BlackBerryClassic UK SIM-Free 4G Smartphone (QWERTY Keyboard) - Black

I LOVE THIS PHONE!! I changed up from a Blackberry Q10 which I also liked a lot. I thought the only differences were the extra hard keys and the trackpad but then discovered another difference is a marginally bigger screen, a useful plus. It is still square though so if you use your phone primarily for widescreen video then it is probably not for you although it works well enough in this regard. Otherwise it is mostly fantastic: the keyboard is rock solid and very easy to use; the trackpad works well although you can still use the touchscreen instead; the answer/end call hard keys are infallible; the speaker sound quality is good, Blackberry 10 is fast and intuitive, the app choices are enough for me (if having access to every useful and useless app on the planet is high on your list of priorities then you already know this phone is not for you); the call quality is excellent; WiFi works well.Regarding bluetooth in your car: another reviewer wrote that the Classic wouldn't pair with their particular car. Well I have a fairly new BMW 3 Series and the phone paired quickly and painlessly. Calls work well and I can also stream music (or any audio) to the car and the song info appears on the car's centre screen. Incidentally last time I checked BMW do not make a specific cradle for the Classic but they do make a universal snap-in adapter with accommodates the Classic/Q10 well, charges the phone and picks up the antenna via induction to use the car's external antenna like other adapters. Check it out - my dealer had no idea it existed until I ordered it.To sum up, this is a fantastic phone that will suit most people's needs probably better than many other smartphones. Try it!

May be a good device but thick, heavy and bulky. Unfit for proper business usage.

I had great hopes for this, did a lot of research, and recognised it would be quite different. I can manage change, but I can't accept loss of function.This is a big phone, which is ok - we all wanted a bigger screen. It's a heavy phone - OK, I wanted a battery that lasts a long time, and you can't flip the back off and pop another one in (shame). Build quality is superb - just like the 9900.The killer for me is that this v.10 of BBOS does not support auto-BCC to yourself on sent mail - a must if you need a proper record of sent mail to replicate back to a PC. BB just tell you to switch to IMAP / switch mail provider and rely on the cloud for storage. Every other phone has this, as did the older Bold, and it was there for good reason. Without that the phone is useless to me. With it, I still probably would not be happy - BBHub for messages that puts everything in one place (actually, I do not want texts, twitter, mail, facebook and everything else on one screen). This is for work, and mostly I just want mail. I can see if there is a text and switch to that if I want to on my bold - why not this?Other niggles - for the bigger screen, there is no more information on it because it is dumbed down with big icons at the top and bottom, so a list of messages has almost the same number as the bold. Then some of the older apps are not supported or available any more. Google Maps for example. yes you can get an app that uses google maps, but not the proper google version. I kept finding that people have written apps to overcome shortcomings in the operating system, but overall this is supposed to be a productivity tool and it's just not as slick as the bold. I stuck with BB because I wanted the BB keyboard to punch out messages quicker and more accurately than a glass one. Also the trackpad. None of this counts if the underlying SW is deficient (and this is). So the phone has gone back, and I will continue with the old bold. Which is a shame because BB got right on with the HW - if only they had left the SW alone. Maybe they will get there, but I have to say an Iphone6 or Samsung would be my choice right now if I was forced to change (even with the glass keyboard). Fortunately I can continue with the Bold.

