[fanchettes]

I got my hands on a KeyOne at BestBuy the other day. People have been telling me "its the Passport but running Android."

Ummmm no. Not even close. I mean, its not that the K1 is a bad phone. It's well built, the OS is snappy and the camera above average.

But Passport is in another league. Blackberry really never had issues with build quality when they made their phones, and Passport is perhaps the best they ever made. Everything about the device screams quality.

Especially the keyboard. K1 tries to emulate that sexy keyboard functionality of the PP but the keys are mushy and Android often doesn't seen to know what to do with the capacitive functions.

Kudos to TCL for a good first effort with K1, but they still have plenty of room for K2 to catch up to the Passport.

[Bla1ze]

Blackberry really never had issues with build quality when they made their phones

Tell that to the people who had their Passport screens seperate. I think they might disagree.

[conite]

I got my hands on a KeyOne at BestBuy the other day.

Sometimes it takes more than 5 minutes in a store to make a full analysis.

I too had to exchange a Passport SE due to screen lift. No problems with my original KEYᵒⁿᵉ yet.

Apart from the speakers, everything else on the KEYᵒⁿᵉ is superior imo - especially the keyboard.

[Qorax]

I got my hands on a KeyOne at BestBuy the other day. People have been telling me "its the Passport but running Android."

Ummmm no. Not even close. I mean, its not that the K1 is a bad phone. It's well built, the OS is snappy and the camera above average.

But Passport is in another league. Blackberry really never had issues with build quality when they made their phones, and Passport is perhaps the best they ever made. Everything about the device screams quality.

Especially the keyboard. K1 tries to emulate that sexy keyboard functionality of the PP but the keys are mushy and Android often doesn't seen to know what to do with the capacitive functions.

Kudos to TCL for a good first effort with K1, but they still have plenty of room for K2 to catch up to the Passport.

Well said. The Passport definitely is in another league. No other phone comes close to it's classiness and build quality.

[Chuck Finley69]

Well said. The Passport definitely is in another league. No other phone comes close to it's classiness and build quality.

Certain features just won't transfer over to Android OS wise. Some other things are just located in different places and you have to give time for getting used to. This is no different than when moving from BBOS to BB10 five years ago.

Remember, there are going to be tradeoffs from BB10 limited ecosystem to BBAndroid full ecosystem. Some good and some bad.

As reference point regarding quality, Passport has nothing compared to Bold series. Likewise, the Bold didn't feel nearly as solid as my 8700.

[IvanTheTolerable]

Certain features just won't transfer over to Android OS wise. Some other things are just located in different places and you have to give time for getting used to. This is no different than when moving from BBOS to BB10 five years ago.

Remember, there are going to be tradeoffs from BB10 limited ecosystem to BBAndroid full ecosystem. Some good and some bad.

As reference point regarding quality, Passport has nothing compared to Bold series. Likewise, the Bold didn't feel nearly as solid as my 8700.

Man, my 9700 has fallen off my car, been rained on, and dropped down many sets of stairs and still performs like a beast.

[krazyatom]

I probably had over 10 passports and 4 keyones but i agree that passport is much better built. TCL is not really known for superior design or hardware.

[Troy Tiscareno]

Man, my 9700 has fallen off my car, been rained on, and dropped down many sets of stairs and still performs like a beast.

To be fair, those older BBOS devices had tiny screens with huge bezels. That's going to make any phone much tougher. Larger screens and smaller bezels means a device that's easier to break, no matter who makes it, but screen real estate has gotten a lot more important as we do so many different things with our phones today.

[Sarek1701]

I probably had over 10 passports and 4 keyones but i agree that passport is much better built. TCL is not really known for superior design or hardware.

Why....why would you have so many?

[anon(9188202)]

I got my hands on a KeyOne at BestBuy the other day. People have been telling me "its the Passport but running Android."

Sounds like you've been listening to people who have no idea what they are talking about.

The KEYone is definitely not the Passport with Android. What the KEYone is is a decent Android device which provides a bit of the BlackBerry "feel" that many of us love.

There is no question that the Passport was a favourite device for many of us. There is no question that the build quality was pretty darned good (irrespective of the issues that some users experienced). There is no question that BB10 was a pretty remarkable OS. And there is no question that the Passport and BB10 are on their way to museum status.

It is hard to give up the past. I feel your pain. I too loved my Passport but decided to move forward and am doing just fine with the KEYone.

Kept the Passport for a backup device.

[gmr1987]

Today, the KEYone is awesome. Two years ago, Passport was awesome. 5 years ago, 9900 was awesome. Etc etc...
Each for its time.

Typed on a beautiful piece of history

[leeiling]

Keyone is OK, above average. But Passport is unique. I still love it and use it despite the fact that I have keyone.

Posted via CB10

[cyberdoggie]

Apart from the speakers, everything else on the KEYᵒⁿᵉ is superior imo - especially the keyboard.

Add to this list of inferior items not only the quality and level of sound but also the cellular antenna reception, the glosssy keyboard buttons, the annoying position of the navigation buttons, and (matter of personal taste) the ugly appearance with black plastic under the keyboard. Otherwise, it is an ok phone.

[conite]

Add to this list of inferior items not only the quality and level of sound but also the cellular antenna reception, the glosssy keyboard buttons, the annoying position of the navigation buttons, and (matter of personal taste) the ugly appearance with black plastic under the keyboard. Otherwise, it is an ok phone.

