My love for BlackBerry began many years ago.  First it was the Curve.  Then I fell head over heels for the Bold 9900.  Then there was the Z10 and now the Q10.  One thing remains constant though - My love for BlackBerry is undeniable.

A Little BlackBerry Love

When I was invited by TELUS to take part in the #10BestOfBBQ10 campaign, I could rhyme off a million reasons why I love the Q10.

Favourite BB Q10 features:

More exciting BlackBerry info:

Confession time.

Dear readers, you know how I am always 100% honest with you, right? I wear my heart on my sleeve. I share moments of total #MomFails and all those other moments of laughter, tears, and even self-deprecation with you. I tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly about everything. This blog's not just roses and sunshine all the time. It's the truth.

I'm about to tell you about my love affair and why choosing between two loves is so difficult.  How can one be torn between two loves? There are qualities in both that make leaving either of them so challenging.

When I left my BlackBerry Curve for the BlackBerry Bold 9900, there was no contest. Loved my Curve, but the Bold 9900 quickly won me over. Everything about the Bold 9900 was attractive to me. I had the best of all worlds. Touchscreen and keyboard! That was very important to me! I loved the fact that I could use the touchscreen, but type quick like a ninja on the physical keyboard!


I loved everything about my Bold 9900. I was in Heaven!

However, after almost a year, things became just a tad lacklustre. My 9900 kept freezing. I'd have to do a few battery pulls because of all the use it was getting. I was getting a little frustrated, but was still in love with it. Like I said, it had lots of qualities I look for in a smartphone.

Then I was introduced to the BlackBerry Z10.

My life changed when I first held my Z10 and got to know it!  It was so sleek, so fast, so exciting! It blew me away! Plus, it never lets me down with how fast it is! Web browsing is super fast, no time outs, no freezing...just super fast and super efficient.

There are so many qualities in the 9900 that I still adore. I love that I can use multiple Twitter accounts and go back and forth between them really easily.  Since I now work in social media and digital marketing, I manage 4 accounts and have to be able to access all 4 quickly and with ease.

I can't do this on the Z10...yet.

Though this drives me crazy, there are so many characteristics about the Z10 that has made me fall in love with it. Don't get me wrong. I can go into the browser and open up Twitter and sign in as a different user, but it's not the same as being able to switch back and forth in a pinch. I do love that the Z10 is not your average touchscreen. I like the predictive text and how the keyboard learns the way I type and can predict which words I may want to use.


I also love how I can have several apps open and go back and forth easily without having to close any of them. The Hub is also one of my favourite features. I can quickly peek and see what messages I have in my gmail, hotmail, yahoo, BBM, text messages, Facebook, Twitter, phone calls, and voicemail. If it's not imperative that I reply right away, I can go back later. I just love that I have the ability to quickly check without having to open up a page and go into the accounts to check!

The truth is, I'm in love with BOTH. I'm still very much enamoured by my 9900's Twitter abilities. Plus, I'm 100% comfortable with my old BlackBerry. I guess we always hold on to what is comfortable for us.

Though I've fallen head over heels for the Z10, I'm still learning how to figure it out. I love the calendar, Remember, Docs to Go, Connect to Dropbox, Print to Go, Story Maker, camera with Time Shift,Voice to Text, and BBM video with Screen Share.

I really do feel like I am having an affair and it's about time I choose one and only one smartphone to keep glued  to my right hand at all times.

I switched over to my Z10 and am really in love and invested in my relationship with it. I do admit that I long for some of the other qualities my 9900 possesses though (namely being able to use the multiple Twitter accounts). I am committed to my Z10  and I know I still need to grow and learn in this relationship.

I must also mention: Thank goodness we have the BlackBerry blog to consult for insight and all the ins and outs regarding the Z10 and all things BlackBerry!

Disclosure - I am a #BBElite and though I have a relationship with BlackBerry, all the thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.

Last week, I was excited to share that as a BlackBerry Elite, I was given the opportunity to attend the BlackBerry10 Launch Event.  At the pre-party, the #BBElite members were given a BlackBerry Z10 each! I was so eager to get using the new device, and though I've been learning how to use it, I would love to know more! This is why I am excited that I will be able to Get The Most Out Of Your #BlackBerry10 With A Virtual @TELUS #LearningCentre Session!

There are so many reasons why I love TELUS. Their products, services, campaigns, initiatives, and customer service are unparalleled. For excited BlackBerry fans and new BlackBerry10 owners, TELUS wants to help you get the most out of the BlackBerry10!  

TELUS wants to help you get the most out of the BlackBerry 10!  We’d like to invite you to a Virtual TELUS #LearningCentre session where our TELUS Learning Specialists and resident BlackBerry 10 experts will provide a customized group walk-through of the new smartphone and its features.

