BlackBerry goes for qwerty keyboard, again, with Passport smartphone
BlackBerry announced its Passport smartphone today and bet large that there are users who will want a qwerty physical keyboard with a wider, square, 4.5-in. display.
The new smartphone went on sale in the U.S. today at ShopBlackBerry.com for $599 unlocked. Several U.S. carriers, including AT&T, are expected to sell the device later this year for about $250 on a two-year contract, BlackBerry officials said. Amazon.com will also offer the smartphone although pricing wasn't disclosed.
Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, who showed up at a Toronto launch event that was live streamed, praised the long battery life of the Passport and the BlackBerry Hub capability, seen in earlier BlackBerry smartphones, which allows users to see emails, texts and calls in one view.
