First BlackBerry Smartphone with a classic keyboard 2017

The keyone smartphone is that the 1st BlackBerry smartphone with a classic keyboard layout since, well, the Classic that launched in early 2015 (we do not count the Priv that launched in late 2015 as a result of it had a slippy keyboard). With BlackBerry's signature clicky keyboard sitting right below its show, and with robot on board, the $549 newcomer is meshed towards productivity warriors WHO do not feel like carrying a second phone so as to own access to the newest mobile apps.

Built for significant Use
BlackBerry phones have perpetually been created with exertions in mind, and therefore the KEYone isn't any totally different. The device options a durable metal frame, a pongid Glass-covered show, and a back lined by grippy soft-touch texture, that makes it straightforward to handle.

In the metal, the KEYone appearance by all odds totally different from today's smartphones. Its exposed metal frame and unsmooth back have have carry a clearly utilitarian charm, though, in AN era once smartphones with a bezel-free curving screen are getting the norm, it is not cheap to expect BlackBerry's latest creation to win folks over with style.

Awesome Keyboard
If you have got ever used a BlackBerry in your life, you may instantly feel relaxed with the hardware keyboard of the KEYone. Its layout and pleasantly clicky keys have remained unchanged from the times once BlackBerry dominated the smartphone market.

Even though on-screen keyboards became glorious on each platform, they cannot quite match the speed and therefore the convenience that BlackBerry's hardware setup offers. during this instance, the device is admittedly in an exceedingly category of its own.

A cool feature of the keyboard is that the ability to assign shortcuts for apps and actions to its keys — you'll be able to then access them via a protracted press. there is additionally a customizable road button on the correct facet of the phone that is additionally implausibly handy. thus is that the fingerprint sensing element that is embedded within the device's home button.

The surface of the keyboard is touch-sensitive, thus you'll be able to scroll through sites and documents by slippy your fingers similar to you'd on a portable computer trackpad.

Midrange Specs
The BlackBerry KEYone options midrange specs, headed by a Qualcomm-made flower 625 chipset. The latter is understood for giving a decent mix of performance and energy potency, which can suit the phone's nature well.

Memory-wise, the KEYone packs 32GB of integral storage and 3GB of RAM. you'll be able to more expand the device's storage via a microSD card.

BlackBerry has equipped the KEYone with a four.5-inch IPS show, whose 3:2 ratio may be a shade odd by today's standards. With a resolution of one,620 by 1,080 pixels, the show is lots sharp (434 pixels per in., to be precise), tho' it's not precisely AN recreation powerhouse. The screen panel additionally offers stellar brightness and viewing angles.

As expected, the BlackBerry KEYone comes with a solid set of wired and wireless options. They embody zippy LTE network property, Bluetooth four.2, and a USB-C connexion. a customary audio jack is additionally on board.

The phone is provided with an oversized three,505 mAh battery. The latter supports quick charging.
So-So Performance, wonderful Battery Life
The midrange Qualcomm chipset of the BlackBerry KEYone will AN adequate job of powering through common daily tasks, however it's obscurity close to as capable or responsive as a number of school giant's a lot of upmarket offerings found in equally priced phones. To be fair, patrons won't select the smartphone if they commit to edit 4K video and play graphic-intensive video games

Battery life is wherever the KEYone actually impresses. the mix of an oversized battery, a power-efficient chipset, and alittle show permits the phone to simply create through on a daily basis of significant use with many power to spare.

Android candy
Android, aboard the physical keyboard, is one among the key bits that produces the KEYone price considering. Google's latest OS can offer you access to a huge library of apps, in addition as all of the company's handy services.

The programme itself has stock look, including a bunch of customization options. Those vary from the flexibility to alter the icons, all the thanks to adding shortcuts to common tasks directly on your homescreen.

Good Camera
The BlackBerry KEYone encompasses a 12MP main camera with high-quality Sony sensing element, f/2.0 aperture, section notice optical device, and therefore the ability to capture 4K video. The camera interface is intuitively arranged out and made in options, as well as a manual mode.

The quality of the photos captured by the smartphone is solid, tho' we have seen higher during this value vary. similar to within the case of the processor but, the camera isn't destined to be its key point.

A Solid Phone that may Be a shade Late to the Party
The BlackBerry KEYone may be a well-engineered, solidly created phone that is honest concerning its intentions. because of its physical keyboard and huge battery, the smartphone can assist you keep productive — and for a protracted whereas. Its tiny screen, on the opposite hand, can make sure that you do not get too distracted with looking at videos and play.

