[anon(9742832)]

The and the good thing is the removable storage, which allows them to take LOTS more photos.

Very good point, I forgot that as one of the best options............................

[bberrist]

These pictures say nothing since all Android slabs nowadays basically look the same. I don't get why reviewers even write about the looks and haptics when a simple checklist would do the same:
Glass
Aluminum
Plastic
Slippery
Neutral
Sticky

And even that's irrelevant because the only way to use glass or aluminum as a daily driver is to put them in a cheap rubber bumper case.
Hilarious, reminds me on a great utopian movie from (I think) 2006: Idiocracy...

Posted via CB10

[playfoot]

Many good points. For the sake of BB I hope the phone is a success.

However, for many not in a regulated industry, price of a handset is just one issue. And frankly, as the phones are totally locked down, apps can not be installed, other than those deemed necessary by the company, security has been good. When negotiations are made for fleet phones, the price of a phone is a component, often small, of a larger price for telephone, support, dedicated lines, internet, hardware, etc. And in such negotiations, the carriers too look at handsets as lost leaders. Recently we moved a division to the iPhone - handsets were about $150 or less. So carriers first must be willing to carry and support and give pricing comparable to others Androids.

Finally, given, in mine and my competitors, the recent poor service from BB AND Chen's continued statements about the last phone, getting out of hardware, indifference to clearly stating he supports his product, we have moved to different platforms and solutions. It will take an investment cycle for us to consider BB again . . .

[bberrist]

+Playfoot. Fully agree on what you just wrote, at least for Germany. Especially the lack of trust that Chen created with his threats to abandon hardware if not self sustaining worries me, too. I may be delusional but I wish BlackBerry would see the hardware more as a long-term promotional/marketing tool to create trust and harden the BlackBerry brand by showing robustness and stability of the hardware department, mid- to long-term.

Posted via CB10

[CAB64]

This maybe intended as a fleet phone but I'll buy DTEK50 for myself because I think it is good value for money given all of the extra features brought over from BB10.

I'm not a gamer so I don't need a Snapdragon 820 and 4 Gb of ram. A few members of my family have the Samsung J2 with lower specs than the DTEK50 and having used them quite a lot, I have not noticed any stutters or performance issues.

Posted on my Z10. Still going strong almost 3 years later.

[anon(9742832)]

This maybe intended as a fleet phone but I'll buy DTEK50 for myself because I think it is good value for money given all of the extra features brought over from BB10.

I'm not a gamer so I don't need a Snapdragon 820 and 4 Gb of ram. A few members of my family have the Samsung J2 with lower specs than the DTEK50 and having used them quite a lot, I have not noticed any stutters or performance issues.

Posted on my Z10. Still going strong almost 3 years later.

No question ,this is a great mid level phone. Some people who complain are expecting to much from the phone. The phone is smooth as silk and battery life is OK, not great but given the size of the phone its fine.

[slakberi]

For all the little things it's missing (such as, perhaps, a fingerprint reader), it's a solid device integrated with Blackberry software mods offering a commitment to fast security updates at a great price point. If they were to throw in an assurance of long-term support in the event Blackberry stops producing hardware devices, I think any business or government agency providing devices to their employees would be hard pressed to find a better option.

[murphcid]

Could not agree more.

No question ,this is a great mid level phone. Some people who complain are expecting to much from the phone. The phone is smooth as silk and battery life is OK, not great but given the size of the phone its fine.

[murphcid]

Absolutely. I just hope the next one is a classic shape Blackberry with a great keypad, and at least a 3.5" screen that is easily pocketable like the old Blackberries of yore. I like the DTEK50 enough, I am ordering one next month ($$$) as a backup phone to my HTC M10. And if its as good as described, I may replace my wife's iPhone 6 with another.

For all the little things it's missing (such as, perhaps, a fingerprint reader), it's a solid device integrated with Blackberry software mods offering a commitment to fast security updates at a great price point. If they were to throw in an assurance of long-term support in the event Blackberry stops producing hardware devices, I think any business or government agency providing devices to their employees would be hard pressed to find a better option.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

For all the little things it's missing (such as, perhaps, a fingerprint reader), it's a solid device integrated with Blackberry software mods offering a commitment to fast security updates at a great price point. If they were to throw in an assurance of long-term support in the event Blackberry stops producing hardware devices, I think any business or government agency providing devices to their employees would be hard pressed to find a better option.

