FML

"404 - User No Longer Available" (toni-cipriani) 01/01/2018 at 12:49 • Filed to: Phone

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What a way to start 2018.

Spent 2 weeks back and forth sending it in for some improvements, came back with awesome performance, then falls flat and dies right at 01/01/2018. Wi-Fi and cell radio both dead unless I freeze it overnight.

Back on the Nexus 5 for now until I decide what to do next.

Supposedly my “upgrade” would be a KEYone, but I have a laundry list of why I’m against it:

- While the Priv served me well (and even better after the memory upgrade), BlackBerry did not. Their refusal to upgrade the Priv to Nougat and discontinuing updates after 23 months and patting themselves on the back saying job well done for supporting the phone for 2 years made me not want to give them anymore of my money. 

-Likewise, I can’t imagine what will happen to the KEYone even though they did promised Oreo.

- KEYone has features missing from my Priv, most notably swipe shortcuts, wireless charging.

- I much prefer my portrait slider form factor than the candy bar with less screen.

- I don’t really want to move to USB-C just yet. News of flaring chargers and cables just tells me it’s not ready.

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 13:02

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That’s the Priv, right?

How has it treated you outside of crashing/dying in extraordinary fashion?

Chariotoflove > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 13:03

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What is that. Does anyone make a physical keyboard anymore?

Nick Has an Exocet > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 13:06

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This might sound like a crappy recommendation but I just got my mom a Moto E4 Plus. If you have Amazon Prime, you can get a version with an ad on the lock screen for $129. After playing with it, I might do something like that for my next phone. Its far faster than my 5x and has good battery life.

I feel like the maturity level of phones has gotten so high that it’s not worth spending a ton of time and money on anymore. I’m now paying under 20/mo for unlimited minutes and more data than I need and despite almost endless use, the 5x is good enough.

404 - User No Longer Available > winterlegacy, here 'till the end 01/01/2018 at 13:11

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It was fine till last night.

404 - User No Longer Available > Nick Has an Exocet 01/01/2018 at 13:11

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I need a physical keyboard though.

404 - User No Longer Available > Chariotoflove 01/01/2018 at 13:13

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BlackBerry’s first and last Android phone before they let TCL take over and build the KEYone.

jminer > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 13:25

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BB products are not what they used to be. I use a Classic for work, that sucker was end of life’d like 3 months after we deployed them. Battery life is lousy, reception is terrible, and the damn thing is slow as hell.

I started my smartphone life with Palm devices a long time ago, and then switched to android with physical keyboards and thought I could never work without one as well. I got used to it, and actually prefer it to the physical BB keyboard now. I’m way faster and more accurate on my Moto G5 than on my blackberry.

404 - User No Longer Available > jminer 01/01/2018 at 13:33

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I’m not entirely sure BlackBerry’s hardware is entirely to blame at the moment, since after all I did modify the hardware.

Textured Soy Protein > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 13:42

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404 - User No Longer Available > Textured Soy Protein 01/01/2018 at 13:44

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That’s not really an actual keyboard but sticks poking on the screen. It is cheap though, locally I can source a refurbished S7 and get that case for like $15.

Still missing a lot of stuff an actual PKB provides, like backlighting and on my Priv it has capacitive touch to function as a scrolling trackpad and cursor controls.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Textured Soy Protein 01/01/2018 at 13:50

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My wife would love that. It’s going to really hurt my efforts to get her to switch to Apple

AestheticsInMotion > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 13:54

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What I wouldn’t give for a modern version of this:

I loved the Droid series. Good sized landscape keyboard with useful shortcuts and a few hot keys. Not taking up valuable screen real estate when it wasn’t needed.

404 - User No Longer Available > AestheticsInMotion 01/01/2018 at 13:55

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https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/keyboard-mod-a-physical-keyboard-for-the-moto-z#/

I think they have a working prototype now.

Svend > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 14:05

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I upgraded my BB Classic to BB KeyOne about two months ago but it’s only in the last two weeks I’ve used the KeyOne.

The Classic stopped working with Kinja about three months ago, so while I could get notifications, I couldn’t go to the drop down to see it or reply but had to remember which threads were posted I replied into earlier to see if there was a reply.

I like the KeyOne but because it doesn’t have that little track pad in between the screen and the keyboard (because as you know the keyboard is the track pad) it took a while to get used to.

I can’t figure how to get the KeyOne to play music as there is no music folder like there is a pictures folder so it’s a pain in the arse but otherwise, I really like my new phone.

Chariotoflove > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 14:16

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Oh. Okay.

hike > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 15:06

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I can’t believe this wasn’t a launch mod from Motorola. It’s a very unique mod and also calls back to their early Android days.

Nick Has an Exocet > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 16:56

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Yeah, I have a friend like that too. I used to be on the keyboard train.

Have you thought about finding a keyboard case? There are a lot of bluetooth keyboards built into cases that might be a good interim fix.

404 - User No Longer Available > Svend 01/01/2018 at 17:35

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I can’t figure how to get the KeyOne to play music as there is no music folder like there is a pictures folder so it’s a pain in the arse but otherwise, I really like my new phone.

Just create one and dump the files in there. Android system will pick it up automatically. I use Blackplayer as my offline player.

404 - User No Longer Available > Nick Has an Exocet 01/01/2018 at 17:36

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Well I’m travelling in a few months, I might be able to send it back to the guy who did the mods for me, maybe it’s a quick fix with a heat gun.

Svend > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 19:12

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Cheers.

I don’t know how to create new folders but I’ll look for Blackplayer on the Play Store.

404 - User No Longer Available > Svend 01/01/2018 at 20:24

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In your latest update you should have a file manager. Or, just plug it into a desktop and use MTP to create the folder, or create it on an SD card.

