Review: BlackBerry Q10

At a time when every smartphone maker seems to be ditching the QWERTY for a touchscreen, it is rather surprising that BlackBerry (BB) chose to persist with the keyboard in their latest product, Q10.

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BlackBerry Q10

Quick specs: 1.5 GHz dual core processor with 2 GB RAM, 8 MP primary camera with full HD, 2 MP secondary camera, 3.1-inch super amoled display and 16 GB internal memory

USP: Smartphone with high-end features and a QWERTY keypad

Official price: ₹ 44,990

BEST price: ₹ 37,572 (ebay.in)

At a time when every smartphone maker seems to be ditching the QWERTY for a touchscreen, it is rather surprising that BlackBerry (BB) chose to persist with the keyboard in their latest product, Q10. The model also has a lot in common, in terms of features and software, with BB's flagship phone, the Z10, which was launched a few months ago.

Pros: The phone is smooth to operate. Gestures like swipe and pinching make it easy for users to multi-task and explore the many features of the phone simultaneously. One of the things that we've always loved about the BB was that we could access emails and texts in one tab. This has been further expanded with the BB Hub, which now also syncs Twitter, Foursquare and WhatsApp etc, with your phone. The Internet Explorer 10 works smoothly and makes browsing a pleasant experience. And typing with the physical keypad is smooth, though after using a touchscreen for years, it took getting used to.

Cons: The phone's camera isn't the best in the market. For a phone that costs over ₹ 40,000, having a decent camera that gives print-worthy images isn't too much to expect. Also, on multiple occasions while we attempted to play games, the phone hung, forcing us to restart it. Lastly, the apps on the BB World definitely need work.

Verdict: BB has managed to mix features of a new-age smartphone with an old-fashioned QWERTY keypad. Only thing, is there an audience for this mix?