It was only a couple of days ago that you could only purchase the new Android powered BlackBerry DTEK50 through the ShopBlackBerry shop even though we knew it was coming to the carriers. These carriers would include Rogers, Bell, Telus, Wind Mobile, Videotron, and SaskTel. Wind Mobile was the only carrier with the device actually on their website with a note saying, “Coming Soon.” It looks like the BlackBerry DTEK50 arrived sooner rather than later and is now available directly on a number of carriers. The unlocked, no-term price from BlackBerry is $429. However, the carriers are selling it for $449 outright and as little as $0 on contract.
The DTEK50 mid-range performer is listed by BlackBerry as the “World’s Most Secure Android Smartphone.” This continues BlackBerry’s philosophy on security and privacy by looking to protect your private details, pictures, texts, and even your location. It is the second in BlackBerry’s line based on Android’s OS – the first was the high-priced BlackBerry Priv. The more affordable DTEK50, though still not cheap at $450, may encourage some new customers. BlackBerry (or RIM as it was known) was once the pride of Canada but has since dropped almost entirely off the map.
Regarding numbers, the BlackBerry DTEK50 sports a 5.2-inch IPS LCD with a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels – which works out to be 424 pixels-per-inch (PPI.) The display features a scratch-resistant glass with an oleophobic coating to ward off those nasty fingerprints and smudges. For processing power, BlackBerry turned to the 64-bit Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor with one quad-core clocked at 1.2GHz and another quad-core clocked at 1.5GHz. An Adreno 405 GPU handles the graphics. It packs 3GB of RAM and only 16GB of internal memory, but it is expandable via a microSD card.
BlackBerry, who was never much into cameras, included a 13MP sensor with a six-element lens. They threw in an aperture of f/2.0, dual-tone LED flash, phase detection autofocus (FDAF), and the ability to record 1080p videos at 30 frames-per-second (fps.) Also included is a large 8MP front-facing camera (FFC) that even includes its own flash for taking selfies and video chatting. It uses a 2610mAh battery with Quick Charge 2.0 to power the DTEK50. It has the usual suspects – WiFi, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, NFC, and a microUSB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer. It does not have a fingerprint sensor, but Tap and Pay type mobile purchases can still be executed.