For those who can't be bothered to read the whole review, here's a short summary; if you currently use an older BlackBerry, like a Bold 9900, and resisted going to the newer BlackBerry's running OS 10 because you hate touch screens or gesture driven interfaces, you will love the Classic. This handset was made especially for you. It's absolutely fantastic.For those who have tired of the sea of identikit touch screen mobiles and are hankering for a proper keyboard so they can be more productive, look no further. The Classic ticks every box.For anyone else who is just curious, fancies a change or would like to move away from the bug fest and spying adware of Android, the Classic or any other BlackBerry device running OS10 is worth a look.If you like downloading lots of apps or prefer to install your own ROM's, heavily customise the UI or want the latest cutting edge specs, or you watch a lot of movies on your phone, the Classic is not for you.LONG VERSIONI hate touch screen keyboards on mobile phones. I hate them with a passion. I hate them more than going to the beach with no change of clothes and getting sand down my pants. More than going to a decent restaurant on my birthday and being served lousy food in minute portions by a haughty waiter. I even hate touch screen mobiles more than those smug politicians who smirk "it's within the rules" when caught claiming dubious expenses and mortgage interest payments on a dingy one bed flat in Central London that apparently is their "main home". Well, maybe not that much. In short, if touch screen keyboards were put in the stocks, I'd be first in the queue with a bag of rotten fruit and veg.And I've tried to like them, believe me. I've had large mobiles (Samsung Galaxy Note 2), small mobiles (Xperia Compact Z1), hybrid mobiles (HTC Desire Z), installed every single half decent keyboard from Google Play including Swype, Touchpal, SwiftKey, Google Keyboard, Smart Keyboard, HTC Sense, Fleksy and even the Hackers keyboard but never found one that I could live with on a day-to-day basis. I've owned the BB Z30, iPhone 5S and even the Windows Phone but they all have the same issue for me which is a touch screen keyboard that is about as useful as diet water. Even the Q10 wasn't suitable as it had no trackpad.The big problem is accuracy. Or rather a lack of. Sure, you might be able to bang out an email in half a minute but it then takes another five minutes to correct because the prediction never works very well (especially for non standard words) and jabbing a finger at the screen to position the cursor is about as accurate as a Bank Holiday weather forecast. And that's not even taking into account the overall touch screen experience which is horribly deficient ergonomically. You need fingers like ET to stretch for some of those ridiculous gestures and forget about using any touch screen phone with one hand.The Classic then is the answer. Not only is it a serious communication tool but it also offers a best-in-class keyboard with trackpad (albeit in a class with numbers you can count on one hand), bullet proof messaging and a slick fluid comfortable UI that doesn't depend on a sole touch screen experience. In short, this is a mobile phone for grownups.DISCLAIMERI like BlackBerry's, but am by no means a raving fanatic who refuses to acknowledge there are other better devices. Ultimately, it all depends on what you use your mobile for and what features are the most important for you as an individual. I've previously tried touch screen BlackBerry's and didn't like them. I had a Q10 for a while which has a proper keyboard but the mix between keyboard and touch screen was a compromise. I really like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (the later versions are/were "meh") and reckon the iPhone offers a market leading user experience however neither appeals to me as much as the Classic for the reasons mentioned above.UNBOXINGSo the Classic then. In the ultra tiny box you will find the phone, headphones, manuals, USB lead, power adaptor and a metal tool for popping out the SIM and micro SD slots. Everything is very snugly packed and the box is basically the size of the Classic. There is no leather case included that you get with the older OS7 phones but I really like that the power adaptor is now just a basic small plug with a USB connection rather than the older chargers that came with a myriad of universal connectors with a lead that couldn't be changed and tended to snap. Special mention to the bundled in-ear earphones too which are very good and much better than the usual cheap junk provided with most mobiles.The Classic has a screen protector on the front and another on the back which can be removed if required or, as I do, left on until you get a suitable case or other protection. The actual touch screen is Gorilla Glass 3 so a screen protector is not absolutely necessary. The SIM is nano size and there is also a slot for a micro SD card up to 128GB. You simply insert the provided tool into the hole next to