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Back in 2007 when I started here at CrackBerry, I never imagined that one day I would be writing about BlackBerry's third Android device being available, but here we are. The DTEK60 has arrived, and after having spent some time with the device, it's time to take a look beyond our initial hands-on and see how the DTEK60 stands up to everyday use.

The quick take

The DTEK60 is the latest in BlackBerry's line of secure Android smartphones combining best-in-class security and flagship specs but at a lower price tier than most flagship phones. It's a complete package that is great for enterprises and organizations looking to deploy devices but can also be recommended to anyone looking to move into flagship hardware without breaking the bank.

####The good {.pros} * Android Marshmallow 6.0.1 out of the box * Great virtual keyboard * Mostly stock Android experience * Continual and fast security updates

The bad

  • Still no RGB LED, only red
  • Super slippery to hold
  • No OIS on the camera
  • Bigger battery would have been appreciated

Also built by TCL

DTEK60 Hardware

DTEK60

As I noted in my initial hands-on and I'm sure many DTEK60 owners will now tell you, no amount of photos really do the DTEK60 justice, especially if you're already familiar with seeing the DTEK50. Aside from the weight of the device, the design of the DTEK60 is going to be one of the first things you notice, and that's a good thing. It looks elegant and has a classy premium feel to it.

It looks elegant and has a classy premium feel to it.

Speaking of the weight of the DTEK60, it comes in at 165g thanks to all the glass associated with the device, but the weight is something that I believe adds to the premium feel overall. On the face of the DTEK60 is that 5.5-Inch display that looks curved but is all a bit of an illusion. Once you pick the DTEK60 up and take a closer look, you'll realize it's not really curved, but instead the scratch and smudge resistant display drapes down ever so slightly on the sides to give the visual appearance of being curved.

That 5.5-Inch display is an AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 which equals out to 534PPI. At its full brightness, it's one of brightest displays I can recall ever having been put in a BlackBerry, and it's certainly brighter than that of the BlackBerry Priv, something I know a lot of folks were wondering about. Colors are bight and vivid, blacks are nice and deep, and even when using a VR headset coupled with some cardboard apps, the display looks great. Overall, there's not a lot to complain about here, but it's not a real review unless I find something, and in the case of DTEK60, that would be how it looks outdoors in direct sunlight. It's a bit rough to see unless the brightness is jacked up and well, that's a battery killer.

Venturing around the rest of the hardware, the front of the DTEK60 is also where you will find that red LED that will blink at you with new notifications, instead of the white LED found on the DTEK50. Honestly, I grew accustomed to the white on the DTEK50, but the red on the DTEK60 is certainly welcome. Still, it's no RGB, which is unfortunate but not a HUGE deal. If selfies are your thing, the front is also where you will find the 8MP fixed focus camera which supports 1080p video recording at 30 fps and has a selfie flash to light up your wonderful face. In my testing, the front-facing camera was the same as that found on the DTEK50, meaning it's entirely capable and it's miles above the front-facing camera found on the Priv.

The front of the DTEK60 is also where you will find that red LED that will blink at you with new notifications.

Start making your way around the DTEK60 and on the right-hand side is where you have your volume up and down rockers as well as your convenience key, which can be set to launch apps and more. Head to the bottom of the DTEK60 and this is where you'll spot one of the biggest changes for BlackBerry users. A new USB Type-C slot, which for some could either be a great addition or something you'll hate. Don't worry; there's also a USB Type-C cable in the box, but if you want more or need a Quick Charge 3.0 charging block, you'll have to load up on the right ones. I fully suggest checking out Android Central's 'What to look for when buying USB-C cables and adapters' article to learn more.

Additionally, on the bottom is also where you'll find one of the dual-speakers. The speaker grills are on the front and back of the DTEK60 to allow sound to pass through even when face down, and match the ones on the top of the device. Although not a deal breaker, they do capture some dust and lint. The dual-speaker array is quite loud and clear. This makes listening to music, watching movies or even having calls over speakerphone a pretty great experience. Everyone has their own rankings of sound on BlackBerry devices, though most would say Z30 and Passport are among the best, and in my personal testing I would place the DTEK60 in that crowd. A bit of a toss-up for me between all three.

