BlackBerry User Thinking of Upgrading...

Morty2264

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Hello, everyone!

I've once again crossed the threshold between CrackBerry and Android Central! Hello! I feel like a very happy foreigner. ;)

Just to give you all some background, I am a very passionate smartphone enthusiast. I love looking at new phones, and thinking about future phone choices. That being said, I purchased a BlackBerry Q10 (amazing phone) in May 2013 and will not switch for at least six more months; but, as many of you must understand, that itch to upgrade early and experience a new device is never far behind, no matter how much you love your current device!

The only daunting thing is that I have no idea what I would upgrade to if I switched platforms from BlackBerry to something else. I've only ever had two BlackBerry devices (9780 and Q10) as far as smartphones go. I'm pretty sure I will not buy an iPhone (but nothing against them - if you like them, that's cool! :)), but I'd be stuck between choosing an Android or Windows phone. As much as I've always wanted a Nokia Lumia 900/020/923, they are now pretty much dying out now that the 1020 has arrived; and I do not like the enormous camera and do not see myself needing such a device. So I guess I am now looking into Android options for the time being.

If anyone can please help a very scared BlackBerry user who is thinking about her next upgrading choice if she were to go Android, that would be great! I have some quick questions:

- I heard Samsung had security issues; but that that was only for the S2, and those issues are resolved. Also, all you need is an anti-virus (which is free) and you're good to go. Is this true?
- I've also heard that battery life on Android devices can be iffy (but coming from my former BlackBerry whose battery would die at 60% because of old age, this doesn't really concern me as much as it would others). How true is this?

Okay. Now I need help with features (and yes, I will be researching these myself, but it would help if actual Android users could weigh in on these, too!):

- I love a phone that has an LED light. I know the Sony Xperia Z1/L has these features at the bottom of the phone. Does any other Android device have this feature; or is there an app that I can download to make this a feature I won't be missing if I cross over from BlackBerry?
- Is there any device/app that will enable me to select different ringtones for different contacts? BlackBerry did this very well and my Q10 has an excellent app for it, so if this feature wasn't out there, I'd be disappointed.
- What is word prediction like on Android devices - specifically, the Sony Xperia Z1/L and the HTC One? I'm not sure if I'd go the Samsung route, but I'd be interested in knowing how they do that, too.
- How durable are these phones? I'd just grab a hard case for mine regardless, but still, if you drop it from a few feet, does it usually stay damage-free? My friend dropped his HTC and despite there being a case on it, the screen cracked.
- Six-12 months from now, of course there will be new phones out; but since I am on a budget, I will be looking at the phones that are available right now.

Lastly, has anyone here crossed over from BB OS7/BB 10 to an Android device? Please tell me what your experience has been like. I am a very happy BB user, so if I can find an Android device that can give me an easy-ish transition (I know it will be difficult, but you know what I mean:)), that would be great. I just love phones in general, but being so used to one platform, I really have no clue where to start looking. I'm sorry this thread is so long! If anyone can give me any advice or suggestions on which phone to look at, I'd very much appreciate it!
 

UJ95x

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1. Best anti-virus is you, stay away from sketchy apps or sites and you should be good. Either way, I wouldn't be too concerned about malware
2. Depends on the phone and what you do with it. Most of the newer ones have great battery life :)
3. Most of the newer ones also have this. There are apps that allow you to customize what color lights up depending on the type of notification.
4. Not sure about this one, hopefully someone else can weigh in on this
5. It's pretty good. SwiftKey is supposed to have great predictions and auto-correct. My favorite keyboard is the Google Keyboard :D
6. Not sure how this compares to BB but I have dropped mine a few times and it's still in mint/great condition. A case would definitely help though
I think you'll really like Android, with the larger selection of apps and awesome OS :)
Any specific phone you're looking at? Besides the Xperia Z or One you mentioned a couple times...
 

tsells

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I'll answer a few of your questions.
I am a former BB user. (8310, 9000, 9800, 9810)
My first Android was the Galaxy S3 which was a giant upgrade from my 9810. It took at least a week to learn how Android does things vs how BB does things. After the first few days I hated the Android system, but after the second week I kicked myself for not switching sooner. Android does everything that BB does plus a whole lot more.
The phone with the best battery life (of all of the new ones) is the LG G2. The battery is a "beast"!
All of the Samsung phones and the LG G2 have LED's. (I am not sure about the other ones, but I believe so.)
You can select different ringtones and notification tones for individual contacts on the Samsung G3 and G4 and LG G2 (again not sure about the other phones). FYI, Android system stores ringtones and notification tones in different folders.
For word prediction, I highly recommend downloading an alternate keyboard such as Swiftkey (which has great word prediction) and it also allows swiping to type.
The S3 and the G2 are durable, especially with a case.
The LG G2 is the best bargain out there as many carriers have it for $49 with a new two year plan (with an upgrade).
I highly recommend that you go try the LG G2, the Galaxy S4, the Moto X, and the HTC One. I ended up choosing the G2 because of the battery, display, size, and great camera..
 

