ATTENTION! The scam-bots are at it again! Folks, I'm *not* running any contests, and I'm certainly not asking anyone to contact me on Telegram. If you see someone commenting on UA-cam without my verified check mark (and using terrible grammar to boot), that person is not me. Block and report them! Unfortunately this is all we can do until UA-cam rolls out a meaningful fix to this problem. Until then, be skeptical -- and stay mobile.
Newsflash. The whole"there isn't enough room for a headphone jack" excuse is nothing but BS. All other devices in history wouldn't have a headphone jack unless there was room made for one. Which is exactly what these companies are refusing to do
"We've seen that it can do better..." is such a good way to conclude this. I've got a Unihertz Atom XL and it has been an absolute trooper - Decent battery life, reasonably small while still being chonky enough to be comfortable to hold and rugged enough not to need a case. It's even got a place to attach a lanyard. The camera however is terrible as expected. This Titan Slim looks like such a missed opportunity. Thanks for covering unconventional phones, I love to hear about them.
I still wish someone would make a Blackberry Passport clone that runs Android. The keyboard was so good. I know Android doesn't always like squarer screens but with all the improved support for tablets and foldables you'd think maybe it can be done right.
Unihertz already do. That was their first keyboard phone, the Titan (it's still available). Is it an exact replica? No, of course not. but it has a square screen and a keyboard!
@@nowshadshahariarpavel5473 Priv woukd have been awesome if they, Blackberry, didn't literally shoot themselves in the foot by ruining one perfect half of the package with absurd hardware decisions on the inside. It could have been a great phone if the people who loved it weren't stuck with a device that aged worse in a year than an iPhone 4s did by then too
I would not buy this, but I love how Michael Fischer is covering different phones for different people, not just the newest iPhone or Samsung rectangle.
Well I was a bit disheartened when I bought my Titan Pocket a week before the Slim was announced, but im glad to see I made the right choice after all. And as for the headphone jack. I care about it, and I am doublely glad about my choice
Yay for headphone jacks!! :) The Jelly 2 proves that it can fit in a small phone and for some reason phone companies are removing them in the name of "innovation". (and I assume to sell wireless earbuds)
seems like i wasn't the only one going exactly same route :D. you'll be tripely glad about your choice when you find how productive you can get with Niagara launcher and Blackerry keyboard. First one seems like designed for such small screen, the latter brings back unbeatable typing experience.
I'm kinda sick of every youtube channel only doing high end phones,most people don't buy those. Mid tier devices are majority what people have. So seeing something that isn't a galaxy S22 is nice.
Literally all I want is a Priv 2, or an approximation of it. That phone was amazing, and with a spec bump (and maybe an upgrade to a 5 row keyboard?) it could truly make my dreams come true.
IT WILL NEEEEEEVEEERRRR HAPPPEEEEEEENNN... sorry mate, i need to vent myy frustration. i love my priv so much, even with mid spec as long as it have good battery and thermal management, i will absolutely buy another one. sadly, it will never happen.
I love your tagline, I apologize If i misremember what you said. "It is not good enough to be just weird, it must be good too." That was so brilliant. As a person who uses non-data plan phones, I love weird ones.
And I thought I was critical about this phone! Epic roast Michael! And yeah definitely a throwback, but this phone sometimes feels more 2007, than retro 2022 😂 keep up the great work!
I appreciate that you can be a little snarky, but still give an honest and thoughtful review, along with constructive ideas to make improvements. I was considering this phone, but I may go with the Titan Pocket, because I really do want to support companies like Unihertz.
I might likely get both...the Pocket to hold me over until the Slim is out since typing on this piece of glass slab is getting irritating with all the typos. Once I tried both phones enough I'd use one as primary and leave the other as a backup
I think this time you could've save yourself the final disclosure of no compensation/copy approval provided... But I guess that just speaks about your values and consistency. Love the content, even when you don't love the products.
