BlackBerry Passport

The Ultimate Tech Nostalgia: The BlackBerry Passport

Do you remember the days when BlackBerry ruled the smartphone market? When having a QWERTY keyboard on your phone was the ultimate symbol of productivity and efficiency? Well, the good old days of BlackBerry are etched in our memories, and with the launch of the BlackBerry Passport in 2014, we were taken back in time.

Announced in June 2014 and released in September of the same year, the BlackBerry Passport was a unique device that stood out in the crowded smartphone market. With its distinctive square shape and physical keyboard, it was a blast from the past that brought back feelings of nostalgia for many tech enthusiasts.

However, despite the buzz around its launch, the BlackBerry Passport was ultimately discontinued, adding to its charm and making it a coveted collector's item for those who appreciate the heyday of BlackBerry.

But what made the BlackBerry Passport such a standout device? Let's take a trip down memory lane and explore its standout features.

Platform and Operating System
The BlackBerry Passport ran on the BlackBerry OS 10.3, which was upgradable to 10.3.2. This operating system was specifically designed for BlackBerry devices, offering a smooth and efficient user experience.

Under the hood, the BlackBerry Passport was powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset and a quad-core 2.26 GHz Krait 400 CPU. This combination provided a fast and responsive performance, making multitasking and running multiple apps a breeze.

Display and Body
The 4.5-inch IPS LCD display of the BlackBerry Passport may seem small compared to the current smartphone standards. Still, with a resolution of 1440 x 1440 pixels and a pixel density of 453 ppi, it offered a sharp and vibrant viewing experience. Plus, the square shape of the screen made it perfect for reading emails and documents, making it an ideal device for professionals.

The body of the BlackBerry Passport was unlike any other smartphone at the time. Its dimensions of 128 x 90.3 x 9.3 mm and weight of 196 g made it a chunky device, but the build quality was top-notch. The combination of a glass front (protected by Gorilla Glass 3), a plastic back, and an aluminum frame added to its durability and gave it a premium feel.

Keyboard and Camera
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the BlackBerry Passport was its physical QWERTY keyboard. Unlike other smartphones that had a touchscreen keyboard, the BlackBerry Passport brought back the feeling of typing on a keyboard, giving users a sense of familiarity and comfort. Not to mention, the keyboard also doubled as a touchpad, allowing for more precise cursor control and making editing documents a breeze.

The BlackBerry Passport also had a 13 MP main camera with features like LED flash, HDR, and panorama. The camera produced decent photos, but its standout feature was its ability to shoot 1080p videos at 60fps, something that was ahead of its time.

Battery and Communication
The BlackBerry Passport came with a 3450 mAh non-removable battery, which provided an impressive standby time of up to 432 hours on 2G and up to 444 hours on 3G. Talk time was also impressive, lasting up to 18 hours on 2G and up to 23 hours on 3G. This made it a reliable device for long workdays, ensuring you could stay connected all day long.

In terms of communication, the BlackBerry Passport was equipped with all the necessary features, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, GLONASS, NFC, FM radio, and microUSB 2.0. Plus, it also had stereo speakers, making it perfect for hands-free calls and listening to music.

Features and Price
The BlackBerry Passport also came with a range of sensors, including an accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and compass, making it a complete package for all your daily needs. It also came in a variety of colors, including black, white, red, black and gold, and silver, giving users the option to choose the one that best suited their style.

With a price of around 170 EUR, the BlackBerry Passport was marketed as a high-end device, but its unique features and design made it worth the price for die-hard BlackBerry fans and collectors.

In Conclusion
The BlackBerry Passport may have been discontinued, but its legacy lives on in the hearts of loyal BlackBerry users and enthusiasts. It was a bold and innovative device that offered a unique experience that stood out in a market dominated by touchscreen devices. It was a blast from the past that will be remembered for its distinctive design, physical keyboard, and unmatched durability. Long live the BlackBerry Passport.

Latest BlackBerry Passport Specs and Prices

LAUNCH

• Announced:  2014, June. Released 2014, September
• Status:  Discontinued

PLATFORM

• Operating System:  BlackBerry OS 10.3, upgradable to 10.3.2
• Chipset:  Qualcomm MSM8974AA Snapdragon 801 (28 nm)
• CPU:  Quad-core 2.26 GHz Krait 400
• GPU:  Adreno 330

MEMORY

• Card slot:  microSDXC (dedicated slot)
• Internal:  32GB 3GB RAM - eMMC 5.0

DISPLAY

• Type:  IPS LCD
• Size:  4.5 inches, 65.3 cm2 (~56.5% screen-to-body ratio)
• Resolution:  1440 x 1440 pixels, 1:1 ratio (~453 ppi density)
• Protection:  Corning Gorilla Glass 3

BODY

• Dimensions:  128 x 90.3 x 9.3 mm (5.04 x 3.56 x 0.37 in)
• Weight:  196 g (6.91 oz)
• Keyboard:  QWERTY
• Build:  Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame
• SIM:  Nano-SIM - Capacitive touch 3-row BlackBerry keyboard

MAIN CAMERA

• Single:  13 MP, f/2.0, 30mm (standard), AF, OIS
• Features:  LED flash, HDR, panorama
• Video:  1080p@60fps

SELFIE CAMERA

• Single:  2 MP, f/2.8, 28mm (wide)
• Video:  720p

BATTERY

• Type:  Li-Ion 3450 mAh, non-removable
• Stand by:  Up to 432 h (2G) / Up to 444 h (3G)
• Talk time:  Up to 18 h (2G) / Up to 23 h (3G)
• Music play:  Up to 84 h

CELLPHONE NETWORK

• Technology:  GSM / HSPA / LTE
• 2G bands:  GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
• 3G bands:  HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
• 4G bands:  1, 3, 5, 7, 8 - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 20
• Speed:  HSPA, LTE-A

SOUND

• Loudspeaker :  Yes, with stereo speakers
• 3.5mm jack :  Yes

COMMUNICATIONS

• WLAN:  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot
• Bluetooth:  4.0, A2DP, LE
• Positioning:  GPS, GLONASS
• NFC:  Yes
• Radio:  FM radio, RDS
• USB:  microUSB 2.0 (SlimPort)

FEATURES

• Sensors:  Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

MISCELLANEOUS

• Colors:  Black, White, Red, Black&Gold, Silver
• Price:  About 170 EUR

Disclaimer: Specifications shown may be different from the actual product. We cannot guarantee that the information provided on this page is 100% correct. This content is provided for information purposes only. All information included herein is subject to change without notice.