the tray which then pops out and put in your SIM card and optionally, your micro SD. I would much rather the card slots were on the back so they don't require a tool but I've never had to regularly swap out either so it's no issue. The Classic has 16GB of internal storage of which about 11GB is free.Despite being larger than the Bold 9900, you can use the Classic keyboard with one hand unlike the Passport which is strictly a two handed device. However, the weight can make reaching for the left hand keys a bit precarious and besides, seasoned BlackBerry user's will be well versed in furious two handed typing anyway for the optimum speed and maximum productivity. They're not called CrackBerry's for nothing.BUILD QUALITYThe Classic feels reassuringly solid with a metal bezel surrounding the casing and everything is exceedingly well put together with a quality finish. It's also quite heavy topping the scales at 177g which doesn't sound much but is decidedly higher than comparable phones. There are no creaks, bends or flex to the keyboard but the toolbelt is one single strip rather than the far more preferable individual keys like with the Bold 9790. To summarise, the Classic feels like a premium handset even if the specs are not.START-UPSwitch on the BB Classic and the first thing you'll notice is the slow start time. This is not because of the initial configuration or anything like that; it's just slow to start. Compared to Android, the Classic takes a good few minutes until you see the main screen and until then, the screen just shows a BlackBerry logo with a progress bar letting you know how long it'll take to finish firing up.Upon starting, immediately there was a notification to download and apply a system update to OS 10.3 with the update coming in at just under 300MB. For some reason, the download was quite sluggish despite being connected to a strong wifi signal. I can only assume the BlackBerry servers were being hammered at the time. Once done, the actual update was even slower and took almost two hours to finish installing whereupon the Classic was automatically restarted.Unlike Android phones, some of which barely get more than a single cursory upgrade before being abandoned for the latest shiny, the BlackBerry range gets full support. Even the Q10 launched two years ago can be upgraded to 10.3 and this shows the commitment that BlackBerry offers to its mobile devices (don't mention the PlayBook!) as well the confidence in the OS which has matured significantly since launch with lots of incremental and useful upgrades.DISPLAYThe Classic has a 3.5" 720 x 720 square touch screen display. It's not AMOLED or IPS but the quality is excellent and looks as good as the IPS displays I've seen on Xperia and Huawei mobiles. Text is crisp and legible, colour saturation is natural and blacks are not washed out grey. The square screen really makes sense when browsing websites and working with documents or emails as you can consume so much more content in a readable format. I couldn't care less that it's not a HD resolution since more pixels = more work for the CPU to do = shorter battery life. I'll much rather take a lower resolution and increased battery life any day. The actual ppi of the Classic is 294 pp which is comfortably higher than it needs to be whilst the sharp contrast and bright screen ensure you won't be squinting in bright sunlight..OS AND HARDWARE KEYSThere are plenty of detailed reviews about OS10 so I won't cover it in detail here. Suffice to say that despite the Classic's two year old specs, the UI is fast, slick and with no lag. I never experience any slowdown or pauses and all the native games run beautifully at full speed.The lock screen shows notifications (which can be customised) along with your next event. You can swipe to unlock or enter a code or use the power button to switch the screen on and off. However, the calendar only shows your next appointment, even if you have several on the same day. From the lock screen, and if configured, you can jump directly to the notification or fire up the camera.There are some added goodies that have been introduced with OS 10.3 on the Classic. Profiles are now available just like with OS7 so no need to download an app for this. I've never understood why Android phones don't have proper profiles (apart from Huawei) and instead rely on a user having to download a third party app for what is basic functionality since the old Nokia feature phones.BlackBerry's have always been known for the LED notification and full LED customisation is now included out of the box. You can choose the colour for different types of events and again, whilst an app can do the same thing, it's always good to have it included as standard. I have emails set to green and messages to red.There is also a proper home screen that shows your active frames which are essentially widgets. However, if you close all active frames, the home screen just shows wallpaper which is a little strange. There is no Today screen from the old