The BlackBerry DTEK 50 is part of a new generation of smartphone for BlackBerry – and it’s nothing like it used to be
In 2005 the BlackBerry was reserved for suits. Business types that needed to hammer out an email on the go, stay in touch with the office 24/7 and perhaps keep their communications secure. And let’s not forget, it was the humble BlackBerry that took mobile messaging mainstream.
Today, however, none of that really counts for anything. Those in business use Samsungs and Apples just like everyone else, while BlackBerry Messenger has lost its lustre with the likes of WhatsApp and Facebook.
In tech circles, BlackBerry has become a bit of a cautionary tale. A real-life example of the phrase, “innovate or die”. But the tech boffs at BlackBerry didn’t get the memo, seemingly forging ahead with a new breed of BlackBerry that puts security at its very core.
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The DTEK 50 will be familiar to anyone used to Google’s Android. The phone itself is a slightly tweaked Alcatel Idol 4. It does, however, sport a back made of rubberised plastic, no doubt to keep it glued to the palms of busy corporate types. Design-wise, it’s nothing fancy. But it is slim and has a metal band around its sides.
The ‘DTEK’ part of the name refers to an app pre-installed on the phone. Run the app, and it will tell you how secure your phone is (based on some rather obvious metrics, like whether or not you have a password). More interestingly, it will tell you how many times apps have requested permission for things like location.
BlackBerry has shoved elements of its old software into Android, and as a result, it’s an email powerhouse. Gestures bring up calendar events, any unread emails and your top contacts. And its plethora of widgets lets you reply to BBMs, for example, right from the home screen.
Yes, it’s an Android phone injected with BlackBerry DNA. But if your job warrants added security – or you’re looking for a separate work phone – perhaps the DTEK 50 is the phone for you.
See more on the BlackBerry DTEK 50 below:
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