The latest BlackBerry smartphone, which combines touch screen with three rows of physical buttons, surprises with its square design that contrasts with the terminals on the market. Audio keyboard, autonomy, quality materials and are certainly strengths.
New software, Blackberry Blend
The BlackBerry Blend provides access to a set of Passport applications natively from a PC, a Mac, an iPad or Android tablet. But, as stated by the manufacturer, the software does not work with the iPhone or Android smartphones. Blend can for example be used to connect the Passport business with non-BlackBerry devices and use them as a gateway to securely access to emails, contacts, calendars and other professional resources via a VPN connection. No data is ever stored on devices connected via Blend, and there is no risk in terms of safety. For cons, the software does not share the Internet connection of the BlackBerry. Our fellow CIO could not try the application because it was not loaded in the evaluation that has been entrusted terminal. But he was able to attend a detailed demonstration of the tool, and from what he could see, the interface is quite functional, though somewhat obsolete. But, he said, Blend is the image of the terminal. The Passport is probably long since the first BlackBerry smartphone with a well-defined target. And clearly, the Canadian did not try to stick to the latest trends to please everyone. The manufacturer is well aware that the potential user of the mobile also has a Mac and / or PC, and probably an iPad or Android tablet. BlackBerry Blend is to improve interaction with these devices and platforms.
According to Michael Clewley, director of Software Product Management for BlackBerry, BlackBerry Blend is "IT-friendly" because it can reduce the total cost of ownership by users and address the concerns of BYOD. Companies that choose to adopt for their fleets Passport employees can teach their employees to use Blend to ensure they never have to connect their personal devices to corporate networks, and iT returns to secure the device to be able to access different devices. The manufacturer wanted to give a clear identity to Passport, and show that it was refocusing on well-defined objectives.
4 things that users will appreciate less or hate
BlackBerry Passport also has some disadvantages. Our colleague has listed four things which he could not appeal to users.
An individual, but difficult to tame keyboard
Our colleague confesses love the keyboard Passport, but think some people have more difficulty than him to use it. As already mentioned (see Part I), it takes a significant learning curve to become familiar with the physical and virtual strike. Some integrated touch gestures work better than others, and in some cases, we must learn to avoid them. Similarly, those who loved their old BlackBerry keyboard may be confused by the combination of physical buttons and touch between real and virtual keyboard. Our colleague advises users to take the time not only to learn and understand how the keyboard works, but also to practice a bit to master this new way of typing. He also believes that those who do not mind shelling user guides for how to fully exploit the capabilities of a device have an advantage. But for those who expect an accessible interface immediately and effortlessly, the Passport will probably not be the best choice.
Only three rows of keys on the terminal as a PC keyboard but the layout is different.
A big and bulky mobile
The size and shape of the BlackBerry Passport, which is almost exactly the size of a real passport, thicker, also require an adjustment period. For the latest BlackBerry phone is a large square - almost a "phablet". Because of its physical keyboard and its very different from the long, narrow smartphones and even tablets current square screen, the form factor can put off. But if you compare it to the iPhone 6 Plus, it's actually not that big.
evertheless, our colleague think it takes time to get used to the grip of the camera. According to him, one can not use the device with one hand. With his large hands, he finds it strange typing with your thumb while holding the phone with the rest of the hand, and he says he has not found the sweet spot position. The keyboard is at the base of the unit when it is held in a vertical position and must hand down the slide below to have a good hitting position. It's not comfortable, and the device feels heavy and balance.
