows your work to wipe and control the key parts of the phone.

It's a simple downward swipe to get between the two modes, meaning users always can achieve the virtual equivalent for sneaking away for a crafty cigarette when sitting at the desk. In this case it means you can just play Angry Birds on your work phone, but still, it's exciting for some.

BlackBerry Remember has also been added to the mix, with the ability to mimic Evernote (which it actually syncs with) giving you the chance to organise your life such as notes, photos, missed calls, plus Outlook Notes and Tasks also integrated in once easy to use place.

Snap up

The new camera app allows users to tap anywhere to take a photo, with mobile autofocus as well. Timeshift mode allows you to capture the moment by moving back and forward through time to get the photo you want.

Cleverly it can find your face and allow you to find the best smile or pose for the person you're looking at or stalking, and fit the head on the body you thinks sharpest.

You can then edit the photos on the phone with the inbuilt app, allowing cropping, effects and more with a few swipes. It's not groundbreaking, but it's still a massive step forward for BlackBerry.

The BlackBerry Z10 will be the first BB10 handset, and will be available in the US from March, while in the UK the BlackBerry Z10 will be available from 31 January from the likes of Vodafone and The Carphone Warehouse.

RIM is so excited it won't tell us what went wrong with BlackBerry

While the world holds its breath for the launch of BlackBerry 10, it seems the execs are struggling to talk about it.

With any brand trying to relaunch itself, we're used to the tranche of interviews with key executive members showing the world that things are now all better and missing out on the new product would mean missing out on the greatest thing ever.

However, sometimes the message can overwhelm the ability to hold a normal human conversation, and that's precisely what happened to Stephen Bates, RIM's European MD, when speaking about the launch on BBC Breakfast.

Bates was clearly ready for this little media tour, having learned the press release by heart, and was full of the buzzwords surrounding "transition" and "mobile computing" and most importantly "excited", a word he used in various guises no fewer than seven times in a three and a half minute interview.

However, at no point did he answer the question about RIM's dramatic plunge in smartphone market share. The question was subsequently asked again, more succinctly: "What went wrong?"

In response, Bates stayed firm in his decision to be a press release on a stool, pointing out that RIM "took the decision" to make its own mobile OS, which will provide all manner of wonderful things for its loyal bunch of users – without coming close to acknowledging the response required.

Embarassingly the question was asked for a third time "– Yes, but what went wrong?" – at which point it became clear that RIM had briefed all staff not to talk about anything other than the "excitement" of the launch today.

Really excited... really excited... really excited

The same routine was heard on BBC 5 Live Breakfast – the presenter repeatedly asked what RIM had learned from the rise of the iPhone, and while Bates wasn't so effusive in his use of the word "exciting", he still was unwilling to answer the question, which was asked multiple times and more aggressively in each instance.

After this line of interrogation was given up, when asked about the features users should be excited about for BB10 Bates surprisingly couldn't give an answer beyond a press spiel about BlackBerry Balance that, to those that have never used it, made little to no sense.

Forceful

Both interviewers were forceful in their questioning, but only because the response to a reasonable question – be it the impact of the iPhone, or why RIM sank from such great heights – was met with the verbal equivalent of a man waving a shining sign with the words 'BLACKBERRY 10 IS EXCITING' on.

Both sensed blood over a point many people are wondering, and in refusing to even acknowledge the question RIM has shown fear for rival products instead of pride in its ability to compete.

It would be easy to just attack the interviewee, labelling Bates as the wrong choice to be wheeled out to the Cornflake-munching masses, but in truth it paints a worrying picture about RIM's BlackBerry 10 strategy. He was clearly told not to mention competitors or any negativity, and in the face of such direct questioning retreated behind his key phrases.

But that doesn't change the fact that those who aren't really bothered about smartphones but have heard about 'some new BlackBerry' won't have been filled with confidence. Even Nokia, the company that will spend hours talking about how every little thing it does is the greatest thing ever, acknowledged it has made some mistakes – that "burning platform" memo didn't leak itself.

Make it good, make it true

The launch of BlackBerry 10 was supposed to be simply a new OS with alternative phones and the chance for RIM to almost apologise for making a mistake before offering a great solution.

But thanks to these interviews all the talk will be how the company is just another egotistical monster forcing marketing guff down users' throats rather than giving a strong reason to part with a large amount of cash each month.

The horse has already bolted in the UK for RIM in terms of the impression the general public has been given of BlackBerry 10, so here's hoping that when CEO Thorsten Heins takes to the stage to formally reveal an OS we've already seen a few times, he actually talks like a human; one that expresses gratitude for those that have stuck with BlackBerry during the last few years when the competition has given consumers better choices.