mrsmumbles

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You might like a Nexus 5. Yes, you can make different ringtones for different people, and I forgot what else you asked... Dropping, there are drop test videos for each popular phone...

I was looking at a Z10 recently and I don't think you'd have any trouble getting used to Android. Very small learning curve from BB to Android.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2
 

mrsmumbles

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By LED light did you mean notification light? Yes, each of my three phones has one.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2
 

mrsmumbles

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I'll answer a few of your questions.
I am a former BB user. (8310, 9000, 9800, 9810)
My first Android was the Galaxy S3 which was a giant upgrade from my 9810. It took at least a week to learn how Android does things vs how BB does things. After the first few days I hated the Android system, but after the second week I kicked myself for not switching sooner. Android does everything that BB does plus a whole lot more.
The phone with the best battery life (of all of the new ones) is the LG G2. The battery is a "beast"!
All of the Samsung phones and the LG G2 have LED's. (I am not sure about the other ones, but I believe so.)
You can select different ringtones and notification tones for individual contacts on the Samsung G3 and G4 and LG G2 (again not sure about the other phones). FYI, Android system stores ringtones and notification tones in different folders.
For word prediction, I highly recommend downloading an alternate keyboard such as Swiftkey (which has great word prediction) and it also allows swiping to type.
The S3 and the G2 are durable, especially with a case.
The LG G2 is the best bargain out there as many carriers have it for $49 with a new two year plan (with an upgrade).
I highly recommend that you go try the LG G2, the Galaxy S4, the Moto X, and the HTC One. I ended up choosing the G2 because of the battery, display, size, and great camera..

Does the Moto X have an LED notification light? I thought I read it doesn't.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2
 

UJ95x

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Why? (I don't know what they are.)

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2

:eek:
The screen "breathes" and shows the notifications you have. If you have anything there, you can swipe up or down to either unlock the phone or go directly the corresponding app.
You should look it up if you want to see it, it's really cool

Posted via Android Central App
 

mrsmumbles

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To the OP, actually, you might miss a microSD slot. A few Androids still have one, such as the Xperia Z1 and the Samsung GS4 and Note series but sadly they're in the minority.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2
 

UJ95x

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+1
That's the only thing you might miss, but I think 32GB is more than enough, especially since we get so much free cloud storage

Posted via Android Central App
 

mrsmumbles

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:eek:
The screen "breathes" and shows the notifications you have. If you have anything there, you can swipe up or down to either unlock the phone or go directly the corresponding app.
You should look it up if you want to see it, it's really cool

Posted via Android Central App

It sounds a little creepy... the screen breathes??? I can't imagine what that might look like... Maybe there's a YouTube video. :cool:

Thanks for the answer. ;)

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2
 

UJ95x

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It sounds a little creepy... the screen breathes??? I can't imagine what that might look like... Maybe there's a YouTube video. :cool:

Thanks for the answer. ;)

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2

There's probably a ton. I can't explain the breathing, but it's awesome.
We need to stop derailing the thread

Posted via Android Central App
 

Morty2264

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Wow!

All of your responses were amazing! You are all so nice and helpful! :)

Well, after looking at Rogers' prices and general stuff, I am pretty interested in the HTC One and especially the Sony series. My brother has the ZL/1 (not sure which, as both are waterproof), and he has this LED light at the bottom of his phone; which is definitely something I'd be happy with, coming from a BB. I've been shying away from Samsung, but I've been looking at the G2 and haver heard really good things about it. The Moto X is also only $49 right now, so I can imagine it being much less (or $0!) six or seven months from now.

