Ta Da! [Updated]
A few weeks ago I broke my mobile phone, a OnePlus One device that had served me faithfully for two and a half years. So, I went smartphone shopping. First I swung by the TMobile store and looked at their current offerings and left less than impressed.
For those of you who don't use TMo as your mobile provider you've probably never stepped foot in a TMo store and seen their displays: Apple takes up one wall and Samsung takes up another. Sure, there's a slight corner where they showcase some lower end devices, LG and HTC phones, as well as tablets and accessories, but their large push is with i-devices and Samsungs.
Neither of those choices were options for me. Not that there is a problem with either, but personal preference. I've been in the Android ecosystem for far too long to suddenly switch to the limitations built into iOS and Samsung's ship with far too much bloatware.
As my long time readers will note, I've been searching for a device with a physical keyboard we well. I'd actually planned on replacing my OnePlus One with an couple year old Blackberry Passport but worried the form factor would be too square for pockets. I did like the width and the keyboard, which is still labeled as a favorite by Blackberry fanatics and the current version of BB10 does allow for loading of Android apps, which makes Blackberry's World seem tolerable.
But then I started looked at the Priv, Blackberry's last keyboard smartphone and first Android foray. While I wasn't married to Android, it would be a seamless transition to the Priv and the price was right for a new, or nearly new, deivce. Sure, it was a year and a half old, but that didn't matter as the internal specs were still up there with other device manufacturer's flagship devices and since I was working with a three year old device recently, the Priv's specs were still a step up. And for less than half the price of a more recent flagship? No brainer. And while some people have complaints about the Priv, they're mostly subjective: too small, too narrow, too slow, not an iPhone, not a Samsung, not as cool as my friend's Pixel, etc.
But then I looked at other year-old phones: The Nexus 6P, LG V10, Axiom Something-or-Other - heck, I even looked at the Sony Xperia and Motorolas - but I kept coming back to the Priv. I think it has to do with fond memories of my Pearl 8120, my last non-Android device and Blackberry's sleek design that isn't the same tired copy of a rectangle with rounded edges.
I watched dozens of YouTube videos that discussed whether or not the Priv holds up a year later and how it compares to other flagship devices from it's own time as well as more contemporary offerings and I have to say, it wasn't bad.
If you haven't guess already, I ended up purchasing a Blackberry Priv. After looking at eBay and then Amazon, I chose buying from a "Amazon fulfillment" affiliate and instead of buying new, I bought "like new" which Amazon classifies as:
I chose an Amazon fulfillment affiliate simply because Amazon as a decent returns policy. If the wrong device arrives (I ordered a "from the factory" non-branded unlocked device) then I can return it no questions asked. An "authorized" eBay seller I found had a far less liberal policy.
It may have been an hour or two after I purchased the Priv that I saw a contemporary (to the Priv) Windows10 device available for just a little more. Again, I'm not married to Android and would have gladly tried another OS out - except for iOS. I'm actually one of the few people enjoying Windows10 on their computer so I figured on a mobile phone wouldn't be too bad, either. And, just maybe, it would perform better without a gazillion apps always trying to sync to the web and track me all over the place.
And, as I sit here waiting on FedEx or UPS to deliver my new(ish) Priv I also run across a new Windows10 device that was recently reviewed as a perfectly good.
Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means unhappy with my choice (assuming the new Priv is [1] the one I ordered, [2] in good operational condition and [3] I'm sure there's a three), but Google already knows far too much about me and I'd like to try something different. It's like eating the same sammich every day or always owning an R6, never trying out any of the competitor's options.
Gah! So, I still don't have the device and now I have to wait a week or two for a refund so I can buy a new one.
Can we say, giant PITA?
For those of you who don't use TMo as your mobile provider you've probably never stepped foot in a TMo store and seen their displays: Apple takes up one wall and Samsung takes up another. Sure, there's a slight corner where they showcase some lower end devices, LG and HTC phones, as well as tablets and accessories, but their large push is with i-devices and Samsungs.
Neither of those choices were options for me. Not that there is a problem with either, but personal preference. I've been in the Android ecosystem for far too long to suddenly switch to the limitations built into iOS and Samsung's ship with far too much bloatware.
As my long time readers will note, I've been searching for a device with a physical keyboard we well. I'd actually planned on replacing my OnePlus One with an couple year old Blackberry Passport but worried the form factor would be too square for pockets. I did like the width and the keyboard, which is still labeled as a favorite by Blackberry fanatics and the current version of BB10 does allow for loading of Android apps, which makes Blackberry's World seem tolerable.
