BlackBerry Priv

Blackberry I will always love you, and you just really got to me with the PRIV. I am still a BB fan deep down, so PRIV is quite a delight. Many details still confirm my opinion that it is more efficient and logical than so many other smartphones. “Privacy Matters” is a reminder of Blackberry’s legendary security, and gives it a catchy name as well.

Hardware wise, it’s almost perfect for me. PRIV’s diversity lays in two major features for me, the slide form factor with Qwerty keyboard, and the Android OS. It feels sturdy but no larger than other devices I use. It took a few minutes for me to adjust to having the power button on the left side, but that is minor. Durability is key for me, and the Priv. I absolutely love having the keyboard, although it is a bit small to type on. Many of my favorite shortcuts are there: (holding down a letter to capitalize, Alt functions, number keypad to the left) but many other useful additions over the old school (double tap for mouse, flick up for auto correct, swipe left to erase a word). So far, the battery has just been excellent even with frequent Hotspot use.

Video Review

There are many hybrid blackberry and android features that just make sense. In this case, I loaded both Booredfemme email addresses. These two conveniently now have shortcuts at either top corner of my home screen. This is smart placement, as i can quickly access either email. The bottom center icon of the home screen is set to the app search, which made customization quick, and below that is a three swype short cut. You can set which favorite apps you want within a quick swype up, down, left, or right. Swyping up to the right brings you right to the Blackberry Hub. I still love the Hub, and its appearance seems more streamlined than the last device I reviewed. The Hub is a straightforward snapshot of your various accounts. The Productivity tab on the right seems similar to the Samsung Galaxy Edge function, but with more organizing capability rather than favorite people. All in all, it is the perfect blend of Blackberry convenience and straightforward functions, helpful shortcuts, and Android operating system and app availability. It is currently available on AT&T and T Mobile’s networks ($720-$740 full retail)

Unboxing