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The F(x)tec Pro 1 is a love letter to your old QWERTY keyboard phones
If you're a geek of a certain age, you probably had some kind of phone with a physical keyboard. For me, it was the BlackBerry Tour. For my younger sister, it was the magnificently chunky Motorola CLIQ. And for F(x)tec co-founder Liangchen Chen, it was the Nokia N900.
BlackBerry's second Android phone is a toughened Alcatel
BlackBerry's back! Again! And this time it's rocking some hardened Alcatel hardware with an awful name. Oh, BlackBerry. If you're one of the few remaining hardware keyboard enthusiasts hoping for the Canadian phone-maker's trademark QWERTY, look away now as you're going to be disappointed.
QWERTY keyboards change how you feel about words
The keyboard is mightier than the pen for written communications nowadays, and that apparently has a large impact on how we feel about words. A good example is the QWERTY effect, where words from the right side of the keyboard supposedly have more positive associations. For instance "hunky pinup" typed with the right hand supposedly makes you feel better than the left-side only phrase "sweet dress." Swiss and German researchers have concluded that the effect works all over the web, and applies to product names, film and book titles, and video clips.
France wants to fix the terrible AZERTY keyboard
When I first encountered a French AZERTY keyboard as an ex-pat, I thought "this isn't so bad." The letter layout is similar to QWERTY, so I reckoned that typing in français would be a snap. I soon came to hate it, however. As the English-language Parisian site The Local points out, the keyboards lack both logic and consistency -- they actually differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Even locals can't stand AZERTY, due to the difficulty in finding accented characters and commonly used symbols like "@." As a result, the government has launched a new plan to standardize the keyboard in an effort to protect people's sanity and the French language itself.
Blackberry fans line up here: pre-orders for the new Classic are open
Platform loyal BBM addicts have a new device to consider -- other than the Passport -- now that Blackberry is taking pre-orders for its upcoming phone. The Classic (aka Q20) brings the design, keyboard and trackpad users are used to, plus a large square touch screen, the latest version of BlackBerry OS and support for Android apps. Currently only a GSM version is available (no Verizon, Sprint or US Cellular support here) in the US for $450 and shipments are expected to start in mid-December. Oddly, BlackBerry hasn't revealed more details or specs about the phone, but those should be revealed closer to its release. Our best look at the phone came from this leak, feel free to take a look back before deciding to whether to place an order.
I typed my entire BlackBerry Passport review on the phone's tiny keyboard
Apparently I'm a masochist. That's an odd way to begin a review. But to give BlackBerry's latest handset, the Passport, as thorough a review as possible, I decided to type the entire thing from the phone itself. My twisted idea came from a realization that this (mostly) square oddity is the first phone with a physical keyboard that I've used since the Motorola Droid 4 in 2012 or the BlackBerry Q10 in 2013. It's not even a normal keyboard by modern smartphone standards -- it's a flattened, hybrid setup with both physical and virtual elements and a curiously placed space bar. Needless to say, it's an odd device, one that truly deserves the ultimate test: Can I use it to crank out several thousand words of text? Of course, there's more to the Passport than just its odd shape and the company's desire to resurrect a now-antiquated smartphone feature. I'm going to dive into what sets this phone apart from the hundreds of others already on the market -- that is, if my thumbs hold up through the experience.
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T-Mobile announces LG G Flex and Optimus F3Q, both coming February 5th
Welcome, LG G Flex -- we've been expecting you. The curved smartphone has already been announced for T-Mobile, but we just didn't have the exact pricing or availability. That information has finally come down the wires: The G Flex will be arriving at stores and online on February 5th. The total cost of the device will be $576 $672, although you can get it for nothing down and 24 monthly payments of $28 on the carrier's Simple Choice plan. Additionally, anyone who grabs one will also get six free months of Netflix. (Update: T-Mobile originally mentioned $576 was the retail cost, but the math for monthly payments didn't add up; we reached out to company reps who told us that this was a typo and is actually $672.) Also announced with the G Flex today was the Optimus F3Q, an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean device that comes in misty blue and boasts a full physical QWERTY slideout keyboard. It offers a 4-inch IPS TFT display, 5MP rear camera, VGA front-facing cam, 2,460mAh battery, NFC, 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8930 processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB internal storage, up to 32GB external storage via microSD and some of LG's well-known features like QuickMemo and QuickSlide. The device retails for $312 at full price, or you can get it for 24 monthly payments of $13. You'll also be able to pick one of these up alongside the G Flex on February 5th.
Latest LG phone leak keeps hope alive for keyboard lovers
Smartphones with keyboards are increasingly rare, but LG must see some life left in the category -- @evleaks has just posted a leaked press shot and specs for the Optimus F3Q, a landscape slider reportedly headed to T-Mobile. While the image doesn't do much beyond confirm the five-row keyboard from an abstract image seen last month, the rumored specs suggest that the F3Q won't be much different than its touch-only counterpart. It will supposedly ship with the F3's 4-inch WVGA display, dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon, 5-megapixel camera and 2,460mAh battery; it may even run Android 4.1. There's no mention of launch details in the leak, but the modest spec sheet hints that LG's QWERTY handset will get an entry-level price.