TELUS has Learning Centres, you ask? We sure do – it’s all part of our commitment to provide a superior customer experience and help our customers learn how to get the most out of their phone.

The BlackBerry 10 platform will deliver a brand new intuitive experience that constantly adapts to your needs and keeps you moving, and TELUS wants to make sure you have a solid understanding of the cool, new functionalities and features of the BlackBerry 10 – we’re excited to be able to use this Learning Centre session to walk you through everything from basic device set-up to extra tips and tricks.

WHAT: TELUS hosts a Virtual #Learning Centre session all about the new BlackBerry 10 device. TELUS Learning Centre Specialists will walk through all of the new product features and functionalities.

WHEN: February 6, 2013 from 12 to 1pm EST

WHERE: We’ll be streaming a live video feed from our Toronto location online! You can send in your #BlackBerry10 questions via Twitter, Google+, YouTube and Facebook. Our BB10 experts will be ready both on- and offline, responding to users in real-time.  Perhaps your audiences might be interested in tuning in as well.

Watch our @TELUS social channels and for hashtag #chatBB.

  Watch the live video stream on Google+ or YouTube, and ask your BlackBerry questions in the comments stream.  Use the hashtag #chatBB to join the conversation on Twitter as well as @TELUS and #BlackBerry10

 If you miss the live Hangout on Wednesday, the video will be posted on our TELUS YouTube Channel in the next few days

Stay updated on TELUS' Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/139487612880714/

  The live link will be available on our Facebook event page or on YouTube tomorrow just before Noon EST

 To celebrate, we’re offering our customers an additional $50 in-store credit when they trade-in their previously enjoyed device at a TELUS store and purchase a new BlackBerry Z10. Our easy trade-in program makes it even easier for customers to get the latest, greatest wireless devices, like the BlackBerry Z10. TELUS’ trade-in program rewards customers with instant in-store credits for their used devices while giving them a chance to dispose of their electronic waste safely. Customers can get this in-store credit from now until February 28^th, 2013.

How great is that? I am in love with my BlackBerry Z10, but am still learning how to make the most out of it. There are so many features that are new to me, so having a virtual workshop to guide me through the ins and outs of my new device is incredible. Yes, I do realize that there's such a thing as an owner's manual, but I'm a visual learner, and know that I will benefit greatly from seeing how to do things with the Z10 as opposed to reading about it.

I'm very excited about the TELUS  Learning Centre Session and am so glad I am able to do it virtually, from the comfort of my home office on the Island!

Disclosure - This is not a sponsored post. Just spreading the word, as I am very excited about what TELUS is doing for their customers!

While in Toronto for the BlackBerry10 Launch Event and other important gatherings, I got to have a lunch date with @CCSweetTables. If you haven't seen Candy Coated's work, get thee to their website now! The business is run by Heather and Kelly.  I haven't met Heather yet, but am friends with Kelly. She adds magic to any party with her beautiful edible creations. The woman is a creative genius.

Kelly is not only a talented baker, artist, and socially savvy business woman, but she is a truly amazing person and a close friend. Being able to have a lunch date with her was so special. Everyone in the world needs a friend like her.

As you already know, I am obsessed with the Story Maker app on the BlackBerry Z10! Obsessed! I made a little "story" of our lunch date at Trattoria Mercatto.



Isn't it neat?! It's like a little restaurant promo/ad. It's so easy to do too! Just click and add the photos and videos you want to include, add the music of your choice, save, and share on your social media networks! How cool would this be for family vacations to Disney or the Caribbean? Ummm...Can you guess where my mind and heart are right now? This is perfect for foodies too! Making little "montages" of restaurant experiences via BlackBerry Story Maker is a whole new way gourmet gourmandes can share their foodie finds! Love it!

This was my second or third time dining at Mercatto.  If you love Italian, this is the place for you.
The ambiance makes for a very enjoyable dining experience. Of course, the food is stellar. It is a feast for the senses. Everything from the visual, olfactory, and right down to the taste buds...a veritable feast, I tell you!

Ordered (as seen in the video): Tuna, Ravioli, Gelato.

This past week, I had the honour of being invited to attend the BlackBerry10 Launch Event in Toronto.  As a very vocal supporter of BlackBerry, this was a huge event for me. Weeks building up to the unveiling of the #BlackBerry10 had #BBElite members (myself included) were waiting in anticipation.
At the BlackBerry pre-party, #BBElite members got to meet in a smaller, more intimate setting. It was the first time I met fellow members, other than @JennAnnis, whom I have known for about two years now. Jenn and I met at a previous social media conference and had been tweeting and BBMing each other since.

