BlackBerry Passport, the 4.5-inch square smartphone for the working professional

BlackBerry isn’t giving up and it has a new smartphone on the way called the BlackBerry Passport and it features a 4.5-inch square touch screen with 1440 x 1440 resolution, physical QWERTY keyboard, and a body that is almost as wide as an actual passport.

For those who are hearing about the Passport for the first time, it’s an upcoming BlackBerry smartphone announced last month and is set to be launched in September 2014.

blackberry passport
Image credit: CrackBerry.com

With Android and iOS dominating the smartphone market, it’s kind of difficult to recommend a BlackBerry smartphone nowadays let alone a device with an unusual shape and size. But according to BlackBerry, it is designed for the working professional and will be the perfect device for many scenarios. Below are a few examples:

• For architects and mortgage brokers, imagine being able to look at full designs and schematics on the go, and still being able to handle piles of virtual paperwork with ease.

• In the healthcare field, picture being able to go through x-rays or medical documentation in the office with a patient, on a device that can maintain the necessary security standards for HIPAA compliance.

• In the area of finance, how about navigating your Web-based trading platform on your device? With enough screen real estate, you can clearly see the fluctuation in your stock and determine whether it’s time to sell.

• Writers will truly be unlocked with a navigable keyboard, while the large square screen enables faster content development and delivery. When you are looking to type stories or notes, your virtual keyboard doesn’t cover most of your screen.

blackberry passport_1

BlackBerry Passport specs:
4.5-inch 1440 x 1440 touch screen display, 453ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core CPU
3GB RAM
32GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD
13 megapixel rear camera w/ LED flash
2 megapixel front camera
LTE, HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0 LE, w/ A2DP
GPS, A-GPS
3,450mAh non-removable battery
BlackBerry 10.3 OS

You can read CrackBerry’s pre-release review of the BlackBerry Passport here.

To our readers, especially the working professionals, does the BlackBerry Passport appeal to you? Share your thoughts below.

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Diangson Louie

This article was written by Louie Diangson, Managing Editor of YugaTech. You can follow him at @John_Louie.

https://www.yugatech.com

21 Comments

josh ban says:

10 years ago

I would like to have one. I’m hard up with my phablet so I ended up buying a cheap bar phone so I could call and text while multi tasking. I also bought a basic netbook because i can’t really work on the phablet. This passport is the answer to my woes, having a physical keyboard and the relevant apps. I don’t have to stash my phablet, bar phone and laptop in the bag.. i’ll just get a blackberry passport and it will fit in my tiny shoulder bag. :-)
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Sed says:

10 years ago

any info on its release in PH and its price range? I have my z10 for 2 years na and I’d like to replace it with this. thanks
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richard says:

10 years ago

I currently have q10 and have been using bb since its glorious days. The only problem that i might have with this device is when i use it with one hand. Sa mga kung anu ano sinasabing nega about bb, have you tried using one? I for one have used all major os and nothing compares with bb.
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boybato says:

10 years ago

this is really interesting. i am a guy with stubby fingers and i need a cellphone which is really wide. i am currently using samsung galaxy duos and the keyboard sucks, big time. so i am contemplating of availing of this gadget should it reach our shores. :-)…sana lang eh medyo mas affordable (knowing bb eh mahal mga devices nila)
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Josh says:

10 years ago

This phone is for people who don’t have time to play games and take selfies ’cause they’re too busy for work.
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Kit says:

10 years ago

Exactly. This is made for business not for gaming nor social thimajings. ;)

Abuzalzal says:

10 years ago

Wag kayo mag comment pag wala kayong pambili o kaya di niyo alam kung anu ang binibli nyo! magmukhang engot lang kayo dto!
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kyko says:

10 years ago

From a guy with stubby fingers, I’d like to have a good feel for a keyboard before I give judgment on the device. BTW, the BB device I had was the 9900. It had an AWESOME keyboard. If this would be anything like that, I’d love to have it.
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Kokoy says:

10 years ago

Aww! basa nalang po kasi, pag- may mga question be humble to ask! Wag magmarunong.
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drew says:

10 years ago

Gusto ko na to.. hindi na kailangang i landscape yung phone para lang lumapad yung view. hehe
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henny says:

10 years ago

it is better kung full touch screen nlng ito, modern generation n po kc ng mga smartphones, and blackberry should no longer released with keypad smartphones
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Mai says:

10 years ago

Agree with Amy. I have been using my BB 8520 for 4 years now and even if I’m planning on getting the Passport, I’m not giving it up haha.
Amy says:

10 years ago

Are you kidding? Their keyboard is what makes BB stand out. I’ve been using BB since college and I’ve tried other qwerty phones as well pero wala tlga tatalo s keyboard ng bb phones :)
AA says:

10 years ago

Some people still prefer hardware keyboard over touch. Plus this BB’s hardware keyboard also acts as a capacitive keyboard with gestures. Its nice to have a choice.

boy bezel says:

10 years ago

“…working professional (engineering/it)…”

nice try batang piso net.

professional ka sabi mo and yet di mo alam na gumagana android apps sa bb10.

di mo pedeng irason na wala kang bb devices. kung ‘IT professional’ ka, updated ka dapat sa mga tech news.

huli ka balbon.
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hm says:

10 years ago

iba ang tech savvy sa IT professional
Boy Shithead says:

10 years ago

Nice one sir!
BOOM PENIS says:

10 years ago

Nice one ser!! lol xD

Easy E says:

10 years ago

Maganda sana, kaso:
1. May apps ba (at marami bang choices) para sa mga nabanggit na examples?
2. Kaya naman ito ng mga current na android at iOS na apps at may mas malalaking screen sizes pa.
3. May mga ibat-ibang 3rd party keyboard layouts na available sa android at future ios para di makasagabal sa viewing area.
4. Magkano daw ang estimated/ suggested price nito?

As a working professional (engineering/it) tingin ko magagawa lahat ng kailangan ko sa current android/ ios devices ko. Maganda lang at bago ang form factor nito, sakto sa instagram pics (may official IG app ba for bb?). I want this as a new toy by the way. :D
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Lemuj says:

10 years ago

My answers to your questions:
1. Amazon Appstore will come to BlackBerry10 in their new upcoming OS version 10.3 later this year. http://crackberry.com/blackberry-team-amazon-deliver-android-apps-blackberry-10
2. We have a lots of choices, BlackBerry is not insisting you to use their phone
3. Did you try BlackBerry10 Virtual keyboard?
4. No answer yet from Blackberry. Try to check this site crackberry.com for more news regarding BlackBerry
If you want Instagram app for BlackBerry10 try 3rd party apps for Instagram the “Igrann”. Igrann is better than Instagram (Igrann has no filters yet but they will implement it soon)
#Blackberry10 the VERY FAST and MOST SECURE mobile OS yet!# :)
Jasonwilliams says:

10 years ago

1. you can install android apps on it – officially.

2-4. blackberry is all about great security, which we dont really need

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