BlackBerry Articles - PhoneArena

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9.3

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These are the worst smartphones we've ever used. What's yours?

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8.8

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8.0

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PhoneArena staff share their worst smartphone experiences. Join the conversation! Which phone has disappointed you the most over the years?

Dec 08, 2020, 5:44 AM, by Radoslav Minkov, 35 comments

Study shows that you'll practically never date if you own this phone

A study of over 50,000 swipes on a dating app reveals that Apple iPhone owners are 76% more likely to find a match while BlackBerry owners are 74% less likely to find romance.

Aug 28, 2020, 10:03 AM, by Alan Friedman, 17 comments

If BlackBerry looks at its past, it can succeed with its 5G phone

BlackBerry should aim with the new iteration of the BlackBerry phone. That means building a high-end flagship that appeals to businessmen like the original two-way pager did.

Aug 19, 2020, 2:19 PM, by Alan Friedman, 18 comments

Latest Reviews

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BlackBerry KEY2 Review

Jun 27, 2018, 9:05 AM, by John Velasco

The BlackBerry KEY2 is the follow-up to last year's QWERTY-keyboard-packing KEYone. It follows in the footsteps of its predecessor by retaining the form factor, but comes with a tweaked design, new features, and all the typical hardware upgrades found with any successor.

8.5

BlackBerry KEYone Review

8.5

May 04, 2017, 8:00 AM, by Stephen Schenck

The KEYone is just so different from every other smartphone out there on the market that it takes a little while to appreciate all that it has to offer. Let's examine it closely!

BlackBerry Passport Review

Oct 14, 2014, 5:26 AM, by John V.

Touch is all nice, but the BlackBerry Passport sports a familiar form factor that builds upon the reputation of the company. Paired with a physical keyboard, a standout and iconic feature of past BlackBerries, the Passport is the modern BlackBerry reincarnated. Will paying homage get consumers excited for it?...

BlackBerry Z30 Review

Oct 10, 2013, 7:02 AM, by Daniel P.

With the largest screen of any BlackBerry phone so far, large battery, and good processor running the latest BB 10.2 OS, the Z30 is the Canadians' undisputed flagship, taking the torch from the 4.2” Z10. It also features a premium build with metallic accents, plus the awesome BlackBerry keyboard, but will those be enough to entice the ever-shrinking suit and tie target market of the company? Read on to find out...

BlackBerry Q5 Review

Jul 16, 2013, 4:40 AM, by Nick T.

The BlackBerry Q5 is a mid-range device combining the speed and fluidity of BB10 with the convenience of having a hardware QWERTY keyboard. Specs include a dual-core processor, 3.1-inch high-resolution display, 5MP camera, 8GB of storage and a battery of decent size. So without further ado, it is time to see what the BlackBerry Q5 has to impress us!...

BlackBerry Q10 Review

May 21, 2013, 7:31 AM, by Ray S.

BlackBerry certainly took its time to develop BB10 and produce the first smartphones running the new platform, but all the hard work has finally been done and what's left for BB is to enjoy the sales (and work on its next products). At this point, though, we don't know if there's a person on this world who doesn't doubt the success of the BlackBerry Z10 and Q10, probably except for CEO Thorsten Heins, that is. But we've already taken a look into the Z10, the device that's supposed to attract new customers to BlackBerry, so now we'll examine the Q10 – a handset, the task of which seems to be just as crucial for BlackBerry's future: to keep the loyal customers loyal.

RIM BlackBerry Bold 9790 Review

Feb 01, 2012, 9:06 AM, by Nick T.

Ladies and gents, there is a new 'Berry in town. Sporting that tried and tested BlackBerry form factor, which is praised by many throughout the world, the BlackBerry Bold 9790 is here to win the hearts of business users and heavy texters alike. And at a glance, this shiny handset sure looks promising. On one hand we have the comfort of a physical QWERTY keyboard, and on the other – the convenience of a capacitive touchscreen.

6.5

RIM BlackBerry Curve 9380 Review

6.5

Feb 01, 2012, 6:42 AM, by Daniel P.

The BlackBerry Curve 9380 marks somewhat of a milestone for RIM, as it is the company’s first device of the supposedly affordable Curve series that comes in a touchscreen-only form. It disposes of the legendary physical keyboard, as found on its 9370 cousin, replacing it with a fairly tiny 3.2” display. So did the Canadians manage to usher the entry level Curve series in the touchscreen era, while at the same time preserving the BlackBerry spirit with the Curve 9380?...

RIM BlackBerry Storm2 9550 Preview

Oct 01, 2009, 7:10 AM, by PhoneArena Team

After a lackluster debut into the touchscreen arena RIM’s second effort aims to right the wrongs of SurePress with the BlackBerry Storm2 9550. There are few changes in the clickable screen and the sensors registering your input, but otherwise the device remains very similar to the original Storm 9530...

