BlackBerry DTEK

Last updated
BlackBerry DTEK
Blackberry DTEK50 phone.png
Blackberry DTEK50
CodenameNeon (DTEK50)
Argon (DTEK60)
Brand BlackBerry
Manufacturer TCL Corporation
Compatible networks LTE

PCS
HSPA+
EDGE

GSM
First releasedJuly 26, 2016 (2016-07-26) (DTEK50)
October 25, 2016 (2016-10-25) (DTEK60)
Type Smartphone
Form factor Slate
Dimensions147 mm (5.8 in) H
72.5 mm (2.85 in) W
7.4 mm (0.29 in) D (DTEK50)
153.9 mm (6.06 in) H
75.4 mm (2.97 in) W
6.99 mm (0.275 in) D (DTEK60)
Mass135 g (4.76 oz) (DTEK50)
165 g (5.82 oz)
Operating system Android 6.0.1 "Marshmallow"
System-on-chip Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 (DTEK50)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 (DTEK60)
CPU Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53
Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 (DTEK50)
Quad-core 2x 2.15 GHz Kryo
Quad-core 2x 1.6 GHz Kryo (DTEK60)
GPU Adreno 405 (DTEK50)
Adreno 530 (DTEK60)
Memory3 GB (DTEK50)
4 GB (DTEK60) RAM
Storage16 GB (DTEK50)
32 GB (DTEK60) internal storage
Removable storage Up to 2 TB microSDXC
Battery2610 mAh (DTEK50)
3000 mAh (DTEK60) Li-Ion non-removable batterynon-removable battery
Display
(DTEK50)
(DTEK60)
Rear camera13 megapixels, 1080p video capture, Aperture f/2.0 (DTEK50)

21 megapixels, 2160p video capture, Aperture f/2.2, 6 element lens (DTEK60)

autofocus,

Contents

Digital Image Stabilization
Front camera 8 megapixels, 1080p video capture
Connectivity Wi-Fi: (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)

Wi-Fi hotspot
GPS
Bluetooth 4.2
Micro-USB 2.0

USB OTG
Data inputs Multi-touch touchscreen
Other Accelerometer,
Proximity sensor,
Ambient light sensor

FM radio (DTEK50)
Fingerprint sensor,

6-axis gyroscope (DTEK60)
Website BlackBerry DTEK

BlackBerry DTEK is an Android smartphone co-developed and distributed by BlackBerry Limited, and manufactured by TCL. DTEK comprises two models: DTEK50 which is a modified and rebranded variant of TCLs Alcatel Idol 4 (released 26 July 2016); [1] and DTEK60 which is a modified and rebranded variant of TCLs Alcatel Idol 4S (released 25 October 2016). [2] The DTEK models are the second and third Blackberry Android phones after the Blackberry Priv. Like the Priv, the DTEK Android operating system is customized with features inspired by those seen on Blackberry's in-house operating systems, and with hardware and software security enhancements (such as the titular DTEK software).

Specifications

Hardware

The DTEK is manufactured by TCL, with the DTEK50 similar in design to the Alcatel Idol 4, and the DTEK60 to the Alcatel Idol 4S. [3] The DTEK50 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 system-on-chip with 3 GB of RAM, and features a 5.2-inch 1080p IPS LCD display, whilst the DTEK60 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 20 with 4 GB of RAM, and features a 5.5-inch display. The display has oleophobic coating to prevent smudge attacks. [4] [5] The device includes 16 GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD card, and a 2610  mAh battery. The device features a programmable "convenience key" on its bezel, which can be used for different features. [6] [3] [7] The DTEK50 features a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with digital image stabilization and a dual-LED flash, an 84-degree wide-angle f/2.0 lens, and phase detection auto focus, whilst the DTEK60 upgrades this to a 21-megapixel camera and 2160p video capture capable, 6 element f/2.2 lens. Both have the same 8-megapixel front-facing camera with an f/2.2 aperture and flash. [8]

The DTEK60 features a fingerprint sensor on the rear of the handset which the DTEK50 does not, [4] whilst the DTEK50 includes an FM radio which the DTEK60 lacks. [9]

Software

The DTEK models shipped with Android 6.0.1 "Marshmallow", customized with additional features and BlackBerry-developed apps, similarly to the BlackBerry Priv, such as BlackBerry Hub, DTEK—which serves as a dashboard for notifying users of the security and privacy status of their device, and pop-up widgets. [7] [10] [11] [12] BlackBerry committed to releasing regular security updates to the DTEK Android software. [6]

