HIGHLIGHTS
We spent some time with BlackBerry's newest flagship smartphone and the biggest one it has ever built.
BlackBerry launched its new touch-based flagship smartphone today, the Z30, a BB10.2 OS powered 5-inch device that will start selling next week onwards in India for Rs. 39,990. I’ve been using the Z30 for a couple of days now and have had the chance to form some initial opinions about the device with respect to how it performs under regular use, the overall aesthetics of it and the ecosystem that caters to it. I will follow up soon with a more detailed review that will explain in excruciating detail everything that makes up BlackBerry’s newest addition to its family. Read: Blackberry z30 Review
Performance
With the new generation of BB10 touch devices, it’s clear that BlackBerry has grown out of its awkward puberty phase that led to phones like the
Torch and the
Storm. The Z30’s touch response stands right up there with the best of them in terms of accuracy and overall speed. However, those unfamiliar with the BB10 interface and its gamut of swipes and other gestures that are different from those used in Android and iOS, may need to take some time to get used to it. For a phone that uses a dual-core processor, the Z30 is surprisingly fast when it comes to browsing the Web and navigating the interface. The Z30 could just be one of those great examples to throw out when you’re in a debate about why, after a certain point, specs don’t matter on a smartphone.
Design
The Z30 looks quite a bit like the
HTC One thanks to the almost entirely black glass front except for the silver wedge at the bottom. Overall, it’s a very good looking phone and one that manages to toe the line between trendy and classy. The build quality is also solid, although not as good as the Z10. Personally for me, at 5-inches the Z30 is a little too big for comfortable use, but if you’re used to large displays, then the size won’t really be a problem for you.
Apps
If you’ve been using smartphones for a while, you know a smartphone is nothing without its apps. BlackBerry has been doing great when it comes to the number of apps and making some headway in terms of quality as well. Still, you won’t find some popular apps like Instagram, Pulse Reader and Google Maps, or popular games such as Asphalt or Dead Trigger. Still, there are some neat apps being developed for BB10 including ARKick, an augmented reality app that works very well.
Some disorganized thoughts:
- The Z30’s battery-life is quite good. Only slipping down to 50% at the end of a day of regular use, is much better than most high-end smartphones.
- The Z30’s camera is quick to shoot but has an embarrassing dearth of features.
- The Z30’s virtual keyboard is one of the best I’ve used and is very nicely complemented by an auto-complete feature.
Keep an eye out for my complete review of the BlackBerry Z30 that should go live soon.