BlackBerry's which I miss so if you close your calendar active frame you then have to fire up the calendar app (or use the Hub) to see your appointments and schedule.OS10 relies heavily on gestures but with the Classic, everything can be navigated solely through the trackpad which makes it a joy to use. No more obscuring the screen with fingers or prodding this, that or the other only for it to do something different than the intended action. The trackpad ensures fast accurate selection and, coupled with the back and menu keys, you can breeze through OS10 in a much quicker fluid manner than just using the touch screen. It's also more ergonomic and a lot less tiring than continuously swiping plus you won't end up with a grubby screen. The trackpad is smaller than that found on the Bold 9900 but this is no issue. And the touchscreen is always there if you do want to use it. Just like the Bold 9900, the seamless blend of trackpad and touch screen is so well thought out that switching between them becomes second nature. Although you will buy the Classic for the keyboard and trackpad, the touchscreen is well integrated and always there if you need it without a jarring user experience.The hardware keys have been sorely missed from phones since the crazy obsession with touch screen mobiles took over the market. Making a call is now a simple matter of pressing the call button which brings up your recent list. Or you can start typing away on the wonderful keyboard to find a contact and then press call. No more having to fire up the phone app, pull down the keyboard, enter a name, correct the name, close the keyboard, select from the matching results, go back and select again because you have sausage fingers and chose the wrong name, and then press dial. The call button is also used to answer a call and I cannot tell you how much of a relief it is to no longer swipe for this essential functionality.The menu button does what it says on the tin; opens up the menu for any app where applicable or, if you hold, shows you all open apps (called Active Frames) through which you can toggle. The back button takes you back to the previous screen or closes the menu if open and will also close any active frames on the home screen whilst the end call button, apart from the obvious, will take you to the home screen or switch off the phone (there are also options to restart or sleep when doing so).Collectively, these four keys and the trackpad hugely enhance the user experience by making it easy for newbie's to start being productive whilst retaining the familiarity for OS7 users who are not prepared to go the full touch screen route. For those who are familiar with touch screens, you're well catered for with obvious and sensible gestures such as swipe down for the settings and swipe up to minimise an app. If you regularly use your phone as an actual phone, the call keys are a blessing.Along the right hand side are the volume and mute keys. There is no convenience key like with the Bold but the volume/mute keys are separate buttons rather than on a rocker which is much nicer to use. They're also placed where they should be, right under your thumb (if you're right handed) instead of the opposite side by your fingers like with the Samsung Galaxy range that makes volume adjustment, in call or otherwise, far too awkward.KEYBOARDThis is the reason you will buy a BlackBerry Classic and it won't let you down. The keyboard is epic. If you are familiar with the Bold 9900, widely recognised as having the best keyboard in the business, the Classic is pretty much identical apart from the layout; the Bold keys are curved at an angle whereas the Classic are arranged in straight rows. The keys don't have a lot of travel and there is a satisfying soft touch click when you press. Of course, there are all the wonderful BlackBerry shortcut keys available too so you can assign pretty much anything as a shortcut whilst the out-of-the-box default shortcuts are not only carried across from the Bold 9900, but extended further and much improved. The keyboard is also backlit along with the hardware keys but the trackpad is not.Unlike some other phones I have used that also have a hardware keyboard (e.g. the Samsung Omnia Pro), there is no option to use an on-screen keyboard which makes sense. Why would you buy a mobile with a proper keyboard and then revert to a touch screen alternative?You don't really realise how good a hardware keyboard is until you use one in earnest. For example, I can start typing on the home screen and the Classic will immediately show me matching results, be it contacts, messages, emails, appointments, notes, tasks, apps, Internet search or whatever (you can customise what is searched for). You simply can't do this with a pure touch screen phone. Speed dialling is what I have missed hugely on Android and it's so lovely to have it back; instantly, right on the home screen where it should be.The keyboard is also smart enough to figure out which case to use. When creating a new contact for