It breaks my heart this is the closest to Blackberry we’ll ever get. I was so stocked for Onward Mobility to release a new Blackberry. John Chen killed our dream.
One of the big selling points of Blackberrys was security. What would concern me about this device is the lack of security. By the sound of it, it's going to ship with an outdated version of Android, and I honestly can't see a tiny company like Unihertz keeping up with regular security patches. Combined with the budget specs, it seems an awful lot of compromises just to have a keyboard
I was in Cuba with a BlackBerry Q10. After connecting once, it wouldn't let me reconnect for the next 2 weeks because the network was obviously being monitored. I had to borrow an Apple to check my email ;) But generally, high security is a good thing.
Yes its nice with Android 11, 6 gigs of ram, face unlock and 256 storage but still slightly disappointed with this. As a key 2 user, it didnt compell me to start using this phone over my key 2 despite my key 2 still on android 8. So many things missing like: -not a bigger battery for the bulky nature of the phone -1 camera and not being that good "based on your review" - no headphone jack -bluetooth 4.0 instead of 5 "should be 5 even more so because no jack" -no 5G for a 2022 release which makes it a little less future proof -no IP rating which is quite difficult for a keyboard phone but was hoping for that when comparing to key 2 Despite all that, I will still purchase the phone via kickstarter because I appreciate unihertz for carrying the torch for us qwerty phones users now a days.
As long as the price is low I'm willing to give it a shot. Really hoping they eventually release a better specced PKB phone. I'll probably still use my Key2 though. This thing has just too many compromises to switch. Not having an SD slot is a big no-go for me.
@@TechOdyssey $299 retail is fine but early backers better or should get it around $200 and change. I won't pay for $300 for one personally but I would like to pick one up as a kind of experiment and to have a functioning backup phone. This at least makes a GREAT Backup to the Key2 if it ever stops working and I can't fix it (I've replaced the screen twice on it already)
This is what matters to me in the phone. 1. Physical keyboard 2. Physical keyboard 3. Physical keyboard. 4. External storage aka SD card 5 (although less and less important: jack - for headphones and stereo connection) 6. The - ingenious (blackberry) productivity solutions: hub, shorts for everything, personalisation...and the ability to use the keyboard (yes, keyboard again) to scroll on the screen ....7.of course a good camera and a decent size screen. So security? Not on my top ten...
Pretty unlikely - for long boring reasons I'll not get into Motorola has a preexisting patent agreement that they could actually put out a phone with *identical* keys to a blackberry device - they don't because the volumes are just too low.
@@charlesgknight they don't at this point in time, but who knows down the road what demand could look like. name one person that uses a laptop or desktop pc without a PKB, the phones of the future could be powerful enough to function like a laptop.
Really well done video Adam. You really covered the positives and negatives frankly. I hope people appreciate that you come at phone reviews without a bias and don't benefit from sponsorship.
@@TechOdyssey you could really tell that it was a lot of work. It sounds like a device to play with if it's reasonably priced (and available in Canada) but nothing anyone who was on a BB would consider to be a serious replacement.
Just what I'd been waiting for, as well as thousands of other followers of Tech Odyssey - thank you for the detailed 'unravelling'. The downsides are of little concern to me personally, for example no headphone jack (I do ALL my music listening via the 4 different MP3 players I switch between, and mostly that is via Bluetooth to over-ear headphones). I use my BlackBerry KEY2 first and foremost for what it is: a phone with a physical keyboard - so the Titan Slim will be the same. Not an App freak either, don't play games, only really watch RU-vid online at home on a desktop monitor, so my Titan Pocket battery gives me almost 2 days of life, and as I already use that, migrating to the Slim won't be an issue. My refurbished BlackBerry KEY2 had some kind of fit last night too, started shaking and juddering, Instagram and WhatsApp closing down suddenly, Google Assistant opening of its own accord and telling me to try asking stuff that's of no interest to me! Disabled that but it kept re-opening! Not sure if a virus got in there, anyway as a result the Titan Pocket is now my primary phone, BlackBerry well and truly in the history books. Although I did check online for a BB KEY2 yesterday here in Spain from reputable sellers and known electronic stores - all over $1,000!!! I'd be more willing to pay $300+ for a new Titan Slim with Android 11 and the Slim's selling points, such as the capacitive backlit keyboard. And again very personally speaking, I like the not-so-slim aspect: that extra heft gives it a robust, confident feel - let's hope the software 'does what it says on the tin'.
Working in IT security, whenever I hear of poor OS support on a phone, immediately a no for me. If a company is planning to make a phone then it should also plan on having at LEAST three years of OS updates and security patches, otherwise don't even bother making the phone. If I was a hacker, I'd know which phone I'll be writing a zero day attack for... Overall great video tho! I enjoyed the great and thorough breakdown!