Just as with previous devices in their Android lineup, the left side of the DTEK60 is kept pretty bare. All you have over there is the chrome accented power/reboot button, though this time around it's also where you will find the nanoSIM and microSD card slot capable of handing up to 2TB. Move to the top and to the left, and that is where you will find your 3.5mm headphone jack. Nope, BlackBerry didn't pull an Apple. You can still use all the same headphones and won't have to live that #donglelife like a savage.

You can still use all the same headphones and won't have to live that #donglelife like a savage.

Head to the back of the device and this is where you'll find the only clear sign this is a BlackBerry. Just as on the DTEK50, the back side is the only spot where you see the BlackBerry logo, and stands out on the 'Earth Silver' colored backing. For those concerned about whether or not the DTEK60 is slippery to hold, it is. Unlike Priv and DTEK50, the DTEK60 backing is made of glass, and it's really smooth. Unless you have sticky hands all the time, you're going to want to grab some sort of case for the DTEK60, even if it's just a cheapie. Despite my gripes about it being slippery, the DTEK60 glass back does look nice and again, adds to that elegant, classy feel.

Also on the back is the 21MP camera that boasts features like Phase Detect Auto Focus, Dual Tone LED Flash and more. You can't miss it because there is a significant camera hump that, while fine in the hands, can be bothersome if you're tapping on your device while it's sitting on a table or counter top as the DTEK60 tends to wobble a bit. Of course, the back is also where you'll find a first for BlackBerry users. A fingerprint sensor. BlackBerry has taken some shots for not having added one sooner to their hardware but it's here on the DTEK60.

As expected, the fingerprint sensor brings added security for unlocking your phone, accessing Password Keeper, and even making purchases with Android Pay

As expected, the fingerprint sensor brings added security for unlocking your phone, accessing Password Keeper, and even making purchases with Android Pay, if that's your thing. You can add up to five fingerprints which are stored and encrypted through the software and in my testing, the fingerprint sensor here once set up is pretty quick, and doesn't flake out. If I had one complaint about the fingerprint sensor, it would be that it tries to read a fingerprint before I'm even ready to submit one.

For example, if you pick your DTEK60 up off the table and simply just rub a portion of your hands across the sensor, say your palm, it'll try to read it and cause your device to vibrate with an error telling you to try again. I get why it does it, but having your device vibrate in your hands three or four times before you even get it into position to submit your fingerprint gets a little frustrating. I suppose it being too sensitive is better than it not being sensitive enough, though.

DTEK60 Specs

With the DTEK50 BlackBerry sought out a balance between hardware and pricing and because of that, we got a device that is considered to be 'mid-range' when it comes to the specs. For the DTEK60, though, BlackBerry ramped up the pricing a little, bit, and because of that, we got a device that is considered to be 'high-end' when it comes to specs.

  • Display:
    • 5.5-Inch QHD AMOLED display
    • 2560X1440 (534ppi)
  • Camera:
    • 21MP rear camera
    • ƒ/2.0, Phase Detect Auto Focus, Dual-LED flash
    • 1080p 60fps video
    • 8MP ƒ/2.2 front camera
  • Battery:
    • 3000mAh fixed battery
    • Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
  • Chips:
    • Snapdragon 820 Octa-Core 64-bit processor
    • Adreno 530 GPU
    • 4GB RAM
    • 32GB internal storage
    • microSD expansion
  • Software:
    • Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
  • Keyboard:
    • On-screen BlackBerry keyboard
    • Contextual auto-correct, word prediction, and learning engine
    • Touch-sensitive gesture control

To put this plainly, the DTEK60 is BlackBerry's most powerful Android phone yet. But better than that is the fact that it performs that way as well. Specs don't mean much of anything if the software on the device is not optimized for the hardware. Fortunately, that's not a problem on the DTEK60.

