New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

I really support the BlackBerry folks and want this to be a success. I am such a new user of a smartphone and very new to the BlackBerry 10, and because I am a senior female not familiar with "Device Land" but pretty computer-savvy, and only having owned a simple cell phone before that I just used for talk, well, I have a few comments --

The Z10 is very complicated for the new user and I am afraid it's complexity may frustrate some potential customers and users -- I wish the company would produce an Absolute Beginners Manual online and maybe even in print, with each new phone, and also add to the software some simple instructions when the Z10 is active, like a few suggestions for what to do next, where the right-hand side vertical list of things-to-do is located, like an arrow and a "check this" blurb or something... I miss some simple pointers to this and that... I am so used to Windows 7... and earlier Windows, on the computer! However, I am enjoying it and each day brings a new achievement!

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

I think there are some getting started videos on http://supportforums.blackberry.com, which is their official site.

Good luck with your new BB.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

There is also the Help Blog which you may find helpful.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

my wife struggled at first but is getting the hang of it

its not like any other phone out there and it will take some time to get used to it

I keep finding out new things and have had one since January 30th

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

Thanks for the comments -- I've explored and am exploring those, and they are helpful, but I still think they need An Absolute Beginner thing, to alert one to what is on that vertical menu to the right sometimes [although it is explained in some of the sections of the existing Help guides, but what beginner would know to check that] and watch out for the button at the bottom sometimes... and reminders of how to "gesture" [I can't seem to get it right all the time, although my husband is watching and learning and he gets it better, he may be acquiring one too]... I think BlackBerry must have taken a risk putting out such a complex device, although in many ways it's easy to use. I had to Google "how to answer a phone call" the other day, I'd forgotten to check that out, and I wanted to make sure I knew how! The touching of the name or phone no. and the dragging to the bottom to answer, and the pressing and holding the name/number display and swiping it up to ignore it and put it in Voice Mail, and the option to just put it on Hold while on a call by pressing and holding the crossed microphone icon until Call Held appears on the screen were things I had not yet found in the Help Guides until googling found them for me... Who would know to look for that possible vertical menu on the right? Oh well, Windows 8 is frustrating people and MS is changing it... maybe BlackBerry will make a few explanatory icons to add to screens... hope so, for sales' sake!

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

I don't think they need to do anything of the sort... Most people are simply unwilling to learn it themselves. Adapt or die.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

And therein lies BlackBerry problem. They have this attitude; toward customers. In fact it is BlackBerry that must adapt or die.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

BlackBerry is trying to adapt, and they're working right hard at it, but they must stop pandering to people. This OS is one of the easiest I've found to adapt to, but because it's so different from their previous offering, somehow RIMBerry is the asshole. They're not. They're trying to adapt, and users need to as well and stop blaming them because they're too lazy, too stupid, or otherwise to change too.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

When lost in the woods merely striking out on another path without referring to map and compass is not exactly a problem solver. That is what BlackBerry has apparently done.

Or, maybe Throwing Out The Baby With The Bathwater would be a better analogy.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

"pandering to people" is what retail businesses do, especially commodity sellers; and today that is exactly what these devices are, commodities.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

There's plenty of information available on getting started with the Z10. Crackberry.com has tons of how to videos as well as the link NJB posted. I recommend just exploring the device, try all the features and see what it can do. That's what kids do and they learn amazingly fast every feature like it's a new toy.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

I agree with the last comment, just exploring it and reading the Crackberry and BlackBerry online info... it's coming along. I luckily was able to achieve a delightful Video BBM chat with my daughter, it was a revelation to both of us, it was the first time she had used that feature. Neat! You get lined up with a BBM PIN number and get someone to invite you for a chat, it sort of takes care of itself! That was easy to use! A window type box appeared at the top of my BBM chat box and I tapped on it curiously -- and there was I, and then there was she! I also tried the Browser, it is very quick. I didn't know what to do with all the thumbnail boxes for each website I had visited, though, I could not figure out how to get rid of them for the longest time, I will write in to a Help thread soon and inquire -- something said in one of the Help Guides to press the X on these tabs and they'd go away but I don't think mine had an X to press, and no matter what I did I couldn't really get rid of them... and they were annoying me. Until I just cleared browsing history [I think one of those right-hand vertical menus, I may not be remembering correctly...] If anyone wants to discuss that, go ahead! I have a Stylus I picked up from The Source, it is nice for typing on the screen and so on...

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

BlackBerry lost virtually their entire US market because they didn't change. Whether it worked or not for some is irrelevant to the fact that they ignored the iPhone and lost market share.

So they HAD to do something different - and BB10 certainly is different.

There have been arguments since day one that too many legacy items were left out. I agree with much of that argument. There have been arguments that there is too much change. I agree with much of that. They had to make it different and they did.

The hype surrounding BB10 was so great in certain circles/websites that it could not possibly have delivered. And, IMHO, it didn't.

Hopefully some software updates will deliver so fixes and returned features. Based on company history, I am not holding my breath.

I am holding my Nokia Lumia 920, which works better for me.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

Grumpy, that is a fair statement. We stopped in at a Microsoft store just to look around and play a bit. We're really impressed with how quickly and easily we were able to figure out how to use the 920. The key seemed to be Consistency. My partner is even willing to consider a solely touchscreen device now.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

My biggest reason for using the 920 (and I have a list of things I don't like about WP8 also - I am fair and equally grumpy to all mobile OSes) is that I can change the font size for HTML e-mails. On the Z10 it is so small that I can't read them with my reading glasses on. Can't change it. A suggestion on another forum, one that doesn't allow for any dissent, was to tell people to not use HTML. Right. It's the default for Office 2010 w/Exchange. Good idea.

That's a show stopper on BB10/Z10 for me. I keep installing the leaks hoping it gets fixed.

Then again I'd like a way to get from one message to the next without going back to the list. Everything takes and extra touch/swipe.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

Surely you jest? Just don't know how to use BB10? In today's world no one in their right mind would cripple HTML in a consumer product; would they?

This PlayBook I'm using to post with handles HTML just fine so far. Why would BlackBerry drop that?

Development staff imported from Elbonia? Nah! Must be something you are either doing; or not doing. :)

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

To the OP, I'm glad you're enjoying your Z10. You will continue to find cool things the more you use it.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

1) I know what I am doing
2) This has been posted over and over at other forums, including on the official BlackBerry support forum. There is no solution. HTML e-mails use a very small font.

Change Font Size inside a message - BlackBerry Support Community Forums

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

Guess the emoticon didn't work, eh? Of course you didn't do anything wrong. There wasn't a sarcasm one so I did what I could. It is just another case of the manufacturer flailing around in the brush instead of finding the path.

Re: New Smartphone/Z10 owner - advice for BlackBerry
 

No problem. The Z10 is a nice device. Great hardware with a 1.0 OS. It is still rough around the edges but good enough for those willing to overlook problems - some small, some not so small. Since I can't read half my e-mails without finding my reading glasses, I'll pass for now. With each leak I install it and hope for the best.