If you were a hacker you'd target the Unihertz phone(s) specifically?? That's a ridiculously small user base, and there's no guarantee you'd even get a majority of those users. Seems more novelty than practical. A bit of security through obscurity.
@@RyneLanders not Unihertz specifically but whatever Android 11.x.x version it's using. Any phone that doesn't have security patches after that would be open to an attack, including the Unihertz phone. Better safe than sorry 🤷🏾♂️
Straight to the point and a very fair review👌🏻 I think it all comes down to the price point, if they price this phone right then it will sell a lot of units but if they price it too high then they will price themselves out of a lot of custom. Let’s face it, it’s not a top tier phone it’s a low end budget phone that is simply average across the board except the key board👍🏻
Is it possible that Unihertz, before starting the fundraising, will change the processor? what you have is just a prototype ... will the technical specifications change?
@@TechOdyssey ah I understand ... from what you said in the video, Unihertz has increased the internal storage from 128 giga to 256 giga ... the smartphone in the final version will have 256 giga, and it is a modification ... so maybe they bring the ram from 6 to 8 giga. what you have is a prototype
@@grutz528 yeah. Mine was an early prototype. There are no other spec changes. It was just an oversight they made mine to save money, I believe. The production units will have the specs I mentioned in the video.
All I have to say is WTH with no headphone jack and micro SD. The lack of micro SD in particular has me REALLY concerned and hesitant to buy. If both of those were present, I could overlook its other shortcomings.
While it's still pretty mid to low, I will upgrade from my OG Titan. Lots of concessions made from a Galaxy Note, but love the Physical keyboard, PRICE (paid $220 on Kickstarter), dual sim, RAM, storage, and battery life. Honestly I wish Xiaomi or Huawei (or a bigger entity like Samsung) would make a PKB model among their dozens of annual models. Disappointed with the camera more than anything -- my Titan camera is not OK, it's bad: regularly have troubles scanning QR codes, scanning checks for online baking, etc. Otherwise, I survived 2 years with 2 kids under 3, and demanding jobs with my Titan still running fine. Notably, I don't do much besides email, Office, and RU-vid. Google Fi for my second SIM slot has been a bit inconsistent, but I think that's more to me being International than any hardware/software issues. Thanks for the review!
What was your view of the Titan? That one seems to have better specs than this one? Was it a good replacement as an updated BlackBerry Passport? Cheers Scott
Great review as always, thank you very much. The security patches are my concern, and the build quality. Battery is disappointing too. My Keyone Black Edition is still going strong and will be 4 years old soon! Will think about this phone when it finally is released. Many thanks Ian from the UK.
I will buy this on day one. Having said that, the best part of this video was learning to change my fingerprint reader (home button) to a double tap on my Titan Pocket! What a relief. Thank you Adam!
Thank you. Good review. Have been using "pocket." So far so good. Put sim in my Classic and it still works. Pocket is more responsive and colors more vibrant. I ran into an update problem with pocket. Tech support sent me via email info. A big help. My pocket does what my classic did but better. Still not happy with Android 11 in opposition to BB OS 10 for ease of use. At least Unihertz is interested in helping clientele without the indifference/snootiness of BB!
Man, sounds like too many compromises. I'd happily pay $500-$600 for something like this slightly slimmer/lighter, with a decent camera, modern 5G US connectivity, and multipoint Bluetooth connections.
@@TechOdyssey it is what it is. But what it is is just not good enough. Feels like they need to move up 1-2 brackets in terms of price and quality. I have a RAZR 5G so I don't mind mid-range specs and a serviceable camera, but what I do mind is absolutely terrible quality cameras and low power chips. Had that in a Sony Xperia I bought overseas a few years back, won't go back to that experience. I don't need a flagship spec phone with a flagship price, but this really feels like a beta testing product vs a final release. Needs to be a couple of notches better and then I'd be happy to consider it.
It’s an interesting phone . With the thickness I was expecting a bigger battery . Not sure who the phone is aimed at . Diehard blackberry users probably if the price is right but not convinced . I would have put a bigger battery in and made it thinner then I think it would be a winner . You don’t need a super screen res or massive camera . Just a slim pocket friendly device that is easy to type on
It makes absolute sense that the Titan slim is thicker. With keyboard at the bottom the thickness will make the whole typing experience better as compare to a thinner phone body. Just from my experience using the BB Bold, testing the BB Key2 and currently using the Titan Pocket.