Mostly stock Android with some BlackBerry touches

DTEK60 Software

Software Software

With this being their third Android phone now, BlackBerry has continued their tradition of not messing around with the software too much. As with the Priv and DTEK50, on the DTEK60 you're looking at what is mostly a stock Android experience with just a few touches from BlackBerry.

The items BlackBerry did change, as I noted even in my DTEK50 review, have continued to improve. As this is a review for everyone interested in the DTEK60, I'll run through some of the software components BlackBerry has added, but truth be told, for any Priv or DTEK50 owners reading this, it's a lot of the same, but perhaps, because of the hardware on the DTEK60, everything software-wise tends to run markedly better.

BlackBerry Pop-Up Widgets

DTEK60

Built directly into the BlackBerry Launcher on the DTEK60, you have the option of enabling BlackBerry pop-up widgets, which allow you to view any app widget by simply swiping up or down across the icon on your home screen, giving you fast and private access to the information you need, when you need it. Not all apps support widgets, unfortunately, but those that do will have a thee-dot indicator beneath the app icon.

Move a supported app to your home screen and from there swipe up, and you'll see the available widget options. In some cases, there will only be one option, but others will have several options or sizes if more than one is available. Choose the one you want, and next time you swipe over that app, you'll see whatever content the widget should show.

Of course, like much of the software BlackBerry has included, it's optional. If you don't want to use pop-up widgets for any of your apps, there is no requirement to do so. For that matter, you don't even have to use the BlackBerry Launcher if you don't want to but it's there and is set as the default out of the box.

BlackBerry Hub

DTEK60 Hub

Serving as one of the standout features of BlackBerry's Android software is the BlackBerry Hub. As BlackBerry calls it (and I don't disagree with) this 'irreplaceable tool' for consolidating all of your messages in one place, whether it's email, calendar, social, or phone calls, is awesome. Support for the Hub has broadened since its initial release and now it includes Email, Twitter, Facebook, Text Messages, Call Logs, LinkedIn, and of course BBM. On top of that, WhatsApp, Slack, Instagram, Viber, and Pinterest are also included.

Serving as one of the standout features of BlackBerry's Android software is the BlackBerry Hub.

Customizable left and right swipe gestures allow you to delete, snooze, flag, file, mute, and mark read or unread messages while custom views allow you to personalize what you see in the Hub based on specific criteria, whether it be unread messages, flagged messages, important messages or only those with attachments. If that's not enough, there's also the 'pinch to filter ' options, which will filter the Hub to your choice of snoozed items, unread items, emails marked as high importance, flagged emails, or muted conversations. By default, the pinch gesture filters to unread messages, including both email and integrated social / instant messaging content. These are all options you can change, so how you set it up is entirely up to you.

Hub also includes the ability to define account colors, customize quick responses, conversation view, the option to show sent and filed emails, and of course, the option to delete on Hub only or Hub and server plus the option to have it prompt you each time for a choice. Additionally, you can still download images automatically and set up custom alerts for different contacts and messages based on user-defined rules and even add HTML signatures now. Another nice touch is the calendar peek option which, allows you to drag down all your calendar appointments from the top of the Hub for quick viewing or even for adding to your calendar.

DTEK60

Needless to say, if a unified inbox is something you are looking for, then the BlackBerry Hub is something you must give a try. I realize this is a DTEK60 review, but I would be remiss in not mentioning that it's also available on other Android phones as well through BlackBerry's paid Hub+ Services offering available in the Google Play Store.

BlackBerry Device Search

DTEK60

Another feature added by BlackBerry to their Android software is BlackBerry Device Search. With it you can you can find what you need by searching your Contacts, Calendar, BlackBerry Hub email, documents, media files, and more. The BlackBerry Device Search app also offers a remote search option if the info you are looking for is not found on your device.

You can also type what BlackBerry calls Instant Actions into Device Search. Instant Actions are shortcuts that allow you to perform tasks quickly. In the search field, type a command such as phone, dial or call to place a call or email, mail to send an email. Other options include sending text messages, playing music or even getting directions.

