The demise of Blackberry, device security and data mining

I used to look down on Blackberry devices; they appeared dated and more business-related devices.

This is pretty unfair as I had not had bothered to actually try one. Now I have, I actually like the simplicity of the OS. Which is quite surprising especially as I am running BB7 and not the newer versions of the OS.

But Blackberry is in trouble. They have most recently launched the 'Priv'. This runs Android so is totally at odds with what they have done in the past. However it does have that physical keyboard, which I actually really, really like.

The Physical Keyboard

The physical keyboard is one of those stand-out features that really identifies a Blackberry (at least it did). It did seem antiquated to me but since using it I have noticed that I really enjoy the tactile feel of a real keyboard. The press of the buttons, the satisfying click as you type. It feels robust and solid and despite being compact is a rather good experience. So I imagine the physical keyboard on the 'Priv' also ought to be pretty good too. So perhaps this is a device that has got a chance maybe?

Security

There has been a lot in the press about security on devices, aimed at Google (Android) devices in particular. If there is a vulnerability in the software it should be fixed, but by who? Google will always fix any issues reasonably quickly now, and send out these patches to its supported Nexus devices. That is ok if you happen to own one of those devices, but what about everyone else with an Android phone? Well, the patch will be picked up by the phone manufacturer, and they consider if a device is worthy of their time to create a patch. Assuming that they do this, the patched software is then passed onto the network providers for them to test/evaluate before pushing the update out to the users.

Sadly this doesn't seem to happen to the majority of devices, especially older devices. If you have an unlocked device then you will get the update sooner assuming your manufacturer decided to apply the fix.

Data Mining

And apparently there are a lot of apps that actively mine for data, on both Apple and Android devices (not sure about Microsoft; I haven't read too much about them). Android seems statistically worse.

I have gone off topic a bit, but I am pretty sure my old Blackberry isn't as affected by all of this simply because of its age. And the selling point of the new 'Priv' is  that it provides better security. But in the current climate of 'cool' devices fewer people seem concerned with privacy as you might expect, or are ill-informed of the risk on their device.

So... What to get?

Now, if you have read my previous posts you will see I was somewhat in a bit of a dilemma as to what path to take with my next device purchase.

I stand by my decison - as outlined in the post - but the question now is which device to get first, to get into the ecosystem.

I can honestly say I am pretty happy with my current phone. It is a Blackberry Curve (hears the gasps of shock) but it does (almost) everything I need it to. It is compact, battery life is decent, handles email and texts brilliantly. It is also very cheap to run (£5 per month!). However the main downside is the camera which is pretty poor.

Camera is really the only sticking point.

So if I kept the Blackberry I would still need access to a better camera. I have a SatNav which I would also need to carry around for the odd occasion I might need it.

So in terms of simplicity, a new phone might be best; three devices reduced to one. However I do love the simplicity of the Blackberry! If only it had a great camera it would be perfect. I could live with using a sSatNav occasionally.

My other thoughts were to get something like an iPad and Apple TV, and keep the Blackberry for a phone. But realistically what would I actually do with an iPad? Sure it would be a nice way to look at emails and control the Apple TV, but as I don't really play games and use that many apps it seems a waste. I don't tend to watch media on a tablet device either, I prefer a TV.

So it looks like I have answered my own question! Despite my love for my Blackberry, I think a phone with Apple TV is the solution.