Originally Posted by
jurgvonschmurg My device progression:
iPhone 3g >> iPhone 4 (with a two week stint on a Nexus 4) >> iPhone 5s >> iPhone 6 >> Huawei Mate 8 >> DTEK60
*General build of the phone*
On par with other devices I have owned; feels solid. I wouldn't use it outside of a case due to the glass/ceramic back and the large camera bump. Screen is great, and the oleophobic coating seems particularly effective in comparison to other phones I've had. Front facing speakers make the audio experience of the phone better than anything I have previously used. Button actions are nice, but the power button location is indeed very odd. I'm mostly mitigating this by using the tap to wake function, and just setting a relatively short screen time out.
*Battery life so far*
Fantastic. Unplugged at 7:30am today, and am still at 75%, with moderate use and absolutely no attempts to control battery use (GPS, wifi, bluetooth, etc have all been on the whole time). I have no doubts that it will reliably be able to get me through a day of use, and in a pinch probably even carry me into the morning of a second day if need be. I like the ability to automatically activate the power saving functions at either 5% or 15%. What is more, the quick charging is truly remarkable; I went from less than 50% to 100% in 25min last night, and I am confident that I should be able to get to 100% in less than an hour in the vast majority of cases. This is better than any other phone I've had -- the iPhone 6 was the next closest. Even though it had a 4,000mAh battery, the Huawei Mate 8 really needed to be plugged in overnight to get to 100%, and its battery management was so poor that apps and services like GPS had a tendency to really blow through juice. I have yet to come across an app or service that does that to my DTEK60 yet.
*Camera (front/back)*
Both are above average, and the UI is great. Cameras on the Mate 8 were crap, and even if the hardware was good, the software was not optimized at all. iPhones have always been great in that regard, and I doubt that reviews/tests will put the DTEK60 at the top of the class, but it is good enough that I won't be looking longingly at other phones for their cameras. From a UI perspective, the default settings are very intuitive and responsive -- I like that exposure compensation is very accessible -- and I really like the manual mode (I'm also a camera geek). The processing engine also seems to be good, especially at getting the right balance between noise reduction and detail in low light.
*Pros of device (Hardware/Software)*
The BlackBerry skin of Marshmallow is outstanding. I had started using Hub and Calendar on my Mate 8, but wanted better system integration, and the DTEK60 has delivered in every possible way. I'm using Nova Launcher (personal preference), but most of the great BlackBerry features are independent of the launcher. I'm really liking the swipe shortcuts and convenience key, and I appreciate that it stays pretty stock as far as the notifications/quick settings pane are concerned. Interactions with notifications on the lock screen are great. In Marshmallow, I really like that I can turn off just about everything from Google, and really just use Android as a vehicle for a BlackBerry experience. From start to finish, there is really great hardware-software integration, which matches the continuity of Nexus & Apple devices. Fingerprint reader is fast and reliable. IMHO it's a flagship experience at less than flagship price -- glad BlackBerry finally found this sweet spot.
*Cons of device (Hardware/Software)*
It's not 100% sunshine and roses (maybe 95%). I've got four significant complaints: i) power button, ii) TPU case, iii) lack of key stock apps, and iv) IPxx rating.
The positioning of the power button is absurd. The only way it is even remotely ergonomic is if you are pressing it with your thumb while holding it in your left hand. Its positioning directly across from the volume buttons means that it's really hard to get leverage to push it, without inadvertently changing the volume. Even if you're willing to sacrifice alternate functionality of the convenience key to use it as a screen off button, you can only set it to lock screen, which a) will only turn the screen off, not back on, and b) locks the screen such that it must be unlocked with a password, not just the fingerprint. As I said, I'm getting around this with a short screen off time, and tap to wake, which isn't too bad, but there really ought to be a better way. Maybe swap the keys with a firmware update?
The TPU case has one big deficiency and two smaller ones. With time, other TPU cases will become available, but due to the ceramic back and large camera bump, having a good TPU case is somewhat critical. The big deficiency is that it makes using the productivity tab really strained. The productivity tab swipe is only really differentiated from a standard right or left swipe (e.g. to move from one launcher page to the next) by originating at the absolute edge of the screen, or ideally, swiping from off the screen onto it. Because of the sloped sides, and the fact that the TPU case really just forms a straight line from the top corners to the bottom (no dip to follow the screen contour) making the required swiping action requires that you essentially swipe from on top of the TPU onto the screen. This only works sometimes, and is the tactile equivalent of swiping from sandpaper onto glass. The lesser of the TPU issues are that the camera bump protrudes beyond the TPU -- so it is still highly scratch prone -- and the seams that connect the back/sides are pretty rough. I don't think you really want to up the thickness of the TPU that much, but something better crafted that would sit more flush with the camera bump would be appreciated. I think a design that hugged the metal band more on the sides, and only came up to provide a face-down buffer at the chin and forehead would be ideal.
The lack of key stock apps -- PDF, document, and image viewers/editors, file manager -- isn't critical, but does seem out of sync with BlackBerry's productivity branding otherwise. A big part of the reason I got the DTEK60 was for the productivity -- Hub, Contacts, Calendar, etc -- and to stop short of document viewing and file storage seems odd. The fix is to download other apps, no biggie, but I would think that BlackBerry would want to expand their suite to include this.
IPxx ratings are far from ubiquitous, but they are pretty mainstream, and the piece of mind they offer is becoming a real differentiator. I really wanted a BlackBerry for a few reasons -- security and privacy, supporting a local firm, etc -- but I imagine there are a lot of people who can satisfy their needs AND get a device with an IPxx rating. The advantages this would offer for outdoorsy types, or those just concerned about dropping their phone in the toilet or getting caught in the rain are big, and if it could be added as a feature it would make BlackBerry devices that much more compelling.
*What do you miss from BB10?*
Never had one ;)