The z10 is the best blackberry yet,
but there’s still plenty to improve on…
The Z10 is 4G-ready but at the moment 4G in
India is limited to a broadband service in select cities. The Z10 is not going
to turn BlackBerry’s fortunes around single-handedly even though it’s a solid
smartphone with an OS that will win over new fans, welcome back some old
acolytes who were lured away, without alienating too many current users.
However, although you couldn’t accuse it of slavishly copying iOS and Android,
it’s unlikely that many users will find it radically different. At best it will
significantly slow BlackBerry’s decline, and provide a platform to build from.
The
Z10 is not going to turn BlackBerry’s fortunes around single-handedly even
though it’s a solid smartphone with an OS that will win over new fans
Details
1. NFC: Wirelessly share contacts, images and music with other NFC
-enabled devices
2. Display: A 1280x768 display boasts 365ppi, trumping even the iPhone
5’s screen
3. Press to talk: Nestled between volume controls, the mute button also
wakes BB’s Siri-esque voice control
4. Micro HDMI: Throw HD films downloaded from BB World or your own
snaps on to your hi-def. TV
Details
Killer features: The high-class lowdown
on BB10…
1. BBM Video: BlackBerry now has a service to rival both Apple’s
FaceTime and Skype. As well as letting you perform crystal clear voice calls,
the two-meg front-facing camera now makes video calls to other BBM users. If
you’re connected to Wi-Fi it’s a free and effective way to conduct face-to-face
meetings on the go.
BlackBerry
now has a service to rival both Apple’s FaceTime and Skype
2. BlackBerry Balance: If your company uses a BlackBerry Enterprise
Server you’ll be able to split your phone down the middle – business up front;
fun round the back. A swipe switches between the two separate mobile
interfaces, meaning you don’t have to look at your work emails when you’re not
on the clock, unless you want to…
3. BlackBerry Hub: All your social network comms, text messages,
emails, birthday updates and contacts are tied into this constantly updating
stream of notifications. It’s handy as a snap-shot of what’s going on right
now, but the more feeds you sync with it, the more difficult it becomes to find
the info you actually want.
All
your social network comms, text messages, emails, birthday updates and contacts
are tied into this constantly updating stream of notifications
4. Timeshift: This feature aims to take perfect group shots every time.
It recognizes faces and takes a burst shot, allowing you to cut out the
blinking fool at the front and replace it with a more flattering snap of them
from moments before. This kind of power is why you never see a bad photo of a
Time Lord, we’re sure.
5. Active frames: Taking some inspiration from WP8’s live tiles, these
are minimized apps that show real-time updates on news stories, weather or the
exploits of your social network buddies. It’s a less scatter-gun approach than
BlackBerry Hub and you can have eight of them pinned to your home screen at
once.
6. Screen share: At the press of a button you can instantly share
whatever’s on your screen with the person you’re having a video chat with,
whether it’s a YouTube video, web page or contact card. Clearly implemented as
a business tool, Screen Share also has social potential. Video calls just got
even more interactive.
7. BlackBerry remembers: More than just a glorified to-do list,
Remember is BlackBerry’s answer to the popular app Evernote. Whether it’s a
shopping list or a big work project you can create a scrapbook and fill it with
images, videos, documents and music. You can also add voice memos and flagged
emails to help jog your memory.
More
than just a glorified to-do list, Remember is BlackBerry’s answer to the
popular app Evernote
8. BlackBerry world: BB World now contains just more than 70,000 apps –
a long way from Apple’s 789,459 – but thanks to an agreement with Rovi, it
includes new film releases, with a promise that when a blockbuster arrives on
DVD it’ll be on BlackBerry World. Deals with most major record labels mean your
music choices are vast too.
9. Story maker: A simplistic movie-editing app that aims to take the
hassle out of creating short home movies. You can add videos or images and then
apply any soundtrack of your choice. Six filters are available and once you’ve
picked the look the whole video will be rendered in hi-def., ready to upload to
YouTube if you’d like.
The final word: Libby plummer, reviews
editor
The Z10 is an impressive piece of kit. BB10
and the revamped BB World are big improvements, and the inclusion of separate
personal and work profiles is a clever touch, that should help keep much of its
business clientele on board. I can’t see it winning many iOS or Android
defectors, leaving it to fight WP8 for the not-so-coveted #3 slot.
The verdict
·
A must-have: 5/5
·
Very good: 4/5
·
Above average: 3/5
·
Mediocre: 2/5
·
Oh dear: 1/5
Love: BlackBerry Hub and improved
BlackBerry World. Excellent touchscreen keyboard. Bright screen
Hate: Average camera. Different enough from
Android and iOS to make switching not quite seamless, but not different enough
to really appeal
T3 says: BB10 is a move in the right
direction, even if the Z10 is more competent than exciting
Rating: 4/5
|
Specifications
·
Screen: 4.2-inch, 1280 x 768
·
OS: BB10
·
Processor/RAM: 1.5GHz dual-core/2GB
·
Storage: 16GB, microSD
·
Rear Cam: 8-meg/1080p
·
Front cam 2-meg/720p
·
Connections: Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, Wi-Fi, HDMI,
USB, 3.5mm jack
·
Quoted battery life: 10 hours talk time
·
Dimensions: Height: 130mm; Width: 65mm; Depth:
9mm; Weight: 137g
|
