BlackBerry's New Phone Reminds You How Great Hardware Keyboards Can Be

BlackBerry/TCL Communication

Other than the keyboard, you might not recognize it.

John Breeden II is an award-winning journalist and reviewer with over 20 years of experience covering technology. He is the CEO of the Tech Writers Bureau, a group that creates technological thought leadership content for organizations of all sizes. Twitter: @LabGuys.

Back when cellphones were first becoming popular, the secure models of BlackBerry phones and texting devices earned the company a near monopoly within the federal government.

But they stopped evolving and had limited app stores compared to Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android phones. Over time, both Android and iOS devices also began to concentrate more on security, and Microsoft got into the act by introducing Windows phones that were closely tied to their desktop counterparts.

» Get the best federal technology news and ideas delivered right to your inbox. Sign up here.

By the time President Barack Obama famously began carrying around his heavily modified BlackBerry on world trips, the market within government for the company had just about collapsed.

It’s been a few years since a new BlackBerry device was released and looking at the KEYone, it’s clear the company is attempting to recapture some of the notable features that made their devices so popular in government while also addressing their historical shortcomings. I was able to spend some time testing out the new KEYone, evaluating it for government suitability.

The most obvious change is that the phone no longer has a proprietary BlackBerry OS. It runs Android 7.1 Nougat. Users have full access to everything in the Google Play store, plus any special Android-based storefronts set up by individual federal agencies. When you boot the phone, it says BlackBerry, powered by Android. But really, it’s an Android phone.

There is a curious but effective mix of BlackBerry applications like Notes for BlackBerry sitting alongside preloaded Android programs like Gmail and Chrome, but they all seem to work well together. For example, the BlackBerry Hub is back, which users of the older RIM (BlackBerry’s old company name) smartphones may remember as a clever way consolidate every message the phone receives from various sources like texting, email and social media IMs. Hub puts everything into one spot for reading and processing. Users can choose to ignore Hub and just use each application directly, but I for one remembered how great it was to have all those communications centered in one place, turning my phone into a miniature command center for messaging.

The second thing you will notice, or perhaps the first, is that the hardware keyboard makes a glorious return. Personally, I really missed having the hardware keyboard. I have been using the software keyboard on my Android phone for many years now, but I instantly fell back into the groove of typing with actual keys. In fact, my typing speed increased significantly after only a few hours using the KEYone’s real keyboard, receiving actual tactile feedback with every click. The keyboard is also backlit, so even using it in total darkness is not a problem. It even responds to touch gestures, so acts like a trackpad for controlling certain apps or issuing commands.

The addition of the keyboard at the bottom of the phone adds to its length, which is 5.87-inches long, though that is not so much of a big deal anymore, with the Samsung Galaxy S8 by comparison coming in at almost the same size, 5.86-inches. However, on the Galaxy, that extra real estate equals a larger screen size. The BlackBerry screen is still sufficiently large for most applications at 4.5-inches supporting a native 1,620 by 1,080 resolution.

With the KEYone looking to move into government service, or other highly regulated industries like health care, it’s no surprise that device security is at the top of the list of features. For starters, there is a fingerprint reader hidden inside the keyboard’s spacebar. You can’t really see it, but it’s certainly there, as I locked the test unit down with my finger as the key. The reader paired with a password would give the device the required two-factor authentication needed for federal service.

There is also a unique built-in application called DTEK which acts as a privacy monitoring service. Some applications on the Google Store may try to take liberties with personal information stored on phones, but the DTEK app is designed to prevent this. You can specify what personal information can be shared, locking down things like location data, pictures or texts, for example. No application is ever allowed to override those settings without permission. DTEK also gives users a dashboard that shows at a glance how secure the device is given its current settings and configuration, and recommends any needed changes to improve its cybersecurity posture.

Peripheral features of the phone are also impressive. There is a 12-megapixel camera facing out and an 8-megapixel one for things like video conferencing or selfies. And there is 3G of storage for holding programs and data. The KEYone also has a MicroSD slot which supports up to a two-terabyte card for even more capacity.

Battery life is about what you would expect in terms of a modern smartphone, able to provide more than enough power for at least eight hours of operation with its 3505mAh battery. There is also a nice Qualcomm Quick Charge feature which enables fast charging of a completely drained battery up to 50 percent capacity in just over 30 minutes. That could be nice if you have to resort to grabbing power quickly when you can, such as in airport lounges or while pausing briefly between meetings.

I didn’t test the KEYone against the military specifications for ruggedness as it does not have an official rating, but the phone does seem to be well built. It has an aluminum frame with a soft grip textured back panel. The display is covered by Corning Gorilla glass, so should resist both shattering and scratching.

The BlackBerry KEYOne is available online and in stores for $549.99. There is also a deal with Sprint to get it as part of a contract, though the phone will work with any service provider. That’s a fair price for an Android phone with enhanced security features.

I doubt that any phone could ever restore the popularity that BlackBerry once held in government, but the KEYone goes a long way to making up for the flaws of the past, and would be an appropriate choice for any fed who can choose their own phone as part of a BYOD program. It has a lot of good features, a heavy emphasis on security, and a reasonable price. Plus, you get the hardware keyboard, an item you may not realize you miss until it’s back in your quick-typing fingers.

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.