Good lord, we'll never see a reasonable mobile physical keyboard device again because BlackBerry just sold off their patent portfolio to an "I swear we aren't patent trolls" corporation, which was created from scratch just to receive all the patents. Guess I'm holding on to my Key2 until it dies...
Great video. Also nice to see the special thanks to Adam Matlock, as he has been extremely dedicated to covering all things BlackBerry (and physical keyboard) related.
I use the OG Titan as my main daily driver phone and I absolutely love the keyboard, but one thing that I immediately thought of when I saw the """"slim"""" was how top heavy it looks due to how ridiculously thick it is. It feels very much like Unihertz kinda rushed this one and just tried to knock something roughly KEY-series shaped together with no real thought for how the phone is actually going to be to perform. I'd really like for them to do something with this formfactor, but ehhhh.. I dunno if this is it. The whole thing feels like a bag of compromises the more I look at it beyond the excitement of it being a new keyboard phone. Dunno whether I'm gonna back this one.
All it needed was a bigger chin below the keyboard or the modifier keys at the bottom (which would then kind of increase chin space so that its less top heavy while typing)
Yeah, I feel like they just pumped this out because the licensed Blackberry by Onward Mobility just died and they saw a chance to quickly establish themselves as the Blackberry-clone market leader once and for all. Not sure if it’s worked or if it’s backfired, but despite all its shortcomings I’m probably gonna buy this phone, I’ve been waiting for something like this for years and the square display of the Titans just doesn’t do it for me.
@@KBoon you're right BlackBerry is totally outta the game now after selling off all their mobile patents so I don't think they can sue for anything anymore. What they should have done was sell just their keyboard design patent to Unihertz so they can build the same style keyboard for fans.
Having tested most of the last BB phones, the best by form factor was Priv. It is a pity no one realized the problems it had (slowness, small batteries and back heating) were going to be solved by the industry eventually (more ram, less hungry cpus). Priv WAS the way to go.
I still have a Priv and it's a great phone and still works. Key 1&2 are about same as Priv. I ordered this Slim as it's pretty cheap so don't have too high expectations.
I stopped using my blackberry passport when the company went down. The passport has a special place in my life and waiting for some type of phone thats similar. My passport lives in my car as a mp3 player. Seeing this unihertz phones aspect ratio for some apps kills my interest. Thank you for this review. Ill be waiting patiently for you lovely keyboard
Thanks for this review Mike. I was all ready to jump on the Kickstarter until I remembered to check your channel in the off-chance you did a review on a pre-production unit. You have taken all the wind out of those sails that were cruising towards that pledge button. I guess it is back to a standard slab for me when my Cosmo Communicator finally falls apart. And no, no foldables that cost an arm and a leg yet. But I'll be watching your channel in the off-chance an actually affordable one pops up. Thank you. Keep these honest reviews coming.
Despite the criticism for this phone I'm very happy to have backed it on Kickstarter and can't wait to have a keyboard again, especially one whose keys don't feel stiff like the original Titan
I find this phone interesting. It's a phone seemingly focused on communication. While it's not much to be desired I find it reassuring. Considering phones today are trying to be your computer/camera replacement.
Oh nooooo. Wonder what kind of hardware weirdness is responsible for that. Glad I showed it in the video; I was tempted to cut that segment because sh*t happens with pre-release devices sometimes ... but sometimes, the issues persist into production.
@@TheMrMobile yeah, it happened at least once a week while I was using it. Felt like somebody was swiping through my device, very weird. I switched back to a Note 9 because I needed a bigger screen, and was very curious about this new Titan 'Slim'. But seeing this, I'll probably just hope that they come out with a better version next time. I loved the Titan but it was a bit too big, and loved the Pocket but it was a bit too small... Goldie Locks syndrome.
