Born in Bristol, UK, Toby Clench is something of a prodigy. He began dabbling in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS at age 13, a hobby which he quickly turned into a career creating advanced websites. By late 2013, he’d become a mobile developer for BlackBerry 10 (we profiled him on our devblog last year).
Today, at only 17, he runs Tundra Core Studios, a successful firm specialized in application development, web design, and security.
“My company – which is also a BlackBerry Enterprise Partner – works directly with clients and provides a range of services including mobile application development, website design and development, and server configuration,” says Clench, who’s been a fan of the BlackBerry brand for most of his life. According to Clench, his first device was the Curve 8520. Since then, he’s owned a Curve 9360, a Z10, a Z30, a Passport, and finally, a PRIV.
I recently caught up with Toby to see what he thought of our first secure Android smartphone – how well does it suit the needs of this young developer and entrepreneur?
Toby Clench isn’t the only BlackBerry fan who’s found his way to PRIV. Have a look at these other influencers, like this international sales executive, this TV host, this Irish tech blogger and entrepreneur, these brotherly fashion executives, this best-selling author and pastor, this TV chef, this sports editor this aerospace engineer, this manager at a major Dominican insurance firm, this entrepreneurial lawyer and this consulting firm CEO. And don’t forget to also read through PRIV’s official product page, how-to demo videos and our latest review roundup.
Greene: What inspired you to purchase the PRIV?
Clench: The expansion of my company to Android meant that in order to effectively demonstrate our ability to provide custom solutions, I required a top-range Android phone to meet my needs whilst also ensuring I remained productive on the go. PRIV went above and beyond in that regard.
Greene: So you’re satisfied with the phone?
Clench: Highly. BlackBerry’s app portfolio – Hub, Contacts, Tasks, and Notes – in conjunction with other Android applications keep me productive and allow me to quickly communicate with clients, arrange meetings, take notes, and remind myself of important tasks.
Greene: What do you love most about PRIV?
Clench: How well BlackBerry has integrated the Hub into Android. It brings all of my accounts (email, BBM, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) into one centralised location, allowing me to create custom views and easily filter through all my messages. One function I’ve found particularly useful is the ability to set a reminder for a message at a given time or destination. It’s helped me
Greene: What Android apps have proven most valuable to you?
Clench: My most-used applications are Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) as well as Slack and Wunderlist. Coupled with BBM, they allow me to communicate with my teams and complete projects started on the desktop while on-the-go. I’m able to complete client work no matter where I am, and as a result I’ve become significantly more efficient.
Greene: How does it stack up to other devices you’ve used?
Clench: Although I’ve previously only used BlackBerry devices in my personal life, through my career I’ve used multiple Android, iOS, and Windows phones – my IT work demanded that I understand how to use them. I’ve found the PRIV to be far superior to all of them, due in large part to the changes BlackBerry made to the Android OS. Hub and Calendar are unmatched in productivity, and I’ve yet to find any other applications that have so easily helped me maintain inbox-zero and keep track of my upcoming meetings.
Greene: Walk us through an average workday. How does PRIV factor in?
Clench: I usually start by checking my emails first thing in the morning on my PRIV, reviewing my upcoming meetings using BlackBerry Calendar. Throughout the day, I meet with new clients to develop quotes and put together solutions for my current clients. Using the BlackBerry Tasks application, I keep track of my work – what I’ve finished, what still needs to be done, etc. – and email clients with relevant details, again through the Hub.
PRIV ensures that whatever I’m doing, all the information I need is in my hands precisely when I need it.
Greene: How do your friends and colleagues feel about your choice of phone? Any fellow fans among them?
Clench: Many of my friends, family members and colleagues are Apple and Android users. For a long time, I was the only person I knew who used a BlackBerry. With the launch of PRIV, a lot of the people I know who used to oppose the BlackBerry brand are thinking of picking up a PRIV for themselves. They’ve witnessed how productive it can make them through me, and the fact that it runs Android means it’s familiar enough to them that they’re comfortable switching over.
Greene: How would you rate PRIV overall?
Clench: Overall, I’d rate it very highly, at 9/10. The device has been fantastic in ensuring that I’m always connected, while the combination of BlackBerry’s applications with Android have enabled me to be more productive than ever before.
Greene: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Clench: With the launch of PRIV, my company has decided to begin redeveloping our popular Blackberry 10 applications like Dossier, Heads Up, and What To-Do for Android, so that people switching over still have access to familiar productivity apps. We’ve also got a few Android apps in development for our clients, including a digital diary for a multinational bank, and a secure timed messaging application.
Interested in learning more about PRIV? Look at the praise it’s received from major media outlets, or see why fashion bloggers find it a perfect blend of form and function. You could also watch our how-to demo videos or check out the PRIV’s official product page. And as always, if you want to pick one up for yourself, click through to our availability blog to find out how. Many carriers such as AT&T in the U.S. and Rogers and Bell in Canada are also offering PRIV at new, lower prices (as low as $299.99 on two-year contract in Canada or $21.34/month with zero down at AT&T).