BlackBerry Z30 Review - Hardware

So we have seen reviews from Phonearena, CrackBerry et al, I managed to get my hands on the BlackBerry Z30 & did a test drive. What follows is a review based on 2 days testing hence it will not be complete but will be adding more features as I discover them. So here goes.

In The Box

Here you will find the phone, a USB cable, 2 pin charger, a set of headphones and depening on egion you can get the UK 3 PIN charger. You will find that there is not battery because the Z30 has a non-removable battery, the first on a BlackBerry Device.

The Boxed Accessories

Setting Up The Phone

 

This is very easy if you have BlackBerry Link or Desktop Manager software, just connect your old phone and initiate a device switch. For step by step instructions on how to do this, Click Here. You will get step by step method of doing this.

One thing I found about the BlackBerry Z30 that will likely annoy you is removing the back cover to insert Micro-SD card and Micro-SIM card. The cover is not made to be removed many times so it’s made to fit well and that means you will need nails to open it, unfortunately I had cut mine down to the base so I had nothing to work with. I also check on the internet to see if there is a trick to do it and I found something here courtesy of CrackBerry but still that was not enough. After I had opened it I decided to take some pictures so when someone faces the same problem they can refer and know what they need to do.

Facing Down/Latch Contact Areas

 

In this position the phone is facing down, in Green is the left cover latch and in red is the right side latch. So to open put your finger in the opening where you place your finger nail then slide it to the right or left until you lift off the latch for one side, repeat the same going to the other side.

 

Latch Contact Areas on Cover

 

Above is the screen shot of the cover itself showing the right and left latches and their positioning so that when you open it, you will have a sense of how much your finger should move before initiating a lift. Of course if you have longer finger nails this might not be much of a problem to you.



 

The Full Rear View

 

Above is a snap shot of the back of the Z30, of course the battery is hidden below as it is non-removable. The Micro-SIM & Micro-SD card slots are also marked for easy reference, the departure from previous BlackBerries is that instead of the gold chip/connectors facing down, you now insert them facing upwards.

Initially thought of making it a one review but didn’t want to bore you with a lengthy one so I thought I will do hardware. I have left out some stuff which I believe the referenced reviewers delved much into. So let’s take a break and we will look at what’s inside the phone in terms of usability.

 

~~ END~~

 



 

My Defining Moments of Life Part I: Morgan High School 1997

“You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” - Steve Jobs

1997 was a defining year for me at Morgan, I wasn't a bad student but being raised by a single mom took its toll. The freedom turned into waywardness while mum was away from home fending for her children. The day God allowed the soul of my father to depart this earth was a defining one. Kenneth Hagin sums up well how his heart felt for his mum in one of his messages, the feeling is mutual.

So it happened that one day I was late for school with one guy who was in Form 4B2 called Kuda, to avoid punishment we went to Mukuvisi bridge which was close to the NRZ yard, we chilled there reading some magazine, bags on the floor looking into the water. One guy called Luberto a brother to my classmate Michael Luberto grabbed my bag and Kuda hassled his from him, we wanted to make a run for it but he quickly checked my bag saw a book with my name and class then said I'm brother to Michael and a member of the School Dev. Association, let's go to the Headmaster, I tried negotiation but this guy wouldn't budge. Kuda refused so we went, taken to Gundani Senior Master, lucky Nyaruviro was out as he was the Deputy at the time, Masanganise was on leave. Gundani gave me 3 canes, I refused knowing who the form 4 guy was, just said we met near the gate.

I was told I'm being suspended and must come back with my parent, I could not tell my mum this as it was too much. I went home and said levy arrears are needed and I must come after only I paid. My mom was broke so I had to stay home; it was about 3 weeks before school term ends. If I had not returned by closing day I would consider myself expelled from school. A classmate Givemore stayed close to my home in Chitown, he was sent with an ultimatum letter 7 days from closing day, I opened it and shred it to pieces. My form teacher Mr. Chikwanda was also not in good books with me, he was ecstatic, this was payback and he couldn't wait to rip me to shreds, Gundani also was happy that one of the naughty ones was caught offside, I was ready for the slaughter but not as a lamb but guilty as a fox cornered by sheep.

