blackberryq5
Latest
IRL: JBL PlayUp speaker and the BlackBerry Q5 on Telus
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Is it pandering to have one of our Canadian writers play with every new BlackBerry? Perhaps -- not that we could've stopped him anyway. In this week's issue, we have Mr. Jon Fingas sharing his thoughts on the Q5 and its physical keyboard, while Philip splurges on JBL speakers to match his new Lumia 1020.
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 29th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought overwhelming support for MoDaCo.Switch on the GS4, new markets for the budget-priced BlackBerry Q5 and a pint-sized Android handset from Acer. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of July 29th, 2013.
BlackBerry Q5 review
This is probably the most important smartphone that BlackBerry will launch in 2013. You see, the Z10 and Q10 were designed for diehards, gadget lovers and those who desired a like-for-like replacement for their aging Bolds. Unfortunately for CEO Thorsten Heins, those people were never the total sum of RIM's (now BlackBerry's) customer base. After all, it was the budget-conscious crowd that embraced BBM to the point where London's 2011 civil unrest was nicknamed the "BlackBerry riots," not to mention the company's popularity in the developing world. Given that the business most recently posted an $84 million quarterly loss and has only managed to ship 2.7 million BB10 devices, it'll be these customers, then, who the company will need to win back in order to keep its head above water. Unlike its struggling rivals, however, BlackBerry does have one thing its rivals do not: a pedigree in QWERTY keyboards that offer a real alternative to the legion of Android and Windows Phone touchscreens out there. That's where the Q5 comes in -- a portrait QWERTY handset with a 3.1-inch display described as "youthful" and "fun," designed for markets outside of the US, with a variety of color options. But is that enough to tempt back the text addicts of Latin America and the disenfranchised voters of London? It's available for £320 ($490) off-contract in the UK, or free on plans from £21 ($32) per month, but is it enough of a handset to justify its mid-tier price? Can this form factor work in a world where even the cheapest phones can offer 4-inch, pixel-rich displays and broader app support? Is this the handset that BlackBerry needs, or the one it deserves? We could tell you at the top here, but that'd kinda negate the point of the following 2,613 words.%Gallery-193300%
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 1st, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, Simple Mobile changed its low-cost plans for the better and actionable notifications in BlackBerry 10.2 were shown off in a video walkthrough. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of June 1st, 2013.
BlackBerry Q5 to make early debut in the UAE tomorrow
Earlier than expected (and a little pricier than we'd hoped), the BlackBerry Q5 will go on sale tomorrow in the UAE. We know that its radios are primed for AT&T 3G and while the build might not rival the flagship BB10 device, it's another option for those who can't relinquish the tactile joys of a physical keyboard. It will launch priced at 1,499 AED (just above $400), which nets you BlackBerry's latest OS spread across a 3.1-inch touchscreen with the aforementioned keyboard nestled below. Interested in hopping on a red-eye flight for the third device since the company's name change? Then we'd recommend reacquainting yourself with our first impressions.
BlackBerry Q5 stops by the FCC with AT&T-friendly 3G
When we were introduced to BlackBerry's Q5, a lower-end QWERTY handset running BB10 OS, we were told it was aimed at emerging markets and heard of no plans to bring it to the US. While that still could be the case, a device with the identifier RFS121LW and an appearance matching that of the Q5 has been given the all-clear by the FCC. Now, this might be just a roaming application (when devices not sold in the US get approved for use there), but it's important to note that the 3G radio inside this phone is compatible with AT&T's network (850 / 1900MHz). We can't guarantee the image above isn't a generic outline BlackBerry's used to show the position of the label, nor can we totally be certain you'll ever be able to purchase a Q5 from the US carrier. Well, at least not until the Q10 launch buzz dies down, anyway.
BlackBerry Q5 hands-on: an affordable BB10 device in a QWERTY shell (update: video)
It's not the most exciting hardware launch to come from the newly reinvigorated (and rebranded) BlackBerry, but the Q5 is a device with a mission. Announced formally this morning by CEO Thorsten Heins on stage at BlackBerry Live, the Q5 is in some ways a more approachable successor to the Q10. Combining a 3.1-inch, 720 x 720 touchscreen display with BlackBerry's well-loved physical QWERTY, the Q5 is being squarely positioned at users in the developing world. And its less-than-premium build quality is a testament to that affordability. We spent some brief time getting to know this newest BB10 device, so skip past the break for our initial thoughts. %Gallery-188295%
BlackBerry Q5: a QWERTY handset built for emerging markets
This morning at BlackBerry Live in Orlando, Thorsten Heins kicked off the company's major annual event with a brief mention of the latest BB10 device, the Q5. It's a handset Heins is convinced will be a "big hit" for its target audience. The portrait QWERTY handset follows in the footsteps of the recently unleashed Q10, merging a 3.1-inch touch screen with hardware keyboard, but has a more specific bent: it's made for emerging markets. Due to be launched in a trio of colors (i.e., black, red, white and pink), the Q5 is being positioned as a low-end device that combines affordability, BB's signature physical keyboard and, of course, BB10. It's due to rollout this July in Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. As for pricing, the company's remaining mum on that end, but with summer fast approaching, we should know soon enough.
