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BlackBerry Key2: Dependable workhorse with a dash of nostalgia (Tech Review)

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By Krishna SinhaChaudhury
New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS) From being a businessman’s assistant to a celebrity’s accessory, BlackBerry phones — initially manufactured by Canada-based Research In Motion (RIM) before the company went bankrupt — slipped into oblivion when big-screen Android smartphones and iPhones came on stage, eclipsing the all-QWERTY handsets.

Optiemus Infracom Ltd — the firm that now owns the rights to manufacture and sell BlackBerry-branded smartphones in India — attempted to break the jinx with BlackBerry “KeyOne” last year which did fairly well.

It has now launched the 6GB RAM + 64GB internal memory BlackBerry KEY2 in India for Rs 42,990 — essentially a successor to KEYOne and the only smartphone in the market that sports a physical QWERTY keyboard.

Here is what we think about the efforts to resurrect a physical keyboard device in the big-screen era.

KEY2 has a premium soft leather-textured rear, to make sure the device does not slip off smooth surfaces and hands easily.

Above the humble BlackBerry logo is the 12MP+12MP dual rear camera system with 2x optical zoom, which makes it the first BlackBerry device to come with a dual primary camera set-up.

The dual camera set-up can shoot up to 2X zoom and bokeh portrait shots.

We especially liked how the 8MP snapper churned out some good selfies. The bokeh effect was bang on but the colours looked a bit over-saturated on certain occasions.

Unlike its predecessor, the Key2 houses all the keys, including the volume rocker, BlackBerry convenience key and the textured power button on the right side. All the keys had great tactile feedback.

The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset which, honestly, cannot be compared with the flagship smartphones out there that mostly have the powerful Snapdragon 845 processor.

The power management is definitely where the Key2 scores. The chunky 3,500mAh battery ensured we had enough power to last close to two days on a single charge.

Our usage included browsing videos, running social media apps and Twitter.

The battery also supports QuickCharge 3.0 technology that let us fire up the Key2 from 0 to 50 per cent in nearly half hour.

The 4.5-inch LCD screen is exactly of the same size that we saw in the BlackBerry KeyOne in 2017.

We did not have any problem in viewing the screen under direct sunlight and it did the job for us. However, AMOLED fans are going to miss in this phone the punch and brightness they are used to.

Below the screen are three back-lit capacitive navigation keys.

A major USP of the Key2 is the QWERTY keyboard, which has been “inspired” by 2011’s BlackBerry Bold 9900. They keyboard is a beautiful matte this time and larger in size, which would especially suit those with thick fingers or eager mobile typists.

The smartphone ships with Android 8.1 Oreo Operating System with its own little tweaks.

A nifty addition is the “privacy locker”, which is essentially a fingerprint-protected app that lets users store sensitive files and even the apps that they want to keep away from prying eyes.

What does not work?

We were disappointed by the dynamic range of the primary dual camera. The images came out without details and there was visible amount of noise.

Low-light photography results were not good either. The camera churned out grainy photos in dim light.

Conclusion: The device stands out amid big-screen, glass-bodied smartphones but, clearly, this is not for everyone.

Key2 belongs to the niche category and would definitely appeal to those looking for a physical keyboard with a dash of nostalgia.

(Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at [email protected])

–IANS
ksc/na/vm

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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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