example, the Alt key is automatically switched on when the telephone field has focus so you can just start typing in the numbers without having to press Alt first.If I have one critical observation, and this is common to all BlackBerry's, it's that I would much rather the symbol or number was entered when doing a long press of a key rather than accented letters which are likely to be useless for most people since your keyboard will already have the letters you require in your language.CAMERAAn 8MB rear camera and 2MB front camera do a perfectly adequate job of taking shots but I found the 8MB camera was not quite as good as the equivalent 8MB sensor found on a Samsung Galaxy, especially for macro shots. Shutter speed is hugely faster than older BlackBerry's though and the standard software is great, offering panoramic, burst and HDR options. Touch focus is also present whilst shots can be taken by clicking the trackpad which is much, much quicker than jabbing the screen. The camera noise also respects your profiles so if set to silent, there is no camera shutter noise. This is something that really annoyed me with the Bold 9900 so it's good to see that it's been addressed. Overall, the picture quality of the Classic is top notch and streets ahead of the older OS7 phones that look embarassingly clunky and slow in comparison.Video's can be captured at full 1080p HD resolution with a rate of 30fps and the front camera also offers video calling for apps like Skype or BlackBerry's own meetings app.MEDIAUsers will not buy a BlackBerry for its media capabilities and the benchmark for rich media features is still the Sony Xperia range of mobiles. However, the usual media functionalities are available on the Classic and more than sufficient with no need for anything extensive. A music player, video player and gallery tick all the boxes and the Classic also has an FM Radio which has been sorely missed from previously BlackBerry's. You can also edit pictures and videos and the YouTube app is included by default although it's just a shortcut to the web site using the browser.One consequence of the square screen is that movies play with thick borders due to the resolution. Again, not a problem for me but if you consume a lot of media, especially movies, the Classic is probably not for you.APP STOREPeople tend to bang on about how the BlackBerry App Store is severely lacking in content but the long and short of it is that you don't really *need* an app store with a gazillion pointless apps like Google Play, half of which are cheap knock offs of a proper fully functional default app and the other half dubious spying adware to spam users with offers nobody clicks on.Nonetheless, the Classic has both the official BlackBerry World and, because it can also run Android apps, the Amazon Appstore. You can also side load Android apps directly and the added bonus is that Android runs in a sandbox meaning you can selectively allow permissions to prevent spying rubbish from getting access to your data. There is even an app called Snap that, once installed, will let you log onto Google Play using your own account and download apps directly from the official Google Play site. Impressive, no?In essence, BlackBerry World is perfectly adequate and has more than enough content. I'm not the type who feels the need to download hundreds of apps; if my phone doesn't do most of what I want out of the box, I'll get rid of it and buy something that does and fortunately, the Classic does pretty much everything I need. The notable missing exception for me from BlackBerry World is Shazam which I tend to use a lot but this was easily solved by side loading an Android version that runs perfectly.And yes, a native BlackBerry version of WhatsApp is available!GAMESThere are no games included but plenty to download from BlackBerry World, Amazon App store or Google Play. Angry Birds, Crossy Road, Bubble Witch Saga, Candy Crush and a bunch of other top tier Android games I tried all work great on the Classic. However, contrary to popular belief, there are hundreds of top quality gaming titles available on BlackBerry World so there's really no need to go down the Android route. You also have the reassurance that native BlackBerry titles will work quicker and are specifically designed for the platform thus ensuring an optimum user experience for the rather unorthodox screen resolution.BROWSINGThe Web browsing speed of the Classic is absolutely blazing. It pretty much canes most other phones in HTML5 tests and the difference between the Classic and painfully slow Bold 9900 browser is night and day. Once again, the addition of the trackpad makes navigation a breeze offering a small on-screen cursor so you can click into boxes or other form elements. No more trying to click a link in a menu only for it to open the wrong page. The square screen makes so much sense when browsing that going back to a rectangle is just horrible.The keyboard once again proves it's worth by offering quick shortcuts to zoom in, pull