I'm absolutely praying this gets a revision to iron out the kinks because this has the potential to be the perfect phone for me, but for now I guess I'm better off seeing what happens with the Z Flip 4
really good review, the thumbnail and title tickles my curiosity without giving dubious or false information. Still waiting for good smartphone with keyboard, im still struggling typing on touchh screen since the genesis of smartphone
Love all your videos. Fantastic productions and honest take on anything you review. I'll keep typing on my Key2. I just bought a TCL 20 (slab). I like how they built their phones.
I've been using this for over a year and fucking love it. Does everything, does it faster than my productivity with any other phone hands down. Doesn't have a weird screen like the other Titans. What a weird take that you weren't into this.
Watching on my Jelly 2. I've had it for almost a year now and for the most part I love it. The battery life isn't as good as it once was but it's still acceptable given the size of the phone. I think it would be perfect if it had a slide out horizontal keyboard under the display and a bigger battery. Thickness may well be an issue in that case too.
@@yusefziayi3404 it's actually surprisingly good. I have a tablet for productivity and longer media consumption sessions so my jelly is very much just an on the go device and it's more than adequate for that.
This is an excellent review! One of your best so far this year. Always appreciate your opinion when it comes to Unihertz phones. I have the Jelly Pro from way back in 2016 and it's a unique phone that always grabs peoples attention. Keep up the great work!
This seems to have been an idea they were holding onto until OM folded. I would have liked to see a Titan Pocket with a fully utilized screen space, this 48 MP lens, Demensity 700 5G SOC and all bands including 71 for T-Mobile.
Thank you for conducting this review for us Blackberry Key2 users. I was hopeful that Unihertz would produce a well assembled keyboard mobile device. I will continue to wait on a solid replacement.
Even if the Slim is far from perfect, I'll support it to help ensure that Unihertz makes another, better keyboard phone. The mobile landscape is bad enough as is with these endless slabs being 99% of what's available
I love this man keeps all previous models and take good care of them for further video porjects. I would love to have such habit. Because remembering old beauties makes you feel good always.
I wish they would target a higher price on these. A lot of these issues make sense with the price in mind, but it doesn't make them less annoying. Just make the phone expensive enough to be truly good.
Agreed!! I absolutely love my Jelly 2, and really couldn't imagine having to adapt to a bigger phone again. Long may the Jelly range continue to thrive!! 😃
What makes a great reviewer? Among other things, the ability to write a decidedly negative review like this one (which I shall call "The Titan Slam") without being unfair. Speaking of BlackBerry designs, I'd really love to see something like the Priv making a comeback. Cheers! -Rick
The "Titan Slam" haha nice one 😆 Yes I agree. I still use my OG Titan and love it, and I wanted to see the Titan Slim be amazing. But the criticisms Michael Fisher gives are indeed fair.
@@terrancecloverfield6791 Well, there are $300 phones that have nothing to envy to $600 phones in terms of performance and value, so I don't think it's unfair to expect a bit more from the Titan Slim. I don't think Fisher "dismissed the Slim completely" and his criticisms of the very distinctive feature of this phone - the physical keyboard - didn't sound superficial to me. The placement and design of the home button/fingerprint sensor appears indeed unfortunate and is the kind of shortcoming that makes you think: "How much was this tested during the design phase?" Saying essentially that this is the best Unihertz could come up with for a $300 phone is rather debatable. Sometimes a product is just... not great and disappointing.
Great video as per usual Michael. I like the fact that this phone has a keyboard but their compromises on things like the phone materials and the bad placement of the touch ID sensor make me think this phone is trash.
Thank you for this video. The comparison of photo and video was very good. I will wait for a High-End phone with a keyboard. Yes, I have to wait a long time :-(
I suppose the important thing to remember is it's price point. The production cost of the keyboard alone probably takes a fair chunk of the budget they had to work with. It's worth remembering that TCL and Blackberry chose the Snapdragon 660 when the launched the key2. Many people thought that was outrageous on a phone that was at least in the UK between £500 to £600. In the US I believe it was around $600 to $700. Yes the slim is a budget rip-off. But it's not aiming to give you a premium phone. In all honesty it's just aiming to be different and give you a physical keyboard at a very cheap price if you can live with its drawbacks. But I do understand people's disappointment. I really don't see why it had to be that thick and have an IR instead of a Jack.
