Getting my hands on the Blackberry 10: First impressions

The new Blackberry Z10 phone is yet another thin black rectangle. With so many other smartphones looking so similar, when I first saw it, I was underwhelmed.

But it does get better when you pick it up. Swiping with thumb or finger is something we are used to by now and this phone uses it well. It has the apps you are used to but with an easier way to get at them.

So I sweep my thumb over the screen and see all my messages from all my different apps (Twitter, email etc) in one place. It is simple and it works.

But it does not feel like a revolution in design. It makes sense but does not thrill the senses. It is a dramatic improvement on previous models and die-hard fans of the physical keyboard will be pleased that option is available.

Predictive text has taken a step forward but is hardly a game-changer, and there are plenty of good features. The design seems a success without being as radical as they hype suggested.