A few things I like about the BlackBerry DTEK50

by Volker Weber

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I have used the DTEK50 pretty extensively for a few days. And I quite like it. One of the first things I noticed when watching YouTube videos was stereo sound. There are speakers at the top and bottom and when you turn the device sideways, that gives you stereo sound. Believe it or not, but that makes a big difference.

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At the top, there is a notification light. I just received two notifications, one from YouTube, the other one from Gmail. Even with the sound turned off, I will see this LED flashing. It's not red, as it used to be on BlackBerrys, but as a white LED it serves a second purpose. Can you guess it? It's a flash for the front facing camera. And that camera was designed as a selfie cam. Most important feature of a selfie cam? A wide angle lens. I would not be able to take these photos with the iPhone (and without my Olloclip lens):

A video posted by Volker Weber (@volkerweber) on

When I got the phone, I was also offered a hard case or a holster. I turned both offers down. You won't need a holster since the DTEK50 slides just nicely into your pocket without a case and it has just the right size. I also feel it does not need a case, since everything is well protected:

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Do you notice the rim around the glass? It is slightly higher than the glass and I think it is going to protect the screen from most falls. Also, I don't think it is likely that I will drop it since the back provides a reassuring grip. Even the camera and the main flash enjoy an extra layer of protection.

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This smartphone was not developed by BlackBerry. And it shows in a really nice way. It does not feel like one of the tanks that BlackBerry used to build. And I don't think there is anybody left in the company who knows how to make those. No, this is a breath of fresh air. It's a very enjoyable Android device. It just happens to have a more secure architecture that does not bother the user at all.

It's not perfect though. The biggest miss for me is that you can only unlock it with a passphrase. BlackBerry has promised a software update to bring back Picture Password. What I really want is a fingerprint sensor. That will be coming in the third BlackBerry Android device. Not for the same low price though. It is going to sit somewhere between the PRIV and the DTEK50.

Comments

It is really unfortunate that they didn't base this device on the Alcatel Idol 4S. The 4S, at least in the North American version, sports a fingerprint sensor. If they used the 4S, I guess the DTEK50 wouldn't be that affordable.

Abdelkader Boui, 2016-07-31

Volker, wie ist denn Dein Eindruck von der Akkuleistung?

Nils Michael Becker, 2016-07-31

Eher schwach. Aber das liegt auch daran, dass ich derzeit intensiv damit spiele.

Volker Weber, 2016-07-31

Abdelkader, das 4S ist mir zu sehr Samsung.

Volker Weber, 2016-07-31

In the US, a fingerprint sensor is not secure. You can be forced by law enforcement to swipe your finger, but you cannot be forced to enter a PIN or password.

Bill Brown, 2016-08-01

Bill, erase your fingerprint data and you are clear.

Volker Weber, 2016-08-01

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