[BigBadWulf]

When I opened my Classic up I didn't any reason why they could not have squeezed in a speaker there...looked like there was plenty of room. Maybe its just a personal peeve but when I played audio or used the speakerphone on the Classic and audio was clearly coming from one side I found it really annoying...especially given that it had dual grilles.

How close do you keep your head to the phone, when playing music? Please, tell me you're pulling my leg.

[anon(2313227)]

The KEYone is definitely louder than the Dtek50 and 60. It was comparable to my V20 maybe slightly softer.

[FF22]

Just pulled the Z30 from the charging easel (it merely serves as a method to feed Blend to my computers). I could not find BB Virtual Expert but when I checked BBW, it offered an update. So be it. Ran Audio Tests. It has a test for STEREO sound. It uses the Top Speaker and the Bottom Speaker for Stereo. Obviously it was intended to be used in the Landscape Orientation for stereo reproduction. The Priv does NOT contain such a test.

I don't know about the K1. Nor the dtek units.

Or did someone already post this information?

[anon(5364777)]

How close do you keep your head to the phone, when playing music? Please, tell me you're pulling my leg.

I use speakers as well when listening to radio inside or in closed spaces. There was a big difference between classic and personal iPhone 7. Speaker system makes a difference also when using it as a conference tool.

It's not a deal breaker but little things like that left out, and price of it. mmm.

[anon(2313227)]

There is a BB virtual expert for Android.

[anon(2313227)]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fqw6fyrt8l...43732.png?dl=0

[Rico4you]

Was lucky to try and use the KEYone during launch at Barcelona and can assure you all but praise. Kevin has explained repeatedly over and over these were pre production hardware / software. Anything thats not finished can always have something to question that's normal. But device deserves a fair once launched full analysis and complete summary. Any conclusions before that is inconclusive and could be interpreted wrongly. A mere hands on. Kevin who has spent a month or so? with device said will only make full review once have a full production device. Makes sense.

[BB-JAM215]

Just pulled the Z30 from the charging easel (it merely serves as a method to feed Blend to my computers). I could not find BB Virtual Expert but when I checked BBW, it offered an update. So be it. Ran Audio Tests. It has a test for STEREO sound. It uses the Top Speaker and the Bottom Speaker for Stereo. Obviously it was intended to be used in the Landscape Orientation for stereo reproduction. The Priv does NOT contain such a test.

I don't know about the K1. Nor the dtek units.

Or did someone already post this information?

Yes, the DTEKs also have top and bottom stereo speakers and you can hear the stereo separation.

I was expecting the KEYone would be the same, but the pre-production units only have media sound coming from the bottom.

[anon(870071)]

Hey guys, sorry, been super busy these last few days, but just wanted to pop in and report some potentially disappointing things about the KEYone hands-on while trying to get some things answered. But remember that the units we got to try at these meet-ups are actually older than the ones at Barcelona, and they have confirmed another hardware revision before it's final.

So first, everyone was wondering about the stereo sound. Now it was loud in there but I tried to listen as well as I could. Here is what I found out, sound only comes out of the right grill, like the Classic... I even tried turning it landscape to see if the earphone part becomes the left speaker in stereo, and didn't hear anything. Now before we all groan, they have said, outright and in writing, that it will have stereo speakers. Now I don't think they are willing to outright lie, so there's a chance that the final retail units would not be the same... So for that reason, I'll have to say stereo speakers are unconfirmed. Won't say for sure they won't be there and won't say for sure they will.

Another thing asked was the FCC ID. I think because these are preproduction units never intended to be used as a personal device, I looked where it usually would say it and it didn't have it at all...

