Do you remember the last time you saw an Android smartphone with a physical, slide-out keyboard? Blackberry is bringing it back with its new Priv smartphone, with productivity and security features in tow.
Indeed, Blackberry has jumped on the bandwagon by introducing its first Android-based smartphone, the Priv. This flagship device should help users see the potential and capability of a Blackberry without leaving Google’s mobile platform. It features a 5.4-inch high-res display, a Snapdragon 808 processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. Per the reviews, the BlackBerry Priv boasts solid performance in an exquisite design. The Priv’s keyboard is great, but you may need some practice before you can type on it faster than with the on-screen keyboard.
If you still haven’t figured it out, the “Priv” refers to the privacy of users. It’s a necessity especially for users at the enterprise and IT management. That said, the Blackberry Priv makes use of data encryption, verified boot authentication, and every other thingamajig to make sure the user’s privacy is not compromised. There’s even a dashboard available that displays the device’s overall security status. Oddly enough, the phone lacks convenient yet secure biometric authentication features, such as an iris scanner or fingerprint reader.
BlackBerry Priv Specs
- Android OS
- 5.4-inch display (1440×2560 WQHD), ~544ppi
- 1.8GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 (MSM8992) processor
- Adreno 418 GPU
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB internal storage
- microSD support up to 2TB
- 18-megapixel main camera, with autofocus and LED flash
- 2-megapixel front camera
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
- 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE
- Bluetooth 4.1
- GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
- NFC
- Dimensions: 147 (184 in open) x 77.2 x 9.4mm
- Weight: 192g
- Li-Ion 3410mAh non-removable battery
Related: BlackBerry Leap arrives in the Philippines
For all its security and productivity perks, the BlackBerry Priv comes with a ludicrous, official Philippine price of Php45,000. It’s quite steep, given that it only sells for $699 (approx. Php32,890) in the US.
[Via YugaTech]