@@KBoon I don't think it's that great of a product. But I think Michael didn't really give the slim proper context. But I don't deny for one moment most will see it as a dollar store knock off of the original.
@@blackhawk69100 With a phone ring and some practice, the typing experience can probably be pretty good as far as the top heavy side of things. At least it's not just another bland piece of glass slab, there are more than enough of those out there.
KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS OMG I now want a phone with a keyboard even if it turns out that I don't like physical keyboards as much. I already use lots of shortcuts with an app that gives me swipe gestures from the left, right, and bottom to launch different stuff.
I have this phone since October 2023 and aside from the odd quirks, the phone works incredibly well. I love the case and the screen cover it comes with, it feels more complete and gives that premium feel.
They don't refuse, they're VERY limited as to what they can do with their tiny budgets. This is a Kickstarter company, not a giant tech corp like Samsung that blows billions on display R&D
Yeah I am baffled by some choice here, I've had my Titan since launch as my main phone and it's been great, very sturdy and great features, but they really seemed to have cheaped out.
folks who bought blackberry's or qwerty phones also couldnt care less if it had a camera, gyro's, sensors, infact they'd buy a separate better camera to use for photos! makes me laugh out loud, that every tech influencer will instantly compare the camera to another phone's camera? duh, its a phone, not a camera!!
Thanks Mr Mobile. As a Q10, Passport, Priv, KeyOne and Titan OG driver I was hoping this would be serviceable but sadly not. My Titan still rocks the work sim card as it is tough and good battery. I don't need state of the art flagship camera but I need serviceable these days with a viewable screen.
This is why I love youtube, I totally would have wasted my money on this thing. I am extremely sad that blackberry is ending its android phone line. don't know where I am going to get a qwerty phone now.
Some of us just need something to type on physically. You know how hard it is to type on a screen when your fingers are partially numb? Basically android and iphone are making more and more changes to disenfranchise people with coordination and dexterity issues (aka mostly people with disabilities). Gesture navigation, hiding the button bar, etc. It's getting harder and harder to find a phone I can use without extreme frustration. Yeah, might buy the slim anyway. Took your advice on the duo and it was literally the worst experience with a phone I've ever had so while I respect your opinion on many things, sometimes Michael, you miss. For a guy like me, compromising on some things work when basic usability can be an issue. Typing this on a great TCL phone that i have zero complaints about - other than my hands make typing frustrating to the point of irritation because of the screen typing being such an issue.
None of y’all will ever make me believe plastic isn’t the best material to make phones out of. I remember a time when I never had to use a case for my phone and I miss those days. Galaxy S5 FTW
It's time for a Jelly3, same size but better camera, that would be a winner for me. I have used the Jelly2 as my daily since launch thanks to you ;) One thing you should cover when reviewing is the lack of software updates, drives me nuts :P
Blackberry's abandoned customer base. Plain and simple. It's not converting ANYONE to using a PKB. It's only to satisfy our tiny niche population with minimal other options in existence.
TechOdyssey's video clearly said that this is their best keyboard to date, the keys have better click and travel than the Titan and Pocket which were more stiff. I tried them both and it's true.
I never had one but it's the phone that got me into android, when i was a kid I'd make cardboard G2s with slide out keyboards because i just wanted one so badly
@@Combba6 yes! The HTC Vision (why did it have all these names lol) had a really good keyboard. Just a shame Android still made it kinda awkward to use, such as showing only the text box and not the rest of the app when typing…
Thanks for the review. Got to say as a fan of your reviews and physical keyboard phones had many different types (pun intended) over the years I'm gutted it disappoints. You seem one of the few reviewers who seems to accept a use case for PKBs beyond retro novelty. I'm left waiting on the astroslide - had hoped it may have come by now. Dropped my aged key2 recently (typing with it now but its started to stick intermittently) so want PKB options . Seems to be this or the titan pocket. If astro doesn't show soon maybe the earlybird discount kickstarter will entice.