Thanks for the awesome indepth review. It's really, really valuable to have somebody like you reviewing it - someone who knows what to look at and has a bigger context for the phone, instead of all the usual mainstream "lol look at this crazy PKB novelty!" reviews. I've got a tough call to make on the Slim. My OG Titan has actually been a great, reliable phone for the last two and a half years but it's getting old and the battery isn't what it used to be. As a replacement, the Slim frankly seems like a big step back in a lot of categories. Lower res screen, smaller battery, no headphone jack, no IP rating to speak of... it feels like I'd be giving up a lot. Decisions, decisions.
Thanks for the review. Great to see as have been waiting on an astroslide for a while. My trusty Key2 is on its last legs since I dropped it. This looks the ticket for me. Hopefully the wait won't be too long. I wish there was extended support. I would subscribe for updates if anyone from unihertz is reading this. Thanks again for the review
After further research, seems like both the Ticktock and the Titan Slim are deal breakers, the former due to no PKB and no headphones port, the latter due to no headphones port and no micro SD.Pity,I love my Titan,. It's Nokia 5.4 time!
As much as I want this there are so many trade-offs. If this was at least mid range I'd be in but this appears to be a lower tier. They skimped on the battery and security seems like it's gonna be extremely minimal along with support. Frankly I'm not sure I can see this as a daily driver. At this point I can replace the battery in my Key2 and take it metro or just get a 6a on cricket and hope the next iterations from unihertz get better an better
Oooh! Having no 3.5mm headphone jack is a deal breaker for me. Hope it makes the final edition because all else seems good. The pluses so far for me are the 250gb, DualSim, Android 11, Keyboard and buttons customisation and anything that's an upgrade to the full Key2 experience. They just need to sort that headphone jack and all will be good. Thank you for yet another amazing video 🤩👌
Thank you for your truly informative videos. I purchased the Unihertz Titan Slim to replace my Blackberry Key 2 LE. I ported over BB Launcher because it remains without peer, best-in-class, plus it's offline so who cares about support or updates. Sadly had to leave behind Hub and Privacy Shade. Verizon supports the Titan. Put in your Verizon SIM and it's good to go. Need to play with Internet settings to get it to connect. It is a good high-quality replacement for the LE. Keyboard takes a bit of getting used to with Alt and Shift in different places than BB but muscle memory kicks in quickly enough. Apps run perfectly. Sound quality good, network connectivity good. Everything as good or better than the Key 2. Onward Mobility: Unihertz I'm sure thanks you for the year-long tease, because now, they'll eat your lunch.
Good to know Titan supports Verizon. I'm still doing OK with my Key2. Keeping an eye on the Slim for a future purchase. Thanks Tech O for the great videos for us physical keyboard fans
Won't be rushing to cop this, but if my KeyONE ever decides to stop working, Titan Slim would likely be its replacement since there's not much of a choice out there.. Thank you for covering all the ever-important specs.
Could you do a review like this comparing it to the KeyOne and/or KeyTwo, instead of comparing it to the other Titans? Most of us have never had a Titan, and most of us presumably have/had the previous Blackberries. Thanks man.
Unfortunately, my fears come true: no headphone jack, no SD card slot, no water, dust or crash protection, no larger battery (as the dimensions would suggest) and an ugly, cheap housing. Simply unsightly and much too sensitive without a case. Too bad. I use the Titan a lot and the Titan Pocket for going out or in the car when the other is too bulky for me. Well, the two will probably last a long time. Maybe the Planet Astro or F(x)TecTec will work out if the lockdowns in China don't lead to bankruptcy for some manufacturers..
Totally my toughts. i only buy this to show that physical KB phones are still actual. Probably never start using it, have couple of new Key2 phones bought as spare and I am happy with these. Until the Android 8.1.0 disabled for use. On the Kickstart they should try to collect ressources for modern physical keyboard phone. Though they are definitely much better on business than me, so it is now what it is. I am begging God and Santa Claus for new modern keyboard phone but can't hold my breath "cos those guys are not real.
Great review. And based on Adam"s opinions, the answer is 'not now". I think the first year of this idea will definitely not be its' best. This phone is gonna get better because Unihertz will be listening and improving.
I know the Priv was an amazing phone! Still rocking my Key2 which I use for emails and text messages. I'm not a big app users. I need a good browser and internet connection
Miss my Key2 so bad 😞..... currently using pixel 5 very basic phone user(no gaming) and hate pixel for typing and autocorrect just want a physical keyboard back! In Y'all's opinion fix broken Key2 screen for $300 or purchase Titan Slim for $329? Which will be more secure in 2022-2023?