This all sounds great, but throughout my use of the Priv and DTEK50, I have never used Device Search much, and that hasn't changed on the DTEK60. I'm not sure how many others use it, but I never actually hear many folks talking about it so either they also don't use it much, or it works well enough that there's no reason to discuss it.

For what it's worth when I have used it, it always found what I was looking for, but to me, it's not a 'must have' addition. I think most folks who already own an Android-powered BlackBerry would prefer a user-facing pre-loaded file manager over Device Search.

BlackBerry Contacts

DTEK60

Maintaining an address book or contact list has always been a chore for me but after having used the Priv, DTEK50 and now DTEK60, I have to praise the BlackBerry Contacts app. Aside from offering the basics to advanced features such as remote search, recent contacts management that allows for blocking recent contacts, smart filters and contact groups and more, the BlackBerry Contacts app has helped me maintain a nice and clean contact list. The app does come pre-loaded on all BlackBerry Android devices but there's no real requirement to use it, though it's certainly worth a look. If you don't dig it or are looking for something else, then you can get into a third-party app and just use that instead.

BlackBerry Calendar

DTEK60 Calendar

With the BlackBerry Calendar, you can view and respond to your meeting invitations directly from the BlackBerry Hub and by using the Join Now feature you can instantly dial into your meetings directly from your event reminder. Additionally, you can use Google Now voice commands to book meetings and schedule appointments plus there is also the option to enable the fantastic Meeting Mode.

With Meeting Mode, you can automatically silence your audible notifications. It's really a stand-out feature for the BlackBerry Calendar. If you're not feeling the BlackBerry Calendar, no worries. There's no real requirement to use it on your DTEK60, you can disable it and use whatever you wish but seriously, give it a go and I'm sure you will find it to be one of the best calendar options available for Android.

Productivity Tab

DTEK60

Just as with the Priv and DTEK50, the DTEK60 comes pre-loaded with the Productivity Tab, which provides glanceable views of the most pertinent info from Hub, Calendar, Tasks, and Contacts. For some, this could be a key app offered by the BlackBerry software, but personally, I have found I don't use it all that much.

Granted, for what it is it works, but I simply had higher hopes for the app, like that BlackBerry would add more customization options to it. I know there are a lot of folks out there who are using the Productivity Tab on their Priv and DTEK50, so it's certainly an added feature. It just so happens that I'm not one of them and as such I just disable it because BlackBerry allows for, which is nice.

BlackBerry Password Keeper

BlackBerry Password Keeper

Every day we hear news about services being hacked and passwords being sent across the internet and to help encourage stronger password security, BlackBerry loads all of their secure Android phones with BlackBerry Password Keeper. Additionally, you can use the Password Keeper app to create secure passwords. If you're using the BlackBerry Keyboard, you can easily insert your saved login info into apps and web pages, and save your login info straight to BlackBerry Password Keeper with auto-fill.

The BlackBerry Password Keeper application allows you to keep all of your passwords, login information, and important records safe and secure. Your information is encrypted using AES-256 and protected by a single password of your choice. Recent updates to the app include the ability to create checklists inside Password Keeper. What a great way to keep holiday gift lists a secret!

BlackBerry Intelligent Keyboard

DTEK60 keyboard

While the BlackBerry Keyboard has always been great on Android, BlackBerry has continued to improve their offerings here as well. Key features such as the keyboard learning and providing suggestions as you type and letting you 'flick' them into place are just the start. Swiping horizontally from right to left anywhere on the keyboard will delete previously typed words one-by-one. Swipe vertically from top to bottom, and you can toggle between letters, numbers and characters.

If that's not enough, you can also slide your finger from letter to letter to quickly type with one hand without even lifting your finger off the keyboard. Plus, the keyboard can handle up to 3 languages of your choice all at the same time. Recent updates include the ability to track your keyboard stats plus, you can now use gestures like swipe to delete in type by swiping mode.