That's the one problem that I'm not sure how they overcome.... Chen saying to investors that he'll shutdown hardware if it doesn't make money, kinda hurts his chances with enterprise. Especially coming off the short lived BB10 experiment.

Paired with his past statements of the importance of the US Enterprise & Government markets to BlackBerry, and the total lack of Carrier support and only 50% airwave support in the US market. Not sure how many US Enterprise customers will be buying..... at least not right away. Probably another chicken/egg problem for BlackBerry. They need customers to make hardware profitable and to keep making device - customers need assurances that BlackBerry will keep making hardware.

[TgeekB]

These pictures say nothing since all Android slabs nowadays basically look the same. I don't get why reviewers even write about the looks and haptics when a simple checklist would do the same:
Glass
Aluminum
Plastic
Slippery
Neutral
Sticky

And even that's irrelevant because the only way to use glass or aluminum as a daily driver is to put them in a cheap rubber bumper case.
Hilarious, reminds me on a great utopian movie from (I think) 2006: Idiocracy...

Posted via CB10

All cars are made of metal, rubber, and plastic, so they are all the same. Not.

[BBd00d]

That's the one problem that I'm not sure how they overcome.... Chen saying to investors that he'll shutdown hardware if it doesn't make money, kinda hurts his chances with enterprise. Especially coming off the short lived BB10 experiment

You know, I've tried to read between the lines for awhile with Chen, not that anyone should even have to. For all intents and purposes, using a reference design in my eyes means that he has shut down the hardware business without publicly coming out to say it. He merged devices into another portfolio (forgot the name) and he no longer has to worry about paying anyone to design it, he just outsources the details to others like TCL, and worries about securing it via software and having the reference hardware encoded from the chip on up...he's allowing the company to save a lot of money here which I think is very smart, and yet, still can provide end to end solutions far cheaper than he could have before.

I'm also not worried about BlackBerry NOT continuing to support updates, because frankly, they are a software company going forward, wouldn't that be part of what they do?

Anyone else have thoughts on these points?


Posted via CB10

[Jerry A]

That's the one problem that I'm not sure how they overcome.... Chen saying to investors that he'll shutdown hardware if it doesn't make money, kinda hurts his chances with enterprise. Especially coming off the short lived BB10 experiment.

I think the lack of CDMA versions is going to hurt him more.

[anon(4275744)]

No one else thinks anything about this?

I think most agree. I have a Classic for work and now the Dtek50 as my daily driver. I also own a Z30 (in perfect condition) and a new Sony Aqua M4.
I am sure the next corporate phone I get will be a Dtek50. We get a choice between an iPhone and a Blackberry. (Like that's even a choice)!

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

You know, I've tried to read between the lines for awhile with Chen, not that anyone should even have to. For all intents and purposes, using a reference design in my eyes means that he has shut down the hardware business without publicly coming out to say it. He merged devices into another portfolio (forgot the name) and he no longer has to worry about paying anyone to design it, he just outsources the details to others like TCL, and worries about securing it via software and having the reference hardware encoded from the chip on up...he's allowing the company to save a lot of money here which I think is very smart, and yet, still can provide end to end solutions far cheaper than he could have before.

I'm also not worried about BlackBerry NOT continuing to support updates, because frankly, they are a software company going forward, wouldn't that be part of what they do?

Anyone else have thoughts on these points?


Posted via CB10

If selling these repackaged hardware units doesn't make money...... There will be no reason for BlackBerry to work on Android Operating System Software anymore, thus no updates for any major Android version. Security patches can be left on auto.... as BlackBerry has nothing to do with those - hoping that one doesn't break anything. And if the Android Apps can make money on their own, they might keep pushing out the HUB+... But if sometime next year, it becomes clear that these Android phones are not viable, and they don't fine an OEM willing to license from them. Might be that Nougat is the last version of BlackBerry Android that is ever released. If the DTEK and the "Argon" don't sell very well... not sure how long Chen will keep trying. Afraid that the PRIV probably has cost BlackBerry... if not money, than at least any reputation they had left. AT&T and T-Mobile clearance phones still flood the market as low as $329, and Verizon has marked the PRIV down to $408...... someone has lost a lot of money on the PRIV. Thus no US carrier has picked up the DTEK.... If the same holds true for the Argon, then I'd give BlackBerry 1 in 100 chance of staying in hardware.

