New BlackBerry Q10 is Now Available and the Tech Reviews are In

Q10_Reviews

Today is THE day that the first customers will start to get their hands on the new BlackBerry Q10 in the UK and next week, in Canada, on May 1. Throughout the week we’ve let you know where and when it will be available first, what went into the design and what our favorite features are. Now it’s time to hear from the tech media.

Like me, they’ve had their hands on the beautiful BlackBerry Q10 with full QWERTY keyboard. Turns out I’m not the only one who was impressed by the device and how well it performs as a daily driver. Physical keyboard lovers, meet your new match! Here’s what the press had to say:

BlackBerry Q10 Reviews:

  • “The Q10′s superb keyboard and message-handling capabilities make it a perfect match. Its long battery life and comfortable keyboard may be what you’ve been holding out for, and the inclusion of BlackBerry 10.1 is extra icing on the cake.” –

    CNET

  • “The BlackBerry Q10 is clearly the top smartphone for people who want QWERTY physical keyboards. It is no question the most refined device in the class. This is the BlackBerry 10 device physical keyboard lovers have been waiting for.” –

    BerryReview.com

  • “BlackBerry has done well by QWERTY fans by bringing a handset to market with a killer keyboard and modern operating system.” –

    LAPTOP Magazine

  • “I’ll come right out and say it: no phone on the market offers a better combination of speed and accuracy for entering text.” –

    New York Times

  • More BlackBerry Q10 Reviews »

Skype Now Available for BlackBerry Q10 and BlackBerry Z10

UPDATE: Starting today, Thorsten Heins announced onstage at BlackBerry Live: Skype will be available on the BlackBerry Z10 after you complete the BlackBerry 10.1 update!

Skype Logo BlackBerry Q10

We first tipped our hat that Skype was coming to BlackBerry 10 back at the global launch event on January 30th. Now I’m happy to announce that Skype is available for the newly launched BlackBerry Q10. BlackBerry Q10 and Skype are the perfect pair allowing you to chat with other Skype users from the palm of your hand.

While you’re on the go with your BlackBerry Q10 and the Skype app, you’ll enjoy the ability to have:

  • Free face to face video and voice calls
  • Instant messages
  • low cost voice calls and text messages to landlines and mobiles over WiFi® or wireless network connections.

Skype System Requirements:

Skype runs on the 10.1 Operating System on the BlackBerry Q10. As this new version of the BlackBerry 10 operating system launches on the BlackBerry Z10 in the coming weeks, BlackBerry Z10 owners will have the ability to download Skype for BlackBerry from BlackBerry World. We will be talking more about BlackBerry 10.1 on BlackBerry Z10 at BlackBerry Live, so stay tuned and keep it locked to Inside BlackBerry for more information.

Q10_Black_Front

Did you just pick up your brand new BlackBerry Q10 and want to give Skype a try? Download it from BlackBerry World and Let us know what you think about the app in the comments below.

BlackBerry Z10 Tips & Tricks – Enhanced Flow (VIDEO)

Keep moving with your BlackBerry Z10 using these enhanced flow tips!

This video will show you how to peek into the BlackBerry Hub, use the compact side bar, restart the BlackBerry Hub, turn off delete confirmation, access Voice Control and control your music using the volume keys.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

What is your favorite tip to keep moving while using a BlackBerry Z10? Leave a comment and let us know!

To learn about a feature on your BlackBerry 10 smartphone or troubleshoot an issue, there are several great options available to help. Visit www.blackberry.com/support for access to product manuals, how-to demos, tips and tricks, YouTube videos, support forums, knowledge base articles, Twitter support, and contact information for your region.

Originally posted on the Inside BlackBerry Help blog »

BlackBerry World Wednesday: Special BlackBerry Q10 Edition

The BlackBerry Q10 Smartphone

You’ve been following along on the blog and you definitely know that this week has been all about the new BlackBerry Q10. As we approach the launch of the next iconic BlackBerry, we’re excited to share with you apps that will be available from launch.

Check out the following BlackBerry Q10 apps you’ll be sure to love:

Social:

Read on to see other apps that will launch with BlackBerry Q10 »

BlackBerry Live 2013 Attendees will receive BlackBerry Z10 smartphones, courtesy of Brightstar

BlackBerry Live 2013

This year’s BlackBerry Live will give you our most mobile conference experience yet. We have some very exciting news: conference attendees will receive a BlackBerry Z10 smartphone, courtesy of Brightstar, our premier mobile sponsor!

Your BlackBerry Z10 smartphone will be a valuable tool throughout BlackBerry Live. The Mobile Conference Guide application has been designed to leverage features unique to BlackBerry 10, making it easy for you to:

  • Build and edit your conference schedule in the Session Catalog while on the go
  • Scan into breakout sessions using NFC functionality
  • Interact with sponsors
  • Complete conference surveys
  • Much more

Quantities are limited, so register for BlackBerry Live today! To learn more about Brightstar, head over to www.brightstarcorp.com.

Facebook version 4.0 Now Available for BlackBerry OS 5 Smartphones and Above

Screen Shot 2013-04-24 at 3.27.53 PM

Facebook for BlackBerry smartphone users, get excited. The Facebook app for BlackBerry smartphones has been updated to version 4.0 and brings some exciting new features that are designed to make it easier for you to stay connected to your friends and family. If you use a BlackBerry smartphone running BlackBerry OS 5 or above, here are some of the new features you can expect.

