I can honestly say, with a straight face, that I’m a BlackBerry fan. I’m the person that, despite the fact that I don’t own a BlackBerry currently, would love to see the company make a big comeback and just rise like a phoenix out of the ashes. I’d like this to happen, and I’m still quietly rooting for it to happen. Will it? Well, anything’s possible, right?

BlackBerry is one of those companies that every single time they start teasing something new, I actually get a bit excited. And, in truth, even if I do try out a new device and I don’t end up keeping it, it’s generally not for the same reason that I’ve gotten rid of other devices. Basically, while there are some frustrations, it’s generally not as bad as some other handsets.

A BlackBerry doesn’t make me want to flip any tables. Yet.

So, yes, when the Passport was but a device rumored about in the hallowed halls of the Rumor Mill, I couldn’t help but get excited to see what it would become. And, yes, when the first leaks started to show up, and the rumors about the device’s design started to swirl, I hoped that they were really off-base.  I’m okay with handsets that have unique designs, but for some reason the Passport just wasn’t what I was looking for.

And then continued to the final product. The Passport is just the strangest looking thing I’ve seen in awhile, and while I’m sure there are some great aspects and features — like the keyboard — I just can’t find the drive to actually pick it up. To give it a shot.

I’m missing out, I know that. But I also know that I don’t know a single person who has gone out of their way to buy the new Passport. According to BlackBerry at the end of September, the company had received 200,000 orders for the device, and that’s certainly impressive. But, I know so many “diehard” BlackBerry fans that just flat-out refused to pick up the Passport.

The design was one area that made them balk, but the truth came from the fact that they’d just invested into other ecosystems. Even the physical keyboard wasn’t enough to sway them. Is it a case of, “Too little, too late?” Or just a device that’s too unique, too “out of the box” for a company that needs to find its footing with something that the majority are craving? Can BlackBerry find that? What do you think?