Kofi > AestheticsInMotion 01/01/2018 at 21:16

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I still enjoy my KeyOne, no matter what!

Kofi

Spanfeller is a twat > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 21:35

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I was about to get the PRIV, but it was too expensive and I bought the Nexus instead.

I miss Black Berry quite a lot, I remember having the Torch and loving that motherfucker... But they need to get their shit together, they had the “corporate” brand image and lost it for being so antiquated, I feel like there’s a niche for Blackberry (as an android device) but for them to fill it they must pressure giants like Huawei and Samsung.

I think there’s a place for a physical keyboard in the market!

404 - User No Longer Available > Spanfeller is a twat 01/01/2018 at 21:48

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Priv was actually my second BlackBerry, had a Classic before it. I’m actually a Palm webOS user before these two, and used that thing for almost 5 years. I was really hoping the Priv can live my Pre 3's legacy and be in service for longer, that’s why I went with the mod.

Spanfeller is a twat > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 21:56

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I suspect it didn’t happen

Blackberry is a classic case of “too big to fail”
As apple increases their prices and their marketing expenditure (low sales) I see them fall into the same hole... albeit I doubt they’ll let the bleeding go on for as long as Research in Motion did.

404 - User No Longer Available > Spanfeller is a twat 01/01/2018 at 22:01

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Well I meant “legacy” as in me using it for full 5 years after it’s dead, not the company, lol. Pre 3 was never released, I sourced one from eBay and used it as a dead system for that long. So likewise I was just going to use my Priv out of support.

It was fairly obvious the Priv was going to be BlackBerry’s last hardware, too expensive, too fragile, and BlackBerry being too arrogant to change. The new BlackBerry Androids are all made by TCL.

I’m not giving up just yet though, the guy who modded my phone says I have 1 year of warranty, so I might send it back for him to fix it.

Spanfeller is a twat > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 22:10

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But its a real shame! specially since large phones are trendier than ever and components are thinner than ever; it would be hilariously easy to find a crowd for a physical keyboard phone with extra web safety features. I’m sure that TLC could spin Blackberry somehow

But companies needeth stay humble, unlike Essential (the makers of my phone) that delivered a good product,sure, just not one worth 700 dollars

And that’s why I got mine for 400!

gawdzillla > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 22:27

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i think the LG G6 is the best deal in the mid range.

of course theres pixel for the high end

Svend > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/01/2018 at 22:36

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I can’t find a file manager on the phone.

I’ve downloaded the Blackplayer, but it only wants to recognise the downloaded files and not the files on my data card or the ones copied from the data card to the handset.

404 - User No Longer Available > Svend 01/01/2018 at 22:50

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Should be part of the December patch.

https://forums.crackberry.com/showthread.php?t=1133578&p=13100897&viewfull=1#post13100897

Did you grant permissions to access the SD card to BlackPlayer / Google Play Music?

Textured Soy Protein > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 01/01/2018 at 23:33

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I jumped off the iPhone bandwagon in 2011 so I don’t have anything favorable to say about your efforts.

Svend > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/02/2018 at 00:40

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I’ll look through the updates and go through the settings on BP.

404 - User No Longer Available > Svend 01/02/2018 at 09:21

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Also check 2 more things:

- Make sure the directory you are putting the files does not have a .nomedia file in there, this instructs Android not to scan the files into mediaserver

- Try this utility to add the folder into audio: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.house.noranuko.mediarescanner

Patapoof > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/02/2018 at 12:14

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I went from Passport to Priv to KEY an it is quite a downslope. The Passport suffered some sample defects I never had personally. The usability was unmatched. Priv is a great design with horrible troubles with heating  lag due to poor hardware matching. The micro-USB failed for me, so I use it in a QI stand and got the KEY which is toy-like and unpleasant. I have a personal need to use a PKB, so I begrudgingly use BlackBerry devices with knowledge of their short support. I wish another maker would take up the task. I would support a Priv2 with all fixes 4-6gb, 65gb, fast QI, and fingerprint on spacebar if feasible.

Patapoof > Spanfeller is a twat 01/02/2018 at 12:18

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I think BlackBerry has queered the PKB Market forevermore...

404 - User No Longer Available > Patapoof 01/02/2018 at 12:19

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Priv is a great design with horrible troubles with heating  lag due to poor hardware matching.

That’s precisely what the mod I did was supposed to fix, so that I can extend the life of my Priv. The past 2 weeks of usage was lag and heat-free, aside from a few game sessions.

PS: I swear I’ve seen that username over at CrackBerry...

Patapoof > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/02/2018 at 12:19

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Who did the mod?

404 - User No Longer Available > Patapoof 01/02/2018 at 12:22

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A shop specializing in BlackBerries in Beijing, China. I’m sending it back since supposedly there’s a 1 year warranty on the mod.

Svend > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/02/2018 at 15:49

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Thanks, I have no idea what that is but I’ll give it a look.

NappyLogos > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/02/2018 at 15:51

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I’ve only had my Priv 9 months and I don’t want to let it go (even bought a backup just in case). Extending it’s life through a mod would be excellent. Tell me more

Patapoof > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/05/2018 at 02:59

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webOS was superb

Patapoof > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/05/2018 at 03:04

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Get MIXplorer from XDA site

Patapoof > 404 - User No Longer Available 01/05/2018 at 03:11

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As do I… portrait

Patapoof > Spanfeller is a twat 01/05/2018 at 03:15

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“TLC”

Patapoof > Textured Soy Protein 01/05/2018 at 03:26

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Discontinued

404 - User No Longer Available > Patapoof 01/05/2018 at 07:46

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I use Solid Explorer.