Facebook v4.0 for BlackBerry smartphones highlights:

  • • Stay connected with friends and discover content quicker with greater navigation tools and an enhanced photo experience.
  • • Enhanced navigation – a brand new navigation list slides in from the left, allowing you to access your favorite tabs. For easier discovery and viewing, “Friends” and “Pages” now occupy separate tabs and unique notification drop downs including “Messages” and “Requests” replace the “Today” header.
  • • Better photo experience – You now have more photo options with the update to give you a richer experience. Enjoy full screen photo browsing, add or view tags of photos, and make selections with the Comment and Like buttons.
  • • Quicker access to updates – Get faster content updates by engaging the “pull down to refresh” option so you can check for the latest on “News Feed posts,” “Wall,” “Messages,” “Events,” and “Nearby” pages.

Screen Shot 2013-04-24 at 3.28.02 PM

The latest Facebook for BlackBerry update can be downloaded now on BlackBerry World.
Download the app, give it a try and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Please note that it can take up to 24 hours for the new app versions to appear in BlackBerry World.

Inside BlackBerry Feature: Designing the new BlackBerry Q10

BlackBerry Q10 Sketches

BlackBerry Q10 availability is just around the corner and soon you’ll be able to get your hands on this much-anticipated smartphone. There’s a lot to be said about the attention to detail that has been put in to crafting this premium smartphone. With a rich heritage of building what some have called the best physical keyboard experience in the industry – the task of taking that experience to the next level for BlackBerry 10 was a welcomed challenge. Over the past few months, I’ve been working with the design team at BlackBerry to understand what goes into building the next iconic BlackBerry smartphone. Here’s what they have to say about designing the gorgeous new BlackBerry Q10.

Feature post from the design team at BlackBerry:
Designing the first physical keyboard smartphone powered by BlackBerry 10 presented us with an interesting design challenge. How do you evolve such an iconic design; one loved by millions upon millions of users around the world?

Read more about what went into designing the BlackBerry Q10 »

My First Week with the New BlackBerry Q10

BlackBerry Q10 on bench

Even though I’ve been fortunate enough to have my hands on a BlackBerry Q10 for quite some time, it wasn’t until just last week that I made the switch and started using it as my “daily driver”. In order to describe my experience in one word … I needed to invent a new word. So, I’m coining the phrase “Awesotypetastic” to describe this iconic new device from BlackBerry.

There are a ton of features that make this one of my favorite BlackBerry smartphones of all time, and as the first BlackBerry 10 device to feature a physical keyboard, it has some big shoes to fill.

Read more about my favorite BlackBerry Q10 Features »

BlackBerry Q10 Global Availability Tracker

Updated with the latest availability details for the U.S. from BlackBerry Live — Ed.

New BlackBerry Q10 Smartphone with BlackBerry 10

We know you’ve been waiting for it – just a short while ago, some carriers around the globe announced that the BlackBerry Q10 was available for pre-order. Now we’re starting to see availability dates role out, starting with Canada.

If you’ve been reading along on the Inside BlackBerry blog, you’ll know that the BlackBerry Q10 combines the power of the BlackBerry 10 platform with a physical keyboard and stunning touchscreen display. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and I can say that it is awesome. I’ve taken my typing to the next level on this keyboard.  I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I’m a bit of a phenom when it comes to typing on the BlackBerry Q10. Don’t get me wrong, my typing skills on the BlackBerry Z10 are out of this world too. I’m just saying that you folks who love your physical keyboards are probably going to love your life.

Availability Information for U.S. announced at BlackBerry Live

UPDATE: Today onstage at BlackBerry Live 2013, Thorsten Heins confirmed that

“In early June
carriers here in the US will start selling the BlackBerry Q10 QWERTY device.”

Pricing and Availability Information for Canada:

The BlackBerry Q10 smartphone will be available in Canada starting May 1 on Rogers, Bell Mobility and TELUS starting at $199 with a 3 year contract. It will also be available on Virgin Mobile Canada, Fido, Koodo Mobile, and Sasktel, and available in select retail locations, including Best Buy, Future Shop, TBooth Wireless, The Source, Walmart Canada and WIRELESSWAVE with more details to come.

Pricing and Availability Information for the U.K.

This just in! The BlackBerry Q10 will be available in the United Kingdom from retailer Selfridges. It’s available to pre-order now and you can get your hands on it starting from April 26 in stores. Full details here.

We know there are so many of you on Team BlackBerry that live outside of Canada, so don’t fret and be sure to stay tuned! Similar to the availability tracker for the BlackBerry Z10, we’ll have more details and we’ll update this post with availability information in other markets as we roll out the new BlackBerry Q10 globally.

Win a Full Conference Pass to BlackBerry Live in Orlando!

We’re excited to launch the 2013 BlackBerry #BBLive Contest! Every day during the week of April 22nd at 11 a.m. ET, we will be tweeting a question from  @BlackBerry to give you an opportunity to win* a Full Conference Pass to BlackBerry Live 2013. The conference will be kicking off just over a month from today and will take place in Orlando from May 14-16.

Learn how you can win a BlackBerry Live Conference Pass! »