Since launching the flagship Priv smartphone running on Android, BlackBerry also released another Android-based smartphone for the masses: a mid-range entry called the DTEK50. As per our report in August, the DTEK50 is now available for pre-orders in Malaysia.
Essentially, the DTEK50 is a rebadge of another smartphone, the Alcatel Idol 4 with similar hardware. It features a 5.2-inch Full HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor with 3GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 13MP rear and 8MP front camera, a 2,610mAh battery, and a microSD card slot that supports up to 2TB cards.
Being a BlackBerry, the DTEK50 is focused on security. In fact, the product name is taken after the company’s DTEK software layer for Android, which was first seen on the Priv. DTEK monitors the device in real time, notifying the user each time an app attempts to access a certain part of the phone, such as the mic or camera. Meanwhile, BlackBerry Security acts as a mobile antivirus program.
And, just like the Priv, the DTEK50 also packs the software features that are well-loved on BlackBerry devices, such as the BlackBerry Hub and the BlackBerry keyboard.
Online marketplace 11street has now opened pre-orders for the BlackBerry DTEK50, retailing at a price of RM1,339. It is sold by a third-party merchant, Egadget Solution, which notes that the devices are distributed by Brightstar Malaysia.