Reception

The DTEK50 received mixed reviews, with critics suggesting that the device did not sufficiently differentiate itself from other smartphones in its class. [13] [14] [15] The DTEK60 gained slightly more favourable reviews, particularly the clarity of the camera, its overall good performance and battery life. [16]

Engadget positioned the DTEK50 as a "fleet device" meant to be purchased in bulk for adoption by a company's employees due to its low price and focus on security. The device was described as being "respectably well built and even sort of handsome in an understated sort of way", and being thin and light yet not feeling "cheap". The DTEK50's display was considered to be "pretty damned good" for a mid-range device and only "fell short" in comparison to the similarly positioned ZTE Axon 7 (which features a 1440p display). The convenience key was panned for not having as many supported features as the equivalent on the Idol 4. The lack of a fingerprint reader (especially given the device's wider focus on security) and inconsistent battery life was also panned. In conclusion, it was argued that the Moto G4 Plus was better value at the same price point due to its larger amount of storage and inclusion of a fingerprint reader, and that "as a ploy to appeal to those crucial business customers, it's brilliant. For them, the DTEK50 is a solid, not-very-expensive option with the security chops to put IT paranoiacs at ease. As a phone for regular people, though, the DTEK50 is a much a tougher sell." [13]

The Verge felt that the DTEK50's display was "pretty nice for a $300 phone", but the overall hardware was described as being of average specifications. The DTEK50's Android software was praised for maintaining the user experience introduced by the Priv, but with fewer bugs and additional refinements. The camera was appraised as being decent "under ideal conditions", and poor in low-light situations. The phone's performance and battery life was also criticized. In regards to security, it was noted that Android "Marshmallow" had already implemented security features such as mandatory device encryption and finer control of permission grants, but that the DTEK software helped to promote privacy best practices, and that BlackBerry had consistently delivered Android's monthly security patches to its devices. However, the DTEK50 was panned for not including a fingerprint reader despite this focus on security. In conclusion, it was argued that while BlackBerry had "identified a market need and theoretically could do a great job filling it" with its security-oriented focus, the DTEK50 "fails to stand out in a competitive field of midrange smartphones." [14] [17]

CNET similarly pointed out that many of BlackBerry's claimed security enhancements "seem to either be placebos or functions already found on stock Android devices", such as device encryption (mandatory on Marshmallow) and boot verification (which is strictly enforced on Android Nougat, but with notifications on Marshmallow), [18] [19] and that the device as shipped was vulnerable to the Quadrooter exploit (which was patched on unlocked models at the time of the review). [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry</span> Line of wireless handheld devices and services

BlackBerry was a brand of smartphones and other related mobile services and devices. The line was originally developed and maintained by the Canadian company BlackBerry Limited from 1999 to 2016, after which it was licensed to various companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry Limited</span> Canadian technology company

BlackBerry Limited is a Canadian software company specializing in cybersecurity. Founded in 1984, it developed the BlackBerry brand of interactive pagers, smartphones, and tablets. The company transitioned to providing software and services and holds critical software application patents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TCL Technology</span> Chinese multinational electronics company

TCL Technology Group Corp. is a Chinese partially state-owned electronics company headquartered in Huizhou, Guangdong Province. It designs, develops, manufactures, and sells consumer products including television sets, mobile phones, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, and small electrical appliances. In 2010, it was the world's 25th-largest consumer electronics producer. It became the second-largest television manufacturer by market share by 2019.

Lipophobicity, also sometimes called lipophobia, is a chemical property of chemical compounds which means "fat rejection", literally "fear of fat". Lipophobic compounds are those not soluble in lipids or other non-polar solvents. From the other point of view, they do not absorb fats.

A mobile operating system is an operating system used for smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, smartglasses, or other non-laptop personal mobile computing devices. While computers such as typical/mobile laptops are "mobile", the operating systems used on them are generally not considered mobile, as they were originally designed for desktop computers that historically did not have or need specific mobile features. This line distinguishing mobile and other forms has become blurred in recent years, due to the fact that newer devices have become smaller and more mobile unlike hardware of the past. Key notabilities blurring this line are the introduction of tablet computers, light laptops, and the hybridization of the two in 2-in-1 PCs.