It was great to be in a room of BlackBerry lovers. I am not a techie, but I do love my BlackBerry Bold 9900. I rely on it so much since I work in social media. I'm on all my social media platforms all day. Having a device that can help me switch from platform to platform, handle multiple accounts (personal and work), keep me on track with all my appointments and important dates, and just be really good for work is what I need. In the words of @JennAnnis, I need a tool and not a toy. My BlackBerry is definitely a useful tool. In fact, I don't know what I'd do without it.

As much as I love the Bold 9900, the Z10 had my curiosity piqued. Though unsure as to whether or not I could ever give up my keyboard (I can BBM, text, and type like it's no one's business if I'm using my BB keyboard!), I have been keeping up to date with info on the touch keyboard on the new device via the BlackBerry Blog, and it looked pretty impressive. With the BlackBerry keyboard, you can type faster and more accurately on a touchscreen keyboard that learns how you write. I also love how you can go back and forth between languages. I've tested it and it works! French and English texting has never been easier!

At the pre-party, BlackBerry gave their #BBElite members a Z10!  I was so shocked! I wasn't expecting it, but I was certainly hoping for one! We got to set up our new devices and I can honestly say that it was a new experience!  The BlackBerry Z10 "features and apps work together seamlessly and share your train of thought to help you complete tasks faster and with ease." 

BlackBerry Z10 features I am blown away by:

• Voice to text - How fabulous (and convenient) is this feature? While in text, press the microphone icon and speak. The Z10 turns that into text! It is amazing! If you're multitasking and can't use your hands to text at the moment, the voice to text comes in handy!
• Camera with Time Shift mode - I cannot count the number of times it takes for me to snap a "good" photo of my daughter or our dog. It's so hard to capture a family or group photo where everyone has their eyes open or is not making a funny face. With the Time Shift mode, you snap the photo, and move parts of your photo backwards or forwards in time! I've been testing this out as much as I can (okay, I'm slightly addicted to Time Shift). At the BB10 Launch Event, a group of us posed and made funny faces. We used the Time Shift mode to go back and "fix" our facial expressions. It was pretty wild! We pretty much went back in time and created a moment that never existed! 
• BBM Video with Screen Share - You can catch up face to face with other BBM users and even share what's on your screen! This is perfect for work meetings! A great way to have a business video conference if you're on the go. It helps that the social media team I work with are all BlackBerry users! I BBM with @Dogpaddling and @LilSugarMag on a daily basis, so BBM video will be very useful.
• BlackBerry Hub - You can peek into the BlackBerry Hub from any app to see your messages and conversations. I always have a lot on the go, so being able to quickly peek and check out my messages and conversations is really helpful. This is one of my favourite features.
• Story Maker - One of the things I  love about social media is being able to share stories. Whether stories be in the form of word or visual, being able to share them with others is a great way to connect with others. Story Maker is quite possibly one of the coolest things I've ever seen. It's so simple to just click on the photos or videos you want, add them, choose music, and presto! You've got a little montage or vignette and it is fast, simple, and beautiful! Oh, and you can't instantly share it on your social media platforms too!

My first time using BlackBerry Story Maker:


There are so many other exciting features I would love to talk about, but I'd be here all day and I'm sure you don't want to read a blog post of epic proportions.

The BlackBerry10 Launch Event

We were able to learn more about how to use the devices, learn about the features, ask questions, and also network with others at the event. Great launch, great company, great convos, great food, and I love that there was a signature BlackBerry Martini! Some of my favourite social media pals were in attendance as well. It was a great night!
Musical entertainment of the evening at the Toronto BlackBerry10 Launch...Flo Rida!


BlackBerry fans everywhere will be excited to get their hands on the new device!  Our good friends from +PhotoCaptiva have been following my #BB10 tweets and Facebook updates, and ambushed me at the airport when I arrived in Sudbury! They're both tech gurus (Jamie is a programmer) and huge BlackBerry fans. Hearing that I was at the event and had the Z10, they were excited to see it firsthand! They're both blown away by the Z10. They even wrote a blog post about it here.
Pssst! Rosie from PhotoCaptiva was smitten and wanted to wear my BlackBerry Elite gloves and my BlackBerry event pass. It was fun watching Jamie check out all the features and apps on the Z10. Like a kid in a candy store. So awesome!

I'm still learning how to make the most of my Z10 and so far I am in love. The only thing I really want/need to learn how to do is how to add multiple Twitter accounts and be able to switch back and forth between them. My job relies heavily on me being on multiple Twitter accounts and I was able to do that with my Bold 9900. That's my only issue right now. Other than that, pure love!