While the NASDAQ, DJI, and S&P 500 took a dive today – it seems BlackBerry was feeling quite optimistic. I, like everyone else out there that has money in the stock market, enjoy waking up in the morning and seeing all those green numbers on my screen, however, today – my screen was covered in red. BlackBerry was the sole security that refused to go down, on a down day. Green. This is the kind of defiance I love to see from this company.
As I was shuffling through the news on Stocks for BlackBerry 10 (my favorite app), I stumbled across this article whose author was reciting a series of events that led him to the conclusion that the Z10 is just a powerhouse of a phone and how you should get one.
It presented a real world situation, with a real world solution and comparison to the other phones on the market and what they might have done in a similar situation. I mean, every phone has their limitations – but having the opportunity to have used every phone now, consumers can decide what they like. Doesn’t matter the brand, it matters what that particular device does for you.
What I like most about the new BlackBerry 10 OS in general is the fact that there are bells, whistles, and it just somehow seems to work. But it’s nothing mind blowing; its solid, it’s real. I’d trade flashy for solid any day, but that’s me. Some people like showing off the notably unique features of their phones, but at the end of the day whether it’s an Apple, Android, or BlackBerry; they all have their flaws. What you need to find in a device is one that will be there for you. You can’t expect to spend all that money and get something that follows your eyes, “feels” your hand before you touch the screen, and lacks the ability to truly multitask. That’s cool, but what does it do that my Windows NT computer couldn’t do?
This thought was provoked by the fact that my younger sister is in the market for a new phone, and like the good big brother I am I suggested a BlackBerry. Well she knows I am a huge fan, blog about it, have been touting a BlackBerry for the past 7 or so years…so she knew I was going to say that. She told me that she was drawn to the phone that was flashier, that was on TV and flaunted it’s cool features to mask the fact that the actual device itself was on par at best. I told her to go in to a Verizon store and play with the devices; see which one she actually liked. Think if you’d actually use those features and if they’d contribute to the actual user experience.
It’s all about what you want your phone to do for you. If you like the bells, whistles, ribbons, and confetti feel of the phone – get it! If you want something that just works and has really cool innovations that, yes, are admittedly a bit overdue – then consider BlackBerry. It won’t disappoint.
The blog post I was reading struck a chord with me; it really made me think about how often we overlook the fact that our phones can or can’t get the job done when needed. In the author’s case, BlackBerry came though – and in a big way. If you want to read the article, it’s right here. See for yourself. You’re stuck. You just need your phone to work. It doesn’t. Regardless of the brand or your loyalty, that has to be a frustrating experience. From my own experience, it’s been a love-hate relationship with BlackBerry, up until now. Recently I can’t say that I’ve ever had the “I wanna put my phone through this wall, right now!” moment with my Z10 (I can bear the random reboots from time to time, but that’s my only gripe!)
Look, I know we all bring our biases into purchasing a device, but I feel as if lately we have been converging on a mobile computing market that has become more united. The fan boys still exist, but their fervor carries more of an apathetic tone. I still love BlackBerry, I would never be caught dead with an iPhone, but I’d consider an Android. Windows Phone is another contender…but it’s too basic for me.
I have come to appreciate the changes I’ve seen all around me and it makes me thankful for all we have. Wow, how great it is to be so passionate about something that we actually defend our choice; we defend those that chose and continue to choose. I think this is the old way of thinking and now that we BlackBerry diehards have a phone we can actually stand behind (and one that stands up for itself) we don’t have to argue a point, we just have to wait until everyone figures it out on their own.
Until then, I’ll be here – playing the same games, using the same apps, just on MY BlackBerry.