A user's take on BlackBerry Z10

If you’re a BlackBerry user, there are two things you need to do before you can start using the Z10. One, get yourself a microSIM card and two, download BlackBerry Link.

Like all new generation high-end phones, the Z10 too features a microSIM slot — a first for BlackBerry, at least in this part of the world. And Link helps you switch your device. BlackBerry Desktop Software doesn’t work with BB10. If you aren’t a BlackBerry user, no sweat. This device doesn’t need a BlackBerry connection from your service provider.

While your contact info and other data will be transferred when you switch devices, your apps won’t be, because apps made for older versions of the OS don’t work on BB10. The battery will last you a day with moderate multimedia usage, heavy call volumes and email.

The BlackBerry Z10 is a good device and holds its own among the other high-end smartphones. It may take some time getting used to but once you get a hang of it, it is serious fun.

But you get a list of the apps and most popular apps have BB10 versions as well, which you can download and install from BlackBerry World — the BB10 avatar of the BlackBerry App World. BlackBerry World also features music and videos. Plus it also features a lot of popular games, including Angry Birds, and Where’s My Water? If you’ve used the PlayBook earlier, or used Windows 8 on a touch screen tablet/PC, you’ll feel right at home with the gesture controls. Even if you pile on the apps, there’s no lag.

For QWERTY junkies, this is full-touch phone. But before you dismiss the Z10, let me tell you this is the first touch screen where I’m typing faster than I normally do on my QWERTY keypad. The intuitive software quickly learns the way you type and offers word predictions which get better with time. Just flick up the words.

The Z10, though it doesn’t feature a FM radio, features the TimeShift camera app — to capture those people who can't sit still.