Lifelong BlackBerry user looking at 3XL

[18t]

As a former BB loyalist, I have officially moved on. Physical keys are the best, but not worth the screen real estate when you have a keyboard option like swype/gboard. I believe pixel phones have the best overall android user experience and would be a good choice, especially if a good camera is important to you.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Pretty seamless transition as you can use the hub and keyboard, I don't like their keyboard but I still use BB Hub. You will be amazed at the speed and fluidity of the Pixel. The notification light is missed though.

 

[chrispmoto]

Thanks for the confirmation guys....
I was tempted by the Mate 20 Pro, but after so many years of the little nagging BlackBerry issues, my wife would have probably shot me if I went for a phone with more issues.
The Pixel is proving to be solid and I am happy and loving it.
Keep thinking if BlackBerry made a phone with an amazing camera I may go back, but who knows now.....
I do really miss the flashing LED, and I am bummed it is not as easy as I thought to get the keyboard.
This Gboard isn't bad tho .....!!

 

[the_boon]

Physical keys are the best, but not worth the screen real estate when you have a keyboard option like swype/gboard.

Gboard and Swiftkey only make typing on glass tolerable (as in not want to make you throw the thing across the room).

I often hear:

"I don't want a keyboard taking up screen real estate"

but never:

"I don't want an extra inch or so of glass taking up keyboard space"

Needless to say, the latter applies to me.

Of course, would be nice to have a KEY3 with OLED display as well as OIS and a bit better camera software (though it will never be in the same ballpark as Google's own)

 

[Almeuit]

Gboard and Swiftkey only make typing on glass tolerable (as in not want to make you throw the thing across the room).

I can honestly say I have never felt this way for typing on a phone. Now those weird scrunched laptop keyboards are another story..

 

[aecgda]

Thanks for the confirmation guys....
I was tempted by the Mate 20 Pro, but after so many years of the little nagging BlackBerry issues, my wife would have probably shot me if I went for a phone with more issues.
The Pixel is proving to be solid and I am happy and loving it.
Keep thinking if BlackBerry made a phone with an amazing camera I may go back, but who knows now.....
I do really miss the flashing LED, and I am bummed it is not as easy as I thought to get the keyboard.
This Gboard isn't bad tho .....!!

I've downloaded the Blackberry keyboard on my Pixel. There is a link to download if on Crackberry and it works fine for me.

 

[Kayza]

. My Passport still works, but occasionally it started developing the dreaded SOS and not being able to connect to the network. briefly, but annoying non the less.

That's a dead man walking. Make sure anything important is backed up and get yourself a new phone.

 

[anon(10092459)]

Maaan... I actually feel for the Blackberry, and Microsoft, ex-pats. If nothing else you guys a loyal group. Lol!

 

[kbalaz]

"Annoying" ?

More like catastrophic failure. The funniest thing is when Passport die-hard bash TCL's devices and praise that phone like the ultimate tank, yet it has one of the worst possible failures in a phone.

somewhere along the lines everyone has glazed over my comment that I am now on Pixel 2XL for the last year. Yes that annoying thing is a failure. I actually ended up with two passports for free. One was pretty beat up but worked, the other was pristine but had the catastrophic failure of SOS. I took them both apart, took the good working motherboard out of the beat up model and placed it into the pristine model with the failed motherboard and made one 'working' model out of the two. I wouldn't call myself diehard anything these days. I have an iPhone 6+ and my Pixel 2XL. Love my Pixel.

 

[Morty2264]

I had been using BlackBerry exclusively when I switched to Android. It was a few years back, but I still went to stock Android - a Nexus 5. If you are switching platforms, getting a stock or close-to-stock phone like a Pixel would help with the transition.

With regards to the lack of LED, I definitely understand what you mean! But AOD is actually not too bad (I've been using it for a few days on my Pixel 2 and it doesn't eat up too much battery at all); and the Pixel technology does have double-tap-to-wake, so you can at least see notifications at a glance like you could with a BlackBerry.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide!