And last disappointing discovery, a lot of people asked about the front flash, and the specs say that it does, but the wording in the full specs got me worried. They called it a front "LCD" flash... Hm... usually the flash on phones are LED, not LCD, so I had the sneaking suspicion they were merely talking about it using the screen as a flash. Tried it at the meet-up, and my suspicion was confirmed. "LCD flash" simply means the screen lights up and illuminates you. Now, personally I couldn't care less about taking selfies, but obviously the majority of people do not feel the same way so this is an important feature. Obviously a LED flash would have been better, but that screen honestly gets pretty darn bright when it is used as a flash. Worked when we tried it at the meet-up which didn't have the best lighting. And the 8MP camera helped as well. I think it should be fine.

Now, I only focused on the few disappointing things I found in this thread, there are plenty of positive things I've already mentioned. And also keep in mind the hardware isn't final so some of these things might change. But just to end it on a high note, I tried out the clickiness of the keyboard side-by-side with my Classic (before I didn't do it directly back and forth so couldn't say more than "it felt good" when asked about that) and I can say it was pretty much identical to my Classic in clickiness, which is great BTW. :-)

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

I think k the pre production units are huge time wasters! Wait till the full fletched retail version comes out,I seriously doubt the keyboard will be the cheap glossy plastic as seen lately!

[BigBadWulf]

I think k the pre production units are huge time wasters! Wait till the full fletched retail version comes out,I seriously doubt the keyboard will be the cheap glossy plastic as seen lately!

I disagree. Heck, in that entire post you quoted, there was no mention of the PKB.

Never felt or looked cheap in Barcelona. Since, only one member I've seen who's touched it, was negative, and they still are interested in checking out a production model when released.

[Carjackd]

I'm more concerned with volume, and if the final production mimics the Barcelona hardware, then we're there. While my Z30 had amazing sound out of it, you still couldn't get a true stereo effect, with the speakers so close.

Front flash being LCD also is quite acceptable for me. If I was truly concerned about selfies in the dark, well I'd probably have a camera man, and make a lot more quid.

You don't have a camera man? With a face like yours?

[slagman5]

You don't have a camera man? With a face like yours?

Lol, he'd have to be very talented. ;-)

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[Carjackd]

Lol, he'd have to be very talented. ;-)

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

See ! I'm not the only one who thinks it BBW

[BigBadWulf]

Y'all start peeking in my bedroom window, we're gonna have a problem.

[slagman5]

Y'all start peeking in my bedroom window, we're gonna have a problem.

We wouldn't want to torture ourselves that way... lol

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[stlabrat]

I think k the pre production units are huge time wasters! Wait till the full fletched retail version comes out,I seriously doubt the keyboard will be the cheap glossy plastic as seen lately!

marketing prototype usually has key performance, form fit and function. It may not have full bloom final version, but from user experience - touch and feel, it should not be far. The inferior normally come from inside, either software (strip down OS and app), or hardware - missing some parts that could be short supply - such as using single speaker, limited memory (on board for example), etc.etc. that still allow both the beta tester and the potential customer got "feel" of the device and stress out the deficiency from the beta tester... Usually, the marketing device is very close to the final product, with exception of parts shortage due to un-forseed event, like Japan nuclear melt down, memory was short supply for a while.. or volcano erupt somewhere... (let's hope history is not going to repeat it again). IMHO.

[anon(870071)]

For me the capacitive keyboard and finger print sensor in the keyboard are the major features i'm looking forward to using and will definately make my device life much much better typing out texts with better accuracy than using a touch screen. Ive never been a fan of touch screen typing although most devices now are just powerful slabs.

[jakie55]

marketing prototype usually has key performance, form fit and function. It may not have full bloom final version, but from user experience - touch and feel, it should not be far. The inferior normally come from inside, either software (strip down OS and app), or hardware - missing some parts that could be short supply - such as using single speaker, limited memory (on board for example), etc.etc. that still allow both the beta tester and the potential customer got "feel" of the device and stress out the deficiency from the beta tester... Usually, the marketing device is very close to the final product, with exception of parts shortage due to un-forseed event, like Japan nuclear melt down, memory was short supply for a while.. or volcano erupt somewhere... (let's hope history is not going to repeat it again). IMHO.