up the tabs or address bar and even execute a search directly by typing. There is no flash support in OS 10.3 but who cares. Flash was always a dreadful proprietary bloatware compromise and Apple was absolutely right to not allow this rubbish on their iPhones. HTML5 video is the correct standard and far less taxing to run.BATTERY LIFEThe 2515mAh battery is exceedingly good. I easily manage a day and can often stretch to two full days depending on reception (I travel a lot). With good signal coverage and light usage, 3-4 days is possible providing you keep browsing to a minimum. One major annoyance is that the battery is fixed so cannot be replaced or swapped. Whilst few people change their battery, the fact that it's fixed means the Classic, along with all other mobiles that have a fixed battery, has built in obsolescence. When the battery eventually dies, you're stuffed.Still, BlackBerry's are built for productivity so it's great to finally have a mobile that's not gasping for power by 5pm. BlackBerry, like Sony and Lenovo, totally get that battery is king and no matter how good the phone, it's useless if there's no juice. There is a battery saving mode that you can set to kick in at whatever level you like (it's preset to 20% by default) along with options to manually control and fine tune which battery saving features are enabled.The power charger is only rated at 850mAh which is strange when most other phones ship with a 2A adaptor. As a result, a full charge from about 10% will take more than a couple of hours but this isn't really a problem as most people leave their phones to charge overnight. And no need to worry about your carbon footprint either, the charger will switch off when 100% is reached and trickle charge the mobile thereafter as and when required. You could also just use any 2A USB plug for a faster charge but it's always best to use the supplied charger to prevent damage to a battery. A slower charge also means less heat generated and potentially, can increase the longevity of the battery which is even more vital for those mobiles like the Classic where the battery is fixed and can't be swapped.CALL QUALITYThe Classic has a Paratek antenna that dynamically tunes itself depending on signal quality. This means that no matter how tenuous the coverage, the Classic excels at keeping you connected, far more than other comparable mobiles. In-call, the sound cancelling microphone ensures you're heard no matter how windy the day. A lot of smart phones tend to gloss over the actual phone features but the Classic does not and rest assured, if you still make and receive calls, the Classic has you fully covered.DESKTOP SOFTWAREBlackBerry provides two software packages to manage your mobile, both of which can be downloaded from the BlackBerry website.BlackBerry Link is used to synchronise your phone with a PIM along with any media content. It can also be used for installing apps, updating your phone and migrating from other devices, including older BlackBerry's. I use it to sync directly with Outlook but unlike the older BlackBerry desktop software for older OS7 devices, Link only synchronises contacts and appointments. There is currently no functionality to also directly sync Outlook tasks and notes. I really can't believe BlackBerry missed this out and live in hope that it will be added in a future update.BlackBerry Blend is supported on Windows 7 or higher only and is a fantastic package that literally makes your BlackBerry device securely accessible through a PC. All your messages, contacts, email, everything, is available right on your desktop in real time as it arrives on your Classic and you can action them from your PC. For example, if your Classic is switched on at home, you can access it remotely from another computer at work on in the office that has Blend installed. No data is actually saved on the PC, it's just used as another way to securely access the data on your BackBerry. It's genuinely useful, innovative and one of those incredibly simple ideas that works extremely well.Unfortunately, both Link and Blend require the bloat fest that is Microsoft Dot Net 4 to be installed. This horrible lardy package of malingering nonsense slows the boot time of your PC and serves no useful purpose other than to remind you just how sub-optimal Windows is. The Link package will automatically check for Dot Net 4 and install if not found. A quick tip for Windows 7 or above: make sure you run the BlackBerry Link setup as administrator (right click the file and choose "run as administrator") otherwise the Dot Net 4 installation will hang (nice one Microsoft) and you won't be able to finish the installation.One rather strange aspect of OS10 and Link when using a direct connection (ie. no cloud rubbish) is that is allows you to sync with different contacts/calendars and enforces a link to that specific source, even if it results in duplicate entries. For example, if my laptop is called "Grumpy Laptop" and I sync with that, all my contacts and calendar