BlackBerry Z10

The BlackBerry Z10. It's here. Finally. And so too is the operating system powering it along, BlackBerry 10.A lofty two years and ten months since RIM acquired QNX, the guys behind the OS, BlackBerry has seen a demise in market share, a failed tablet and a name change (from RIM to BlackBerry), so to say there’s a lot riding on the BlackBerry Z10, and indeed BlackBerry 10 in general is something of an understatement.With its dual-core processor, 4.2-inch HD display and the same 8-megapixel camera sensor that sits in the Samsung Galaxy S3, it’s pretty clear all the stops are being pulled for BlackBerry's new all touch flagship. How does it stack up against the competition?BlackBerry Z10 Review – DesignWith a distinct whiff of iPhone about it, the BlackBerry Z10 manages to pull off an all touch chassis with no keyboard whatsoever. The Z10 is plastic and comes complete with a removable back cover and battery, as well as a microSD card slot.The reason we mention iPhones when talking about the BlackBerry Z10’s design is because they share the same fundamental shape - a flat back and front coupled with rounded corners.It’s an undeniably attractive phone therefore, but imaginative is something it isn’t – at least in the looks department.The fascia is where you’ll find the 4.2-inch 720p LCD display. Above sits the in-call speaker and front facing camera while below is a prominent touch sensitive BlackBerry Insignia. A swipe up from the insignia unlocks the phone, even if the screens is off - a neat touch.There are two ports to the left, a micro HDMI and microUSB port. At the top is a power button and 3.5mm headphone jack while to the right side is a volume rocker with a voice control button nuzzled in the middle. On the flipside is the 8-megapixel camera and a lattice moulded plastic backing.All in all, with its matte finish and classical design, the Z10 feels grippy, comfortable in the hand and the 4.2-inch size will appeal to many. In the same breath, we can’t help but feel BlackBerry has played it all too safe with the Z10's styling.BlackBerry Z10 review: ScreenWith its 720p resolution and smaller than most displays, the BlackBerry Z10 packs a pixel density that easily trumps the 2012 competition.For its size therefore, 720p is perfectly sharp, producing an iPhone 5 beating pixels per inch of 355. Thankfully, the panel is also great quality, with pure whites and extremely impressive viewing angles. It's also incredibly bright.Similar to HTC displays such as that found on the HTC One X, the Z10’s glass fascia and the actual screen panel appear gapless, making for a rich and superficial viewing experience.With text looking great, images bold and responsiveness being on point, it’s for the most part a screen win for the BlackBerry Z10’s 720p LCD display.Specifications





Typical Price

£549


UK Launch

February 2013


Network

Three, O2, EE,


Phone Style

Touch screen


Thickness

9mm


Length

130mm


Width

65.6mm


Weight

137.5g


Built-in Memory

16GB


Additional Memory

64GB via microSD card


High-speed Data

4G


Connectivity

3G, 4G


Screen Size

4.2-inches


Camera Resolution

8-megapixel


Flash

Yes


Video Resolution

Full HD (1080p)


Video Calling

Yes


Browser

Webkit


Battery Standby

312 hours


Talktime

10 hours