Hasta La Gadget!

The Blackberry platform used to be the choice of governments and corporate entities alike, although lately that does not seem to be the case as iOS and Android started to become more favored options. While some governments are starting to explore the possibility by adopting Blackberry Z10s, the Pentagon might not be giving Blackberry a fair chance. According to a report, it seems that the Department of Defense will be cutting their budget for device testing of Blackberry 10. This is because of the 11% budget pullback due to the federal sequester, and since Blackberry 10 has yet to be officially released in the US, the DoD is said to be spending most of their budget on testing of Android and iOS.

According to a report by Electronista, their source reportedly told them “We’re almost done with the iOS and Android platform testing procedure, so that’s fine […] BlackBerry is going to have to suck it up and not get properly tested for a while. Maybe never.” This is definitely not great news for Blackberry, especially since like we said earlier, they were renowned for their security and use by governments and enterprises. So for the DoD to not consider their latest platform is a huge blow to them. Since there has not been any official statement released by the DoD, we guess you should take this with a grain of salt for now.

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There have been reports by some retailers that the Blackberry Z10 is selling pretty well, and this sentiment was shared by Blackberry’s CEO, Thorsten Heins, who said that the sales of the device exceeded their expectations. Exceeded by how much, exactly? Well as far as India is concerned, Heins revealed that the Blackberry Z10 has managed to sell out in 2 days, a pretty impressive feat we have to admit. However Heins was unable to provide figures before their earnings call on the 28^th of March, so we guess we will have to wait until then to see if the device selling out is merely because of low shipments or because it was truly well-received.

Speaking at the Communitech Tech Leadership Conference, Heins was quoted as saying, “We shipped into the channel product that we thought would have been good for at least five days and I got an emergency call from our manager in India, saying that they were sold out in two days…” In any case it looks like the Z10 is kicking off the way Blackberry had intended, and hopefully when the figures are released it will be in line with all the reports we’ve been hearing lately. In the meantime you can check out our review of the Blackberry Z10 if you’d like to learn more about Blackberry’s latest flagship device.

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Time’s up. I’ve now had a full month to call the BlackBerry Z10 my very own and use it as my everyday device. I’ve had the opportunity to use it in every likely scenario, including a nine-day trip to Spain for Mobile World Congress. Now comes the moment of truth: have I become a BlackBerry convert? Is the Z10 my new daily driver?

Unfortunately, it’s not. But before the BlackBerry fan base breaks out the torches and forms mobs, this isn’t a denunciation of the phone or its OS. Quite the opposite, in fact. I decided to pursue this experiment for a few reasons: it’s the best way to learn a brand-new operating system, I genuinely am interested in how well it handles regular day-to-day use and a month gives me plenty of time to form a solid idea of the platform’s potential and future. Is it possible to have a great deal of admiration for a phone while simultaneously rejecting it as my daily driver? Yes. After the break I sum up the highlights of BB10: what works, what doesn’t and what simply needs a little nudge or two.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Blackberry

Comments

We’re sure that prior to the launch of Blackberry 10, there were some Blackberry users who decided to wait it out by using another platform. On the flipside we’re sure that there were some iOS or Android users who saw the Z10 and liked what it had to offer. While it remains to be seen how this plays out in a global context, it looks like India is enjoying a fair bit of success with the Blackberry Z10. Speaking to The Hindu Business Line, Managing Director of Blackberry India, Sunil Dutt, revealed that they are already running out of stock for the Z10.

He also claims that Blackberry had to increase its device forecast by 40% in the region, and that 45% of Blackberry 10 customers were “unique” customers who switched from a different brand. He is presumably talking about brands like Apple, Samsung, HTC, LG, and etc. The fact that the Blackberry Z10 has been enjoying success in India seems to be in line with what we’ve heard about from a Canadian retailer, although it remains to be seen if the stock shortages are due to low initial product or genuine interest. However the 45% figure of customers jumping ship is definitely worth noting. Do you guys agree with the numbers? Are you finding more people from iOS, Android or Windows Phone switching to the Z10?

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T-Mobile subscribers we’re sure that there are many of you guys eagerly anticipating the Blackberry Z10. Unfortunately for you regular consumers, the latest Blackberry 10 smartphone will only go up for sale come 27^th of March, but it seems that as far as business consumers are concerned, the Z10 will launch for them on the 11^th of March. Business consumers who place their orders on the 11^th of March will be able to receive their handset on the 13^th of March, giving them a good two weeks to enjoy the phone before the rest of T-Mobile’s customer base. So, any of our readers out there T-Mobile business customers and who plan on picking up the Blackberry Z10 for themselves? Let us know in the comments below!

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