Here’s a review of the recently launched Blackberry Q5 by the Canadian
smartphone makers and the 1st question in your mind will be Why is
this handset a big deal? And the answer to that is Because BlackBerry's revival
rested on its all-new BB 10 software - but the only two BB 10 handsets that
have been launched so far have been priced too high to make a difference to
markets such as India. The Z10 came in at Rs.43k, and the keyboard-equipped
Q10, at a staggering Rs.45k price that was universally criticized. So while
much of the world didn't get very excited about the Q5, India's mobile market
has been very curious about it. The Q5 is a much cheaper Q10. At just over half
the price, it gives you almost a Q10-like experience: the same software, in a
cheaper package. Where the Q10 felt premium and heavy, with aluminium touches,
the all-plastic Q5 is lighter, but feels sturdy - and is in fact easier to hold
than the Q10. In deference to its much lower price, BlackBerry worked hard at
distinguishing the Q5, starting with the keypad. It borrows the old Curve
model's smaller but more-spaced-out keypad, making the Q5 look older than the
Q10. Unlike other reviewers, though typing is faster on the Q5's keypad. The
Q5's touch-screen has the same 3.1" square size and 720x720 pixel
resolution as the Q10's, but uses LCD (instead of the Q10's more modern
AMOLED), making it whiter if mildly less capable in bright sunlight. Yet I
found the Q5 touchscreen easier to use, for there's more space under the
screen, making it easier to swipe up - an action you use often, to get out of
an app. So the two are well matched. The Q5 is slightly slower, but doesn't
feel sluggish. Both use dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processors and 2 GB of
memory, but the Q5 runs at 1.2 GHz against the Q10's 1.5 GHz. However, I didn't
really load it with apps (there aren't that many BlackBerry 10 apps yet,
anyway). Web browser performance on both handsets is terrible. My one real
disappointment with the Q5 is the 5 Mp (megapixel) camera, down from the Q10's
8 Mp. The resolution doesn't really matter, but the Q5 clearly has a cheaper
sensor. Outdoor daylight shots are okay, but indoor or low-light shots are
mediocre, noisy. There's poor comparison with, say, the HTC One's brilliant 4
Mp sensor, or even the old Phone 4's 5 Mp sensor. My other disappointment is
common to both Q5 and Q10 - the overwhelming touch metaphor. You can't even
make or end a call, or speed-dial, without using the touch screen - which makes
it a pain to call or answer when driving. The old "call end" button
was a great way to exit apps, but now it's all touch. There's no
"BlackBerry" key either, to give you quick, context-sensitive menu
options on everything - for instance to quickly forward an SMS as an email. Overall,
though, the BlackBerry Q5 is very capable, and, compared to the Q10, very good
value. It matches the Q10 on many counts, and if you can live with sacrificing
the Q10's cooler look and feel, is the handset to buy. If you want to buy a
BlackBerry! And therein lies the rub. There aren't all that many BlackBerry
loyalists. The Q5 isn't sexy enough to make users switch from Android or
iPhone. It isn't cheap enough to get low-end-BB users to upgrade from their
older Curve. So we're back to the price. A Rs.25k price still doesn't give
BlackBerry a market-saver in India. It desperately needs phones in the
Rs.10-15k price range. Yes, there are those old BB 7 handsets, but they are,
well, old. Still, the Q5 is good value, and all the more so because BB 10 no
longer requires you to pay for BlackBerry service. You just need a 3G plan.
This isn't great for the company - BlackBerry loses some of its service revenue
- but it's nice for the user. What could impress its potential users is
its price. The Q5 is the cheapest BlackBerry 10 device yet and is priced at
almost half the price of the other BlackBerry 10 smartphones. Just like the
BlackBerry Q10, the BlackBerry Q5 is equipped with a 3.1-inch touchscreen and a
physical QWERTY keyboard. The display has a rich pixel density, but the small
screen is what most of today's users don't prefer. The phone comes in three
colours - black, red and white, and I liked the phone in all three colours.
What I did not like is the keyboard on the Q5, which is almost similar to the
one on the older BB OS7 devices. Compared to the keyboard on the Q10, keys on
the Q5 are a tad hard to press, but it is of course better than the one on the
BB OS 7 devices. Like the Q10, each key
on the Q5 also has a slender groove for better accuracy in typing. While the
comparison between the Q5 and Q10 is not fair - because of the huge price
difference, but it is inevitable as the Q10 is based on the same design
principles and runs on the same platform. The phone is quite light in weight
and comfortable to hold, and comes with a non-removable back cover. The left
side houses SIM card and microSD card slots - concealed under a flap. The
volume rocker key on right can also be used to capture images. The 3.1-inch IPS
display has a resolution of 720x720 pixels. The touch is responsive and the
screen produces good colours and viewing angles are impressive. Speakers are
fairly loud and produce good audio results. The phone supports 1080p video
recording and playback. It has an internal storage of 8GB, which is expandable
up to 32GB. The phone has the same UI as the Q10. Since it has only been a few
hours since the phone has been with us, we haven't been able to test its
battery performance. The phone is believed to cater BlackBerry loyalists and
those who prefer QWERTY over touch. With with the Q5, the company may succeed
in attracting its loyalists, but a rational user not fixated on BlackBerry may
be unlikely to opt for the Q5 as there are many better options available in the
market at the same price.
In the box:
·
Wall charger
·
microUSB cable
·
Stereo earphones with built-in microphone
·
Warranty information and other papers
BOTTOM LINE : It is a good device but not enough to
attract users with great android phones available at similar prices. Better
than BB OS 7 devices but dosent have the charm
