[BBrickk]

Might i ask, when purchasing a phone directly from Blackberry, do i expect to receive updates directly through them? Or do they still have to go through my provider and disappear into a black hole?

Here's my full review after roughly a week..

https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=231623

[BBrickk]

and wow, really, that is a full review. Some of the things you said in there makes me question my knowledge about smartphones. You really dug deep. Thank you. It is appreciated.

Here's my full review after roughly a week..

https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=231623

[AmritD]

Might i ask, when purchasing a phone directly from Blackberry, do i expect to receive updates directly through them? Or do they still have to go through my provider and disappear into a black hole?

You will get them directly from BlackBerry

Z30STA100-2/10.3.2.2876

[tonythecanuck]

This is an outstandingly great and detailed review. Thank you. It should help others decide and know what they're getting for their buck.

Thanks very much!

[tonythecanuck]

I guess this is a great takeaway from his review: lack of stock apps.
Indeed a great review.

Thanks very much!

[BBrickk]

Some great reviews here. Thank you all for participating

[TheHereticGoat666]

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

Have you had any issues with the camera lens cracking?

[mithrazor]

Device was fast like apps opening, browsing, downloading, etc. I felt like it was just slow to personally do things. This is the DTEK50. So to make a call I had to first Wake Screen, PIN to unlock, go into contacts or dialer. The process seemed take time. Probably just me getting use to it. The phone was fast but couldn't operate it fast I guess? Can't explain. Def prob impatience.

I def understand where you're coming from. Considering I came from BB10 to Priv.

Enable developer mode and change the animation settings. It helps a lot.

[tonythecanuck]

To those who received their DTEK60, what are your thoughts on:

- General build of the phone
- Battery life so far
- Camera (front/back)
- Pros of device (Hardware/Software)
- Cons of device (Hardware/Software)
- and the important point: What do you miss from BB10?

This will really encourage those of us who are contemplating a DTEK60.

I have owned the Z30, the Passport SE, and the PRIV.

Here are my impressions of the DTEK60 :

OK, have spent three days with my New DTEK60 I purchased from Crackberry Canada. * It came with free leather flip case, free large battery, and free rapid charger. *I also bought the BlackBerry soft case at 10% off.

My feelings so far:

The first word that comes to mind with the new DTEK60 is that it is very "slick:" It feels solid, high-end, lighter than my PRIV, and solid. *It is made of glass front and back, with a metal frame. *It has four speakers, two in front and two in back.*

I protect it with the BlackBerry soft shell case as protection is a must, however strangely the case covers the two rear speakers.

The DTEK60 display is bright and navigation is quick and easy given the better processor.*

Although the DTEK60 screen is only slightly larger (5.5") than the PRIV (5.4"), it seems bigger and brighter given the better quality display. *

The display is very sensitive and responsive to touch. *Videos play smoothly and images are crisp, clear, and vibrant. *Great for games, news, and TV.

The four speakers are very good, but are not as loud as the Z30 which I loved.*

The BlackBerry Hub works well with the Android Dtek60 as it did with the PRIV. *

Apps respond well, and accessing the Web is quick. *Scrolling is faster on the DTEK60 than with my PRIV.

Charging the DTEK60 with either the stock charger or the rapid recharger is fast. *Lack of a proper dock or support is a bit annoying, however. *I liked using my BlackBerry charging pod / dock with my PRIV and my Passport SE.

There is a smallish red LED message light as is the case on all BlackBerry devices, but it cannot produce the variety of colours as on the PRIV for each different message account.

Alarms and message notifications are somewhat quieter than on traditional BlackBerry devices, but updates will likely allow for the user to adjust the sound.

So far, the 21MP camera on the DTEK60 is very good-to-excellent both indoors and outdoors. *Images are bright, clear, and detail is crisp. *I haven't yet noticed any halos, bleeding, or noise. *

Note that I haven't had enough time to compare with my PRIV 18MP camera, however, nor have I tried the front camera. *The rear 18MP camera on the PRIV was excellent.

The fingerprint sensor is a really nice feature; *you can instantly unlock your phone without typing in your code.

The DTEK60 is lighter and thinner than the PRIV, which is nice, although there is no PKB. *Yes, the 21MP camera lens protrudes from the DTEK60, *but so did the camera on the PRIV.*

Calls so far are clear. *The stock BlackBerry headphones are very good as well.