Great review. disappointed with the lack of SD card and 720p screen. if the price is right, I will get it anyway since I already have the Titan and Titan Pocket, might as well get the full collection.
Aw man, I was about to say yes I'm getting it until you said no SD slot. Guess I'll be waiting for a different phone then. Hopefully the company that owns the BlackBerry patents will make one soon.
So if my BB Key One works, and works REALLY well (The only issue I have ever had with it is the space bar fell off disabling my fingerprint scanner) is there anything in this unihertz phone, besides Android 11, that is a significant enough upgrade to warrant me switching? Because it doesn't seem like there really is.
Since my key 2's battery was swelling, I had to switch to this phone. I am 1 week in and I already have adapted to this keyboard. I was worried about the thickness of the phone but actually it is nice to hold in the hands. I really like this phone. I am very thankful to have the titan slim to replace my old key2. I hope Unihertz will keep making more pkb phones in the futur!! Thanks for the review
Yeah, that's an absolutely attrocious regression on uni's part here and the only reason I'm hesitant about the phone. I really dont care much about any of the """specs""" but those two have been a major dealbreaker for me with most of the phones I've ever even considered.. Gues we'll have to see the price to judge whether these drawbacks could be made up for..
@@loveydovey55555 i'm thinkng the exact same thing! If it's really cheap, I could go with it and buy a dedicated device for my music. I'm also considering the titan pocket despite the fact that I'm not a fan of the 1:1 aspect ratio. Pocket had pretty much all that I needed except the screen size!
@@landryphil damn lol, your taste in phones is eerily similar to mine, sir! I've been eyeballing the pocket too and it's the screen that is putting me off a bit as well. I really only want comfortable chatting and music from a phone and I know that, while the device is definitely gonna get the job done, it'll be a bit lackluster when it comes to chatting because of how much media(as in pics/videos) we send each other nowadays. This wasn't a problem for my q5 and its form factor 10ish years ago but nowadays I just need a teeny tiny lil bit more screen estate.. And the slim looks the perfect phone that ticks all the boxes.. But without my sd card.. Or an audio jack? Ehhh..
Yep, another one to the list. I relax before bed or weekend mornings with my in ear headphones on, plugged into the Key2. Bluetooth headphones aint cutting it. I love tech and gadgets but yet another added expense hassle for charging and high maintenance. I love the fact of scrunching up my in-ear 3.5mm headphones carelessly and pop them out at any moment to listen to music, watch vids, etc.
They just need to update it to 5g. As for the other specs or lack of. You use a phone like that for it's function and productivity.. Most people that want that physical keyboard with little extras want to use it for productivity and ease.. If we wanted mega cameras and video. We'd go iphone or one of the flagship androids... I miss the "blackberry" and loved that keyboard. the less features the better for me personally.
Thanks for the early review. Has there been any meaningful software update/usability in comparison to Titan Pocket? Also you mentioned LED notifications, is there more options compared to Titan Pocket? Also have the split the notification and ring sound profile (major pain them being together)
Do you recommend it as like a daily phone ? Or a business phone ? Or just a phone to kind of have it to play around with? I been looking to get a key2 but they’re around $1,500 on Amazon I’m not sure
Hi, I have the highest spec Key2 (128gb, Dual Sim bought as new from Factory) and been using it everyday since 2019 and still using it with no problems. I am a very heavy user so use it for app based video editing, pdf conversions, TikTok, RU-vidPremium popout vids, Light Gaming and VR apps, Writing and preparing presentations for work, Trading with multiple open screens, Discord, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, multi-screening, live home screen widgets for real-time trading information and much much more. All is working extremely well but just needing to know that there is an upgrade to fall back on as the highest spec Key2 is now 3 to 4 years old and runs on Android 8. Feel free to ask me any questions as I may be able to answer any detailed questions about it too.
Hi from the U.K. I have used Blackberry mobiles for well over 10 years. I currently use a BB Key2 & love it but... no updates now even though it still functions well. I like the Unihertz Titan Slim for all the same reason as I like the BB Key2. However, will the Slim be available in the U.K. AND will it run on our phone Networks? (My current provider is EE which used to be "Orange" years ago). Thanks. Keep up the reviews.
I ended up rebuilding and breaking my key2.. FFW galaxy z flip 5 as my daily driver.. And I just ordered a titan slim for byod at my job. I think it will be perfect for my needs.
I like it over-all, I just wish they could've put a bigger battery and a matte finish. The shine is cheap-looking to me . . . but the case solves that basically. I am not sure if I should go for this or simply the Pocket. As for the SIM slots being separate, that is actually smart and practical for those of us who constantly have to change SIM cards.
