Is Blackberry making a slider phone that runs Android?

[middlehead]

Swiftkey has somehow turned horrible in the last few months. Responsiveness has been fine but it's suddenly choosing words that I've never used in my life, let alone typed on my phone.

If this thing comes out in time to compete with the next Nexus and the Z5, I will most definitely consider it.

 

[Snappysneaky]

I'm old fashioned and yeah,I'd be happy to see some sort of a physical keyboard,it's faster than this touch keyboard am using

 

[kpkp]

It look like a really nice phone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2-bR5zFbzw

 

[WelshBloke]

It look like a really nice phone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2-bR5zFbzw

That does indeed look pretty good.

It'll be interesting to see how it turns out, it's certainly one to keep an eye on.

 

[mmntech]

Blackberry has officially announced it. It will be called the Priv, for Privacy, get it?
http://crackberry.com/blackberry-of...=slider&utm_campaign=navigation&utm_source=cb

Rumoured specs:
Processor - Qualcomm Snapdragon 808
RAM and Storage - 3GB of RAM, 32GB Expandable Storage
Display - 5.4-Inch, 1440x2560, 537ppi
Camera - Rear: 18MP, Fast Focus, OIS, 4K video capable. Front: 5MP HD.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Nice specs.

 

[thilanliyan]

Should have stuck with the Venice name...much nicer than "Priv"...

 

[lxskllr]

Should have stuck with the Venice name...much nicer than "Priv"...

Can call it the privy. That rolls nicely off the tongue :^D

 

[Crono]

Phone looks promising, but the name is stupid. I thought it was cut off in the title when looking at another site.

Is there a release date other than "this year"? I've narrowed down my next phone to the Moto X Pure (or preferably the Style, if I can find a way to get it) or Nexus 5X, but I'd add the Priv to the list if reviews are good.

 

[lxskllr]

Phone looks promising, but the name is stupid. I thought it was cut off in the title when looking at another site.

I use landscape virtually 100% of the time. I'm very interested in a real keyboard, but portrait would require a huge change on my part. If the phone's hackable, I might be willing to make the change. Imagine the awesomeness of a real landscape keyboard. It would be almost like using a desktop.

 

[blackdogdeek]

http://www.digitalspy.com/tech/feat...rything-you-need-to-know.html#~prF2Qd795G0DhR

6 November release date in the UK. GBP579.99 for unlocked. 808, 3Gb, 32Gb expandable to 2Tb.

 

[WelshBloke]

http://www.digitalspy.com/tech/feat...rything-you-need-to-know.html#~prF2Qd795G0DhR

6 November release date in the UK. GBP579.99 for unlocked. 808, 3Gb, 32Gb expandable to 2Tb.

That's about £50 more expensive than an S6 edge or an iP6s!

 

[blackdogdeek]

That's about £50 more expensive than an S6 edge or an iP6s!

Yeah, in USD that's $895.88 which is really expensive. Of course, if there are any businesses that are still tied to bb, they could possibly work on bulk ordering to lower the costs maybe?

 

[WelshBloke]

Yeah, in USD that's $895.88 which is really expensive.

Probably best not to convert the price as there's tax included in the UK prices. Just look at it as being more expensive than pretty much everything else!

Of course, if there are any businesses that are still tied to bb, they could possibly work on bulk ordering to lower the costs maybe?

There is that. I just think that the days of business having a massive impact on the market have gone.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

$950 in Canada. That's about $720 US.

http://crackberry.com/heres-how-blackberry-secured-android-priv

• BlackBerry's Hardware Root of Trust, a unique manufacturing process that injects cryptographic keys into the device hardware, providing a secure foundation for the entire platform.
• Verified Boot and Secure Bootchain, which uses the embedded keys to verify every layer of the device from hardware to OS to applications in order to make sure they haven't been tampered with.
• A hardened Linux kernel with numerous patches and configuration changes to improve security.
• FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption on by default to protect your privacy.

