Thoughts on the BlackBerry KEYOne Black Edition

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

TCL and BlackBerry Mobile are going a completely different direction from the smartphone industry and it is quite refreshing. The BlackBerry KEYOne, now available in a Space Black edition (as well as a Black Edition), truly goes against the grain. The latest smartphones are removing physical buttons, stretching screens, deleting bezels and yet this BlackBerry Mobile device relishes its QWERTY keyboard legacy as well as all the additional buttons and function keys included.

The KEYOne is easily reminiscent of the top BlackBerry phones of the past but with a more modern operating system as well as the security and privacy that BlackBerry devices are known for. I like that unlike other smartphone manufacturers which simply release new colours of their devices without upgrading the specs, BlackBerry Mobile has added more RAM and doubled the onboard storage space (for a price). This gives the KEYOne more longevity and gives users a bigger incentive to invest in this device.

Canadians can actually purchase the KEYOne at reduced cost for only 24 hours for $100 less. With this online-only flash sale, BlackBerry KEYone Black Edition is available through select retailers including Amazon.ca, BestBuy.ca, Blueshop.ca, and Staples.ca. Canadians can purchase the device for $699.99 on November 8th (12:00am ET on 11/8 and ends at 11:59pm ET).

TCL and BlackBerry Mobile are continuing their path by making the BlackBerry KEYOne available internationally and also by launching the BlackBerry Motion. Formerly known as the 'Krypton', the BlackBerry Motion is a notable smartphone on many fronts. Unlike the KEYOne, the Motion offers no hardware keyboard, but it does have a 5.5-inch HD display, IP67 dust and water resistance and scratch resistant glass plus a whopping 4000mAh battery rated for 32 hours of use on a single charge. 

The BlackBerry Motion also features various unique privacy settings that allow you to lock specific files like photos and documents. It's clear that with the KEYOne and with the Motion, BlackBerry Mobile is exploring its own space without the pressure of having to conform with smarpthone market trends and expectations and that's a good thing. I'm looking forward to putting the BlackBerry Motion through its paces as well in the coming weeks.