The BlackBerry rebranding program might be viewed to some as an attempt to inject more vigor and presence through new products. With the flagship products — Z10 and Q10 — using the BB10 OS, they may well be making a good point. But the question of affordability keeps coming up, especially in vibrant markets which include Africa. It is no news that the bulk of the followers, fans and constant users of BlackBerry devices in these climes may not be able to afford the high-end products – at least for now.
In somewhat of an empathetic approach to this problem, BlackBerry seems to have come up with a solution – The Q5. Announcing it formally at the BlackBerry Live program, CEO Thorsten Heins said: “The Q5 is in some ways a more approachable successor to the Q10. Combining a 3.1-inch, 720 x 720 touch screen display with BlackBerry’s well-loved physical QWERTY, the Q5 is being squarely positioned at users in the developing world. And its less-than-premium build quality is a testament to that affordability.”
Well as much as some of us would say if it is not the Q10 or the Z10, then it won’t do. But hold on for a bit, if the Q5 would do as much, even if it only misses out on the aesthetics and a few functions, some might say it is just fine. As long as it is affordable and remains quite as smart as the typical BlackBerry phone.
Q5 Specifications
Naturally, what most gadget lovers would be keen about would be the specs. They shouldn’t be disappointed as the Q5 is a dual-core device, which runs at 1.2GHz with the same resolution as the Q10. At 720 x 720, users in Africa and other emerging markets would be getting a handset with a fairly responsive HD LCD screen, maybe only with a bit of a somewhat clumsy physical QWERTY keyboard. The keys are not exactly arranged in clean, straight lines, giving some kind of a cramped feeling to the layout.
The Q5 also comes across as chunky, especially since it has been made with an all-over plastic hull. It’s more about performance and durability, than it is about looks. That makes it a fairly great effort, considering how long we use our phones here in Africa. With the design, the volume rocker is located on the right side with a dedicated key in the middle which when pressed, launches voice search. On the other side, is located the microUSB, a covered port housing the SIM and the microSD slots.
The power button and a 3.5mm headphone jack are located on top, and the speaker is at the base. For camera lovers, the Q5 comes with a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 5-megapixel rear camera. It also comes with an internal memory capacity of 8GB, and the option to add some extra via the microSD slot listed earlier.
Quickly it must be mentioned that the Q5 has the same resolution and screen size as the now famous Q10, running the same battery life at 2100mAh.
The BB Q5 Key Specs summary:
- 1.2 GHz dual core processor (Snapdragon variety)
- 3.1 inch 720 x 720 HD LCD Touch screen display
- Physical Qwerty keyboard
- Normal SIM
- 8 GB internal memory, expandable at will
- MicroSD slots
- Micro USB slot
- BB 10 OS
- 3.5 mm headphone jack slot
- 2 Megapixel Frontal camera
- 5 Megapixel Rear camera
- 2100mAh Battery Life
Due for launch sometime in July 2013, this lower-end BB10 device, which Thorsten Heins claimed is: “going to be a big hit,” in Africa and other emerging markets, might just be the right on point, especially if it comes at an affordable price (hopefully within the USD 200 rate). From the announcements, it is being proposed for launch in a trio of colors (black, red, white and pink).
Again it may sound controversial, saying if it is not the main thing, then it is not the real thing. But in this case maybe the BB Q5 might be the right alternative to the Q10 and the Z10, seeing that its specs make a good case for it. The Q5 is a lower priced phone, but it does carry the full BB10 OS.
Well I would have to leave you to decide that for yourself, when it finally gets in your hand, after the market launch. But in the mean time, let us know what you think about this device. Share in comments below.
[Source credits: Engadget]