This reminds me of the Dev devices utilized before the BB10 launch

[Basuperstar]

I am a bit worried about the screenformat. I do not expect the Key1 to be a multimedia phone, but watching YouTube videos without black bars in the top and bottom side of the phone, would be nice. I read in a german review about it.

[Adam Frix]

I am a bit worried about the screenformat. I do not expect the Key1 to be a multimedia phone, but watching YouTube videos without black bars in the top and bottom side of the phone, would be nice. I read in a german review about it.

How do the black bars affect your experience negatively?

Did you know that movies are shot in MANY different formats and aspect ratios? Go to the movie theater sometime--watch the curtains at the top and sides of the screen move, to accommodate the aspect ratio of the particular movie. You're paying for a big screen experience, but maybe the director shot the movie in a format that gives you curtains instead of image on the entire movie screen.

That's just life.

And if you want a 42" 16:9 phone for consuming media, go make one. While the K1 can consume media just fine, that's not its primary task.

[slagman5]

How do the black bars affect your experience negatively?

Did you know that movies are shot in MANY different formats and aspect ratios? Go to the movie theater sometime--watch the curtains at the top and sides of the screen move, to accommodate the aspect ratio of the particular movie. You're paying for a big screen experience, but maybe the director shot the movie in a format that gives you curtains instead of image on the entire movie screen.

That's just life.

And if you want a 42" 16:9 phone for consuming media, go make one. While the K1 can consume media just fine, that's not its primary task.

Exactly. People seem to forget that a lot of movies are actually shot at wider than 16:9 aspect ratio.

They are just black bars, just ignore them. Would OP rather the screen be narrower so the bars are gone but the actual image is the same size???

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[deadcowboy]

Is there any handset that has a front led flash?

Posted via CB10

[slagman5]

Is there any handset that has a front led flash?

Posted via CB10

Dtek50 for one...

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[WT44]

LED, proximity and light sensor.

The screen for flash imo is brilliant. Much better lighting for a selfie than a LED flash.

How so?

Hopefully the delay is not due to solely software, but hopefully they make a hardware change (also?) so that one of the holes will get a dual functionality (if that is even possible): LED Flash and whatever it is now. I would even welcome an extra LED light in case the latter wouldn't be possible technically.

P.S. Didn't even know DTEK 50 & DTEK 60 have LED front flash (since I'm only interested in PKB devices). Honestly, knowing this will make it far worse if the KeyOne REALLY will not include a front LED flash. In that case, I will just see it as yet another example where BB (since "last phone designed by BB") screwed up by removing an already known/used feature that would have made the phone even better (for the "normal consumer" who tends to like taking selfies with their friends/family). It's not about that most other smartphones don't have a front flash LED either, it only matters that a BB (2 for that matter) already had it and THEY decided that it isn't a good idea to include it with a newer device, for whatever dumb reason.

[Denise in Los Angeles]

How so?

Hopefully the delay is not due to solely software, but hopefully they make a hardware change (also?) so that one of the holes will get a dual functionality (if that is even possible): LED Flash and whatever it is now. I would even welcome an extra LED light in case the latter wouldn't be possible technically.

P.S. Didn't even know DTEK 50 & DTEK 60 have LED front flash (since I'm only interested in PKB devices). Honestly, knowing this will make it far worse if the KeyOne REALLY will not include a front LED flash. In that case, I will just see it as yet another example where BB (since "last phone designed by BB") screwed up by removing an already known/used feature that would have made the phone even better (for the "normal consumer" who tends to like taking selfies with their friends/family). It's not about that most other smartphones don't have a front flash LED either, it only matters that a BB (2 for that matter) already had it and THEY decided that it isn't a good idea to include it with a newer device, for whatever dumb reason.

The specs say it has a front flash. I hope its LED.

BlackBerry KEYone Specifications