For some reason... I bought one... and learned a valuable lesson.
I didn't need a new phone.
I didn't want a new phone.
But an idle mind is the devil's playground as the saying goes... and there I was... reading unflattering reviews... watching unflattering videos. It seemed that outside of BlackBerry world... the general consensus was that the KEYOne was just an "OK" phone with unimpressive hardware at best. Most agreed that BlackBerry (once again) came up short... a few years too late they said.
Yet... for some unknown reason... and after verifying the seller's return policy in writing... I purchased one. I guess I thought I would test drive it for a few days then send it back for a refund. However, I still don't understand why... why did I do it? Why did I buy this unimpressive phone that isn't good for much? It lags like crazy they say. It's not a good device for videos. The screen comes off if you try to bend the phone in half. You have to stand directly under a cell tower just to get a good reception. The screen is too small. You can't text and drive. You can't do this. You can't do that. On and on they went.... and yet... I still bought one. Why?
I still remember easing the pairing knife into the slit of the cardboard box... then gently sliding it along the edge of the flap until the box opened... while still shaking my head in disgust that I had indeed purchased this worthless phone. Removing the packaging, I reached in, and pulled out the Blackberry branded KEYOne box. At that point, the only thought going through my mind was how it was packaged in a way that was going to make it easy to repackage for the return. That caused me to smile as I pictured the day of when the refund will hit my bank account. So... two slits into the seal... and I was unenthusiastically ready for the unveiling. I could hear the repetitive, monotonous chants of "Shame... Shame.... Shame.... (ring-ring)" as the top cover gracefully rose off of the box... bracing myself for regret that was about to awash over me. Will I even need to turn it on... or perhaps just close the cover, repackage, and send it back?
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!! I shook my head in disbelief as reality fought though the tunnel vision which had enveloped my sight! For a brief moment, I paused... I couldn't understand... I couldn't make sense... I mean... I've seen the phone before... pictures... videos... yet I was completely taken aback at how unexpectedly awesome it looked in person. I was almost afraid to remove it from the box... not wanting to vaporize this beautiful machine that had just appeared before my eyes. And let me tell ya... this is one damn good looking phone in person!
What has transpired since that moment is surely something that I had not expected. I'm not sure exactly how an unimpressive phone with subpar hardware came out of nowhere and rocked my world, but it has. Return the phone you ask? Well, they can have my KEYOne when they pry it from my cold, dead, fingers. The moral of my story isn't to provide another technical review, but rather, it's just a simple reminder of a lesson the KEYOne has taught me. No matter how many reviews you read... videos you watch... message board posts you scour through... at the end of the day... there's only one review that matters - yours.