Hello i have the keytwo and the priv had a better rear camera with 18MP, the key2 has 12MP. Why the titan slim rear camera is that bad with 48MP can you explain to me please? Thanks
Good review, but no SD card slot, no earphone jack and most importantly minimal update/support history (if at all), means I'm going to pass. Although to be fair, motorola's software support is minimal and not much better...
Waterproof and big battery were what I was looking for. Also I dislike removing the headphone jack but I guess that isn't a deal breaker. I have the titan and it has been ok for the reasons above. For software updates we need to blame google and samsung for breaking android and selling it as proprietary BS apple like software on phones. Android is made of Linux. There is no reason whatsoever that I shouldn't have daily security updates available to a linux kernel. The big companies are abusing the free software community that makes linux and it is making all of us less secure and introducing problems and vulnerability where there should be none. Unihertz doesn't really have the power to change that, but if they were smarter they would have gone with a more open, easy to update back end. /End of rant
I couldn’t get the ticktock to work on Verizon. I’ve owned all the other unihertz devices and they all worked with a sim switch from Verizon but not the newer stuff they are releasing, the data worked and the texts worked but I couldn’t make calls at all , not sure if the same issue will pass down into the titan slim, but everyone on Verizon keep that in mind. T mobile it worked on!!!!! And mint sim!
It's so tempting, but I just wish they would pump a little more under the hood. But it looks good and solid, which is a unihertz trademark. Which I am totally cool with.
Great review, thank you! How does the real world battery use compare with the OG Titan? Loving the battery on that but no idea how it compares with the pocket which has a smaller battery but also a smaller screen and newer software.
I will most certainly buy this phone for my secondary line to my Google Pixel 4xl. I absolutely love the design of this one, and I think Unihertz os far superior to Blackberry at this moment. I'm excited to receive mine, that's for sure.
No 5G, the choice is easy...none of the Big 3 in the US will allow any new 4G customers on their network...and neither will Cricket, Mint etc as they use the Big 3s antennas.
You're a man in the know. Will there be a titan slim 2 to your knowledge? Am limping a key2 on and do need a replacement, its either spend a fortune on a 'new' key2 or get a titan slim... or wait for an update
Thank you so much for the video! I just wanted to confirm, is the home button an actual physical key you can press or does it only work via your fingerprint, also what is the Function key used for? Coming as a Key2 user I was under the impression it was the Unihertz version of the Speed key. Thanks :)
There isn’t a physical home button key. It’s the touchpad, and you can program it for a single touch or double tap. Function key can be many different things. You designate function in the settings. It can work as a speed key if you wish.
@@TechOdyssey oh that it disappointing about the home button, would of solved the issue I reckon with the unintentional going to the home screen when scrolling with the keyboard. But thank you for responding, I'm really happy what you've told me about the Function key usage. 😊
Looks like a great basic phone if you want a keyboard. If all the bells and whistles and security are big concerns maybe not?I still find virtual keyboards hard to type on even on a huge S10 5G. The specs sound better than a key one? At least the software, storage and RAM are.. Does it have wireless charging?
@TechOdyssey thanks for the great review! I have been waiting for another keyboard phone since my screen on Key2 broke 2 years ago and this looks like the one! Currently have Pixel 5 not a fan of typing on it and autocorrect drives my crazy. I am very basic phone user and #1 priority is keyboard, I am not an app or game guy. I just use my phone for RU-vid, email, text, sports pages for sports news. Is this the right phone for me? That being said in your opinion do you anticipate security concerns with lack of updates? Would I be better off to keep Pixel around to use banking apps or credit card purchase? Is this more secure than a Key2 at this current time? Thanks in advance!
How is autocorrect? Aside from the camera, the biggest problem I have with my Titan Pocket is the downright bizarre autocorrect, not recognizing common words like "yeah" or "5th."
Yeah, I'm just gonna grab the titan pocket instead. I can get it now, no wait, it's the same phone, and they're both thick, I'd rather have at least drop protection.
@@TechOdyssey indeed, I enjoy my T-Mobile network which offers both Band 71 and 5G. As you may know, I wouldn't be getting as much out of the Slim as I could with T-Mo.
Amazing review Adam thank you for keeping us all updated with this device. Can you confirm for me that the keyboard is back lit and is easily viewable when it's dark? I'm still a little on the fence with it but I'll hold out and see how much it does for on Kickstarter and make my mind up then ⌨️
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Keyboard is backlit. It’s fine I’m the dark. I’m expecting good prices if you order one as soon as the Kickstarter opens up. First 100 or so will go crazy quick but likely half cost. I’m expecting a max price of $349 but optimistically hoping for $299.
