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Old 06-07-2018, 06:53 PM   #1
Lactobacillus
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Post Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

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Waiting for the Key2: Will the new owners of BlackBerry figure out the secrets to making a good mobile keyboard before this release?

  • I have been stuck in time on a "Classic" because that is the newest phone to feature the excellently-refined BlackBerry keyboard.
  • I rejected the "Passport" because that model de-emphasised and downgraded the keyboard.
  • The "KeyOne" was a correction, but it failed my in-store test because the keys were unrefined and not differenced between left & right.

Will the Key2 be my upgrade?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wired
TCL has redesigned the BlackBerry keyboard of the KEY2. It looks similar, but the keys are 20 per cent taller that last year's. They are well contoured, and using them brings up 10-year-old memories of BlackBerry..
Quote:
Originally Posted by TechRadar
According to BlackBerry Mobile, the brand spent time working out the "clickability"; of the Bold 9900, one of the most popular BlackBerry devices of all time, to transport that feel to the new Key2.


I am sure BlackBerry designers were years ahead of me, but it does feel like they were tuning into my complaints about their spate of "wrong" keyboards!

Emerging images of the new Key2 suggest BlackBerry is returning to being an expert in keyboard design, with deep ergonomic contours to differentiate left from right. This model is certainly worthy of another in-store test..

The other major topic is software compatibility. The "Classic" that I use is part-compatible with Android apps (many do work); and "Key2" is fully compatibility because it has:

Quote:
Originally Posted by TechRadar
Android Oreo 8.1 on board ... with Google Assistant and Lens inside, and ... the full suite of Google Play apps.
The new retail price is now known to be about £580 (64Gb version).
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Last edited by Lactobacillus; 06-07-2018 at 07:10 PM..
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Old 06-08-2018, 08:00 AM   #2
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

If they do updates and do not drop support as they did on older BB phones it may sell.
The only problem is who is selling the phones? with limited carriers offering the Keyone at about $450, the price you suggest at $750 it may not sell. Maybe discounts will be offered.

Lets hope it does sell.
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Old 06-09-2018, 03:34 AM   #3
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

I think its $650 in the US. You cannot use currency conversion to compare UK-US prices. The UK is a country of high prices and low wages: Brilliant if you sell products, pay wages, and don't pay taxes!!! (Amazon by Jeff Bezos *cough*)

I am sure BlackBerry are feeling the heat from your continuous complaints about their support practice.

Support is a bit chicken & egg, so if a company is not promising long term support, then don't expect it. Its complicated by a mix of economies of scale and network effect. If a company has only one customer, then free updates for all customers is a bad return on investment. One of the things Steve Jobs did for Apple was end long term support on classic laptops.
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Last edited by Lactobacillus; 06-09-2018 at 03:42 AM..
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Old 06-10-2018, 08:42 AM   #4
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

I like Blackberry phones but if any company decides to drop support the number of people who will move to other devices can cause problems in that company.

As for using conversion , it is a simple way to get approxmate price on something and it works.

As for Apple , look at the stuff they have been caught doing lately purely for sales.
Some that even should be considered underhanded practices.
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Old 06-10-2018, 12:09 PM   #5
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

Quote:
Originally Posted by tsac View Post
If they do updates and do not drop support as they did on older BB phones it may sell.
The only problem is who is selling the phones? with limited carriers offering the Keyone at about $450, the price you suggest at $750 it may not sell. Maybe discounts will be offered.

Lets hope it does sell.

Who is using them?

(I believe I've seen one of the BlackBerry branded droids in the wild, someone using one at ATL, in the last year. I still see more 9000-series in use than I ever saw even BB10 models. Even now I see one or two a month when traveling. BB droids? No.)
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Old 06-10-2018, 12:30 PM   #6
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

Agreed, I see only older BB's when traveling. Who knows , maybe the Key2 will sell if it has good advertising.
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Old 06-10-2018, 01:41 PM   #7
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

I have seen one KeyOne on the London Underground.

I agree with tsac about Apple support being underhanded. Apple's newest devices designed in such a way that the screen needs to be cracked open to access (or fix) anything behind. That basically means paying for a new device when the smallest thing goes wrong.
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Last edited by Lactobacillus; 06-10-2018 at 01:54 PM..
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Old 06-11-2018, 04:06 PM   #8
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

Quote:
Originally Posted by tsac
The only problem is who is selling the phones?
Selfridges are selling the Key2 in London.