BlackBerry has become a software company.... but a very specific type of software.

[sookster54]

I think this device looks good, the price is good as well and if performance will be without lag, then I will own one. I still have my Z10 I have used Galaxy S7 recently and Dtek50 seems a little taller and wider than S7. I would personally make the screen 4.7 to 5 inches, then for me it would be perfect!

There you go:

Samsung Galaxy S7 Size - Real life visualization and comparison

[sethr]

I think that it is a good enough thing that I am considering upgrading the family phones away from Apple iPhones for the wife and daughter to the DTEK50. Not only is the price great, but the security is important. After the disaster that was the Priv (endless returns for defective phones, overheating issues, overly high price, and all the other negatives brought out on this Great Site), it was never an option. But the Dtek50 with Andorid 6.0 (soon 7.0), Dtek software, and other considerations is a very attractive phone to come back to. The family would never get an old persons phone (as they called Blackberry keyboard phones), but a touchscreen phone, with good app ecosystem, and decent performance? Yes. Personally I am looking towards a Classic/9900 style phone for my next one. But my my Apple obssessed kids and wife, the DTEK50 might be what it take to get them to switch.

It's hard to move iSheep. LOL.

[sethr]

No question ,this is a great mid level phone. Some people who complain are expecting to much from the phone. The phone is smooth as silk and battery life is OK, not great but given the size of the phone its fine.

If I wanted MORE I would have spent $659 on an S7. Their security is getting up there.
I agree. It's a great value for the money. Possibly help to bring prices down.

[blackmass]

How about a second battery in the form of a flip case. Can that b done?

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[murphcid]

These kids are photo crazy with the phones. A "good enough" camera, and lots of storage space...A match made in High School heaven. The SD card option is a big selling point, I think. However, the issue now is to get them away from genuflecting at the altar of Apple....

Very good point, I forgot that as one of the best options............................

[Ian Logan1]

I've seen the cments about companies moving from BlackBerry to IPhone s. An illustration is.. I worked for s company in the UK 2 years ago who had kitted put their entire workforce of around 200 with BBOS7 phones. BlackBerry introduced OS10 phones but wanted stupid money. The company switched to iPhone 5c handsets as they were offered a much better deal. BlackBerry were too greedy and underestimated the demand for their phones. A stupid move by them. Anyway history tells us that the iPhone 5c was a bag of s..t, beset be antenna and crappy build problems. Blackberry failed big time by not effectively marketing and over pricing. Will they ever learn? Hopefully the DTEK50 will turn it around but, much as though I like it, I'm not holding my breath

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[ninjakaiden]

A few others have mentioned it, but there's a lot to be said about the fast software updates/security patches. That should mean a lot to a company that has thousands of devices in the field that could be exploited. A lot higher probability that
thousands of devices the company has will be targeted as well.

This is thinking outside the box but I'm wondering if a company could save money on insurance premiums if their employees are using devices that are less likely to be compromised?

Posted via CB10

[murphcid]

Fast security updates are really an important point for corporate customers, and IT managers.

[donnation]

This is thinking outside the box but I'm wondering if a company could save money on insurance premiums if their employees are using devices that are less likely to be compromised?

Posted via CB10

No.

[murphcid]

I almost think it is too late for Blackberry now, very sad to say. I left after two 9700's died at the six month mark, and it left a bad taste in my mouth about their QC. Went to HTC and never looked back. Now HTC is headed to Blackberry land in terms of being done, not by the perennial bad QC/Bad marketing of Blackberry, but through lack of vision, and other mis-steps. The thing is, emotionally, I want Blackberry to succeed, because we all win when there are choices.