I have a BlackBerry Priv, and you have questions. It's time to do the thing!

[Russell Holly]

Hey everybody!

I've been using the BlackBerry Priv for a little over a week now, followed closely by Jerry and Richard with their own Privs. Our review went live this morning, but as we are often known for saying out loud to people who didn't ask and really wish we'd stop shouting at the bus stop, the review is just the beginning.

I'm sure I didn't answer every question in my review, so fire away. I'll be around all day and will do my best to answer your questions as quickly as possible, and I'm sure Jerry and Richard will float in when they have time.

Ready? GO!

 

[EddieDons]

Hey Russell - how would you compare it to the Nexus 6P. I'm torn between the two. Also, how is the screen?

 

[Russell Holly]

Hey Russell - how would you compare it to the Nexus 6P. I'm torn between the two. Also, how is the screen?

The screen is great. It's not quite as capable as the screens Samsung is using in their phones, but it's real good.

As for comparing it to the 6P, I think these two phones sit side by side as the best Android has to offer right now. If you want a sleek, thin phone with the latest from Google, the N6 is the way to go. If you want something a little different but don't want to sacrifice experience to get there, the Priv is fantastic.

 

[EddieDons]

Thanks! One last question - does it have a fingerprint scanner? I couldn't seem to find any info on this...

 

[JoePa2624]

It does not. For a device touting security and privacy, a lack of a fingerprint scanner is an unfortunate oversight.

 

[Russell Holly]

Thanks! One last question - does it have a fingerprint scanner? I couldn't seem to find any info on this...

There's no fingerprint sensor, and given the current conversation about how secure that mechanism actually is I'm not surprised. BlackBerry clearly stuck to what they knew would work no matter what. While I do love the fingerprint sensor on the Nexus 5X and 6P, I don't miss it on the Priv.

 

[ubermanx]

What is your assessment of the Blackberry Hub on the Priv and in Android? I know you touched on it in the review but this is the one feature that most of my Blackberry convert peers miss the absolute most. SO hard to explain to a native Android and iOS user how great the Hub was. They just don't get it.

 

[greatgoogly]

This may be obvious but have not haunted the Blackberry world for several years. Does the Priv require either BES or BIS from your carrier for it to work? I have an old Blackbery 9780, can't use for anything other than phone calls on a carrier like Cricket because they don't support even BIS and hence have no way to get the required service books. In short, do you have to have Blackberry Service with your carrier for the phone to work as anything other than a phone.

 

[Russell Holly]

What is your assessment of the Blackberry Hub on the Priv and in Android? I know you touched on it in the review but this is the one feature that most of my Blackberry convert peers miss the absolute most. SO hard to explain to a native Android and iOS user how great the Hub was. They just don't get it.

I think it's a tough sell for folks who already have a workflow they tolerate. BlackBerry Hub has a lot of positive features to it if you want everything in one place organized the way BlackBerry thinks is best. I really dig it as a social aggregate, but as a Google Inbox user I'm probably never going to use Hub for email. The way Google organizes email as a ToDo list works for me in ways nothing else has ever worked.

I am far from the standard though, and I think Hub is probably better than Gmail and Outlook, so it's likely we'll see a lot of people giving it a shot and liking it.

 

[Mago27]

I'm a bit disappointed with N6P (as well SGS6-N5-M9) everyone has its own defects, I'm also skeptical on fingerprint *security* (actually a phone is more secure without fingerprint if you're not lazy to type a 6digit pass).

I'm really curious on this BB, do you feel Android's personalization into the priv, as good or just another try to take on google GUI.

Besides Blackberry specific apps, does it comes pre-loaded with bloatware (as they do on BB10), which one (FYI I consider Facebook Bloatware).

 

[Russell Holly]

This may be obvious but have not haunted the Blackberry world for several years. Does the Priv require either BES or BIS from your carrier for it to work? I have an old Blackbery 9780, can't use for anything other than phone calls on a carrier like Cricket because they don't support even BIS and hence have no way to get the required service books. In short, do you have to have Blackberry Service with your carrier for the phone to work as anything other than a phone.

Absolutely not. With exception to Verizon Wireless, popping an AT&T, TMO, O2, etc SIM in has no bearing on how anything works. Verizon's SIM misbehaved, but it was a carrier issue and not a BlackBerry services one.

 

[theprawn]

I had a Z10 and loved the OS--especially the hub, email, keyboard. I ended up going back to Android, though. I needed newer, faster hardware and then there was the app gap, and the fact that Android apps on the Blackberry OS were sluggish and unreliable.

I have an HTC One M8 now, it's about time for an upgrade. I have no particular love for Android, but it works. Do you think this is the perfect hybrid, all the Android platform offers with the improved Blackberry polish/experience?

 

[Russell Holly]

I'm a bit dissapointed with N6P (as well SGS6-N5-M9) everyone has its own defects, I'm also sceptical on fingerprint *security* (actually a phone is more secure wihtou fingerprint if you're not lazy to type a 6digit pass).

I'm really curious on this BB, do you feel Android's personalization into the priv, as good or just another try to take on google GUI.

Besides Blackberry specific apps, does it comes pre-loaded with bloatware (as they do on BB10), whic one (FYI I consider Facebook Bloatware).

Nothing about this is trying to take on Google's UI. BlackBerry added their bits so their audience would feel at home, and made just about everything opt-in. It's pretty great, I wish Samsung and LG would use this as an example.

 

[BBurg_16827]

How fast is the Wireless charging? Is it more in tune with the Nexus 5 or the speedy Galaxy S6?

 

[murphcid]

I use bluetooth headsets constantly, so how is it on bluetooth?

 

[Russell Holly]

How fast is the Wireless charging? Is it more in tune with the Nexus 5 or the speedy Galaxy S6?

Our models didn't have wireless charging, so I can't touch that yet.

 

[Russell Holly]

I use bluetooth headsets constantly, so how is it on bluetooth?

Bluetooth was solid when working with my Moto 360 2015 and the pair of earbuds I've used so far.

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

Russell, I saw your video review and I can't help but ask several questions, mainly about the keyboard

- How does it feel like typing on it?
- How much faster do you think it is to open an app using a keyboard shortcut than searching for it?
- Did you experience any weird performance hiccups when using any BB services?
- Does the keyboard have a satisfying click feel to it?
- Any features that take advantage of the edged display?

I admit, I'm never the type of person who goes gaga over a physical keyboard, but the one on the Priv looks to be one done in exactly the right way.

 

[BBurg_16827]

What BB apps were preinstalled? Password Keeper was one of my favorite staples.

 

[Russell Holly]

What BB apps were preinstalled? Password Keeper was one of my favorite staples.

Password keeper is there, as well as DTEK, BBHub, BBM, BBM Meetings, device search, content transfer, and the productivity tab.