Fully Android. BlackBerry Security

DTEK60 Security and Privacy

BlackBerry Secure Android

BlackBerry's secure Android messaging has been consistent since the release of the Priv, and with the DTEK60, they're once again making it clear they believe they have the 'most secure Android smartphones' on the market. Still, most Android phones claim to keep your private stuff private, so it's fair for others to be skeptical of just how secure Android can be. The great thing about BlackBerry's messaging though is they lay out the reasons as to why they can claim offering the 'most secure Android smartphones'. So what is it that they do above and beyond others? Here's a list:

  • Hardened Linux Kernel: We reduce the Android attack surface with numerous patches and configuration changes to improve security.
  • Hardware Root of Trust: During manufacturing, we establish a Hardware Root of Trust that adds security keys to the processor on every Priv, DTEK50 and DTEK60 as it is built. Those keys track, verify, and provision each device – meaning that the authenticity and integrity of your device is guaranteed, as is the safety of the data it holds.
  • A Better Bootloader: Because of our secure boot process, you can trust that only an untampered, BlackBerry-signed OS can be loaded. Each stage of the secure boot chain must first verify that the next component is fully intact before proceeding.
  • FIPS 140-2 Compliant Full Disk Encryption: U.S. Government-grade encryption protects your private information, like personal pictures or banking info, if your phone is lost or stolen.
  • Ongoing Security Patching: Many popular smartphones put the user's private information at risk of being hacked due to slow security updates – weeks, months, or even years after a patch is released. BlackBerry's record of being the quickest to deliver Android security patches minimizes your vulnerability.
  • BlackBerry Integrity Detection (BID): We continuously monitor Priv, DTEK50 and DTEK60 for events or configuration changes that indicate a compromise to device security, then we trigger real-time actions if a threat is detected.
  • Dedicated Security Research & Response Teams: We bring our world-renowned security experts and testing to our line of BlackBerry secure smartphones powered by Android.

Being 'secure' means a lot of things to a lot of different people and while there are certainly arguments to be had about just how secure BlackBerry's Android really is, there are a few situations here that are hard to ignore. Perhaps the biggest, and most visible to end-users, is that none of BlackBerry's Android offerings have been publicly rooted as of yet. Did anyone give it a try? Hard to say, but the result is the same. The most common Android 'hack' is not available for Priv, DTEK50 or DTEK60 as of yet while the Pixel was just recently hacked for a large bounty.

The other fact is that BlackBerry has had a pretty stellar run at pushing out security updates to their Android devices, often in lockstep with Google's releases and if you're a member of the Beta Zone, there's a good chance you'll have the update even before Google acknowledges it exists. Of course, as we saw with Verizon's poor roll out of Android Marshmallow on Priv, things with carriers can get weird, but in the overall security update strategy, that was a small a blip on the radar.

DTEK by BlackBerry

DTEK

Introduced on the Priv and carried over to the DTEK50 and DTEK60 is DTEK by BlackBerry. If you're not familiar with the DTEK app as of yet, it allows you to view and improve your privacy level and monitor application access to your camera, microphone, location, and personal information and more.

  • Monitor – Know at a glance the overall security rating for your device, as well as for specific security features. You can identify whether you need to take any action to improve the security of your device.
  • Control – Easily change your security settings to improve the security rating for your device and specific security features.
  • Track – Turn on event logging to track what your apps are doing. Advanced tools help you track what info your apps have accessed, how it's being used, and the duration of use. This includes which apps are accessing your camera, microphone, location, and personal information.
  • Alert – Be notified of specific application activities when you set up notifications.

At this point, with all of BlackBerry's secure Android devices on Marshmallow, DTEK is a great app to have loaded on your device if you're really curious as to what some apps are doing behind the scenes. However, I do caution against solely relying on it as the be all end all of security on your device. The app should be used as a guide for how to improve your device security through simple changes while offering you the option to revoke permissions that you may not like apps having, not your sole resource for better security.

BlackBerry Picture Password

While Priv owners felt comfortable in knowing their move from BlackBerry 10 would include Picture Password, those picking up a DTEK50 were left in the dark for whatever reason thus far as the app is not available there. That changes with the DTEK60 though, and Picture Password has once again returned.