@@KBoon form factor Im for the slim but the "balance" issue worries me and lack of headphone jack simply annoys. I'll be devouring any reviews between now and May to get a range of opinions. Tried various keyboardless slabs but always prefer the physical.
So many Blackberrys in the intro😍 I didn't even know that my favorite BB of all time, the 9900 came in blue! As I type this on my Fold3, I can't help but to admire how far tech has come. Thanks for the content. Cheers 🍻
Why would Blackberry hold onto design patents if they don't intend to make another phone? They should let other companies use their design patents and even license it out to keep their designs in circulation. Or if someone can come up with an updated Android OS for Key2 I would be more than happy to pay for it.
Michael: you mention the Jelly 2 in this video. I noticed that Unihertz are launching a tweaked version of the Jelly 2: would you be able to review it and say how it compares to the original Jelly 2, as I may be interested in buying 1 in the future. Your review of the original Jelly 2 back in 2020 led to me eventually getting 1, which I've loved ever since!
I do like the idea of physical keyboard, and I don't mind the thickness. But I want to see something in Nokia E7 or N97 form factor with modern specs and Android OS.
i misses my htc chacha, the keys felt like soft pillows and i loved it so much. i still have it working, but think android 2 and it's android market, not even google play store, which is discountinued.
good review dude! Honestly... i will never buy again unihertz, they really dont care about software at al.. never get an update, never got a security patch.. they just sell the item.
![MrMobile [Michael Fisher]](http://yt3.ggpht.com/Bf8B_79jyHxP6CVnjV5WKws93l9Vxlk0d7aPmcBygTBDKzgsGrpazdJRFUrfg1sUNlo8YX8rji8=s48-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj)
ATTENTION! The scam-bots are at it again! Folks, I'm *not* running any contests, and I'm certainly not asking anyone to contact me on Telegram. If you see someone commenting on UA-cam without my verified check mark (and using terrible grammar to boot), that person is not me. Block and report them!
Unfortunately this is all we can do until UA-cam rolls out a meaningful fix to this problem. Until then, be skeptical -- and stay mobile.
I'm actually surprised at how decent the camera is. Don't get me wrong it's not great, but at least it's not unusable.
The headphone jack nonsense on a phone this thicc AND with IR is incredibly insulting.
Considering Bluetooth is so cheap nowadays....meh
@@megamegaO kinda but i really dislike the commitment to ewaste that bluetooth perpetuates
Thick*
We're definitely being gaslit considering the phone is that fucking much of a chonk and somehow can't fit a headphone jack
Newsflash. The whole"there isn't enough room for a headphone jack" excuse is nothing but BS. All other devices in history wouldn't have a headphone jack unless there was room made for one. Which is exactly what these companies are refusing to do
"We've seen that it can do better..." is such a good way to conclude this. I've got a Unihertz Atom XL and it has been an absolute trooper - Decent battery life, reasonably small while still being chonky enough to be comfortable to hold and rugged enough not to need a case. It's even got a place to attach a lanyard. The camera however is terrible as expected. This Titan Slim looks like such a missed opportunity.
Thanks for covering unconventional phones, I love to hear about them.
Agreed! Plus they were able to fit both the IR blaster anndd a headphone jack in the Jelly 2 so eliminating it here is a little confusing ha
i want to want one so bad! i'd so be willing to pay more for this product with better build quality
I love watching your reviews even if I have no plans to change my phone. Keep them coming!
I still wish someone would make a Blackberry Passport clone that runs Android. The keyboard was so good. I know Android doesn't always like squarer screens but with all the improved support for tablets and foldables you'd think maybe it can be done right.
