Spurred on by strong reviews, the BlackBerry Passport became the most popular smartphone on Amazon within hours of its release last week. Though temporarily sold out, it will be soon be available again on Amazon and ShopBlackBerry.com (and check your local carriers, too).
After six days, the BlackBerry Passport has garnered 4.8 out of 5 stars from Amazon buyers:
A few common themes are emerging:
“It’s very fast,” “The touch keyboard is very innovative,” and “I believe this is the best smartphone out there.”
Here, see for yourself:
Let’s take a look at some of those reviews, which you can read on Amazon. (Bolded emphasis is ours.)
“Get the BlackBerry Passport for Productivity – You Won’t Regret it.”
Amazon customer “Pho6” is returning to BlackBerry:
“I’ve been a former blackberry user with my bold 9900 . . . [then] moved to the iPhone 5 in 2012 and thought I’d never look back. The passport though, is really something different. [I had switched] from BB to iPhone because of the apps and the speed of the phone. However, after using the iPhone for 2 years . . . I realize what really was more important to me – the productivity of my phone . . . I’ve received my blackberry passport and absolutely LOVED it . . . Get the passport for productivity – you won’t regret it.”
New BlackBerry Passport owner “Wyzard” calls it the “best phone on the market”:
“I bought the phone straight from BlackBerry, and received it this morning . . . Once everything was updated, I started installing all my favorite apps and doing a lot of heavy multitasking. The phone doesn’t slow down. It’s very fast.
Pros: – Wide screen makes reading Twitter feeds, Facebook posts, and web browsing a super pleasant experience – Fast and responsive – Looks great, feels great – The touch-enabled keyboard worked better than I expected. Especially as a way to move the cursor while editing text. – The high density screen is gorgeous. – I didn’t even realize the thing had a battery. The charge meter doesn’t seem to be going lower. – Panoramic photography is highly intuitive. Cons – It probably won’t fit in a woman’s skinny jeans. But then again, neither will the iPhone 6.”
For “Victoriano Horcajada,” the BlackBerry Passport replaced his Android phone (and apparently his tablet as well):
“I am really impressed with what BlackBerry has done with this phone. It’s fast, easy to use and different from everything that’s on the market . . . I have always used an Android device [and] I wanted to try something different [from] the Android interface. [Now], I am using my tablet and even my laptop less. The screen is so wide that you can see much more than a regular smartphone. Battery life is very, very good. I have been able to get 2 days of battery life with regular use . . . If what you want is a phone to be productive, excellent battery life and different from what everybody else carries, this is the best on the market.”
Another commenter, “Schorsch,” returned his iPhone 6 for for the BlackBerry Passport:
“This phone blows my mind – it’s fast, accurate and has an amazing battery life! I’ve been using an iphone6 plus for the last weeks and this definitely goes back to apple today. Was a good time testing it but it’s just nothing compared to the new BlackBerry Passport. Some might complain about that it is too heavy but it comes with the best battery you can get out there. I’ve been using it together with the iphone6 plus for the last days and the iPhone 6 never lasted a day. Also the memory . . . 1GB vs 3GB means the iPhone stops all apps when not running and BlackBerry keeps them running all the time. I heard its called headless apps or running in the background – anyway there is no waiting time when getting back to an app. [The] keyboard is amazing! . . . Right now it was time to move back to BlackBerry – a smartphone is a tool; not a toy, and the Passport does exactly that.”
BlackBerry Passport is “big, bold and powerful,” according to “Keith Harrison“:
“This device is not for the faint of heart! The screen is big and beautiful, and the keyboard is wide and awesome! This is the device that I’ve been waiting for . . . It’s incredibly thin and sleek, yet the battery life lasts nearly 2 days!! BlackBerry 10 is a great new OS and has finally put BlackBerry ahead of its competitors. Anyone that uses it will be blown away… as I am.”
“A Next-Gen Mobile Computing Device”
Early adopter “Evolution Media” says the term “smartphone” isn’t good enough:
“Just as BlackBerry changed the game with the Pearl back in the day by putting email and productivity in the palm of your hand, they’re doing it again with the Passport. This thing should not even be in the same product category as the iPhone or Android devices. It is a next-gen mobile computing device of extremely high quality — every detail perfectly engineered — made for smart people who want to be as productive as possible wherever in the world we happen to be. I feel very privileged to be among the first 200,000 people to own this groundbreaking piece of technology.”
Okay, one more (but there are plenty more where we got these), from “choon-wah dang,” who calls the BlackBerry Passport “the best smartphone out there” in a very cohesive review:
“I believe this is the best smartphone out there. The build of the phone is solid and you do not need a rolling pin to unbend your phone like the other brand. Comparing the spec in terms of storage it has 32G and you can go 128GB and beyond with this phone. The audio is the best that you can find right now. And with the BlackBerry Blend you can use it on your tablet and your computer without leaving data and files footprint on them. Forget about the business and professional aspect of it. Angry Birds and Candy Crush never looked so good on the clear and crisp screen, not to mention the sound. And both of these apps you can download from amazon apps store. Forget about looking for a wall outlet to charge your phone. This thing can last more than 24 hours of use. For the price for this caliber of phone, you do not need to enslave yourself to a particular carrier. You’ll get your money’s worth under 2 years. I’m glad I got right out and picked one up from a store instead of waiting for the back order.”
Wow. High praise, from those who matter most: buyers.
These comments are only from the first wave of buyers– as more are released, we look forward to happy “power professionals” sharing their experiences, and we want to know how you like your BlackBerry Passport – tell us below.
For those outside the North American market, you can get your BlackBerry Passport directly from us at our global shopping portal HERE.
(Check with your local carrier for device compatibility.)
Remember – the BlackBerry Passport has a battery capacity that exceeds all rivals in milliamp hours:*
Runtime
BlackBerry Passport
30 hours
Samsung Galaxy S5
23 hours
iPhone 6
21 hours
iPhone 6 Plus
25 hours
(*Based on third-party lab testing sponsored by BlackBerry, under 4G and 3G wireless conditions, using a mixed-usage profile. Results will vary by carrier and network conditions.)
About Matt Young
Matt Young is a writer and editor with experience in tech, music, news and entertainment. A current Performance Evangelist for Radware, Matt has previous experience with BlackBerry, and Avaya. He has a degree in Journalism from San Jose State University. Follow Matt on Twitter @techunraveler.
