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BlackBerry’s ‘Key2’ smartphone will be revealed on June 7th
BlackBerry Mobile's KEYone was the first TCL-made smartphone under the venerable brand to really feel like a BlackBerry. That's not least because of its physical keyboard, a rarity these days that delivers what BB fans may have been craving since the brand's heydey. Otherwise, it was a decent but not groundbreaking phone, but now we're going to see what BlackBerry Mobile has in store for its successor. On June 7th, the company will unveil the Key2 at an event in New York City.
BlackBerry KEYone Black Edition first look: More of the same
When the BlackBerry KEYone was officially unveiled at Mobile World Congress this year, we were excited for its marriage of modern Android software with an old-school keyboard. It appears lots of other people were eager for the phone, too. TCL, the company that bought the BlackBerry brand, says the KEYone "exceeded our expectations," and that it is "very happy now to expand" the line. The black edition of the phone, which has already launched in India, is coming to the rest of the world, starting with the UK, Germany, France, Canada, Japan and the Middle East. It's called the Black Edition and will cost €649 (£549 or about $700) when it arrives in mid-September. Yep, that's more expensive than the original KEYone ($549).
Where to buy the BlackBerry KEYone in the UK
The new BlackBerry KEYone won't be everyone's cup of tea. If you remember physical keyboards with a certain fondness, however, then the KEYone offers the latest version of Android, a respectable camera and the kind of battery life you want in a productivity machine. After launching exclusively at Selfridges last week, the KEYone goes on general sale in the UK today, not that you need to look much further than Carphone Warehouse, which is the only place selling the device on contact right now.
BlackBerry KEYone review: Vintage vibes and a modern OS
You've got to give BlackBerry credit for refusing to die. After the underwhelming launch and life of BB10, the company pledged allegiance to Android, whipped up a strangely cool slider phone, then farmed out production of all new BlackBerrys to external partners. The journey has been difficult to watch at times, but it seems like the transition is starting to pay off. After a pair of all-touch phones, BlackBerry and partner TCL have released the KEYone, heralding the return of the classic candy-bar-with-keyboard design. The Priv was an ambitious attempt at a flagship,and the DTEK50 and DTEK60 were barely recognizable as part of the line. The KEYone, however, is the first BlackBerry in years to feel, well, like a BlackBerry. Surprise, surprise: It's a pretty great little phone, too. Fans will be glad to know the KEYone is the best Android-powered BlackBerry to date, but I don't expect this to move the needle for many others.
BlackBerry KEYone reaches the US on May 31st
To say that the launch of the BlackBerry KEYone has been protracted would be an understatement. BlackBerry and TCL teased the high-profile phone in January, dished out proper details in February, and has left people wondering about a specific US release date ever since. At last, you can relax: BlackBerry and TCL have revealed that the keyboard-equipped Android phone will reach both the US and Canada on May 31st. Americans will be limited to buying the $549 unlocked CDMA or GSM versions at first, but take heart -- there will be carrier deals, including a Sprint launch sometime in the summer. If you thought the up front price was too much to swallow, you'll have a way of softening the blow.
MWC 2017 showed us the power of nostalgia
Millennials may recognize the Nokia 3310 from the "Indestructible Nokia" meme, but us older folks will more likely remember it as the first cell phone we ever used. Here at MWC 2017, Nokia revived the iconic handset, giving it a 2-inch color display, a "smart" operating system and a 2-megapixel camera. Yes, those specs are atrocious in this generation, but thanks to the power of nostalgia, no one cared.