Or at the very least, keep away from the word excited.

RIM is so excited it won't tell us what went wrong with BlackBerry

While the world holds its breath for the launch of BlackBerry 10, it seems the execs are struggling to talk about it.

With any brand trying to relaunch itself, we're used to the tranche of interviews with key executive members showing the world that things are now all better and missing out on the new product would mean missing out on the greatest thing ever.

However, sometimes the message can overwhelm the ability to hold a normal human conversation, and that's precisely what happened to Stephen Bates, RIM's European MD, when speaking about the launch on BBC Breakfast.

Bates was clearly ready for this little media tour, having learned the press release by heart, and was full of the buzzwords surrounding "transition" and "mobile computing" and most importantly "excited", a word he used in various guises no fewer than seven times in a three and a half minute interview.

However, at no point did he answer the question about RIM's dramatic plunge in smartphone market share. The question was subsequently asked again, more succinctly: "What went wrong?"

In response, Bates stayed firm in his decision to be a press release on a stool, pointing out that RIM "took the decision" to make its own mobile OS, which will provide all manner of wonderful things for its loyal bunch of users – without coming close to acknowledging the response required.

Embarassingly the question was asked for a third time "– Yes, but what went wrong?" – at which point it became clear that RIM had briefed all staff not to talk about anything other than the "excitement" of the launch today.

The same routine was heard on BBC 5 Live Breakfast – the presenter repeatedly asked what RIM had learned from the rise of the iPhone, and while Bates wasn't so effusive in his use of the word "exciting", he still was unwilling to answer the question, which was asked multiple times and more aggressively in each instance.

After this line of interrogation was given up, when asked about the features users should be excited about for BB10 Bates surprisingly couldn't give an answer beyond a press spiel about BlackBerry Balance that, to those that have never used it, made little to no sense.

Both interviewers were forceful in their questioning, but only because the response to a reasonable question – be it the impact of the iPhone, or why RIM sank from such great heights – was met with the verbal equivalent of a man waving a shining sign with the words 'BLACKBERRY 10 IS EXCITING' on. Both sensed blood over a point many consumers are wondering, and in refusing to even acknowledge the question RIM has shown fear for rival products instead of pride in its ability to compete.

It would be easy to just attack the interviewee, labelling Bates as the wrong choice to be wheeled out to the Cornflake-munching masses, but in truth it paints a worrying picture about RIM's BlackBerry 10 strategy. He was clearly told not to mention competitors or any negativity, and in the face of such direct questioning retreated behind his key phrases.

But that doesn't change the fact that those who aren't really bothered about smartphones but have heard about 'some new BlackBerry' won't have been filled with confidence. Even Nokia, the company that will spend hours talking about how every little thing it does is the greatest thing ever, acknowledged it has made some mistakes – that "burning platform" memo didn't leak itself.

Make it good, make it true

The launch of BlackBerry 10 was supposed to be simply a new OS with alternative phones and the chance for RIM to almost apologise for making a mistake before offering a great solution.

But thanks to these interviews all the talk will be how the company is just another egotistical monster forcing marketing guff down users' throats rather than giving a strong reason to part with a large amount of cash each month.

The horse has already bolted in the UK for RIM in terms of the impression the general public has been given of BlackBerry 10, so here's hoping that when CEO Thorsten Heins takes to the stage to formally reveal an OS we've already seen a few times, he actually talks like a human; one that expresses gratitude for those that have stuck with BlackBerry during the last few years when the competition has given consumers better choices.

Or at the very least, keep away from the word excited.

Sony's Music Unlimited sounds even better with high fidelity streaming

Sony has a treat in store for Music Unlimited subscribing audiophiles: you can now stream music in high quality 320kpbs AAC audio.

Using the service's web, Android, Walkman and PS3 apps, Sony says you can now enable "pristine" high fidelity playback. The entire catalogue offers the 320kpbs AAC option provided by Omnifone, the company that powers Sony's music library.

If you don't want to be stuck with tedious average audio, you'll have to turn the 320kbps streaming option on in Music Unlimited's settings menu.

Sonic Death Monkey

Before today's boost, Music Unlimited used only the HE-AAC v2 codec at 48kbps. So if you aren't running the Android, web or PS3 apps, you'll still be stuck with 48kbps which is crappy at best, but Sony promises a boost to this 'normal' level is coming later this year; it will be going up to 64kpbs HE-AAC v2.

It doesn't look as though the high quality option is available on Sony's smart Bravia TVs nor through its iOS app yet, although Sony promises it will be adding it to other devices "later".

Music Unlimited is Sony's in-house answer to Spotify - the illustrious multi-platform service already offers 320kpbs AAC playback but its quality consistency is questionable at best.