BlackBerry 10.1 update coming soon for the Z10, will be pre-installed on the BlackBerry Q10

By Andy Boxall Updated July 24, 2013

Check our full review of the BlackBerry Q10 phone.

When a developer edition of BlackBerry 10.1 was seeded to Dev Alpha phones last month, we knew a public release wouldn’t be far behind, and sure enough at today’s BlackBerry Live event in Orlando, it was made official. The update will be available for the BlackBerry Z10 very soon, but those who purchase the BlackBerry Q10 will find it pre-installed on their new phones.

While we’d already had a sneak peak of BlackBerry 10.1’s features, the company has released a complete list of the major changes. As expected, PIN to PIN messaging has been added to the BlackBerry Hub, and an issue with opening attachments sent as part of another message has been cured.

Notifications have been given a quick makeover, and you can now customize the ringtone, notification light and vibrations for each one of your contacts. The light can also be set to show a different color to correspond to the type of notification; for example, you could set blue for Facebook.

One new feature is Click to Call, where numbers sent in an email or as a BBM message can be pasted into the dialer with a simple tap. Along with this, the cursor has an easier control method, as it has been given a larger point to click and drag around the screen, just like Android and iOS. Cleverly, a tap either side of the cursor in this mode, moves it one character to the left or the right. The camera now sports an HDR mode for improved shots in difficult lighting, plus the red eye reduction tweak has been given an upgrade. Finally, a host of other small adjustments, such as landscape mode for the calendar, are waiting to be found inside.

BlackBerry hasn’t provided an exact release date for BlackBerry 10.1, saying only that it’ll be out, “in the coming weeks.” The press release says we should, “Check with your local carrier for availability.” We’re sure they’ll all be happy to take your calls. If that sounds like a futile exercise, and you’d prefer to wait for the update to arrive, then a notification will show up on your phone as soon as it’s available, or you can check to see if it’s ready using BlackBerry Link software or through the Settings menu on your phone.

Topics

BlackBerry 10

Senior Mobile Writer

Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

Mobile

I record interviews for work. These are my favorite free recorder apps

The iPhone 14 Pro and Google Pixel 7 Pro's voice recording apps running together.

The Voice Recorder app on a phone (left) and the Voice Memos on another phone Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Before you head to the app store on your phone to buy a voice-recording app, take a moment to consider the apps that may already be installed on your phone. Why? In my experience, they're likely all you really need. I’ve recorded interviews and voice-overs for work for years, and I’ve found the two best examples come preinstalled on your phone already, so they’re entirely free to use.

Mobile

The best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 cases: 10 best ones so far

Two Galaxy Z Fold 5 phones next to each other -- one is open and one is closed.

Samsung’s next-generation foldable is here with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. This iteration has some notable improvements, including a new hinge design that eliminates the gap from previous generations when the device was folded. You also get a 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on the outside while having a 6.7-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on the inside, with both screens having a 120Hz refresh rate. In other words, they're about as nice as you could ask for.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is made with premium materials, and the triple-lens camera system packs in a 50MP main shooter, 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. There’s a 10MP selfie camera on the front cover, and a 4MP camera on the inner display. You also get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip inside for the best performance and power efficiency.

Mobile

Google Pixel Tablet just got its first big discount and it’s worth a look

Google Pixel Tablet on its charging dock.

Tablets are a dime-a-dozen these days, with offerings from all the great brands including Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, and more. So, if you really want to stand out in a sea of similar tech, you need to do things a little differently. That's what Google's Pixel Tablet offers. How? It comes with a unique speaker dock that can be used to both charge the device and offer room-filling sound -- almost like a smart speaker add-on. Better yet, when your Pixel Tablet is docked it benefits from the Hub Mode, turning the device into a smart display, with digital photo frame support, smart home controls, and hands-free Google functionality. Of course, it could set you back at full price, normally $499 unless you find it included in a roundup of the best Google Pixel deals. Well, guess what? Thanks to a Best Buy Google Pixel Tablet deal, you can get it today for $439 and save $60. Hurry, though, it's part of Best Buy's recent 48-hour sale so it won't stick around for long.

Why you should buy the Google Pixel Tablet
Okay, okay, so in our Google Pixel Tablet review, Joe Maring did give it less than stellar remarks, but he called out its reliable fingerprint sensor, comfortability during use and excellent speaker dock. Honestly, how many tablets come with a matching speaker dock that transforms the entire experience? This tablet also marks a "lot of firsts" for Google, as it's the first tablet from the company in nearly five years, the first Android tablet in eight years, and can be converted into a smart home display with the speaker dock. All of which are notable milestones.