Unihertz already do. That was their first keyboard phone, the Titan (it's still available). Is it an exact replica? No, of course not. but it has a square screen and a keyboard!
a blackberry prive would be awesome
Every phone company: We hear your valuable feedback, therefore we made a new lineup of bland slabs
@@nowshadshahariarpavel5473 Priv woukd have been awesome if they, Blackberry, didn't literally shoot themselves in the foot by ruining one perfect half of the package with absurd hardware decisions on the inside.
It could have been a great phone if the people who loved it weren't stuck with a device that aged worse in a year than an iPhone 4s did by then too
same width with taller screen on passport would be great
The Blackberry K2 is still my favourite phone design ever. It just looks so good in silver with black.
Passport for me but the Key 2 is also great!
I would not buy this, but I love how Michael Fischer is covering different phones for different people, not just the newest iPhone or Samsung rectangle.
I literally laughed when he said "instead of my 7th video on the iPhone SE"
Well there's still a small market for keyboards. I ordered one inspite of this bad review because they're the only game left in town.
Well I was a bit disheartened when I bought my Titan Pocket a week before the Slim was announced, but im glad to see I made the right choice after all.
And as for the headphone jack. I care about it, and I am doublely glad about my choice
Yeah, as I said toward the end, the Titan Pocket is far and away the better BlackBerry clone. You made the right call.
I'm keeping my Titan Pocket as my main phone as well. It honestly looks better to me than the Slim does.
Yay for headphone jacks!! :) The Jelly 2 proves that it can fit in a small phone and for some reason phone companies are removing them in the name of "innovation". (and I assume to sell wireless earbuds)
Where did you buy? I'm from Peru and I'm trying to buy it. Help :)
seems like i wasn't the only one going exactly same route :D.
you'll be tripely glad about your choice when you find how productive you can get with Niagara launcher and Blackerry keyboard. First one seems like designed for such small screen, the latter brings back unbeatable typing experience.
I'm kinda sick of every youtube channel only doing high end phones,most people don't buy those. Mid tier devices are majority what people have. So seeing something that isn't a galaxy S22 is nice.
Literally all I want is a Priv 2, or an approximation of it. That phone was amazing, and with a spec bump (and maybe an upgrade to a 5 row keyboard?) it could truly make my dreams come true.
IT WILL NEEEEEEVEEERRRR HAPPPEEEEEEENNN...
sorry mate, i need to vent myy frustration. i love my priv so much, even with mid spec as long as it have good battery and thermal management, i will absolutely buy another one. sadly, it will never happen.
So many people have been saying that for years, it could really sell if someone made it properly
Amen. I have considered trying to get one running on current cell networks, but it would be so limited. RIP
I love your tagline, I apologize If i misremember what you said. "It is not good enough to be just weird, it must be good too." That was so brilliant. As a person who uses non-data plan phones, I love weird ones.
And I thought I was critical about this phone! Epic roast Michael! And yeah definitely a throwback, but this phone sometimes feels more 2007, than retro 2022 😂 keep up the great work!
How do you feel about the typing experience on the Slim? Cause that's the only reason to get this phone
@@KBoon it’s retro. In both good and bad ways 😂
@@FrankieTech with a week or so of practice, is it more accurate and enjoyable to type on than a glass slab?
Thanks for pointing out the problem with this review: this is a roast. No more.
I just love your honest take on tech irrespective of the company you are reviewing. We need more outspoken reviewers like you. Keep up the good work.
It kills me to see one of the few keyboard phones fall short like this. I really want these to make a comeback alongside flip phones. 😔
Flip phones are making a comeback have you seen the new moto razr and samsungs?
This phone isn't bad. It's not a BlackBerry but the keys work the same.
I appreciate that you can be a little snarky, but still give an honest and thoughtful review, along with constructive ideas to make improvements. I was considering this phone, but I may go with the Titan Pocket, because I really do want to support companies like Unihertz.
