First of all, Research In Motion (RIM) has announced to change its name to BlackBerry to refresh its image and to align its name with its main product line. Along with the new company name are two new smartphones running a new operating system – the BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 with the latest BlackBerry 10 software. The Z10 is an all-touchscreen device without the firm’s signature QWERTY keyboard.
The BlackBerry Z10 is powered by a dual-core SnapDragon S4 Plus 1.5Ghz processor and 2GB of RAM. It gets a 4.2-inch 1280×768 IPS LCD touchscreen with a 356 ppi pixel density for BlackBerry 10’s new touch-based navigation. The 8 Megapixel main camera sports BSI sensor and dedicated image signal processor with 64MB buffer and supports 1080p HD video recording, while the 2 Megapixel camera can do 720p HD video. Both cameras support BB10’s Time Shift mode that will capture a few seconds of images before shutter button is pressed, so you will never miss a moment.
The all-touch Z10 supports Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, dual-band WiFi 802.11b/g/n as well as NFC for one-touch sharing. It comes with 16GB onboard flash memory and supports microSD card up to 64GB. The Micro HDMI output allows you to show content on a HDTV or projector. Not surprisingly, the handset includes support for 4G LTE, with a standard 4G model supporting quad-band LTE 2, 5, 4, 17 (700/850/1700/1900 MHz), HSPA+ and EDGE, and a Verizon version that supports LTE Band-13 (700 MHz), CDMA, WCDMA 3G and EDGE.
The new BlackBerry’s 1800mAh battery provides up to 10 hours of talk time and 13 days standby. It measures 130×65.6x9mm and weighs 137.5g, which a bit heavier than most smartphones on the market, except the 180g Lumia 920. The phone will be available in March from the big 4 mobile carriers in the US, but guys in the UK, Canada and UAE will be able to get it earlier in February.
