I was an early adopter of the Z10. The first day it was available on T-Mobile in the US, I called our rep and had it sent over-night. I worked through all the updates and leaks. I kept up on the upcoming changes for future OS improvements, and I was super excited for BlackBerry’s resurgence.

The resurgence was not exactly a rocketship experience. Perhaps it was among the BlackBerry faithful, but not among the masses. I, however, was absolutely ecstatic using my Z10, even when the second round of BlackBerry 10 devices became available (Z30, Q5, Z3). Then, the Passport was announced and I knew what my next BlackBerry would be. To be fair, I had viewed the early prospects of the Passport with judgment. I made my statements about its ridiculous size, shape, and practicality. After the announcement though, I was sold. I even bought a wallet that is the approximate size of the Passport just to get used to it.

But when the device became available, I didn’t pull the trigger on day one.  

I didn’t pull the trigger on day two, or three, or even today. In fact, I use a BlackBerry Z30 that I purchased just over a month ago. Actually, my wife and I both have new Z30s, having come from the Z10. She doesn't like a physical keyboard and enjoys the Z30 entirely. I, being from the BlackBerry Legacy OS days, enjoy a physical keyboard and the next generation keyboard with touch integration has me more interested in the Passport than the virtual keyboard of the Z series. So why didn’t I switch?

Different people will have different stories about why they use the phone that they do. My story will probably ring true with a few of you. When I bought my Z10, I was single. I had been working two jobs, saved up money and had no qualms picking up a device untested; unheld; day one. When the Passport launched, I was married with two step-daughters, paying off a wedding and had a phone that was fully functional.  Money to pay simply for a desire was not in the cards. Plus, I really wanted to try out the size before committing. The Passport would have to wait.

The Passport has been on sale a few times and, believe me, I was tuned in each time. I was especially focused when a coupon code was allowing the Passport to be purchased for $449.99. I know a guy who snagged one at that price. Trust me, jealousy never hit me so hard. Yet my dedication to the family budget won out, and my Z10 stayed by my side. 

However, ShopBlackBerry recently had a pretty big sale. Big as in 55% off - and not just off the Q5, off the Z30. They also announced they had teamed up with PayPal Credit to offer no payment for 6 months, 0% interest financing. I thought to myself: 6 months is June. New devices are supposed to arrive in June, and I could have it paid off and ready to sell just in time for a future BlackBerry. So, I mentioned it to my wife; and she, understanding my desire for all things tech, smiled and agreed. So for $225 each, she and I purchased two Z30s, which we currently use. 

For both devices, it ran us about $450. One Passport - $599. I know that the Z30 is not to be compared to the Passport; entirely different beasts. But it wasn’t the device I was buying; it was the upgrade. I was buying the feeling of having a new BlackBerry, and I was doing it at huge savings. I was also buying time, and by having the phones paid off in June, I’d be – I mean we would be – ready to pick up new devices around then. 

So, I didn’t switch to the Passport - and I may never even own one. Now, that's not to say that if someone handed me a Passport, I wouldn't take it without hesitation. And I’ll likely walk into the local AT&T store to see if they have one to hold. I’m still very interested in the phone, but I’m also interested to see what shows up later this year. I imagine I’ll always be interested in the next device launch - just as much as the next guy. I’ll always want the Next Big Thing, but when it comes down to the nuts and bolts, I won’t always be able to make the jump.

Which BlackBerry device are you using and why? Drop me a comment below!