BlackBerry Bold Review

Apr 01, 2009, 7:58 AM, by PhoneArena Team

Research in Motion (RIM) is a Canadian manufacturer, known for the BlackBerry phones. Probably far and away the best handsets for mobile email, these smart phones are the suits’ favorite gadgets. However, being good at one thing only just won´t cut it these days and all-in-one devices are what most customers are in search of...

RIM BlackBerry Pearl Review

Jan 29, 2007, 6:46 AM, by PhoneArena Team

We can certify that Blackberry Pearl 8100 is indeed revolutionary for its make – it has acquired a camera, a memory slot and a multimedia player. But what is equally revolutionary about it is the design – it is very small and thin for a smartphone, especially for one with a non-standard keyboard. Its dimensions make it convenient to both carry and use and there is the terrific appearance of the black mirror surface to it. After adding the fast and comparatively stable menu, the good performance as a telephone with strong sound and good reception, we can only complain about the unsightly and sometimes hard to use menu, the non-perfect implementation of the camera and music player.

7.8

BlackBerry 7100t review

7.8

Aug 18, 2005, 11:29 AM, by PhoneArena Team

Treo fans looking to switch over to a new streamlined BlackBerry device may want to wait for future releases. This is the best BlackBerry to date in most capacities, but it still lacks the robust expandability of its competitors. With limited third vendor application support and Bluetooth capabilities the 7100 series gets knocked out after a few strong rounds as a challenger to the Treo 650. If you are solely looking for the best pound for pound device for email and phone calls only, the 7100t has been designed to fit in your pocket. The messaging capabilities, newly designed keyboard interface (SureType predictive text), push email service and speakerphone are top notch on this device. However, the lack of multimedia packages, limited Bluetooth usage and slow evolving browser capabilities leaves me yearning for more out of Research in Motion.

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BlackBerry is back! New 5G phone with QWERTY keyboard arriving in 2021

BlackBerry is making a comeback in 2021 with the help of two companies! The first smartphone will be a 5G device powered by Android that boasts a QWERTY keyboard.

Aug 19, 2020, 7:57 AM, by Joshua Swingle, 32 comments

The end of an era: BlackBerry smartphones will be no more

BlackBerry smartphones will be no more unless someone picks up the torch from TCL The end of the partnership between the two companies was just announced and its expiration date is set at August 31 2020.

Feb 03, 2020, 9:00 AM, by Georgi Zarkov, 34 comments

Save up to $220 on the BlackBerry KEY2 LE from Best Buy

The unlocked BlackBerry KE2 LE can be had for as low as $230, but you'll have to activate it on AT&T's network the day you buy it.

Jan 03, 2020, 2:51 PM, by Cosmin Vasile, 0 comments

BlackBerry Hub+ apps get feature that BlackBerry phones can't use

BlackBerry has added Dark mode support for the BlackBerry Hub+ apps available from the Google Play Store. While free for BlackBerry users, they ironically won't get to use the Dark mode features until a new 'Berry is launched.

Oct 26, 2019, 9:37 PM, by Alan Friedman, 8 comments

New phones

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OnePlus Nord CE 5G

8.7

Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2021)

7.9

Samsung Galaxy A22 5G

Samsung Galaxy A22

Huawei MatePad 11

Huawei MatePad Pro 10.8 (2021)

Huawei MatePad Pro 12.6

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G

Xiaomi POCO M3 Pro 5G

Asus ZenFone 8 Flip

7.9

Asus ZenFone 8

Looks like the Pixel 4a 5G is about to be discontinued

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A BlackBerry KEY3 could happen at some point, but don't expect 5G connectivity

When is the BlackBerry Key 3 release date? TCL doesn't think BlackBerry-branded smartphones need 5G speeds, but at least a KEY3 does still seem to be in the pipeline.

Oct 04, 2019, 4:35 AM, by Adrian Diaconescu, 2 comments

Nostalgic bargain hunters can get the BlackBerry KEY2 LE at a discount of up to $150

The mid-range BlackBerry KEY2 LE comes with both a 4.5-inch touchscreen and physical QWERTY keyboard at a cool $150 discount if you choose to activate it on AT&T or $100 off list with no strings attached.

Sep 22, 2019, 7:55 AM, by Adrian Diaconescu, 7 comments

OnePlus 7 Pro bests LG and Samsung devices in US download speeds, iPhones lag far behind

The OnePlus 7 Pro is crowned the fastest smartphone in the US for 4G downloads by OpenSignal, narrowly beating the likes of the LG V35 ThinQ and Samsung Galaxy S10+ and completely crushing the iPhone XS Max.

Sep 10, 2019, 7:01 AM, by Adrian Diaconescu, 14 comments

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The state of Android Pie updates on the eve of Android Q: the best and worst brands

With the stable rollout of Android Q right around the corner, this is the ideal time to evaluate the general state of Android Pie updates, as well as the individual performance of the world's top smartphone vendors.