The BlackBerry virtual keyboard is once again very good as it was on the PRIV, although not as excellent as the OS10 vkb on the Passport SE or Z30.

These are my initial observations. *Overall, I would recommend the DTEK60 as it is great value for the money, and offers many BlackBerry features in an Android environment with lots of apps. *It is light, rigid, and has a professional feel to it.

Recent Dtek60 21MP photo:

TonyTheCanuck*

[mithrazor]

Would you say its more responsive in a sense where there's less latency in input?

That has been one thing that I don't like much on the Priv. It's not as responsive or instant in opening apps as the S6 Edge for example and it seems there's a lag in latency for input.

[tonythecanuck]

Would you say its more responsive in a sense where there's less latency in input?

That has been one thing that I don't like much on the Priv. It's not as responsive or instant in opening apps as the S6 Edge for example and it seems there's a lag in latency for input.

OK, I have had the DTEK60 about ten days now. It is much more responsive than the PRIV. I have had the following devices:

� Torch 2 (9810) slider with OS7 / pkb / vkb
� Z30 with OS10 / vkb only
� Passport SE with OS10 / pkb / vkb
� PRIV slider with Android / pkb / vkb
� Dtek60 with Android / vkb only

I can say that each of the devices was excellent each in their own right.

BlackBerry has always produced quality handhelds, and more than any other manufacturer has been driven to create innovative devices to meet market wants.

Here are my observations:

- Solid, well constructed professional device.

- Thinner and lighter than the PRIV, and more rigid.

- No heating problems as with the PRIV.

- Good four speakers on DTEK60, but not as loud as the Z30.

- The DTEK60 5.5" display is slightly larger than the 5.4" on the PRIV, but the DTEK60 display seems much larger because it is brighter and colours more vibrant due to higher pixel density.

- VKB on par with PRIV since they are both Android. I still miss the performance of the original BlackBerry OS10 vkb on the Z30 and the Passport since the predictive text in multiple languages was more accurate. The BlackBerry vkb on the DTEK60 and the PRIV are very good, but not as excellent as the original OS10 version.

- Cameras: The DTEK60 21MP Camera is excellent, and in default setting produces wider panoramic shots than the PRIV 18MP camera. The 18MP camera on the PRIV is nonetheless excellent, and I have had many compliments on the photos I post on line. I find the DTEK60 21MP camera is at least as good or even better, and have had compliments on the DTEK60 21MP photos as well. I have not had problems with "low light" that some have claimed. The front facing 8MP camera on the DTEK60 is also far superior to the front facing 2MP camera on the PRIV.

- Scrolling, navigating, and Web surfing is faster on the DTEK60 both because it has a better processor than the PRIV, but also because after a year of use my PRIV has naturally slowed down as most devices do with extensive use.

- I really like the fingerprint sensor to access the phone. The phone lights up immediately. This is a first for BlackBerry.

- Charging is fast with either the stock charger or the traveller "rapid recharger."

- A case is a must since the DTEK60 is thin and slippery given the glass on both the back and front. I have put on the BlackBerry OEM "soft case.". I have also put on a screen protector. Note that the camera lens does protrude slightly with the soft case, but the camera lens protrudes on the PRIV too.

- The earphone jack is on the top of the Dtek60 where it should be, whereas it was on the bottom on the PRIV.

- So far calls seem clear. I never dropped a call with my other BlackBerry devices. Note that Z30 had the innovative Paratek antenna. Time will tell whether the DTEK60 is as good for voice calls.

- The is no pkb on the DTEK60, and I occasionally miss that.

- There is a flashing message LED on the DTEK60, but only in red.

- What I really miss is the accuracy of the original OS10 BlackBerry software on the vkb with excellent predictive text and auto correct in multiple languages, on both the Z30 and Passport SE. Neither the Android PRIV nor Dtek60 have that level of accuracy, although their vkb's are still very good.

Overall I find the DTEK60 to be a nice upgrade from the PRIV, with solid metal and glass construction, same BlackBerry features like Hub, keyboard, security, and message LED, great cameras front and back, but with access to tons of Android and Google apps. The price and free accessories available at BlackBerry and Crackberry make the DTEK60 a winner!

These are my thoughts!

TonyTheCanuck