With a $549 tag, the BlackBerry KEYone is strictly reserved for patrons WHO actually need a smartphone with physical keyboard. everybody else are going to be be comfortable shopping for a standard smartphone, which can be higher equipped and considerably a lot of amusing.

The truth is that BlackBerry ought to have launched a smartphone with this manner issue and robot OS 2 to 3 years past. Currently, there is a smart likelihood that almost all of the KEYone's prospective patrons have already switched to AN iPhone or another robot device.(pplm)

Change the iPhone and iPad to the Computer Complete

APPLE has a simple plan to turn your iPhone or iPad into a new type of MacBook that is possibly Apple’s smartest, and dumbest, computer ever.

A day after news of Samsung’s smartphone dock broke, the US Patent office has approved an Apple patent to use the smarts in the iPhone or iPad in a “dumb” MacBook dock.

Unlike the Samsung dock, which adds ports to a Samsung smartphone but no extra keyboard, the Apple idea for the iPhone and iPad is a more complete computing solution.

While some patents, by the time they are approved, show ideas that are several years old, this latest patent by Apple was only lodged about the time Apple released the iPhone 7 last year.

Apple has been granted a patent for the “Electronic Accessory Device” that would drop an iPhone into the keyboard of a MacBook-style dock, so that the iPhone screen becomes the trackpad, or in another version the iPad becomes the MacBook-style dock’s screen — unlike a real MacBook, would still be a touchscreen.

The patent, discovered by Apple Insider, isn’t just as simple as a keyboard with a hole for the iPad or iPhone.

https://twitter.com/rquandt/status/844296286438379521/photo/1

Certainly, with the patent description of the MacBook shell as not having a processor, you’re relying on the computer power of the iOS to drive the thing. So, in that way, the device would not be dissimilar to current iPad docks like the Clamcase that adds an aluminium shell and keyboard.

But with the Apple patent, the dock would offer more.

“The accessory device, however, can provide auxiliary processing resources, such a graphical processing unit, or GPU, or other processing resources that can support the functions of the portable computing device,” the patent says.

So, the dock could boost the graphics capability, or add some needed battery power, and perhaps even include a USB-C port which, even by itself, would be something of a game changer for the iPhone.

Apple is not the first smartphone company that has played with the idea of using the smartphone as the brains of a computer-style dock.

And, just because it has a patent, it does not mean that it will become a product.

Still, if you like the idea of travelling with a really light laptop, Apple could be working on something that is just the thing.(nws)

Full Review New Nokia 3310 2017,share

OUR EARLY VERDICT
For those who fondly remember the Nokia 3310 the new model will almost be a no-brainer of a purchase. Its low price, pleasing feature set and long battery life make it appealing for anyone looking for a back-up handset, festival phone or just a simple retro buy.

(+)FOR
Full-on nostalgia hit
Low cost
Snake!!!

(-)AGAINST
Only a 2MP camera
Low res screen
2.5G connectivity

Update: We've now had word that the new Nokia 3310 release date could be May, although we're still waiting to hear officially when you'll be able to buy it.

If any phone can sell itself on nostalgia alone, that phone is the Nokia 3310.

It’s one of the most popular mobiles of all time, remembered for its near-indestructible build, long-lasting battery and legendary Snake (well Snake II if we’re being accurate) game, and the team licensing the Nokia phone name has jumped at the chance to reignite the love for a phone which was once the leader in the mobile market.

Enter the new Nokia 3310, a lovingly crafted homage to the iconic handset with a helping of modern-day upgrades. If you were a fan of the 3310, the likelihood is you’ll want to pick this up.

If you're less familiar with the original though, this is just another feature phone which won't satisfy your smartphone sensibilities.

New Nokia 3310 price and release date
The Nokia 3310 price has been set at €49 (around $40, £35, AU$55), placing it perfectly as a secondary phone purchase and it’s one that will likely appeal to both Nokia fans and festival goers.

Some may balk at having to even pay that much for a ‘dumb phone’, but the spec sheet of the new 3310 does enough to justify the cost.

There’s no firm new Nokia 3310 release date just yet, with the firm only confirming that it will be available sometime in Q2 (April-June).