Not familiar with Picture Password? Well, Picture Password allows you to unlock your DTEK60 by placing a finger anywhere on the screen and sliding a pre-selected digit in a moveable number grid over top a pre-selected location within a stationary picture. Because the number grid always shows up in a different pattern, your swipe path is always different and can't be deduced from examining smudge patterns or by looking over your shoulder.

Fingerprint Sensor

Maybe bigger than the inclusion of Picture Password is BlackBerry's adoption of a fingerprint sensor on the DTEK60. As I noted earlier, the fingerprint sensor brings added security for unlocking your phone, accessing Password Keeper, and even making purchases with Android Pay where available. You can add up to five fingerprints which are stored and encrypted through the software and in my testing, the fingerprint sensor here once set up is pretty quick.

Overall, I'm pleased with the fingerprint senor here and its placement on the back of the device. If rumors are correct, this won't be the only time we see a fingerprint sensor on a BlackBerry smartphone either.

Charged up

DTEK60 Battery life

DTEK60 battery

The days of a removable battery in a BlackBerry smartphone seem long over and that always draws concern. The DTEK60 comes packing a 3000mAh battery that BlackBerry notes is enough power to withstand up to 24 hours of mixed use. That's in a perfect real world and well, we don't live in a perfect world. There are always different scenarios and use cases that can affect battery life and what's on paper doesn't always match up.

These days, I've pretty much reduced my first stage of battery testing to 'can it get me through a day?' and in the case of the DTEK60, it has thus far achieved that, with the worst case being that I might have to top up late in the evening to make it through my night owl schedule, but that's where having Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 comes in handy. Just 10 minutes on the charger and you're good to go for at least another 10 percent charge if not more. PS: No wireless charging. You'll live.

My second stage comes down to if I can forget to charge my device overnight and whether or not there's enough left in the tank to get me going in the morning. With the DTEK60, that wasn't really a concern provided I wasn't below 15 percent before crashing for the evening. I know some people go hard with their battery testing and try to figure out their screen on time and every single other stat but here's a secret. None of it matters in the long run.

All that matters really is if the device gets you through the day or will leave you stranded when you need it most. In my testing, as long as you don't have your display jacked up to the maximum brightness all day long and keep it at a very reasonable 50 percent or lower, you shouldn't really have any problems with the battery on the DTEK60. Given many folks already have a DTEK60 in their hands, feel free to add your comments on the battery life below or in the CrackBerry Forums.

Point and shoot

DTEK60 Camera

DTEK60 camera

BlackBerry's hardware choices when it comes to the camera have always been the subject of debate, and that certainly has not changed with the DTEK60. Already in the DTEK60 forums there is plenty of discussion surrounding the picture quality of the DTEK60 compared to pretty much every other device on the market, but before we even get into that realm, let's discuss what BlackBerry's camera app and software even offer here on the DTEK60.

The BlackBerry built camera app offers a wide array of built-in features such as filters, quick access to advanced settings like the flash, aspect ratio, and HDR, and more. Plus, there are plenty of manual options with the BlackBerry Camera app to take advantage of.

For photos, the DTEK60 makes use of a 21MP shooter with Auto-Focus, Dual-Tone Flash, HDR and more. Plus, on the front is a very capable 8MP front-facing camera with a selfie flash. In the video department, DTEK60 can record up to 4K video at various frame rates but keep in mind, to fully achieve that you will need a Class 10 or better SD card. Otherwise, you'll have to use your device storage.

  • 4K / 30fps
  • 4K / 24fps
  • 1080p / 60fps
  • 1080p / 30fps -1080p / 24fps
  • 720p / 60fps
  • 720p / 30fps
  • 720p / 24fps

Other goodies in the camera app include 'focus before capture', which allows for taking the picture after the shot is in focus. BlackBerry does note it can slow down the capture time and that's correct but it's faster here than on any previous BlackBerry Android device that supported the feature. There's also face detection, which does exactly as it sounds and seems to work reasonably well, though you can disable it if you wish. For videos, there's enhanced video stabilization to help smooth out some bumps in your video but I didn't find a HUGE change with it off or on.