Aug 16, 2019, 9:10 AM, by Adrian Diaconescu, 9 comments

BlackBerry KEY2 LE scores $100 discount with upfront AT&T activations at Best Buy

The productivity and security-focused BlackBerry KEY2 LE is on sale at Best Buy with AT&T activations on new accounts or new lines of service at a solid $100 discount.

Jun 07, 2019, 9:52 AM, by Adrian Diaconescu, 1 comment

Win an Atomic Red BlackBerry KEY2 LE from BlackBerry Mobile

Win an Atomic Red BlackBerry KEY2 LE from BlackBerry Mobile. The device features an outstanding physical keyboard, 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage. On the back is a dual camera setup (13MP + 5MP) with an 8MP front-facing selfie snapper.

Jun 05, 2019, 7:42 PM, by Alan Friedman, 1 comment

PSA: Consumer version of BBM closes today; get one year of BBMe for free

The consumer version of BBM shuts down today with users allowed to move over to the enterprise version of the app for one year at no cost. After the year ends, the service will cost $2.49 for six months.

May 31, 2019, 11:02 AM, by Alan Friedman, 2 comments

BlackBerry KEY2 LE goes on sale at Verizon for $450 outright

Verizon has just announced that business and enterprise customers can purchase the BlackBerry KEY2 LE for $450 outright.

May 31, 2019, 12:31 AM, by Cosmin Vasile, 6 comments

Code hints at new BlackBerry handset code-named Monet

A new BlackBerry model could be on the way according to code found on software files. The device is code-named Monet and has a model number of BBJ100. IT will reportedly be equipped with the Snapdragon 660 Mobile Platform.

May 22, 2019, 3:05 PM, by Alan Friedman, 6 comments

BlackBerry KEY2 Red Edition unboxing & hands-on: Red is the accent

The nearly year-old BlackBerry KEY2 was recently announced to be graced in a new color, which is surprising because for a business minded device, the decision to go with a red edition gives the phone a flashier look.

Apr 30, 2019, 12:58 AM, by John Velasco, 26 comments

Update in Google Play Store will make BlackBerry's virtual QWERTY more helpful

BlackBerry has added and removed some features to the BlackBerry Keyboard app in the Google Play Store. The app will help bring improved word recommendations to the virtual keyboards on Android-powered BlackBerry models.

Apr 24, 2019, 3:11 PM, by Alan Friedman, 0 comments

Snazzy BlackBerry KEY2 Red Edition launches in the US at an arguably excessive price

As the name suggests, the BlackBerry KEY2 Red Edition is not radically different from black and silver variants of the same smartphone, fetching $699.99 with a snazzy design and 128GB internal storage.

Apr 19, 2019, 9:02 AM, by Adrian Diaconescu, 41 comments

Consumer version of BBM closing on May 31st

BBM, the first mobile messaging service and one of the reasons for BlackBerry's popularity years ago, is closing to consumers on May 31st. BlackBerry is offering one year of BlackBerry Enterprise free starting today.

Apr 18, 2019, 9:51 AM, by Alan Friedman, 77 comments

Best phones under $500 in the US

At the fraction of the price, these smartphones shouldn’t be overlooked because many of them can tangle with some of the best out there!

Apr 17, 2019, 1:11 PM, by John Velasco, 1 comment

Brand-new BlackBerry KEY2 and KEY2 LE units are on sale for up to $230 off

You can get a brand-new, unused, and untouched BlackBerry KEY2 right now for as little as $420 from a top-rated eBay seller, while the BlackBerry KEY2 LE is obviously even cheaper, starting at $330.

Mar 19, 2019, 3:29 PM, by Adrian Diaconescu, 3 comments

BlackBerry's CEO is skeptical about the appeal of foldable smartphones

BlackBerry CEO John Chen doesn't believe foldable smartphones are that interesting. In his opinion, there are no breakthroughs on the horizon and manufacturers are focused solely on creating larger displays at the moment.

Mar 11, 2019, 6:41 PM, by Joshua Swingle, 14 comments

Get the BlackBerry KEY2 and KEY2 LE at up to $150 off with 1-year warranty

The BlackBerry KEY2 and KEY2 LE are on sale today only at Woot, costing $530 and $350 instead of their $650 and $500 list prices respectively with full one-year manufacturer warranties included.

Mar 04, 2019, 1:56 AM, by Adrian Diaconescu, 1 comment

BlackBerry seeks tweet revenge in patent infringement suit

BlackBerry has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in California accusing Twitter of using its mobile messaging patents without permission. BlackBerry has filed similar suits against Facebook and Snapchat.

Feb 27, 2019, 5:31 PM, by Alan Friedman, 2 comments

Don't expect a BlackBerry KEY2 successor anytime soon

The BlackBerry KEY3 won't be announced until August at the very earliest. BlackBerry Mobile has chosen to extend the product cycle of its smartphones due to recent market trends.

Feb 24, 2019, 12:13 PM, by Joshua Swingle, 7 comments