Dragontrail is an alkali-aluminosilicate sheet glass manufactured by AGC Inc. It is engineered for a combination of thinness, lightness and damage-resistance, similarly to Corning's proprietary Gorilla Glass. The material's primary properties are its strength, allowing thin glass without fragility; its high scratch resistance; and its hardness – with a Vickers hardness test rating of 595 to 673.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smudge attack</span> Discerning a password via screen smudges

A smudge attack is an information extraction attack that discerns the password input of a touchscreen device such as a cell phone or tablet computer from fingerprint smudges. A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania were the first to investigate this type of attack in 2010. An attack occurs when an unauthorized user is in possession or is nearby the device of interest. The attacker relies on detecting the oily smudges produced and left behind by the user's fingers to find the pattern or code needed to access the device and its contents. Simple cameras, lights, fingerprint powder, and image processing software can be used to capture the fingerprint deposits created when the user unlocks their device. Under proper lighting and camera settings, the finger smudges can be easily detected, and the heaviest smudges can be used to infer the most frequent input swipes or taps from the user.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG G3</span> Android smartphone developed by LG Electronics

The LG G3 is an Android smartphone developed by LG Electronics as part of the LG G series. First released in South Korea on May 28, 2014, it is a successor to 2013's LG G2. Inheriting design elements from the G2, such as its thin screen bezels and rear-mounted power and volume buttons, the G3 is distinguished primarily by being the first smartphone from a major manufacturer to incorporate a 1440p display, and its inclusion of an infrared hybrid autofocus system for its camera. Its video resolution has been upgraded to 2160p (4K). LG also touted the device's plastic "metallic skin"—designed to give the device a higher quality appearance, and a "simpler" user interface with an integrated intelligent personal assistant system. The battery can be quickly changed by the user, allowing charged spare batteries to be carried.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry Priv</span> Android-based slider smartphone by BlackBerry Limited

The BlackBerry Priv is a slider smartphone developed by BlackBerry Limited. Following a series of leaks, it was officially announced by BlackBerry CEO John Chen on September 25, 2015, with pre-orders opening on October 23, 2015, for a release on November 6, 2015.

Alcatel ONE TOUCH Idol 3 4.7 and Idol 3 5.5 are Android smartphones manufactured by TCL Mobile and officially unveiled at 2015’s Mobile World Congress. The Idol 3 line up consists of two handsets that use the same design but differ in size and specifications. The Idol 3 4.7 features a 4.7” display while the Idol 3 5.5 has a larger 5.5” display. They're the first smartphones to come with a reversible design that allows the user to use the phone upside-down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy S7</span> 2016 Android smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Samsung Galaxy S7 Active are Android-based smartphones manufactured, released and marketed by Samsung Electronics. The S7 series serves as the successor to the Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ and S6 Active released in 2015. The S7 and S7 Edge were officially unveiled on 21 February 2016 during a Samsung press conference at Mobile World Congress, with a European and North American release on 11 March 2016. The S7 Active was unveiled on 4 June 2016, and released on AT&T in the United States on 10 June 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moto G4</span> Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility

The Moto G4 is a line of Android smartphones manufactured by Motorola Mobility, a subsidiary of Lenovo. They are the successor to the third-generation Moto G, and were first released in Brazil and India on May 17, 2016, with other markets following.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moto Z</span> Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility

Moto Z is an Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility. Unveiled on June 9, 2016, as its flagship model for the year, the Moto Z is distinguished by the "Moto Mods" technosystem which allows case accessories to be magnetically attached to the device to provide additional functionality. The Moto Z was later joined by the more rugged Moto Z Force of which shares most of the same internals as the former, and the mid-range Moto Z Play with downgraded specifications, all three devices being compatible with the modular system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcatel Idol 4</span>

Alcatel Idol 4 and Idol 4S are smartphones manufactured by TCL Corporation and marketed by Alcatel Mobile Phones. They were unveiled during Mobile World Congress in February 2016, and are a successor to the Idol 3. The Idol 4 and 4S are positioned as mid-range devices, with the 4S serving as a higher-end model with a faster processor, a larger 1440p display, and a bundled virtual reality headset which serves as the device's packaging.

