THE ARCHIVE

BlackBerry Passport Review — The Full CrackBerry Review

The definitive CrackBerry review after weeks with the retail device. Covers the square display, touch keyboard, battery life, BB10.3, and who this device is really for.

September 2014

Exclusive Pre-Release Review

@halobandit on the pre-production Passport: "A Brooklyn bouncer in an Armani suit." Early impressions of the wide form factor, smooth keys, and capacitive keyboard bridge.

Pre-launch 2014

The BlackBerry Passport Unboxed

Toronto launch event unboxing. First impressions: "This is a real phone?" Build quality vs Galaxy S5, keyboard learning curve, 1:1 display worries, outstanding resolution.

September 2014

The Revolutionary Touch-Enabled Keyboard

BlackBerry's deep dive on the capacitive QWERTY — scroll web pages, place cursors, flick predictive words, all without touching the screen. The productivity promise explained.

2014

The Funnest Smartphone I Have Ever Owned

Kevin Michaluk on the joy of Passport ownership — the return to "good 'ol days of BlackBerry," niche community, and standing out in a sea of identical slabs.

2014

Passport Silver Edition Review

The nicest Passport ever made — expanded steel frame, smoother keys, larger chin, LG Innotek front camera swap. SQW100-3 reviewed in full.

August 2015

Inside the Passport: Hardware Teardown

Dodger52's chip-by-chip analysis — MSM8974AAv3, Samsung K3QF6F60MM RAM, KLMBG4GEAC / Toshiba 032GE4 eMMC 5.0, BCM4339, PM8941, WTR1625L, LSM330DC.

November 2014

BlackBerry Passport — Device Hub Page

CrackBerry's living Passport page — specs, news, accessories, deals, and links to all coverage. The community's permanent home for Passport content.

Ongoing

Passport Forums — 400+ Threads

Community reviews, tips, OS updates, accessory recommendations, 5-month reviews, minimalist takes, and keyboard transition stories.

Community

The Verge — "A productivity powerhouse in a suit"

"The biggest, squarest, most in your face BlackBerry ever." Praised battery and build; questioned app ecosystem fit for modern workflows.

Sep 24, 2014

Ars Technica — TCOB Machine or Worst Designed Thing Ever

Sean Gallagher reviewed it as a business tool, not a consumer phone. Packet sniffing, security focus, and unexpectedly the best smartphone for taking care of business.

Nov 23, 2014

GSMArena — Ticket to Ride

Full benchmark suite, camera tests, display analysis. "Easily the most robust BlackBerry smartphone to date" with an unusual form factor deep-dive.

2014

PCMag — "The apotheosis of the work phone"

3.5/5 — Excellent voice, battery, keyboard, screen visibility. "I kept checking the Passport for email even during my iPhone 6 review."

Sep 24, 2014

The Next Web — Every Benefit, a Compromise

Productivity beast for remote professionals. Hub, maps, Blend praised. Honest about the niche appeal and app trade-offs.

Oct 14, 2014

Metro Weekly — All Work and No Play

"Wrote an entire article using its keyboard." Excellent work tool; camera and app scarcity hurt the personal side.

Oct 29, 2014

The Globe and Mail — Throwback to Typing Machines

Canadian launch coverage. "Everyone who spotted me wanted to pick it up." Designed to polarize — and keep BlackBerry's comeback alive.

Oct 2014

TechCentral — BlackBerry's Back, Baby (SlimPort)

South African TechCentral review highlighting SlimPort video-out via Analogix ANX7808 — presentations from your pocket.

Sep 24, 2014

First Look: Meet the All-New BlackBerry Passport

Official unveiling — John Chen quote, key features, launch partners, pricing. The announcement that started the legend.

Designed for Serious Mobility

Design philosophy — passport proportions, Gorilla Glass 3, stainless steel, ShopBlackBerry links.

Breaking Design Boundaries (Pre-announce)

Early design reveal — why square, viewing space vs 5″ phones, pricing for Black/White/Red editions.

Getting Started with BlackBerry Passport

Official setup guide — Help app, docs.blackberry.com user guide download, carrier pricing at launch.

Official Unboxing Video & Post

BlackBerry's own unboxing of the retail Passport — what's in the box, first boot experience.

Press Release: Redefines Productivity

Full Waterloo launch press release — Toronto, London, Dubai events. Specs, carriers, John Chen statement.