That hasn't stopped online retailer Clove from listing the new 3310 release date as available from May on its website though, although it does note "official price and availability to be confirmed" - so that May date could be subject to change.

SPECS
Weight: 79.6g
Dimensions: 115.6 x 51 x 12.8mm
OS: Nokia Series 30+
Screen size: 2.4-inch
Resolution: 240 x 320
Storage: 16MB, microSD (32GB)
Battery: 1,200mAh
Rear camera: 2MP



New Nokia 3310 design and display
Looking at the new Nokia 3310 front-on and there’s no mistaking the phone it is paying homage to.

The distinctive border around the screen and the layout of the 'num' keys give you the retro throwback, but Nokia has majorly slimmed down and modernized the design making the new 3310 supremely pocketable.

It tips the scales at just 79.6g, making it comfortably lighter than the 137g original, and once you slipped it into your pocket you’ll forget it’s even there.

The plastic construction feels solid, but only time will tell if it will withstand the kind of beatings the first generation Nokia 3310 survived time and again.



You’ll be able to pick up the new Nokia 3310 in the traditional dark blue and grey of the original, but also in the new, psychedelic yellow and ‘warm red’. We managed to check out all four colors during our hands on time, and our favorite was the good old dark blue.

The design is solid, but we can't help but wish Nokia had stuck a little closer to the original 3310 look and feel. We could accept thicker device, and a rear which somewhat resembles the original would have been nice.

Meanwhile the display feels like a real blast from the past, but it’s a significant upgrade over the old 3310. The new Nokia 3310 has a 2.4-inch, 240 x 320 full color display which is bright, but hardly crisp.

Of course you’re paying very little for the phone so it’s not an issue, but don’t go trying to tap the menu items. Touchscreen this ain’t.

Text is perfectly readable though, and the new version of Snake is playable. They’re not blockbuster graphics, but if they were it would ruin the appeal of this phone.




New Nokia 3310 interface and performance
What’s waiting for you on screen then? Android? Nope. Windows 10 Mobile? Absolutely not.

Nokia’s stuck with its feature phone operating system, with the new 3310 running Nokia Series 30+.

That gives you a number of menu options with classics like Call Logs, Contacts, Calculator and Messages joined by a calendar, a basic web browser, photos, radio, music player, voice recorder and a camera application.

There's even an app store where you can download games and apps - although it wasn't currently functional during our hands on time with the phone.

We're told that Twitter and Facebook will be coming to the new Nokia 3310, so we'll likely see both crop up in the store when the phone goes on sale.

For a feature phone there's a surprising number of options in the menu of the Nokia 3310, giving it abilities above the basic text messaging and calls.

Oh, and did we mention, SNAKE IS BACK! Find out all about it in the gaming section below.



One disappointing point is the fact the new Nokia 3310 is only 2.5G compatible. That means no 3G or 4G data speeds, resulting in a very basic browsing experience.

Certain markets will also be able to download simplified Twitter and Facebook apps, but these weren’t available to use during our hands on.

It also lacks Wi-Fi, so you won’t be able to connect to a home or office network for a faster connection either. There is Bluetooth though, along with a music player and a 3.5mm headphone jack which allows you to listen to any tracks you put on a microSD card and slide inside the handset.

In a real retro move, the new Nokia 3310 comes with just 16MB of internal storage. That's enough to store about seven photos from the 2MP camera, and that's it! You'll definitely want to slide a microSD card into the slot behind the rear cover.

See how the new Nokia 3310 shapes up against the original 3310 in our versus video below

<iframe width="597" height="361" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jLbFHFsFCVQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

New Nokia 3310 gaming
Snake is back on the new Nokia 3310, but it's had quite an overhaul from the version which graced the original 3310.

Called Snake Xenzia, the new version is made by Gameloft and features a series of levels with various map layouts as well as the classic survival mode where you get an uninterrupted square to ply your trade.

The snake looks, well more snake-like, and it's all in color for your visual pleasure. If you jump straight into the game you'll find the controls require you to use just the 4 and 6 keys to direct your creature in a similar fashion to slither.io.

Snake purists needn't fear though, as a quick trip to the game's settings menu allows you to select from four different controller options - with the classic 2, 4, 6, 8 directional control present.

You can also opt to use the four way navigation pad on the new 3310 if you don't fancy using the number keys, and it makes it slightly easier to manage when playing one handed.

