The next BlackBerry smartphone, the BlackBerry KEY2 LE, was just unveiled at IFA in Berlin, and it’s exactly what we expected. Thanks to a slew of leaks earlier this month, we have confirmation that BlackBerry’s newest device is a more affordable variation of the under-appreciated KEY2, complete with the brand’s trademark physical QWERTY keyboard. At a glance, the KEY2 LE closely...
Years ago when I got my first job, I spent my first paycheck on a smartphone. I didn't go out and buy an iPhone or an Android device; I went with the BlackBerry Torch and its slide-out QWERTY keyboard. That turned out to be a bad choice as the smartphone didn't age well, and as soon as my contract allowed me to, I upgraded to an iPhone. Regardless of the bad experience, I've had a soft...
BlackBerry only develops software these days, but some companies around the world have picked up the brand's identity to sell hardware with the name attached. Right now there are a small number of licensees. TCL is the most notable, rolling out the KeyOne, Motion, and DTEK despite minimal involvement from BlackBerry itself. The company has actually gone as far as creating a BlackBerry...
My four-year-old asked me recently why I change phones so often. I told him it's because I review them, and then he asked how many I've reviewed over the years. So, thanks to a bout with insomnia I counted. Ladies and gentlemen of the Herd, I have reviewed 317 phones and tablets. Not even going to lie, I was shocked, and kinda felt old, but the exercise did get me thinking, what are my...
The halcyon days of BlackBerry are dead. In their place is the staggered release of devices made by different manufacturers. The newest BlackBerry device being made is by Optiemus Infracom, an Indian telecommunications giant. Going under the name Ghost, this new device looks like a true modern day flagship. VentureBeats’ Evan Blass provided the first glimpse of the device. The image...
Owners of the BlackBerry Priv should start looking for a new device, as BlackBerry this week revealed it will no longer push out monthly security updates to the device. That’s a tough break, because the Priv is still an excellent Android phone. The good news is BlackBerry is launching a trade-up program in response to the news, so Priv owners can easily upgrade to a more current...
BlackBerry has confirmed that the KEYone will be receiving an Android 8.0 Oreo upgrade. A timeframe for the release isn’t available just yet, but users can be sure it’s on its way, complete with features like picture-in-picture, notification dots, Instant Apps, and more. Google made Oreo official on Monday after previewing the update at Google I/O back in June. As usual...
BlackBerry launched the KeyOne back in May with a full QWERY keyboard and Android Nougat. Immediately upon its arrival, customers started to complain its display was lodging out of place very easily and testing confirmed it. BlackBerry said it fixed the problem in July, but there were still some skeptics. Among those was JerryRigEverything who had a big issue with the KeyOne’s...
The BlackBerry KEYone has been surprisingly well-received by fans and critics since making its debut, but if you’re buying one, be sure you don’t accidentally sit on it. Although the device holds up well when it comes to scratches and scuffs, it fails miserably in a bend test. The KEYone offers almost everything a BlackBerry fan could want in a smartphone. It’s the...
BlackBerry may not be designing its own smartphones anymore, but that doesn't mean we won't see new devices sporting the BlackBerry logo. What's more, some of them will feature the iconic BlackBerry physical keyboard, according to CEO John Chen. BlackBerry has been designing and manufacturing its own smartphones since the very beginning, but it took a different route with the recent...