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BlackBerry's Priv Android phone comes to Verizon
For power Android users who need a physical keyboard, one of the few devices left is the BlackBerry Priv. Until now, it could only be found on AT&T and T-Mobile, but it's now available on Verizon, the biggest network in the US -- for a price. While it costs as little as $700 or so unlocked, Big Red is selling it for $720 sans contract, or a hefty $30 per month over two years. However, it means that BlackBerry's first and only Android device (so far) is now available to over 80 percent of US subscribers, with just Sprint missing from the big four.
Living with the BlackBerry Priv hooked me on its keyboard
When my colleague Dan reviewed the BlackBerry Priv, he was understandably cool about it. You're paying a steeper-than-average price ($699-plus in the US) for a phone whose selling point is its slide-out keyboard. That's a big gamble when there are more affordable touch-only phones that are also more powerful. But what's it like if you take that plunge? I've spent several weeks living with a Priv to find out. All its stand-out features and quirks are still there, but I've found myself gradually drawn in by that keyboard -- enough so that my opinion of the phone has changed for good.
BlackBerry's Android phone is coming to Verizon, too
You won't have to jump to AT&T or get an unlocked phone just to give the BlackBerry Priv a try in the States. Verizon has teased that BlackBerry's first Android smartphone is "coming soon," and it's taking sign-ups if you want to know just when the slider will be available on its network. There's no mention of a release date or pricing, but AT&T is selling the Priv for $250 on a 2-year contract, or $25 per month on a similarly lengthy installment plan. We'd expect something comparable with Big Red.
BlackBerry reveals the lengths it went to make Android 'secure'
BlackBerry's reputation for security is so strong that its devices are frequently used by world leaders as their go-to smartphone of choice. With the forthcoming Priv, the firm has had to try and bring its brand-name security to Android, an operating system with a less-than stellar history when it comes to security and privacy. In order to reassure customers that the Priv has all of the benefits you'll find on its BB10 handsets, Alex Manea, BlackBerry's director of security, has opened up on the measures it took to make Android secure.
BlackBerry's CEO isn't sure how to use BlackBerry's Android phone
BlackBerry CEO John Chen may be immensely proud of his company's upcoming Android-powered Priv smartphone, but he still has a few things to learn about using it. In an on-camera demo of the Priv for BNN, it's apparent that the exec hasn't used Android much -- he talks about how it "runs Google," and has trouble launching basics like Chrome. Not exactly putting your best foot forward, BlackBerry. It's hard not to sympathize a bit with Chen, since he's likely been using BlackBerry 10 devices for a while. With that said, SlashGear raises a valid concern about what this goof-ridden clip means for long-time users. Moving to Android is a big help for newcomers and people who'd left BlackBerry for greener pastures, but it might alienate loyal fans who've never tried another company's platform.
BlackBerry confirms 'Priv' Android phone will launch this year
BlackBerry confirmed that rumors of its first Android device, called Priv, are accurate. In the company's latest earnings report, CEO John Chen said that the smartphone "combines the best of BlackBerry security and productivity with the expansive mobile application ecosystem available on the Android platform." It'll arrive by the end of 2015 "in major markets in-store and online," and Blackberry will reveal other details like specs and price within the next few weeks. So far, rumors indicate that it'll have a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge-like curved screen, QWERTY keyboard slider and 18-megapixel camera. Despite the company's turn toward Android, Chen said it "remains committed to the BlackBerry 10 OS," and will release version 10.3.3 in March, 2016.
BlackBerry's Android phone will be known as the 'Priv'
BlackBerry's upcoming Android phone has been called "Venice" for quite some time, but that's apparently nothing but a moniker meant to be shed and replaced by its real model name. According to Evleaks and N4BB, it will be released as the BlackBerry Priv, presumably due to its privacy features. Evleaks also revealed a new stock photo of the phone, which you can see below the fold. Don't expect to see anything new, though: it's still a QWERTY slider with a curved screen and an 18-megapixel camera. Hopefully, we'll find out more about it and its release date soon. If the device turns out to have killer features, then it doesn't matter what it's called: after all, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