 

The money for levy was finally gathered but my mom wouldn't lose a day of chasing much needed money to attend some petty levy issue. I look back at these events and thank God, it's a major reason I turned to God and always insist on faith because I know what Grace looks like, how Grace operates and the how Grace does not condemn. I wouldn't say it was down to my wit that events turned out the way they did. On the day of closing school, I went with my sister to meet Gundani & Chikwanda, I was prepared for any eventuality, I was broken, scared and scarred, and I had resigned to fate. It so happened that we arrived late I think about 12 midday, saw a few students who grinned knowing my plight and marvelled, some had that look, "so long sucker, your luck ran dry". You see Mr. Nyaruviro had been telling classmates I was caught at Mankis Paradise, it had been reported earlier that students from Roosevelt, Cranborne and other schools were meeting at some places in Mukuvisi to have sex and do drugs. So the story was I was caught there with some ladies busy in drugs. This is one of the 2 reasons I never indulge in drugs because I was out to tell my story, to write my history which was already in tatters.

It turned out Mr. Chikwanda and Mr. Gundani had decided to leave early for home or were holed up somewhere in meetings, so it was straight to Mr. Masanganise the Headmaster. The story of levy was recited to him, my sister innocent as a nun busy parroting my line, if God was merciless, He would have sent an angel to rebuke me and tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth. The truth sets us free indeed, but the Grace of God qualifies us where we fall very short of qualification. Mr. Masanganise, bless his soul may he rest in eternal peace. He accepted the story, enquired, "is it why you have been suspended?” I muttered yyes sir. He said the case is solved; you can come back to school next term.

I was off the hang man's noose, declared not guilty! I said there must be a greater power up there. Went home and told my partners in crime that I'm sorted now. They could not believe it. You see the devil can drive you into a corner, see your life from the future and do all he can to derail it because when I join the dots looking back, many see a mess, I see Grace. Third term came, first day at school I was seated in my class and boy the classmates were having a go at me, asking about the drugs the girls and how Mukuvisi was. This world is cruel and many judgmental people are out there, if I was the violent type that day in B23 I would have committed murder or maimed some that I would have found myself back on suspension. Mr. Chikwanda came and ran his eyes over his class, saw me and wore a wide devilish grin, the Grim Reaper type, white turned into a probe, "urikutsvagei muclass mangu?" I said the Headmaster allowed me. He said no way under hell is it possible, declared it a lie. So was told "follow me" as the demon possessed classmates chuckled in glee, so down the corridor, down the stairs and right outside his door was Mr. Gundani, he was equally happy to see this hapless soul. He like Mr. Chikwanda dismissed my story as bullcrap.

 

The headmaster did not help my cause, pardon his old age, he had no recollection of seeing me on the last day, so off I went to bring evidence that I was there, my sister and when the Headmaster saw her he said I remember now, yes I solved this case he can go to class, I had won a match played in hell, Chikwanda was dejected. But this was my route to recovery, some months later I was receiving my O Level results, I had managed some As and Bs and few Cs, I had done better than most who had written me off. Life is tough, the people in life make it tougher but that also toughens you up. The struggles we go through eventually define the people we become. Steve Jobs was right about the dots, one day they will all connect and we can give back to the schools of hard knocks where we were knocked into the right paths.

Solution: Issues of BBM Display Picture Not Updating/Changing

Environment

BlackBerry 4.6, 5, 6, 7 & 10

BlackBerry Software/BBM Application

Overview

There have been users reporting that their display pictures are not changing as viewed from their contacts. On own handheld it will be possible to put a new BBM display picture but an old picture remains on the contacts handheld. The following solutions had been proposed albeit without resolving the problem:

• Battery pull for 2 minutes.
• Handheld software reinstall
• Security Wipe on the handheld
• Removing contact and re-adding the contact to BBM

Problem/Cause

This could be emanating from device switch, replacement of a BlackBerry phone with a new one, running concurrent sessions of BBM on two handhelds using one BlackBerry ID.

In my case I had BlackBerry Curve 8520 and replaced it with the BlackBerry Q10. After doing the device switch all data was moved to the Q10 with no problem. After sometime I noticed the display picture on the Q10 was not changing as viewed from my BlackBerry Z10. After trying out a few fixes the problem did not resolve, I was sceptical of doing the Security Wipe & software reinstall on the Q10 as data might be lost, after all this was just a display picture issue which didn’t really hinder functionality on handheld except that sometimes you want to show off or inform your contacts using the display picture to put the message across. Can imagine an engaged woman who puts a picture of her finger with a ring only to be told by the friends we are seeing an old picture on their contact list.

I realised that I had used to BlackBerry Curve via WIFI after doing a device switch, I had activated BBM/Email during that instance so it was one BlackBerry ID connected to 2 devices. On checking the Curve 8520 I realised the display picture on it was the one my contacts on the Q10 were stuck with and unable to see the changes done from the Q10.