In the end, camera capabilities are all pretty subjective unless the results are so blatantly bad that they simply stand out in comparison. In my testing of the DTEK60, I have come to the conclusion that it fits my needs rather well and exceeded my expectations. From BlackBerry 10 devices to Priv to DTEK50 to finally the DTEK60, I would say for most folks the DTEK60 is ahead mostly everything else offered by BlackBerry but within the same realm as the Priv, so if you're a Priv owner considering the DTEK60 the camera shouldn't be a concern. If you're on any other BlackBerry smartphone and considering a move to DTEK60, well, you'll likely end up with the best camera you've ever used on a BlackBerry.

Stacks up

DTEK60 Experience

So that is just about everything that makes up the DTEK60. The real question though, is how well does it all play out in the real world as that's where it really counts. As it turns out, pretty damn well really. The Snapdragon 820 and 4GB of RAM really shines here and there's no obvious lag or stutter when opening apps and everything just feels as though it has been tuned properly for the DTEK60. If you're running a super graphics intense game, you can expect the DTEK60 to warm up a bit but it has never really hit the previously seen Priv levels of heat where the device will shut down. Same goes for charging; expect the DTEK60 to warm up a bit there.

As a phone, the DTEK60 is up to the task. I tested the device on the Rogers network the whole time and calls always came through nice and clear and no one complained about not being able to hear me, with no garble or anything along those lines. If you spend your time on speakerphone, there shouldn't really be an issue either as the speakers work great for that. Honestly, if there was one complaint there it might be that the speakers are too loud in some cases, especially if someone is yelling at you. Other areas of connectivity have been solid for me as well, such as WiFi, GPS, and the rarely used but still tested NFC.

As on the DTEK50, the MaxxAudio app comes preloaded on the DTEK60 as well offering you better control over your audio experience. Sadly, for whatever reason, there's no FM radio found on the DTEK60 as with BlackBerry's other secure Android offerings. That's going to be a bit of bummer for some who enjoyed that feature, but it is what it is at this point.

DTEK60 Bottom line

Over the course of the past few weeks, there has never been a doubt in mind that the DTEK60 is an easy recommendation. The problem I have is nailing down just who the device is for really. If I were to go to by BlackBerry's own material, then this is a perfect device for organizations and fleets looking to roll out a secure Android device with some higher-end specs, but there's honestly more here than that.

This is honestly one of BlackBerry's best consumer-friendly devices that hits a very nice spec-to-pricepoint ratio but that's not really the story BlackBerry is looking to tell here. In the end, I've broken it down to some certain scenarios based on the readership here at CrackBerry to help decide if the DTEK60 is for you.

  • If you are a BlackBerry 10 user and don't need the BlackBerry physical keyboard in your life and are looking to upgrade, the DTEK60 is worth a look.
  • If you are a BlackBerry Priv user and don't need the BlackBerry physical keyboard in your life and are looking to upgrade, the DTEK60 is worth a look.
  • If you are a DTEK50 user and love everything it offers but wish it all came in a bigger, faster, and all around better package, the DTEK60 is worth a look.

For everyone else not considered in those scenarios, things get a little bit tougher as the Android world is a big space, but that doesn't mean the DTEK60 isn't still an easy recommendation. If you're looking for some great hardware, along with access to fast security updates, a nearly stock Android experience with some carefully added security features and no bloat, all while not breaking the bank, then the DTEK60 should be at the top of your considerations.

If you're interested in the DTEK60, the device is available to purchase from ShopBlackBerry.com in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands for $499 USD ($650 CDN, €579 and £475). Additionally, you will receive a complimentary accessory bundle. US and Canada customers will receive a DTEK60 Soft Shell and Rapid Charger for free, and customers in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands will receive a DTEK60 Pocket Case and Rapid Charger for free.

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