events show in the Classic as being linked to "Grumpy Laptop". If I then sync with a desktop called "Grumpy Desktop", and it has the same contacts and/or calendar events, these appear in the Classic again as separate entries that are linked to "Grumpy Desktop", even if the same entries were present and previously linked to "Grumpy Laptop". You can end up with the exact same contact and calendar entries listed more than once purely because they were synced from different sources.It also works the other way round too; if you add a contact/calendar entry to the Classic, you have to choose which source to add it to (using my example above, you would have to choose whether it should be added to "Grumpy Laptop" or "Grumpy Desktop"). There doesn't seem to be an option to just add an entry and have it sync everywhere that you connect your Classic to.I can understand the usefulness of this sync behaviour for managing different calendars and contacts (e.g. work and personal ones) but there is no option to switch it off (or at least I couldn't find one) and just have the Classic maintain a single list of contacts and calendar entries that can sync with any number of sources without duplicates. I don't really care for having a link to whatever source I sync from as long as I know that the Classic has a unique list which can propagate everywhere.SECURITYUnlike Android which is about as secure as a stable door after the horse has bolted, BlackBerry offers market leading security. Data is encrypted point-to-point and you can also encrypt your device and memory card. The device can be password protected and all those clever, sensible touches from OS7 are intact such as requesting a password, if set, when accessing the memory card via USB and giving you 10 grace logins with the fifth login requiring you to enter 'blackberry' thus ensuring you are typing correctly. A secure wipe will overwrite all the storage correctly so it cannot be recovered and BlackBerry Protect allows you to remotely wipe your device. There is a reason the US Government, along with most other government's, still use BlackBerry phones.FINAL WORDSIf you have made it this far, you already know whether the Classic is for you. Hands down, I think it's the best mobile device on the market for my needs and you can really see the thought and effort that has gone into making the Classic the natural successor to the Bold 9900 by appealing to those users. The combination of proper call buttons, keyboard, trackpad and touchscreen is not offered by anyone else thus ensuring a niche, albeit significant, section of the market is well-catered for. Do bear in mind that the trackpad is unlikely to have much support with any Android apps or games that are installed and even some BlackBerry native apps will only work via the touchscreen.Overall though, this is a fantastic mobile targeted at a very specific audience and the phone that BlackBerry should have released two years ago. It's simple, responsive, productive and usable and doesn't pretend to be all things to all people even though it has all bases covered including media. The Classic has been designed with a very particular set of goals in mind and it undoubtedly meets all of those objectives.Pros:+ Solid build quality+ Proper call buttons to eliminate pointless swiping+ Excellent tactile comfy keyboard with shortcuts+ Trackpad for easy navigation that blends in seamlessly with the touchscreen+ Square display is great for emails, messages, browsing and documents+ Fast, slick, fluid user experience+ Best-in-class messaging and browser+ Expandable memory up to 128GB+ Integrated profiles and LED customisation+ Dynamic antenna for the best call quality+ Can run Android apps with wide compatibility+ BlackBerry Blend (requires Windows 7 or higher)+ Timely operating system updates+ Proper FM radio with no streaming rubbish that requires data+ Proper speed dialling from the home screen+ Hardware mute button+ Stellar battery life you can measure in days+ Good solid auto focus camera with a fast, hardware shutterCons- Decidely heavy- Slow start-up- Fixed non-replaceable battery- No customisable convenience key- No today screen- Upcoming appointments on lock only shows next event- Square screen is not so great for videos- No Outlook tasks and notes sync via Link- Link/Blend requires Dot Net 4.0- Rather strange sync behaviour to/from multiple sourcesWHAT ABOUT THE PASSPORT?It's a bigger device with better specs but a smaller keyboard that's condensed into 3 rows. If the hardware keys and trackpad are not important for you, the Passport is worth looking at. I've tried both and the Passport is strictly a two handed device that also demands touch screen interaction although the touch sensitive keyboard is a stroke of genius and the implementation, with hardware letters and touch keyboard for everything else, is streets ahead of anything on Android. An amazing device then, genuinely the most innovative of 2014, but targeting a different audience for those interested in the Classic.