Solution

• I took my Curve 8520 from where I had stored it, then did a SecurityWipe (I no longer used it and the data was moved to the Q10 already).
• After doing the security wipe, I checked and my Z10 was still showing the old Display picture on the Q10.
• I them removed the current display picture on the Q10, and instantly the display picture as viewed from the Z10 went to blank/no picture.
• I put another picture on the Q10 and it was updated on the Z10.
• So if you do this procedure and the picture seems not to change, don’t worry, after you put a new picture or remove and put it back this should resolve.

How to Prevent This Happening

We all know the adage, prevention is better than cure! Now to avoid having this problem recurring or happening the following must be done:

1. If you get a new BlackBerry and give the old one to a friend, cousin, child et al, do a security wipe first. If you give them as is, your BlackBerry ID remains attached to the phone, when they begin to use it BBM will restore on your BlackBerry ID can cause the problem.
2. If you are to use your old handheld after doing a switch, make sure you do not link it with your BlackBerry ID or you can create a new BlackBerry ID and link it so that there are no 2 devices sharing one ID.
3. If you lost your phone, make use of BlackBerry Protect so that you can do a remote wipe.

NB: If the proposed solution failed to work in your instance, comment below so we can continue to explore if there is another cause.

Sulu ft. Salma – Ruby Ruby Lyrics (Big Brother The Chase Song)

V-I-V-O, yogo, yogo eh, eh eh, yogo, yogo, eh
Honourableeeeeee!!!!

 

SULU
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Honey you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Sweetie you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Salma you’re my Ruby *Ruby*

 

SALMA
Welibwe lyandi, you’re my precious stone
Welibwe lyandi, you’re my precious stone
I’ll never let you go, kukusiya noo!
I’ll never let you go, kukusiya noo!
You’re my African Man; you give me Shaka Zulu Loving
You’re my everything honey,   I’ll never let you go
You’re my African Man; you give me Shaka Zulu Loving
You’re my everything honey; I’ll never let you go Rubyyy

 

SALMA
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Sweetie you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Honey you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Sulu you’re my Ruby *Ruby*

 

SULU
Sweetie come we dance eh, Ruby bwela tivine
Sweetie come we dance oww ah, Ruby Bwela tivine

 

SALMA
Wherever I go my sweetie darling, you’ll be my Ruby!
Pantu ichitemwiko chobe, chalilowa kwati buchi

 

You’ll always be my baby *Sulu*
You’ll always be my honey*Salma*
You’ll always be my baby*Sulu*
I’ll never let you go (both) X 2

 

SULU
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Honey you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Sweetie you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Salma you’re my Ruby *Ruby*

 

SALMA
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Sweetie you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Honey you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Wherever I go my sweetie darling, you’ll be my Ruby!
Wherever I go my sweetie darling, you’ll be my Ruby!

Image Courtesy of: blazingjamz.blogspot.com







SULU
Feza, she’s a Ruby
Biguesas, he’s a Ruby
LK4, he’s a Ruby
Koketso, he’s a Ruby
Pokello, she’s a Ruby
Angelo, he’s a Ruby
Elikem, he’s a Ruby
Neyll, he’s a Ruby

You’ll always be my baby *Sulu*
You’ll always be my honey*Salma*
You’ll always be my baby*Sulu*
I’ll never let you go (both)

 

SALMA
You’re my African Man; you give me Shaka Zulu Loving
You’re my everything honey; I’ll never let you go
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Sweetie you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Honey you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*

 

SULU
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby *Ruby*
Honey you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Sweetie you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Baby you’re my Ruby *Ruby*
Salma you’re my Ruby *Ruby*

 

SULU
O’Neill, he’s a Ruby
Natasha, she’s a Ruby
Maria, he’s a Ruby
Fatima, she’s a Ruby
Eveva, she’s a Ruby
Dillish, she’s a Ruby
Cleo, she’s a Ruby
Even Bassey, he’s a Ruby
Annabel, she’s a Ruby
Melvin, he’s a Ruby
Biverly, she’s a Ruby
Suluuuu…..Even Selly that’s my Ruby
Honey you’re my Ruby *Salma*
I.K. you’re a Ruby
Biggy you’re a Ruby
Salma *booma-ye*

 

Africa, Africa, Africa I love you,
Africa, Afriii ooh!! Africa aaah
Zambia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania,
South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Siella Reone
Uganda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Ethiopia, Malawi, Malawi,
Keeenya, ah Botswana, Botswana,ah Namibia, Namibia…

 

Ahh, mmmh  ana Motamma, Huddah, Bolt…..
Hakeem, Denzel, Betty, JJ…..
Busi, Jazz, Alusa, Sophie
Hey Sulu what about also Bimp *Salma*
Ahh okay, he’s also a Ruby…

 

**ENDS**

 

Credit to Moses Phiri for the vernacular lines.