That was when I got my BlackBerry Q10!
I blogged about it at
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2013/10/adventures-on-my-new-smartphone.html
Even then, the techie trolls were claiming that "BlackBerry is going out of business", blah, blah, blah!
But BlackBerry made the only smartphones that had a physical keyboard and I hate typing on touchscreens!
If I'm going to spend hard-earned money on gadgets, I have to choose one that is right for me, not mindlessly follow trends!
BlackBerry is still in business and has made new phones since the Q10 I got in 2013. They had the Passport (a square looking smartphone looking like a ........passport), the Classic, Motion (touchscreen only) the Priv (w/ a sliding keyboard), the KeyOne and the Key2!
My Q10 had been wonderful for me all these years. I can still text and call people on it!
However, the browser has become too outdated to access certain websites. It was OK for a while since I can always wait to go home to use my desktop!
But once I was unable to view my bank's website .......... that's it, I'm replacing my Q10!
I'm still keeping my Q10 as a backup!
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But I still wanted a BlackBerry! I still wanted physical keyboards.
Back when the Q10 was released, the BlackBerry phone just used the BlackBerry 10 operating system. Some apps were compatible. However, since then, many app makers only made apps that were compatible with iOs (for Apple's iPhones) or Android!
So BlackBerry joined forces with Android so that their new phones can access Android apps!
The Priv, KeyOne, and Key2 are all BlackBerry phones with Android operating systems.
KeyOne came out last year, Key2 was the latest!
Being that I don't have a big budget, I just decided to get the slightly older KeyOne instead of the more expensive Key2.
As long as it has a physical keyboard, phone, text, email, and access to Android apps, the KeyOne is fine with me!
photo copyright to BlackBerry
The KeyOne
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I bought my Q10 via the T-Mobile website.
However, T-Mobile wasn't selling any more BlackBerry phones via its website lately, though I was able to buy some unlocked BlackBerry phones via the BestBuy website.
I was able to pick it up at the local Best Buy and took it to the local T-Mobile store (downtown Honolulu).
For some of the staff there, they said they have seen that phone in ads or in media reviews but it was the first KeyOne they saw in person!
It took a while to transfer some data (especially my contacts) from my Q10 to the KeyOne. The person servicing my phones Sean was very patient, knowledgeable and friendly! He definitely deserves an award for customer service.
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Anytime you're transitioning to a new device, there's always a learning curve. Even though the Q10 and KeyOne are both BlackBerry phones (and did I say both have physical keyboards 😉) being that I got them 5 years apart and that KeyOne is an Android phone means that certain things have changed!
Besides being able to access Android apps, just learning to use the Android system was an adjustment.
The KeyOne has a bigger screen (one female friend giggled about my Q10 screen being small), but it does have a smaller keyboard! The smaller keyboard could be a problem for those with big fingers!
The Q10 had a replaceable battery (and I replaced the battery a few times over the years) but the KeyOne doesn't.
Good news ..... yes it is true, the KeyOne battery doesn't drain so easily! We can go longer between charging times!
Bad news ...........but if something goes wrong with the battery, I just can't take it out like I did with the Q10!
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The power button for the Q10 was on the top. The power button for the KeyOne is on the side. I think they had it right for the Q10!
I bought the Incipio phone cover for both the Q10 and KeyOne. The Incipio cover was just right for the Q10! The Incipio for the KeyOne was a disaster. It is too tight around the KeyOne, being that the power is on the side, the Incipio cover kept pressing the power button over and over again!
I just went to WalMart to look for phone covers made for phones the same size as the KeyOne. The phone covers made for SamSung Galaxy 9 can also fit the KeyOne just fine. I bought an Otterbox cover made for the Galaxy 9 and use that as the cover for my KeyOne. It was perfect for my Keyone! 😃 It was cheaper too!😃
Needless to say, I returned the Incipio cover back to BestBuy and got my money back!
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Whereas the Q10 had an opening from the back where you can insert the SIM and the micro-SD, the KeyOne requires you insert it from the side and you have to use the pointy metal thing that can fit into the hole to pop out the SIM/micro-SD jack! I liked the Q10 way of inserting the SIM/SD better!
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The USB charger for the Q10 connects to the side. The USB charger for the KeyOne connects to the bottom. The jury is still out for that one!
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Even with all those comparisons and adjustments, I'm loving my KeyOne. While I do have a preference for and will miss some of the exterior designs of the Q10, I have to say the larger screen and the software for the KeyOne is a massive improvement from the Q10!
I'm definitely going to keep the KeyOne as long as I can, and I will continue to encourage people to use BlackBerry phones!
Not only does it have a physical keyboard😃, it is also highly rated for cyber-security 😃
I am still #TeamBlackBerry 😃
