The PRIV is starting to become available today. Already, reviewers all over the globe have had a chance to play with our new secure Android device. Not surprisingly, almost every one of them has positively loved it.
Just see for yourself:
Andrew Hoyle, CNet: My favorite thing is that the screen slides up to reveal this keyboard beneath. The phone moves. It transforms, and it’s snappy! It reminds me of the only Motorola Razor V3 from the early 90s that you can snap shut. We’ve got that physicality back in the phone, that movement, and I am so glad to see something like that back…I think a lot of Android users are going to be very keen to try out this phone, and certainly people who love BlackBerry’s keyboards; they’re going to love this as well.
Joanna Stern, The Wall Street Journal: Security experts I spoke to said that kernel hardening, if done right, would make the Priv more secure than other Android phones, and perhaps even the iPhone…For the first time in years, BlackBerry has a phone that can win back the hearts and dollars of people it lost years ago—at least enough that I’ll once again spot a BlackBerry owner or two among my friends and colleagues.
Tim Moynihan, Wired: Design-wise, it’s the slickest BlackBerry ever. There’s a curved 5.4-inch OLED display and curved edges on the frame that make it feel like less of a block in the hand than it appears to be. Said screen is tack-sharp, too, with a QHD (2560×1440) resolution and a pixel density checking in at 540ppi… If you’re a longtime BlackBerry user who’s looking for something that finally—finally—gives you a hardware keyboard with a legitimate app ecosystem and some of the manufacturer’s legacy features, this is your phone.
Russell Holly, Android Central: The Blackberry Priv deserves its $699 price tag. It’s an experience that completely justifies the price, which isn’t something we get to say about the high end of the smartphone market often enough anymore…This is absolutely one of the best phones to be released this year, and while BlackBerry still has to demonstrate it can keep its promises when it comes to software updates this is already an exceptional experience. It’s only going to get better from here.
Lance Ulanoff, Mashable: Without question, the BlackBerry Priv is one of the best devices BlackBerry has ever built. It’s a responsive, above-average Android phone with BlackBerry DNA and great battery life. It feels good in your hand, and unlike virtually every other Android device on the market, it has an excellent physical keyboard.
Emil Protalinski, VentureBeat: BlackBerry did a lot of things right. A lot. In fact, I would almost call this the perfect phone for die-hard BlackBerry fans still hoping for a comeback, or even just business users who want security without feeling like dinosaurs….the hardware is all there, and while the software isn’t perfect, it’s still much better than the reverse. The Priv is only going to get better.
Chris Hall, Pocket-Lint: This isn’t just a “me too” smartphone. This is distinctly different, clinging on to some of BlackBerry’s most popular features, while firing with both bores into the Android space…Overall, there’s a lot we like about the Priv. It’s interesting, it’s different and the curved edges to the display feel lovely.
Jeff Parsons, Daily Mirror (UK): It’s difficult to emphasize how important the BlackBerry Priv is in terms of a new direction. By dropping its own operating system and jumping ship to Google’s Android, BlackBerry has opened the doors to every app you could want. In one move, the company has addressed the biggest issue it’s had for the last four years…this is undoubtedly BlackBerry’s best phone to date.
BLa1Ze, CrackBerry: If you would have asked me two years ago if I could foresee recommending folks go out and buy a BlackBerry powered by Android, I pretty surely would have said that would never happen. However, after using the Priv throughout this review period, I have no qualms about giving that recommendation now… The Priv experience stands alone, and BlackBerry is right to ask what they’re asking for the Priv.
Antonio Villas-Boas, Business Insider: I’m personally much more comfortable typing with touchscreen keyboards than with a tiny physical keyboard, but it’s something I could get used to. It’s nice to reply to a text, chat, or email with the entire screen available to me instead of cutting off some content because of the on-screen virtual keyboard…The BlackBerry Priv is a solid performer with good looks, unique and robust features, and a great camera.
Lynn Greiner, Financial Post: The BlackBerry Priv is not a bargain phone – BlackBerry is addressing the premium market – but it’s a solidly functional one, mixing the best of BlackBerry with the familiarity of Android. It’s completely manageable, and has done a nice job melding both ecosystems in a way that should please users of both platforms. And, it addresses the main complaint about BlackBerry – now there are apps galore.
by Nicholas C. Greene via Inside BlackBerry
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