The Gentleman Magazine Issue 10 | August 2018 | Page 71

Review: BlackBerry KEY2
In our previous issue we published the announcement of the
BlackBerry KEY2 from BlackBerry Mobile and after a month
of using the new device here are our thoughts.
As soon as you hold the BlackBerry KEY2 in your hands you
can tell it is a refinement from its predecessor the KEYone.
Which is a very good thing seeing we personally thought the
KEYone was an excellent device, so what does the KEY2 have
to offer? Well, Better specs, better performance and better
productivity!
The KEY2 is an amazing device that simply tackles everything
you throw at it, with its 6GB of RAM you can have multiple
apps open at once without any stuttering of the OS, which
is the new Android Oreo 8.1 might I add! 64GB of internal
memory will be more than enough to cope with all the apps
you require along with files, documents pictures etc. However,
if you have a need for more storage you have the added benefit
to insert a microSD card up to 256GB.
Upgrades from its predecessor don't just stop at RAM and
memory, this is the first ever BlackBerry device to be fitted with
a dual rear camera module which consist of two 12 megapixel
cameras, one being your normal lens and the other offering
a more telephoto experience with a feature which BlackBerry
Mobile are calling superzoom, which allows you to zoom to
a total of x4. I have found that images taken from both rear
cameras are sharp with good contrast and colour representation
and are perfect for any personal or social media use.
The biggest feature of the KEY2 is the newly improved
keyboard, which now has an increased key height of 20 percent
and a new fret design that improves the typing experience.
I found this slightly tricky to start with since I’ve been using the
KEYone as my daily driver since its launch. However, after a day
of use I was already noticing an improved typing experience
with the KEY2 and also the added benefit of the new matte
finish keyboard. The fingerprint sensor is still located within
the spacebar and has been improved upon to give you quicker
access to your phone as and when you need it and provides
better feedback than the previous generation.
The best improvement to productivity overall while using the
KEY2 is the new speed key, which can be pressed with multiple
keyboard presses to provide quick access to other apps while
in the browser or in other applications. This has been great for
switching between apps or writing emails and using it for copy
and paste, it is worth noting that the speed key is customisable
so you can programme it as suggested above or use it as the
traditional right shift key. Another good feature now seen in
the KEY2 is the benefit of a stock file manager, this does exactly
what it says on the tin and provides you with a native place
to easily locate all your files and documents without having to
outsource an external filing system.
All in all, I would highly recommend the new BlackBerry
KEY2 from BlackBerry Mobile if you want to upgrade from
the KEYone or from an older BlackBerry if you are wanting the
benefit of the Android ecosystem, but still have the benefit of
a secure device.
For more information on the BlackBerry KEY2 please visit:
www.blackberrymobile.com
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