Alleged Motorola Droid 5 pics suggest the QWERTY slider still lives
Fans of hardware keyboards have at least one reason to keep rooting for Motorola's Droid line, and these leaked pics suggest it will continue on. Posted on Weibo, these supposed Droid 5 pics show a QWERTY slider that seeming drops the capacitive buttons of its predecessors, and brings wireless charging, NFC and a "shockproof" water / dust resistant design. The laser cut 5-row keyboard we appreciated on the Droid 4 appears to be intact, along with a screen in the 4.3-inch to 4.5-inch range. The conveniently placed Verizon 4G LTE logos also places it as a higher-end companion to the just-announced LG Enact as Android options for fans of hardware keyboards. Any other details are still up in the air, if you have a login for the Chinese social networking service you can check out the source for yourself at the links below.
LG Enact launches on Verizon, keeps the flame alive for QWERTY slider phones
Verizon isn't just releasing its variant of the HTC One today -- it also has a treat for fans of the oft-neglected QWERTY slider smartphone. The carrier has just launched the once-rumored LG Enact, which hides a landscape keyboard underneath its 4-inch WVGA screen. As you might gather from the display, though, this device is no flagship. The combination of a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 5-megapixel rear camera, a VGA front camera and 8GB of expandable storage puts the Enact at the low end. What's more, it's also stuck on Android 4.1. When LG's new device costs $20 on contract, however, it's inexpensive enough that many fans of hardware keys can afford to take a look.
Verizon LG Enact leaks in press image, proves QWERTY sliders still exist
According to serial leak merchant @evleaks, the LG Enact is days away from making an official appearance on Verizon, a carrier that reckons there's still life in the 'ole keyboard-packed form factor, with a phone that looks a whole lot like the Android sliders of the past. Yep, LG's new Android smartphone houses an increasingly rare full QWERTY keyboard, a pretty old-school four-key capacitive button layout, and a mix of Verizon and LG-skinned app icons. However, we're already wary of how the Enact's keyboard will handle -- with space at a premium on these keyboards, that substantial border either side of the keys could result in some cramped thumbs. However, at this stage we're not certain of the screen-size and dimensions of the slider, so we'll hold our judgement until we get to tap away on it in real life.
BlackBerry 9720 running BB 7.1 OS boldly shows its curves in hands-on video
BlackBerry confirmed that despite the launch of BB10, it'll still deploy one handset running BB7 later this year. We're almost certain that phone will be the 9720, and while the Thai site that got an initial look called it a Bold, it might actually be a new member of the Curve family, according to a fresh leak from our Vietnamese friends at Tinhte. They've given the unannounced QWERTY model a brief video hands-on and taken a bunch of thankfully sharp snaps, including some side-by-side shots with the old Bold 9790. A disclaimer in the translated text states the device is a "trial version," so the final hardware may be slightly different, but it's said to have a 480 x 360 resolution touchscreen and a 1,450mAh removable battery. Our Vietnamese is a little rusty, so while we can't tell you what the narrator is saying, you'll still get a good overview of the hardware in the three-minute vid below.
Hands-on with the NEC Terrain: the company's first US phone in eight years
Let's face it: no rugged phone is going to get more attention today than the Galaxy S4 Active. Just the same, NEC is showing off the Terrain, its first handset for the US market since 2005. The phone, which is hitting AT&T for $99 with a two-year agreement, is mainly aimed at the enterprise (read: field technicians and other mobile workers). Since it's unlikely to reach mainstream consumers, we won't be running a full-on review, but we did take the opportunity to get hands-on. As you'd expect of a device that can be immersed in water up to 30 minutes, this thing's coated in rubber, with a sealed USB port and a secure (but removable) battery cover. It's a bit chunky for a phone, to be sure, but at 6.06 ounces it's still eminently portable. In fact, the rounded edges and soft finish make it more comfortable to hold than some of the more minimal handsets we've seen recently. Other than that, you'll be pleased to find an unskinned version of Android, though it's 4.0 and not a newer build like 4.2. The capacitive screen responds well to taps and swipes, though the 640 x 480 resolution isn't going to knock anyone'e socks off -- and neither will the washed-out colors. Performance-wise, the dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 8960 processor means transitions happen quickly, and there isn't any tiling in the Chrome browser. We also got on well with the QWERTY keyboard, though the buttons are packed in quite tightly. And that's a good thing: it's slim pickings for anyone who wants a portrait QWERTY Android phone. Finishing up our tour, you'll find a microSD slot (to support the 8GB of built-in storage), dedicated speaker and push-to-talk buttons and dual 5MP / 0.3MP cameras, with an NFC radio under the hood. It'll be available tomorrow on AT&T's LTE network, through the carrier's business channel, specifically. Check out the hands-on photos below -- we even got a requisite shot of it in a fish tank.%Gallery-192003% Zach Honig contributed to this report.
