BlackBerry 10 on iPhone and Android: BB Site Emulates OS on Competitor's Devices

The BlackBerry Z10 is available in the United States, and sales have been high, but it's tough to get people to switch from their iPhone or Android smartphones to the totally revamped BlackBerry 10 operating system.

So BlackBerry's made a test drive of BB10 available, even to people who don't want to get off the couch.

A new website (blackberry.com/glimpse, only works on mobile devices) emulates BB10 on Android and iOS, walking visitors through a tutorial that explains the new options available, as well as some of the less intuitive features, like the new gesture interface.

BB10 makes extensive use of gestures, which are somewhat difficult to pick up but very easy to use once you know what you're doing. Swipe from the top to access notifications; swipe from the left to enter BlackBerry Hub and the message center.

The new website starts with a mockup of a BB10 home screen. It's obvious it isn't real since the time and date are incorrect. A green arrow indicates the user should swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

That action pulls up a series of windows, and the prompt indicates the calendar. Another upswipe minimizes the calendar, allowing access to the BlackBerry World app store.

Here's where it gets tricky. A swipe up from the bottom that then takes a sharp right to the edge of the screen minimizes the BlackBerry World window and tosses it of the right side of the screen, revealing the BlackBerry Hub, all in one motion.

You can't test drive the keyboard, but the site does offer a short demonstration, as well as a simulated video call and chat with a particularly scruffy-faced friend.

Then it's off to the camera, which allows users to select the best face from a series of pictures for each person in a single photo. Turn the little girl's squint into a smile!

It's a short demo, but it does give a good overview for people who have no idea what to expect from the new BlackBerry phones. On my Galaxy S3, the site was a bit laggy. I've used a real BlackBerry Z10 and the gestures responded instantly.

Try it yourself and let us know what you think!