BlackBerry trying to justify the square shape of his next big smartphone

BYJon Fingas @jonfingas2 hours ago

0

If you're anything like us, your response to the unveiling of BlackBerry's upcoming Passport smartphone probably involved a few choice expletives--why the hell would you such a blocky device ship in 2014? Fortunately, the company is more than happy to explain in a new blog post. It states that the rectangular shape of most smartphones fine for video and quick chats, but bad for work. The Passport square screen may look strange, but it is probably ideal for reading documents; you don't have to scroll so much when checking a spreadsheet or write a magnum opus. Logical, hold that the interface hardware keyboard out of the way as much as possible.

Interesting ideas, and the unusual form factor would only work for BlackBerry's suit-and-tie crowd. Having said that, are extra wide smartphones rarely gone well in a market that favors high design at this time; Of LG Vu series (aka intuition) doesn't have much of an audience outside its own South Korea had, and the Pantech bag quickly fizzled out. The crew in Waterloo may have to do a lot more than write a short explainer to softer on rival devices that people dig their hands and pockets are. 0 comments

Source: Inside BlackBerry

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Sony, Samsung will square off with competing 4K-focused Best Buy store-in-store units

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onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Sony, Samsung will square off with competing 4K-focused Best Buy store-in-store unitsBYRichard Lawler @Rjcc3 days ago 0

If you've been in a Best Buy recently you've certainly noticed a shift in approach from the big box shop of old to what's become a store filled with other stores. Depending on the layout, there's the Apple section, the Microsoft wing, the Samsung nook and most recently a Google endcap, all of which are about to be joined by Sony. Sony's getting back into retail in a big way after announcing plans to close two thirds of its remaining US stores just a few months ago, with "Sony Experience at Best Buy." They're starting with a relatively small rollout at around 350 locations (Samsung launched with 900 or so, Microsoft with 600) in the middle of this month, and like the other arrangements, will cluster Sony's latest products with staff specifically trained on how they work.Sony Experience at Best Buy See all photos 3 Photos

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As if that wasn't enough, it turns out Best Buy is also working with Samsung on new in-store placements. While Samsung's current units focus on mobile devices, the new ones rolling out to some 500 or so locations will be all about the manufacturer's TVs and home theater equipment, with "the largest selection of award-winning Curved UHD TVs."

There's a benefit for both sides, as Best Buy (now pitching itself as the ultimate showroom) can offer a hands-on experience that online retailers can't, while Sony / Samsung has a retail presence with less cost and hassle than running its own shops. And you, the customer? If you couldn't make it to CES, then vegging out in front of the latest 4K TV or playing with a PS4 demo should be even easier -- and if they want to bring an Xperia Z2 along we won't argue.

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Source: Sony Blog, Best Buy, Samsung (Businesswire)

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