BlackBerry Q10 officially available at AT&T on June 21st
The pre-order process for the BlackBerry Q10 is already well underway, but AT&T has kept quiet on its official retail and online availability until now. The company has now confirmed to us that the QWERTY-laden device will be ready for public consumption -- both online and in corporate locations -- starting June 21st for $200. If you didn't get your pre-order in but still want to get it hot off the shelves, keep an eye out for it this weekend. Official statement below.
BlackBerry Q5 stops by the FCC with AT&T-friendly 3G
When we were introduced to BlackBerry's Q5, a lower-end QWERTY handset running BB10 OS, we were told it was aimed at emerging markets and heard of no plans to bring it to the US. While that still could be the case, a device with the identifier RFS121LW and an appearance matching that of the Q5 has been given the all-clear by the FCC. Now, this might be just a roaming application (when devices not sold in the US get approved for use there), but it's important to note that the 3G radio inside this phone is compatible with AT&T's network (850 / 1900MHz). We can't guarantee the image above isn't a generic outline BlackBerry's used to show the position of the label, nor can we totally be certain you'll ever be able to purchase a Q5 from the US carrier. Well, at least not until the Q10 launch buzz dies down, anyway.
BlackBerry Q10 available for pre-order on Verizon, $200 with a two-year contract
For those of you who wouldn't touch a tactile screen if we gave you one, Verizon's just put a smartphone up for pre-order that might be preferable: the Blackberry Q10. Big Red will carry the regular black model and has exclusive dibs on the dapper white Q10 we saw earlier, both of which are on pre-order for $200 with a two-year activation, or $600 sans commitment. On top of real QWERTY chiclets, you'll get a 3.1-inch, 720 x 720 Super AMOLED touch display, dual-core Qualcomm CPU, 2GB of RAM and Blackberry 10.0. As a bonus, Verizon's estimated ship date of June 6th might even line up nicely with the imminent arrival of a certain new version of the OS, too.
BlackBerry Q10 arrives at T-Mobile June 5th for $100 down
US wireless carriers have been quite cagey about the availability of BlackBerry's Q10, with most committing only to a vague June release. But as of today, T-Mobile is the first to officially lock down a hard date for non-enterprise customers: June 5th. Starting next Wednesday, UnCarrier subscribers will finally get a chance to call the Q10 their own, with a choice to either pay $100 upfront (with a 2-year payment plan) or $580 outright for a crack at BB10 in portrait QWERTY form. For the money, prospective owners are getting a 3.1-inch, 720 x 720 Super AMOLED touch display, BlackBerry's famed physical QWERTY layout and, of course, the gesture-heavy BB10 OS. Not included in the box? A complimentary Chief Creative Officer business card with your name on it and Alicia Keys' dignity.
BlackBerry Q5 hands-on: an affordable BB10 device in a QWERTY shell (update: video)
It's not the most exciting hardware launch to come from the newly reinvigorated (and rebranded) BlackBerry, but the Q5 is a device with a mission. Announced formally this morning by CEO Thorsten Heins on stage at BlackBerry Live, the Q5 is in some ways a more approachable successor to the Q10. Combining a 3.1-inch, 720 x 720 touchscreen display with BlackBerry's well-loved physical QWERTY, the Q5 is being squarely positioned at users in the developing world. And its less-than-premium build quality is a testament to that affordability. We spent some brief time getting to know this newest BB10 device, so skip past the break for our initial thoughts. %Gallery-188295%
BlackBerry R10 leaks again with reported specs, hints at a budget Q10
Our initial look at the BlackBerry R10 quickly suggested that the smartphone would be a budget alternative to the Q10, but it wasn't clear just what we'd lose by penny-pinching. If DGtle is on the ball with its newly claimed specs, though, we won't sacrifice as much as we thought. Along with offering more photos of the R10, the site believes that the handset will have the same 3.1-inch screen size and 2GB of RAM as its QWERTY sibling. Instead, the sacrifices would mostly affect media hounds: the R10 reportedly steps down to a 5-megapixel camera in addition to previously hinted cutbacks in storage (to 8GB) and battery (to 1,800mAh). We may learn the full truth soon enough -- while there's no guarantees anything will happen, next week's BlackBerry Live conference is a prime opportunity for an unveiling.
NEC Terrain for AT&T spied in leaked press photos, packs a QWERTY keyboard
Memory of a time where an NEC phone graced US shores escapes us, but the prolific -- and often accurate -- @evleaks has tweeted a press shot that signals a handset from the Japanese firm might soon arrive stateside. Emblazoned with AT&T's logo and reportedly dubbed the NEC Terrain, the Android-toting smartphone shares its front real estate with a screen, a camera and a QWERTY keyboard. No other details were spilled with the image, but with a name like Terrain and what looks like a rubberized border, we wouldn't be surprised if it could withstand a fair amount of rough and tumble.
