It’s been a while since there’s been anything of substance from BlackBerry. The last device that raised a few eyebrows was the Priv, and that was a while ago. BlackBerry’s failure, so to speak, in the last few years is largely attributed to the lack of mainstream adoption by the masses. However, recently, they too have hopped on the Android bandwagon, and with the DTEK50, what you get is the adaptability of Android doubled with the security of a BlackBerry device.
They’re calling it the world’s most secure Android smartphone, and it claims to have security in-built from hardware to software. The software security measures, to be fair, are evident. The hardware, not so much. The DTEK50 comes out-of-the-box with the DTEK by BlackBerry app, a handy tool that keeps you up to date with everything on your device that is potentially not secure due to the footprint it leaves on Google’s networks.
The device isn’t a flagship device by any means, so it isn’t really a follow up to the Priv. With a retail tag of AED/SAR 1199. it positions itself safely in the mid-market segment.
It has a really nice feel in the hand; it’s lightweight but feels solid, and the textured back also gives one a nice grip. For the most part, if you don’t flip it to the reverse side, the front leaves you wondering what brand you’re holding in your hand – which isn’t so much a criticism as it is a mere observation. With a soft rear and a slim figure, the DTEK50 is appealing, but not outstanding. Manufactured by TCL, the design bears similarity to the recent Alcatel Idol 4. It’s quite a slim phone too, and that adds to its appeal. Slip it in your pocket and it doesn’t even weigh much (at 135g), so you’re sure to be checking your pockets to see if it’s still there.
The device sports a 5.2-inch full HD screen giving you bright and clear text and images. It’s nowhere as colorful as AMOLED screens, which you may have gotten accustomed to thanks to their popularity, but it’s good enough for games and video views. Both the front and rear camera are more than decent, and considering the price of the device, deliver nice enough results – they are fairly standard in features, and not the quickest to click but work well enough, at least in natural sunlight. As with many smartphone cameras, the night shots feature plenty of noise, but I won’t get too picky.
The battery life on the DTEK50 leaves a bit to be desired. It comes with a 2610mAh battery, which means it drains quite a bit on daily use. Plus, the standard charger that comes in box is fairly sluggish, so you’d need to leave it plugged in for a couple of hours to charge to maximum.
The device, overall, is decent for its price, but the software that keeps seems to provide you the security is something that, I would think, is probably already available in parts through third parties on the Play Store.
All in all, it’s a decent phone that scores a “fine” on most counts, but you’d be hard pressed into discovering what makes it different, because the answer to that is, not much.
