-
It's a new era for BlackBerry. The company has a new name, a new mobile operating system and two new smartphones. The first is the [[artnid:452545|BlackBerry Z10]] and it hits Australian shelves this month.
We've got our hands on a review unit a little early thanks to the peeps at Australian online store [[xref:http://www.mobicity.com.au/blackberry-z10.html|MobiCity]] so let's go hands-on.
The sales packaging of the BlackBerry Z10. Our review unit is an unbranded UK version, so the Australian packaging may differ. -
The [[artnid:452421|BlackBerry Z10]] inside the sales box.
-
The Z10 packaging is very neat and tidy. Documentation at the top, the AC adapter at the bottom.
-
Here's what you get in the box. There's an AC adapter, a standard micro-USB to USB cable, a wired headset, the battery and all documentation. As our review unit is a UK model, it includes a UK power adapter.
-
There's a quick start guide along with some safety and product information included.
-
The BlackBerry Z10 is powered by a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and BlackBerry is keen to make sure everyone knows.
-
The Z10 out of the box. In our opinion it looks like a cross between the iPhone 5 and the new HTC One, though it's more compact than the latter. It's also thicker, larger and wider than the iPhone 5.
-
The Z10 has an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera that doubles as a full HD 1080p video recorder.
-
The rear of the BlackBerry Z10 uses a grippy, non-slip surface that feels like soft rubber. It's comfortable to hold.
-
On the right side there's a volume rocker with a mute key in between. A long press of this key will activate the voice control feature.
-
On the top there's a built-in microphone, a power/lock key and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack.
-
The BlackBerry Z10 has a removable back cover so the battery is replaceable. The phone uses a micro SIM card.
-
Powering on the Z10 for the first time.
-
The Z10 is comfortable to hold and feels light. It's smaller than most flagship Android smartphones, so it will suit users who may find those phones too large.
-
The BlackBerry Z10 runs through an initial setup process when you turn it on.
-
Unlike previous BlackBerry smartphones, the Z10 doesn't need a special BlackBerry plan to work. You'll get full access to all features and functions with a standard SIM card.
-
On the left side there's a micro-HDMI port for connecting the Z10 to a television along with a standard micro-USB port for charging and synchronising.
-
The lock screen of the BlackBerry Z10. Notifications are displayed on the left side of the screen.
-
Here's the main screen of the Z10. It's a grid of up to eight currently open applications. Some of these are widgets, while others are static apps. There's minimal control over this list: if you open nine apps, an older app will be removed from the screen. There's also no way to re-order this list as its based on which app you've most recently opened.
-
Here's the list of apps installed on the Z10, available by swiping along the screen.
We'll publish a full review of the BlackBerry Z10 in the coming week, so keep an eye out!
Unboxing the BlackBerry Z10
20 Photos
It's a new era for BlackBerry. The company has a new name, a new mobile operating system and two new smartphones. The first is the BlackBerry Z10 and we've got our hands on a review unit a little early.
