BlackBerry KEYone's Success Hinges on Physical Keyboard Longing
The first reviews of the new KEYone BlackBerry handset appeared this week, and the early consensus is that this device will appeal to BlackBerry fans who want its familiar physical QWERTY keyboard coupled with the functionality of Google's Android operating system.
The first reviews of the new KEYone BlackBerry handset appeared this week, and the early consensus is that this device will appeal to BlackBerry fans who want its familiar physical QWERTY keyboard coupled with the functionality of Google's Android operating system.
This handset technically is not a true BlackBerry -- it is the first device from TCL since it entered a licensing agreement with BlackBerry Limited, formerly Research In Motion, the maker of the original BlackBerry handsets. TCL's license agreement covers the name and hardware patents, including the QWERTY keyboard. BlackBerry still provides the back-end software, but the KEYone runs the Android OS under its BlackBerry skin.
The KEYone has the appearance of a classic BlackBerry. It features:
The KEYone has the appearance of a classic BlackBerry. It features:
4.5-inch scratch-resistant display
8-MP front camera with flash
12-MP autofocus large-pixel rear camera
Fingerprint scanner and BlackBerry security software.
It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Octa-Core 2.0 GHz CPU with a 64-bit Adreno 506, 650-MHz GPU. It has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of flash memory.
The KEYone is preloaded with BlackBerry applications, as well as standard Android apps including Google Chrome, Google Maps and Gmail. It can run on LTE and CDMA networks. It supports Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, WiFi and even FM radio.
The BlackBerry KEYone became available earlier this year in Canada. It will hit the shelves next month in the United States for US$549 unlocked. It will become available from Sprint this summer.
It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Octa-Core 2.0 GHz CPU with a 64-bit Adreno 506, 650-MHz GPU. It has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of flash memory.
The KEYone is preloaded with BlackBerry applications, as well as standard Android apps including Google Chrome, Google Maps and Gmail. It can run on LTE and CDMA networks. It supports Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, WiFi and even FM radio.
The BlackBerry KEYone became available earlier this year in Canada. It will hit the shelves next month in the United States for US$549 unlocked. It will become available from Sprint this summer.
Tags: RIM, Blackberry, Internet, Mobile Device
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