Edit: Just found your post saying you got a Pixel! It may take some time for you to adjust to the virtual keyboard. Do not worry! Perhaps try SwiftKey - that's a good keyboard app, as well!

 

[JSacco]

I'll be switching from the KeyOne to the Pixel 3XL tomorrow. First phone away from BlackBerry. My only concern wanting the BlackBerry virtual keyboard, does it work well?

I'll probably download most of the other BlackBerry apps as well. All opinions are welcome!

 

[o4liberty]

I'll be switching from the KeyOne to the Pixel 3XL tomorrow. First phone away from BlackBerry. My only concern wanting the BlackBerry virtual keyboard, does it work well?

I'll probably download most of the other BlackBerry apps as well. All opinions are welcome!

I own both the keytwo and pixel 3 and by far the pixel is the superior device. Don't get me wrong I love blackberry but they need to up their game to stay in the smartphone business. Good luck with your new pixel!

 

[the_boon]

I own both the keytwo and pixel 3 and by far the pixel is the superior device. Don't get me wrong I love blackberry but they need to up their game to stay in the smartphone business. Good luck with your new pixel!

I doubt the Pixel 3 has a better physical keyboard than the KEY phones, or a bigger battery

But aside from that, as a hardcore BB fanboy, yes the Pixels are better overall

 

[the_boon]

I'll be switching from the KeyOne to the Pixel 3XL tomorrow. First phone away from BlackBerry. My only concern wanting the BlackBerry virtual keyboard, does it work well?

I'll probably download most of the other BlackBerry apps as well. All opinions are welcome!

I would keep both, the KEYone as a daily communicator, and the 3 XL as a media consumption device

 

[JSacco]

It's now been a few days with my Pixel 3XL coming from the KeyOne and I absolutely love this phone. Amazing how smooth it runs and how smart it is.

I did make a couple of tweaks to it like add the Blackberry Keyboard through Cobalt and some other Blackberry features that I always will love but overall the switch has been a great one!

I highly recommend this phone if you don't want to fallow the Samsung or IPhone cults.

 

[the_boon]

It's now been a few days with my Pixel 3XL coming from the KeyOne and I absolutely love this phone. Amazing how smooth it runs and how smart it is.

I did make a couple of tweaks to it like add the Blackberry Keyboard through Cobalt and some other Blackberry features that I always will love but overall the switch has been a great one!

I highly recommend this phone if you don't want to fallow the Samsung or IPhone cults.

I only have one question:

Did you hide the notch in the developer options lol?

 

[JSacco]

hahaha no actually kept it...doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I was never rely worried about it, I saw it as "it gave the phone some character" haha

 

[chrispmoto]

Yes, works just fine once you get it downloaded.... Its not in the Playstore...

I'll be switching from the KeyOne to the Pixel 3XL tomorrow. First phone away from BlackBerry. My only concern wanting the BlackBerry virtual keyboard, does it work well?

I'll probably download most of the other BlackBerry apps as well. All opinions are welcome!

 

[aecgda]

It's now been a few days with my Pixel 3XL coming from the KeyOne and I absolutely love this phone. Amazing how smooth it runs and how smart it is.

I did make a couple of tweaks to it like add the Blackberry Keyboard through Cobalt and some other Blackberry features that I always will love but overall the switch has been a great one!

I highly recommend this phone if you don't want to fallow the Samsung or IPhone cults.

I always bought BlackBerry phones and loved the classic style. The Motion is a great phone with a massive battery. However they have limitations and the Pixel 3XL is very good. First thing I did though was download the Blackberry keyboard and their other apps. Simple but very effective.

 

[aecgda]

I only have one question:

Did you hide the notch in the developer options lol?

As an ex - BlackBerry I've hidden the notch! Didn't especially bother me but looks cleaner without it.