The navigational pad is small though and you'll need to be accurate (and ideally slender fingered) to make the most of it.

Check out our gameplay footage of Snake Xenzia on the new Nokia 3310 below



Snake isn't the only game you can play on the new Nokia 3310 though, with the handset we got hands on with also packing Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, Diamond Twister 2, Doodle Jump and Drag Race.

Don't get your hopes up too much, as our quick spin on Asphalt offered up some distinctly retro graphics. It still fun though, and takes you back to the old school racing arcade games.



New Nokia 3310 battery and camera
The original Nokia 3310 was also known for its long battery life, and there’s good news for those eyeing up the new 3310.

A removable 1,200mAh power pack is an instant upgrade over the 900mAh of the original, and thanks to the improvements in phone efficiency the new Nokia 3310 boasts 22 hours of talk time and up to 31 days of standby.

That’s a huge upgrade over the 2.5 hours of talktime and 260 hours (around 11 days) of standby on the original Nokia 3310. You can charge the new 3310 with a standard microUSB cable too, so you won’t need to trawl eBay for the old-school charger.



The first 3310 arrived before manufacturers started putting cameras in phones, but this is 2017 and it makes sense for the new Nokia 3310 to sport a snapper – even if it is rather understated.

What you get is a 2MP camera on the rear of the phone. There’s no flash, HDR, panorama mode or anything fancier than a simple point and shoot app with a digital zoom. It’s not going to dazzle you then, but we can see it being a handy feature on a secondary smartphone.

We snapped a few quick pics during our hands on time with the new 3310 and image quality is as acceptable as you'd expect from a low-res camera.



Early verdict
For those who fondly remember the Nokia 3310 the new model will almost be a no-brainer of a purchase.

Its low price and pleasing feature set – not to mention the battery life – provides an appealing option for anyone looking for a back-up handset, festival phone or just a simple novelty/retro buy.

Those less familiar with the 3310 are likely to be a little more puzzled over this phone’s existence, and the hype surrounding it, but it can serve a purpose for pretty much anyone.

MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest exhibition for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting live from Barcelona all week to bring you the very latest from the show floor. Head to our dedicated MWC 2017 hub to see all the new releases, along with TechRadar's world-class analysis and buying advice about your next 

phone.(tcrdr)

Cameran Huawei P10 trumps Apple iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus

P10, is reportedly better than Apple's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus when it comes to camera performance. The information comes from DxOMark, a website that conducts extensive testing of smartphone cameras, as well as all sorts of digital cameras.

According to DxOMark, Huawei P10 scored 87 in their camera tests, which is one point more than the iPhone 7 and three points above its dual-camera sibling - iPhone 7 Plus. Some of the other smartphones that have the same DxOMark score include Moto Z Force (Droid edition), Samsung Galaxy S7 , Samsung Galaxy S6 edge plus , Sony Xperia XZ and Sony Xperia Z5 .

However, the Huawei P10's camera performance is still below some of the non-Leica branded smartphone cameras. Sony's Xperia X Performance, Samsung's Galaxy S7 edge and HTC 10 all have a score of 88, while the top position is held by Google Pixel , with a score of 89. It is worth noting that the P10's predecessor - P9, scored 80 points in DxOMark's testing.

The website says that P10's camera delivers good details and texture preservation. It also records Full HD video at 60fps and 4K video at 30fps.

That said, the website's report adds that, "We observed some exposure failures in very bright conditions, where darker areas of the scene are noticeably underexposed in order to capture good highlight details in bright areas (such as the sky)."

For those unaware, Huawei P10 features a dual-camera setup at the back with a 20MP module and a 12MP module, in addition to having an 8MP front-facing camera with f/1.9 aperture. Users can adjust shutter speeds, ISO, White Balance and more under the manual mode.

Huawei P10's Leica-engineered dual-camera setup is accompanied by multiple camera modes like Night, Macro, Monochrome and Leica Style Portraiture.(ggs)

New Game Boy Mini

Hackaday.io member Moosepr Has published a new project which uses the awesome and incredibly small Raspberry Pi Zero mini PC to create a super small GameBoy Zero, which could be the smallest GameBoy Zero made to date.

Check out the video below to learn more about the build which uses a ili9341 screen, a Pi zero, 2 navi switches (5 way), and a battery.

Its creator explains a little more about the project which can be seen in full over on the[Hackaday.io] website by following the link below.