Quote:
Originally Posted by aiharkness
Who is using them?
TBD, but the Key2 will work with any UK network. I use the Classic on BT at £5/month.

I am feeling cold feet because keys in the Selfridges' photos do not look very distinct for left and right; and I think there really needs to be a bump on the D and K so that both thumbs know where they are without you needing to look (but maybe that is just me?). Anyway I will wait and test in store before making my decision.

Now available in Silver or Black.
Attached Images
File Type: png Screen Shot 2018-06-11 at 22.06.47.png (429.0 KB, 2 views)
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Last edited by Lactobacillus; 06-11-2018 at 04:54 PM..
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Old 06-11-2018, 04:48 PM   #9
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

Quote:
Originally Posted by tsac
maybe the Key2 will sell if it has good advertising.
"I used to love my BlackBerry" ... BlackBerry Key2 TV advert
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Last edited by Lactobacillus; 06-11-2018 at 04:57 PM..
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Old 06-13-2018, 06:24 PM   #10
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

For anyone who has an older BB phone they size may be a deterant in switching. My Z10 is 5in x 2.5 in and the Key2 is 151.4 x 71.8 x 8.5 mm (5.96 x 2.82 x 0.33 inches)

The added length although only an inch does not fit with the other item I current carry with the Z10 in the same "holster" But I will see when it's available locally.
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Old 06-14-2018, 06:45 AM   #11
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

I agree that many phone designs are ridiculously oversized as designers desperately try to innovate through market experimentation, but I think the design of the Key2 is safe and conservative.

TCL could probably shrink the phone slightly, and improve keyboard location, by moving the Android buttons from the bottom of the screen to the bottom of the device.

The sad truth is the market already rejected small phones. Refinements reduced the dimensions of phones to the size of keyrings (circa 2005). When phones could not be made smaller than their 0..9 keypads, they literally disappeared as stand-alone devices.

From here on it only gets bigger. How do you feel about skateboarding on phones where you can dial with your feet?

P.S. Since 2015 the Sony TV line shipped with Android built-in.
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Last edited by Lactobacillus; 06-14-2018 at 07:22 AM..
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Old 06-14-2018, 06:12 PM   #12
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

what use is Android on a TV except to allow Google to now monitor the stations people are watching. They tell us its to control the tv from the phone ....sure thats all its for.
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Old 06-14-2018, 06:29 PM   #13
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

Don't know ... but maybe owners can to install Phone on their Android TVs, and make phone calls from their living room?

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Old 06-14-2018, 06:45 PM   #14
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

And Google wont listen
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Old 08-21-2018, 09:31 PM   #15
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

I have key2 having trouble kicking off all the features so I'm not opening apps and menus every 2 seconds. Screen mysteriously scrolls up and down now and then. Can't get the apps and widgets icon off my taskbar. Priority hub is improved a little bit but still a virus. I have to fight the software to not broadcast all my messages. Google is preinstalled and wants access to your testicles or else your phone fights you. Basically you buy this phone to fight it.
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Old 08-22-2018, 08:41 AM   #16
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

As I said in your other post, Google wants full control and the cell phone companies have allowed it.
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Old 09-27-2018, 12:43 PM   #17
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

Thanks for sharing. I think Blackberry needs to step up before they get overrun my other smartphones which are popping out all the time in the market. Not a lot of people are keen in using phones with keyboard anymore. Aesthetically, they look a bit 2010-ish :(

Maybe blackberry should start becoming a smartphone company too.... I keep BB because I'm one of the few who still prefer keyboard phones when texting. But I use it together with a smartphone.
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Old 09-28-2018, 08:12 PM   #18
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

start becoming a smartphone company ??? they are just run by stupid executives
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Old 10-13-2018, 06:18 AM   #19
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

Would still buy at that price.
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Old 10-28-2018, 12:45 PM   #20
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Default Re: Key2 pre-released and priced at £580 (UK)

Companies do not offer long term support ( repairs ) so they can sell new phones.
The same reason batteries are not replaceable by users. Most will just buy new.
And do you suppose Apple played with the battery charging to make the battery better or to make users think it's time to buy new?
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