I am not a BlackBerry user nor have I used a BlackBerry device for a long period of time. However, after using so many smartphones with different screen sizes, I think I am fit to comment about this BlackBerry Passport smartphone that has a 1:1 screen ratio.
The first reaction when I see the BlackBerrry Passport is if it is a Photoshop job. Don’t get me wrong, it looks ok but the 1:1 ratio of on this 4.5-inch screen (square screen) is making me doubt the usefulness of it.
Hello, we are not using computers with square screen. Designers are always making sure that they using the full estate of the screen. With a ration of 3:2 or even 16:9, I think it is still acceptable.
Think about it. Your pictures, the movies, videos, games, apps that you downloaded. Are they in this ratio? If they are not, it means that they will be adjusted to fit the width with black border around it (vertically or horizontally depending on whether it is landscape or portrait). It will never be making full use of it unless you are using Instagram.
And they have decided that the keyboard needs to be changed too. Now it has only 3 rows. Again, I don’t understand. Previously, it incorporated the keyboard as a soft keyboard and already people are complaining. Now, it removes one row from it and squeezes a mini spacebar between the keys. Good luck on that.
Seriously, I don’t understand the design (maybe productivity will increase for people who use the BlackBerry solely for emails, Excel, Words and etc). Luckily, that is NOT the only handset that BlackBerry is introducing for FY15.
Obviously, I am jumping the gun to condemn something that is not out yet and I have not even try it. But with so many other people scratching their heads on the decision of a square screen, it is already a good indication.
Let me know if you disagree or agree with me
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