Blackberry Key 2

DrToffnar · 26 Jun 2018 at 11:44

Surprised there's not a dedicated thread for this.

Release date is this Thursday and I'm pretty excited to see how it turns out.

Early hands on reviews seem to be pretty positive so fingers crossed!

Anyone else thinking about picking it up?

robfosters · 26 Jun 2018 at 12:19

I thought Blackberry had packed up making phones?

DrToffnar · 26 Jun 2018 at 12:24

robfosters said:
I thought Blackberry had packed up making phones?

As did I until about a year ago. It's very confusing and I'm not entirely sure what the deal is, but all there hardware runs on Android with a light skin on top now.

robfosters · 26 Jun 2018 at 12:56

DrToffnar said:
As did I until about a year ago. It's very confusing and I'm not entirely sure what the deal is, but all there hardware runs on Android with a light skin on top now.

I think they’re brave going back into the market now. I can’t believe the tiny physical keyboard will be a selling point with the excellent and large touchscreens on phones now. Thing of the past surely?

Sp00n · 26 Jun 2018 at 12:59

Hardware keyboard is still nicer to use than on screen imo but that's about the only redeeming factor of a BB.

robfosters · 26 Jun 2018 at 13:05

I always found BB keyboards annoying to use. Would always end up pressing two or three buttons at once.

DrToffnar · 26 Jun 2018 at 13:36

robfosters said:
I think they’re brave going back into the market now. I can’t believe the tiny physical keyboard will be a selling point with the excellent and large touchscreens on phones now. Thing of the past surely?

Indeed. It's definitely for a niche market, but it's a market nonetheless. I STILL miss my old Pearl from time to time and was a huge fan of the Priv which was released a few years back (old style slide phone housing a physical keyboard).

I just think this looks absolutely stunning. Not entirely sure whether I'm on board for the ever shrinking bezels either which is definitely where the market is heading now.

Sp00n said:
Hardware keyboard is still nicer to use than on screen imo but that's about the only redeeming factor of a BB.

I still rate the Blackberry Hub if I'm honest. Really nice to have everything so concisely put together.

Atari · 26 Jun 2018 at 14:10

DrToffnar said:
As did I until about a year ago. It's very confusing and I'm not entirely sure what the deal is, but all there hardware runs on Android with a light skin on top now.

I believe TCL bought Blackberry and are now making the phones under their brand -I'm led to believe they also own Alcatel along with a slew of other brands.

DrToffnar · 26 Jun 2018 at 14:17

Atari said:
I believe TCL bought Blackberry and are now making the phones under their brand -I'm led to believe they also own Alcatel along with a slew of other brands.

Ahh I see! Fair play to them. Obviously still have faith in the old designs. Then again, didn't they release a few 'traditional' smartphones under the Blackberry name that completely bombed?

DrToffnar · 27 Jun 2018 at 20:13

Review embargo lifted today. Seems as though it's been pretty well received!

jrwagh333 · 4 Jul 2018 at 16:00

Blackberry make the software. TCL design the hardware .