To be honest, they all look really cool... I have small hands so a huge device probably won't work well with me. I can't remember what the sales dude said about the HTC One having an LED light or not... I think he said it didn't. At least if I can customize ringtones and notifications, the absence of an LED wouldn't be as upsetting... But I just like looking at my phone and knowing who's texting me, you know? Of course, that "screen breathing" thing sounds interesting... LOL.;)

To be honest, one reason why I'd prefer Sony, HTC, or LG is because... Well... All my friends have S4's and S3's. I like just going for something different. And still, the Note 2 is way too big for me. :$

I'm also interested in the Moto RAZR, probably because I had that flip phone when I was a lot younger; and I think I either demo'ed that one of the Moto X at a Target mobile shop a few days ago. Super cool.
 

UJ95x

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Wow!

All of your responses were amazing! You are all so nice and helpful! :)

Well, after looking at Rogers' prices and general stuff, I am pretty interested in the HTC One and especially the Sony series. My brother has the ZL/1 (not sure which, as both are waterproof), and he has this LED light at the bottom of his phone; which is definitely something I'd be happy with, coming from a BB. I've been shying away from Samsung, but I've been looking at the G2 and haver heard really good things about it. The Moto X is also only $49 right now, so I can imagine it being much less (or $0!) six or seven months from now.

To be honest, they all look really cool... I have small hands so a huge device probably won't work well with me. I can't remember what the sales dude said about the HTC One having an LED light or not... I think he said it didn't. At least if I can customize ringtones and notifications, the absence of an LED wouldn't be as upsetting... But I just like looking at my phone and knowing who's texting me, you know? Of course, that "screen breathing" thing sounds interesting... LOL.;)

To be honest, one reason why I'd prefer Sony, HTC, or LG is because... Well... All my friends have S4's and S3's. I like just going for something different. And still, the Note 2 is way too big for me. :$

I'm also interested in the Moto RAZR, probably because I had that flip phone when I was a lot younger; and I think I either demo'ed that one of the Moto X at a Target mobile shop a few days ago. Super cool.

If you don't want a big phone, the Moto X is perfect for you. Best phone available IMO :)

Posted via Android Central App
 

pgg101

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Going from a Q10 to touch screen may be a challenge for some that don't like change. I know for older people, there is a lot of comfort with a keyboard. You should probably play with a few at a store to see how you feel about it.

I was a big keyboard fan, but when my employer made the switch from BB7 to 10, I picked a Z10 device. The keyboard experience with flick typing is really nice. The software learns pretty quickly and corrects your typing remarkably well. Also very good at learning lingo/industry jargon or switching to different languages automatically.

I like my Z30 and find typing even better because it's a bit large screen 5" vs 4.2" on the Z10. But if you want a small screen, then you may not like the typing experience.

Posted via Android Central App on BlackBerry Z30
 

Morty2264

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Going from a Q10 to touch screen may be a challenge for some that don't like change. I know for older people, there is a lot of comfort with a keyboard. You should probably play with a few at a store to see how you feel about it.

I was a big keyboard fan, but when my employer made the switch from BB7 to 10, I picked a Z10 device. The keyboard experience with flick typing is really nice. The software learns pretty quickly and corrects your typing remarkably well. Also very good at learning lingo/industry jargon or switching to different languages automatically.

I like my Z30 and find typing even better because it's a bit large screen 5" vs 4.2" on the Z10. But if you want a small screen, then you may not like the typing experience.

Posted via Android Central App on BlackBerry Z30

I was debating between upgrading to a Z10 or Q10. The keyboard experience on the Q10 is amazing! It also predicts what words you will say (i.e. whenever I type "Pretty," "Little" and "Liars" come up next... This phone knows me ;)), and I enjoy watching the flicking that Z10 users can do. I was even thinking about the Z30 but it will probably be way too big for me. The Q10 is even a little big, but I really enjoy the enlarged keyboard. Have you upgraded to any of the new leaks yet? I wait until they're official before I download... But I seem to be in the minority here. ;)
 

Morty2264

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I think the Moto X was the phone I tried using in the Target mobile store. I liked that the keyboard went to landscape mode, so I made (maybe?) less mistakes. Are there any rumours of the "next" Moto X device coming out? I'm always a little nervous that if I upgrade to a phone that might be a little older than the newer ones out there, that if something happens to it, I'd kind of be stuck. But if I really like the phone, and can get updates for it, then it probably won't matter. :)

I'm really confused. I'd like even a Windows 8 device but they don't have BBM and I'm a little nervous about (admittedly) going to that platform. I think Android will give me a little more customization. I think what I'll do is pick one Android device I really like and then one Windows 8 device (Lumia 920) and see them both in the store and see what happens. The Moto X sounds pretty good! :)
 

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