Moto Z Play is an Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility. Unveiled in August 2016 at IFA Berlin, it is a mid-range version of the Moto Z, distinguished primarily by its larger battery. As with the Moto Z, the Z Play is compatible with "MotoMods" accessories that can be magnetically attached to the device to provide additional functionality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlackBerry KeyOne</span> 2017 Android smartphone by BlackBerry

The BlackBerry KeyOne is a touchscreen-based Android smartphone with an integrated hardware keyboard that is manufactured by TCL Corporation under the brand name of BlackBerry Mobile. Originally known by its unofficial code name "Mercury", the KEYone was officially announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 25, 2017. While earlier BlackBerry smartphones running Android exist, the KeyOne is the first Android-based BlackBerry with the iconic BlackBerry design. TCL executives termed the KeyOne as a success, mentioning 850,000 units being sold.

BlackBerry Mobile was a trading name that was used by TCL Communication between December 2016 and August 2020 to manufacture and sell BlackBerry branded devices in all world markets, excluding the regions where BB Merah Putih (Indonesia) and Optiemus Infracom operated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huawei P20</span> Android-based smartphone by Huawei

Huawei P20 and Huawei P20 Pro are Android smartphones manufactured by Huawei. Unveiled 27 March 2018, they succeed the Huawei P10 in the company's P series line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy S10</span> 2019 flagship smartphones by Samsung Electronics

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is a line of Android-based smartphones manufactured, released and marketed by Samsung Electronics as part of the Samsung Galaxy S series. The Galaxy S10 series is the tenth generation of the Samsung Galaxy S, its flagship line of phones next to the Note models, which is also the 10th anniversary of the Galaxy S. Unveiled during the "Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2019" press event held on 20 February 2019, the devices started shipping in certain regions such as Australia and the United States on 6 March 2019, and internationally on 8 March 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Hydrogen One</span> Android smartphone from Red Digital Cinema featuring a "4V" 3D display

RED Hydrogen One is an Android smartphone manufactured by Red Digital Cinema. It was officially announced on May 18, 2018, with a release date in August 2018. and released in the United States via AT&T and Verizon Wireless on November 2, 2018, after multiple delays.

References

  1. ↑ BLA1ZE (July 26, 2016). "Watch the BlackBerry DTEK50 launch webcast". Crackberry. Mobile Nations. Retrieved July 27, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ "BlackBerry announces the latest in its series of secure Android smartphones, DTEK60". Crackberry. October 25, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "BlackBerry rebrands Chinese smartphone, creates the $299 BlackBerry DTEK50". Ars Technica. 26 July 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "BlackBerry DTEK50 Screen Specifications • SizeScreens.com". SizeScreens.com. 2016-07-26. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  5. ↑ blogs.blackberry.com. "Hackers Can Steal Your Password via Your Smartphone's Screen Smudges. The Smudge-Resistant DTEK50 Helps Prevent That". blogs.blackberry.com. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  6. 1 2 Cheng, Roger (July 26, 2016). "BlackBerry's cheaper DTEK 50 skips the keyboard, but keeps Android". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  7. 1 2 "BlackBerry says its new Android smartphone is the 'world's most secure'". The Verge. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  8. ↑ O'Boyle, Britta (July 26, 2016). "BlackBerry DTEK50 vs BlackBerry Priv: What's the difference?". Pocket Lint. Pocket Lint Ltd. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  9. ↑ "BlackBerry DTEK50, DTEK60 First Look". Gafgets 360. 17 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "BlackBerry makes the DTEK60 official, available today for $499". The Verge. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "BlackBerry touts its Android Priv phone in new video spots". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  12. ↑ "BlackBerry DTEK50 becomes official, runs Android and costs $299". GSMArena. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  13. 1 2 "BlackBerry DTEK50 review: Cheap, secure and better than expected". Engadget. AOL. 11 August 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  14. 1 2 "BlackBerry DTEK50 review: secure, but not special". The Verge. 29 August 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  15. 1 2 "BlackBerry DTEK50 review". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  16. ↑ "BlackBerry DTEK60 review". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  17. ↑ Savov, Vlad (July 27, 2016). "Hands-on with BlackBerry's touchscreen phone". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Android Nougat won't boot your phone if its software is corrupt". Engadget. AOL. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "Android 7.0 devices could be harder to root, won't boot at all if the software is corrupt". PhoneArena. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.