BlackBerry Key2 Review: Legacy keyboard design gets a fresh, useful twist

The BlackBerry Key2 features an enhanced design, slightly powerful processor, more RAM, latest Google Android operating system and a dual camera set-up on the back.

Technology News : Canadian smartphone brand BlackBerry, licensed to India-based Optiemus Infracom, on July 23 launched the BlackBerry Key2, a successor to the BlackBerry KeyOne, which had a full-QWERTY keyboard. Compared to the predecessor, the Key2 not only features an enhanced design but also gets a slightly powerful processor, more RAM, latest Google Android operating system, and a dual-camera set-up at the back. The Amazon-exclusive touch and type smartphone goes on sale today i.e. July 31.

In current times, when almost all smartphones have begun to look almost the same, the BlackBerry Key2, with a rectangular touchscreen-cum-physical-keyboard design, offers a fresh new experience. But, is it worth going back to legacy keyboard design, which one ditched in favour of the all-screen mobile phone format? Let’s find out:

BlackBerry Key2

Key Features

The BlackBerry Key2 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 system-on-chip, paired with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage – expandable to up to 256 GB using a microSD card. The dualSIM smartphone boots the Android Oreo 8.1 operating system out of the box, custom-tuned by BlackBerry. The customised OS features the BlackBerry Hub, a unified messaging inbox, which combines all emails, texts and messages from social media accounts at one place. It also allows managing multiple email accounts without switching between apps, with support for Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Exchange accounts, etc. As for security, the Key2 comes with the BlackBerry DTEK app that enables users to check and manage app permissions.

The BlackBerry Key2 offers almost vanilla Android experience, so it feels free of clutter and operates swiftly. The phone shows no lags or stutters anywhere and responds well to touch and keyboard inputs. Writing long articles, uploading attachments and sharing multimedia content also show no problem for the BlackBerry Key2, and the phone works optimally in all situations.

Battery

The phone’s small screen, power-efficient processor and optimised operating system make it go for more than a day on a fully charged 3,500 mAh battery. The device supports the Qualcomm quick-charge technology, yet it takes almost 2 hours to go from zero to 100 per cent.

Read the Verdict → BlackBerry Key2 Review

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News Source : BS

Blackberry, VoxSmart partner to enable banks to monitor WhatsApp chats

Firms partnered to help financial corps comply with EU's Markets in Financial Instruments Directive

To enable financial institutions to monitor data on WhatsApp Chat and other encrypted messaging platforms in line with the upcoming European Union (EU) directive, BlackBerry has partnered with the leading mobile surveillance and compliance firm VoxSmart.

Together with BlackBerry UEM (Unified Endpoint Management), which connects and manages endpoints, VoxSmart's 'VSmart' will provide financial services firms with the ability to capture, record, store and analyse mobile voice, text and third-party instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp and WeChat.

"Together with VoxSmart, we can enable businesses around the world to effortlessly capture conversations on endpoints including smartphones, wearables, tablets and laptops," said Florian Bienvenu, Senior Vice President of EMEA Sales, BlackBerry.

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"This joint solution is an excellent example of how BlackBerry is leveraging its software portfolio and developing strong partnerships to secure the Enterprise of Things," Bienvenu added in a statement.
The companies have partnered to help financial services firms comply on time with the European Union's "Markets in Financial Instruments Directive" ('MiFID II').

MiFID II, which comes into effect on January 3, 2018, demands that all financial services firms in Europe must keep records of all services, activities and transactions for at least five years.

Records include all electronic and instant messaging communications, telephone conversations and text messages related to or intended to conclude in a transaction, even if one does not occur.

"VoxSmart is the only global mobile compliance solution that can capture, record, store and analyse both voice and third party instant message applications such as WhatsApp and WeChat," said Oliver Blower (read more...)