Also:

• Curved screen 5.4 inch
• 2560x1440 pixels
• Snapdragon808 Adreno 418 GPU
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage + micro SD yp to 128 GB
• Front Camera 5MP (might be 2MP but I think that is an incorrect piece of info going around)
• Rear Camera18MP
• Battery: 3410 mah
• Android Lollipi 5.1.1

This is more expensive mostly due to the keyboard It's a $100 feature. And before you laugh, you should actually read about it. It's the same tech as the Passport. So, go find a video of the Passport keyboard. It's a touch sensitive track pad also.

 

[pete6032]

$950 in Canada. That's about $720 US.

http://crackberry.com/heres-how-blackberry-secured-android-priv

• BlackBerry's Hardware Root of Trust, a unique manufacturing process that injects cryptographic keys into the device hardware, providing a secure foundation for the entire platform.
• Verified Boot and Secure Bootchain, which uses the embedded keys to verify every layer of the device from hardware to OS to applications in order to make sure they haven't been tampered with.
• A hardened Linux kernel with numerous patches and configuration changes to improve security.
• FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption on by default to protect your privacy.

Are there any reasons for a normal consumer android user to care about these particular features?

I mean, this is my third android phone and I've never had a virus or had my phone hacked, and my phones don't have those extra security features.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Nope. It's primarily targeting enterprise users and high end users. People that send 100 e-mails a day users. People that want hte best communication device possible users. Gotta say though, I'd rather loose this phone than a normal android phone. No one will ever get my data via rooting. I hope that they locked down the file system so people can't give The Hub away to other Android users. The Hub on BB10 is it's best feature. I honestly want this phone running BB10, not Android.

WE'll have to see how well they advertise this phone. It's what consumers buy phones based on anyway.

Regardless, the price point is going to keep me away in all liklikhood. If I have to go Android, I have too many options.

Truth be told, most consumers would be fine with a $200 Android or 3 year old iOS phone. It's not what people that buy new do though.

 

[Zahid Iqbal]

Blackberry last try to remain in smarphones field

 

[blackdogdeek]

I just think that the days of business having a massive impact on the market have gone.

I agree. It seems over here businesses are increasingly moving toward a BYOD model.

 

[pete6032]

Blackberry last try to remain in smarphones field

They said that in 2013 about the Z10, then in early 2014 about the Z30, then again in late 2014 with the Passport. Now they're saying it in 2015 with the Priv.

 

[senseamp]

They are about 5 years late with this phone. Should have made it instead of buying QNX, and before their customers switched to iPhones and Androids without physical keyboards and BB messenger. They lost a lot of mind share that's not coming back. It was already obvious then that BB could not make its own OS ecosystem self sustaining.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Rogers is selling the Priv for $800. That's about $610 US. If they price it at $600, I see my next phone.

 

[WelshBloke]

Rogers is selling the Priv for $800. That's about $610 US. If they price it at $600, I see my next phone.

I'm not up on US prices. How does that compare to an S6 and an iP6s for the same deal?

 

[pete6032]

I'm not up on US prices. How does that compare to an S6 and an iP6s for the same deal?

iPhone 6s 16GB is $650. iPhone 5s is $450. Galaxy s6 will run you $600 to $700 depending on model.

I think BB is making a mistake selling their device at the same prices as other top-of-the-line devices, but I could be wrong. Maybe business users will not care as much about the price and the security features will make it worthwhile. We will have to wait and see.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I'm not up on US prices. How does that compare to an S6 and an iP6s for the same deal?

Premium phones in the US typcially cost about $600.

I think the current number for the US price for the Priv is $750.
http://crackberry.com/official-blac...=slider&utm_campaign=navigation&utm_source=cb

Want a physical keyboard on a high end android device. You only have one option. And no one will be able to top the keyboard on the Blackberry. Just not going to happen. People do want this. They might be able to snag 1% market share. Not a big percentage but for a company the size of Blackberrry today that is a HUGE change in revenues. Time will tell.

Priv pre-orders might start tomorrow. If this works though, Blackberry could land in the acquisition sites of Google.

The problem blackberry seems to have though is what if this did come out for $400 in the same form factor. Kiss the high resolution screen good bye. no curved edge which is not a big deal IMO. Kiss the 808 processor good bye. 3GB mem down to 2 GB. and a bunch of other limitations. They'd have a crappy android phone that doesn't stand out in a sea of android phones. They had to go premium. But ya, maybe it is tooo premium.