So the pi zero is cool, retro gaming is cool, im really not cool, but i thought ‘what the hell!!’ Im not overly fond of ‘rats nest’ wires, and i have a bit of an obsession with making things as small as possible, so this is what i came up with.

tis just an ili9341 screen, a pi zero, 2 navi switches (5 way), and a battery (with charge/protect circuit)

using the notro’s fbtft driver, tasanakorn’s fbcp code to get the screen to display, and adafruit’s retrogame code to work the buttons

The eagle eyed among you might spot there is no ‘boost’ circuit!!! The pi zero is actually quite tolerant, you dont actually need to feed it the full 5v to make it work. The main core of the pi runs on lower voltages, so the majority of it will happily run as low as 3v (i have heard it will run lower, but li-po protection kicks in before we get there), the only real need for the 5v on the pi is USB peripherals, which most will be ok with 3v too!! Therefore the battery (4.2v-3v) is piped straight into the 5v line on the pi, cutting a boost circuit out of the mix, keeping the power usage below 250mah

If you enjoy building Pi projects you might be interested in our comprehensive list of Raspberry Pi displays, HATS and small screens. Or if you are interested in building Arduino projects these may provide inspiration for your next project.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ super simple

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ have leaked again, this time in multiple places, spilling lots of tasting new treats.

Primarily the Galaxy S8 and S8+ have been shown off in a size comparison chart, via OnLeaks, that clarifies just what kind of pocket bulge we can expect. In the case of the S8+ it is mighty, only surpassed by the Nexus 6P but larger than the iPhone 7+. On the other hand the S8 will sit slightly larger than the Huawei P10 but just smaller than the new LG G6.

Another cool tidbit from the rumour mill comes via the Korea Economic Daily which has revealed how the S8 and S8+ will use cameras to unlock. Facial recognition and iris scanning should work in conjunction to unlock the phone without the need for a fingerprint read or password, making security simpler and more effort-free than ever. This, the source says, will take less than 0.01 seconds to work - far quicker than fingerprint reading then.

Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ have been spotted, via DroidLife, on the FCC. That means they’re getting closer to release than ever. Samsung is expected to unveil the new flagship S8 and S8+ on 29 March at an event it has scheduled - it should be on sale very soon after that.(t3)

Moto Z (2017) Image Leaks With New Fingerprint Sensor; Snapdragon 835 SoC Expected

After launching the Moto Z smartphone with Moto Mods last year, it looks like Motorola is ready with its next iteration of the premium smartphone. The company reportedly gave a sneak peek of the Moto Z (2017) at the recent MWC 2017 when it was showcasing new Mods and more recently was hinted at during Sprint's Gigabit Class LTE service display on Thursday.

One of the most notable changes seen from the images that have circulated online is the new oval shaped fingerprint sensor. Meanwhile, the form factor largely remains the same, which is expected since it has to support current and future Moto Mods. This means that you can expect the next flagship to sport a 5.5-inch display similar to last year's model. An image from the MWC event, complete with a Gamepad mod, was spotted by Android Central, while another image from the Sprint launch was tweeted by WirelessWorld editor Diana Goovaerts,With the device expected to fall in the premium category, the upcoming Moto flagship will look to boast of top-of-line specifications that include Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 835 SoC. The device will also look to maintain the slim metal slab design of the original.

The device that was used to showcase Sprint's Gigabit LTE service was pictured running Snapdragon 835. The alleged Moto Z (2017) smartphone was encased and covered from the edges making it difficult to confirm whether it was in fact the Moto Z (2017).

Sprint, however, did let out the the device used in the testing was of a forthcoming flagship in a release. "Motorola showcased the blazing-fast, high-bandwidth capability of a forthcoming flagship smartphone based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 mobile platform with an integrated Snapdragon X16 LTE modem, supporting Gigabit Class LTE."The carrier also stated that it used a combination of "three-channel carrier aggregation and 60 MHz of Sprint's 2.5 GHz spectrum in combination with 4X4 MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) and 256-QAM higher order modulation to achieve incredible Category 16 LTE download data speeds on a TDD network."

To recall, last year's Moto Z featured a 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED display, and was powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC coupled with 4GB of RAM. The device was touted as the thinnest premium smartphone in the world at 5.2mm. The flagship came with 13-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and laser autofocus, and 5-megapixel front-facing camera with a wide-angle lens and a front flash.(gg)