But then I started looked at the Priv, Blackberry's last keyboard smartphone and first Android foray. While I wasn't married to Android, it would be a seamless transition to the Priv and the price was right for a new, or nearly new, deivce. Sure, it was a year and a half old, but that didn't matter as the internal specs were still up there with other device manufacturer's flagship devices and since I was working with a three year old device recently, the Priv's specs were still a step up. And for less than half the price of a more recent flagship? No brainer. And while some people have complaints about the Priv, they're mostly subjective: too small, too narrow, too slow, not an iPhone, not a Samsung, not as cool as my friend's Pixel, etc.
I watched dozens of YouTube videos that discussed whether or not the Priv holds up a year later and how it compares to other flagship devices from it's own time as well as more contemporary offerings and I have to say, it wasn't bad.
Is the hexacore 808 Snapdragon processor slower than the modern octacore ones? Sure, just as a V6 is going to be a little slower than a V8 off the line. And like the difference between a V6 and a V8 only becomes an issue when putting a heavy load on the vehicle. Aside from some photo and video editing apps I rarely place heavy loads on my devices. In other words, I don't run processor intensive games, 3D graphics or anything else. So, a hexacore processor seems fine to me.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jP3L1-RyL0
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0PjzmgWPso
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CddVDGaWseY
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-jYDRd_53w
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwBfLUoldG4
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lduoQCOR8vw
- ... and many more.
If you haven't guess already, I ended up purchasing a Blackberry Priv. After looking at eBay and then Amazon, I chose buying from a "Amazon fulfillment" affiliate and instead of buying new, I bought "like new" which Amazon classifies as:
 |
| https://goo.gl/bQ6WHF |
It may have been an hour or two after I purchased the Priv that I saw a contemporary (to the Priv) Windows10 device available for just a little more. Again, I'm not married to Android and would have gladly tried another OS out - except for iOS. I'm actually one of the few people enjoying Windows10 on their computer so I figured on a mobile phone wouldn't be too bad, either. And, just maybe, it would perform better without a gazillion apps always trying to sync to the web and track me all over the place.
And, as I sit here waiting on FedEx or UPS to deliver my new(ish) Priv I also run across a new Windows10 device that was recently reviewed as a perfectly good.
Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means unhappy with my choice (assuming the new Priv is [1] the one I ordered, [2] in good operational condition and [3] I'm sure there's a three), but Google already knows far too much about me and I'd like to try something different. It's like eating the same sammich every day or always owning an R6, never trying out any of the competitor's options.
UPDATE
So, my Priv arrived earlier. I unpacked the box and powered up the device to get the SIM card in and the battery charging. Much to my delight the battery was already at 100% but my current SIM card wouldn't fit into the SIM card tray. Apparently I have a "standard" SIM and the Priv takes a "nano"-SIM.
After checking with T-Mobile (and that deserves a post all in itself) I was able to get the right size SIM card ordered. It's due here on Thursday.
But, I have the capability to connect to wifi and at least get apps downloading and set-up complete. Much to my dismay I couldn't connect one of my Google Accounts with the Priv. I kept getting a notice that said I needed to log in with the Google Account that was previously associated with this device.
So, I do some research hoping there's a way to restore to factory settings without being able to log into the phone first but apparently there's not. Instead, I find this article: http://crackberry.com/how-factory-reset-your-blackberry-priv
Specifically of note is:
So, I contact Amazon Technical Support and go through the whole thing with them. The CSR was very understanding and sent me a return shipping label.Similar to BlackBerry 10 and its Anti-theft protection, the process for the Priv includes additional security measures. For example, when you first setup your device, Factory Reset Protection (FRP), or Android Device Protection, is enabled by default when you activate your Google account to ensure it is not operated by anyone other than you, especially in cases of theft or when misplaced.Now there is one caveat with regards to FRP protection. Before wiping the device, it is highly recommended removing or logging out of your Google accounts. The reason being is that you run the risk of either being locked out of your Google account or being prompted to re-enter the Google credentials used prior to resetting when the Setup Wizard runs upon reboot. For those who wish to sell or give their device to another user, this could prevent them from activating their own Google account.
Gah! So, I still don't have the device and now I have to wait a week or two for a refund so I can buy a new one.
Can we say, giant PITA?
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