Those are almost all subjective aesthetic issues.

I've had zero problems with reception.

[crunch27]

Agree, can't give up my Passport.

Posted via CB10

[cyberdoggie]

Those are almost all subjective aesthetic issues.

I've had zero problems with reception.

Not to belabor this unnecessarily, but sound quality and loudness, as well as signal issues are anything else but aesthetic. Lucky for you the latter does not seem to impact you. My mileage, however, varies. And this vastly differences (on both accounts) from the Passport, to which the original poster made reference.
It would be advisable not to belittle those facts, so that TCL knows where to improve on the KEYone's successor.

[conite]

Not to belabor this unnecessarily, but sound quality and loudness, as well as signal issues are anything else but aesthetic. Lucky for you the latter does not seem to impact you. My mileage, however, varies. And this vastly differences (on both accounts) from the Passport, to which the original poster made reference.
It would be advisable not to belittle those facts, so that TCL knows where to improve on the KEYone's successor.

The issues you wished to add where all aesthetic choices - save reception.

The reception issue seems to be isolated to particular band(s) in particular areas. Recent updates have helped many who were affected.

No phone is perfect. The Passport had ongoing screen lift (not just an initial production issue), and double typing had reared its head long before the current life cycle of the KEYᵒⁿᵉ - on which there are no reports.

[cyberdoggie]

I beg to differ. Sorry if that disturbs some others. I really wished hard I could be a 100 pct happy dog with the KEYone. As it is, it is an ok phone (long battery life being a plus) but with some elements clearly not in the Passport league (I say so owning both the black Passport and the silver edition). It is a good attempt by TCL but regrettably with some issues as already indicated above. Sound and cellular reception issues have been acknowledged by many users, not just me.
Why do you persistently attempt to minimize or dismiss those issues? There may have been improvement on the signal reception for some, but clearly not for all (including me) and the whole reception is certainly inferior to the Passport. TCL should notice in order to improve next time.
Also, do not forget that the KEYone is/was sold at premium price for which one expects corresponding quality, including of its parts.
I agree that some of my other observations may have been aesthetic, though the way the navigational buttons are integrated lead to many errors, which is certainly not aesthetic.

[wingnut666]

the k1 is not a blackberry phone. of course it is not up to blackberry standards from a hardware perspective...and the software? well thats a pile of junk!

2 more years!!

Posted via CBX

[conite]

the k1 is not a blackberry phone. of course it is not up to blackberry standards from a hardware perspective...and the software? well thats a pile of junk!

2 more years!!

Posted via CBX

Actually the KEYᵒⁿᵉ is, in fact, a Blackberry designed and spec'd phone.

[conite]

I beg to differ. Sorry if that disturbs some others. I really wished hard I could be a 100 pct happy dog with the KEYone. As it is, it is an ok phone (long battery life being a plus) but with some elements clearly not in the Passport league (I say so owning both the black Passport and the silver edition). It is a good attempt by TCL but regrettably with some issues as already indicated above. Sound and cellular reception issues have been acknowledged by many users, not just me.
Why do you persistently attempt to minimize or dismiss those issues? There may have been improvement on the signal reception for some, but clearly not for all (including me) and the whole reception is certainly inferior to the Passport. TCL should notice in order to improve next time.
Also, do not forget that the KEYone is/was sold at premium price for which one expects corresponding quality, including of its parts.
I agree that some of my other observations may have been aesthetic, though the way the navigational buttons are integrated lead to many errors, which is certainly not aesthetic.

Component quality, fit and finish, and premium feel are all on par with the Passport, imo. I've owned them all too. The KEYᵒⁿᵉ also sells for less than the Passport did throughout most of its availability.

I've never denied the design choice of only putting in a mono speaker. Nor have I denied that some people have reported reception issues on particular bands in particular areas. But since we are talking anecdotes, I will add that most of the people I know on KEYᵒⁿᵉs have not experienced any reception problems.

[Qorax]

...The Passport had ongoing screen lift (not just an initial production issue), and double typing had reared its head...

Nope, no such issues here with my two passports. Both are the only phones I use, b'coz they're such a joy to type with. And have been blazing fast.

*Looking forward to grabbing another one soon. Would love to collect all its models before they are gone.

[conite]

Nope, no such issues here with my two passports. Both are the only phones I use, b'coz they're such a joy to type with. And have been blazing fast.

*Looking forward to grabbing another one soon. Would love to collect all its models before they are gone.

So you understand the dangers of anecdotal "evidence".

If you read the forums a couple of years ago, "most" Passports had screen lift, and "most" had double typing issues. I experienced both on the Passport SE - but still believe the Passport was an excellent device.

[Qorax]

- but still believe the Passport was an excellent device.

^That bingo!

It still is imo. It's looks alone KILLS And the form factor, keyboard (best BlackBerry PKB ever), robustness, battery life and the smooth UI (long live BB10!) is unparalleled.

[conite]

^That bingo!

It still is imo. It's looks alone KILLS And the form factor, keyboard (best BlackBerry PKB ever), robustness, battery life and the smooth UI (long live BB10!) is unparalleled.

The Passport is my 3rd favourite BlackBerry-branded device of all time - just behind the KEYᵒⁿᵉ and the Bold 9900. Loved it.