BlackBerry Style first impressions

BlackBerry Style first impressions

It has been a full week with the BlackBerry Style and the phone is really starting to grow on me. I previously had the Curve 8330 and for just a few weeks prior to the Style I had moved over to the EVO. Having the EVO too has given me a great perspective on the Style and why someone might chose it.

My top four Pros:

6.0 OS
Previous BB users will appreciate the familiarity of this OS. The overall functionality is improved over the previous version. I found the internet experience on the curve to be difficult and fortunately the new OS finally brings an easy web experience. Menus are easy to navigate and I love the simplicity.

Camera
I am huge camera lover and the 5.0 MP camera of the Style really delivers with flash, autofocus, geotagging, and wide variety of scene modes. A big win over the EVO here for me is the dedicated convenience key. This wonderful option allows the user to set a dedicated button on the side of the phone to launch the camera. 

Screen
Ok yes the screen is small compared to the EVO however it does have one tremendous advantage for people like me that spend a lot of time outside.  It has great visibility in direct sunlight. With the EVO, I found myself seeking some shade or another dark cover anytime I was outside. Not a problem with this phone. I think this is pretty important for the active customer.

The flip

I love the flip design and the overall form factor of this device. There was a time when the competition was to get phones smaller at it seems lately the phones are like carrying around my home TV. The flip design fits nicely in the palm of my hand, pocket, back of bike and anywhere. No worries about breaking the screen or sitting on it.

My top three NOs

APPs
BlackBerry likes to say they go for quality over quantity when it comes to apps and as you know there are more than 7,000 available. Do we really need 10 fart apps? BlackBerry says no. At the same time, I would like to see more variety and more free options.

Camera
Just moments ago I was talking about how much I love the camera. One drawback is the placement of the lens.  It is hard to launch without covering with a finger but I am sure I will get better.

Keyboard
I think they did the best they could to cram a keyboard in but the buttons are just a little too close for me even thought I have tiny fingers. My guess is this may be an issue for someone with larger hands.

That is it for now and more to come.

Finally getting the Style next week

After several weeks of waiting the word is that I will be getting the BlackBerry Style next week. I was lucky enough to be selected as a Product Ambassador for this phone by Sprint (my employer) This great program lets employees try out our newest devices right at launch as our personal phones so that we can review them and give feedback to the company. We also get the great opportunity to share our thoughts with customers through social media and events. I especially respect that we are told very clearly to be completely honest with our feedback both positive and negative.

I will have pretty good perspective on this phone since I was a BlackBerry Curve user until very recently. I have been using the 4G EVO Android device as my personal phone the last two weeks and that is going to help even more with a comparison.

Anyway, I am excited about next week.

Any BB lovers out there already using this device?  What do you think about so far?

The reviews keep coming….(BlackBerry Style)

I have been following a lot of customer comments and reviews online since the launch of the BlackBerry Style over the weekend.

Here are a few comments I captured this morning from a variety of sources:

“Blackberry OS 6.0 looks so purrrty.”

“Just saw a #blackberry that is just taking my breath away! Besides the #tourch CHECK OUT the BB #style!!! To Die For!!!”

“Im stoked to pick mine up as soon as best Buy opens no mail in rebate! Im glad to see it's getting good reviews it's supposed to look way better in person once you get your hands on it”

“Am glad they have these for those who want a flip I prefer the candybar type phones always have but it is nice to see RIM doing this for those who prefer it. I have a friend who wants to try BB and this might be a better choice for her because she is rough on her phones”

Here is a review from PC Magazine

Here is a review from CrackBerry.com

Here is a review from slashgear.com

My own hands on thoughts are on hold as I wait for my device to arrive. Can't wait and am hoping for it to get here soon!

Now that it has been out a few days what do you think?