I might likely get both...the Pocket to hold me over until the Slim is out since typing on this piece of glass slab is getting irritating with all the typos. Once I tried both phones enough I'd use one as primary and leave the other as a backup
Mr. Mobile, that side by side video comparison was great stuff.
I think this time you could've save yourself the final disclosure of no compensation/copy approval provided... But I guess that just speaks about your values and consistency.
Love the content, even when you don't love the products.
at least a company still keeping things interesting
Good lord, we'll never see a reasonable mobile physical keyboard device again because BlackBerry just sold off their patent portfolio to an "I swear we aren't patent trolls" corporation, which was created from scratch just to receive all the patents. Guess I'm holding on to my Key2 until it dies...
Our only hope is Chinese companies not giving two shits about patent law at this point :/
Great video. Also nice to see the special thanks to Adam Matlock, as he has been extremely dedicated to covering all things BlackBerry (and physical keyboard) related.
I use the OG Titan as my main daily driver phone and I absolutely love the keyboard, but one thing that I immediately thought of when I saw the """"slim"""" was how top heavy it looks due to how ridiculously thick it is. It feels very much like Unihertz kinda rushed this one and just tried to knock something roughly KEY-series shaped together with no real thought for how the phone is actually going to be to perform. I'd really like for them to do something with this formfactor, but ehhhh.. I dunno if this is it. The whole thing feels like a bag of compromises the more I look at it beyond the excitement of it being a new keyboard phone. Dunno whether I'm gonna back this one.
All it needed was a bigger chin below the keyboard or the modifier keys at the bottom (which would then kind of increase chin space so that its less top heavy while typing)
Yeah, I feel like they just pumped this out because the licensed Blackberry by Onward Mobility just died and they saw a chance to quickly establish themselves as the Blackberry-clone market leader once and for all. Not sure if it’s worked or if it’s backfired, but despite all its shortcomings I’m probably gonna buy this phone, I’ve been waiting for something like this for years and the square display of the Titans just doesn’t do it for me.
@@KBoon i think they make the keyboard this way because blackberry is known to sue companies over their keyboard design
@@PoliPantev BlackBerry doesn't even own their keyboard patents anymore they just sold all their mobile patents earlier this year
@@KBoon you're right BlackBerry is totally outta the game now after selling off all their mobile patents so I don't think they can sue for anything anymore. What they should have done was sell just their keyboard design patent to Unihertz so they can build the same style keyboard for fans.
Still running my Key2 and loving it. I think I can wait until the next big BlackBerry phone.
Never unfortunately. Onward mobility had their chance, but they fked up...
Having tested most of the last BB phones, the best by form factor was Priv. It is a pity no one realized the problems it had (slowness, small batteries and back heating) were going to be solved by the industry eventually (more ram, less hungry cpus). Priv WAS the way to go.
I still have a Priv and it's a great phone and still works. Key 1&2 are about same as Priv. I ordered this Slim as it's pretty cheap so don't have too high expectations.
I love that you review these, best tech review and phone history channel on UA-cam
I stopped using my blackberry passport when the company went down. The passport has a special place in my life and waiting for some type of phone thats similar. My passport lives in my car as a mp3 player. Seeing this unihertz phones aspect ratio for some apps kills my interest. Thank you for this review. Ill be waiting patiently for you lovely keyboard
Thanks for this review Mike. I was all ready to jump on the Kickstarter until I remembered to check your channel in the off-chance you did a review on a pre-production unit.
You have taken all the wind out of those sails that were cruising towards that pledge button.
I guess it is back to a standard slab for me when my Cosmo Communicator finally falls apart. And no, no foldables that cost an arm and a leg yet. But I'll be watching your channel in the off-chance an actually affordable one pops up.
Thank you. Keep these honest reviews coming.
Despite the criticism for this phone I'm very happy to have backed it on Kickstarter and can't wait to have a keyboard again, especially one whose keys don't feel stiff like the original Titan
I find this phone interesting. It's a phone seemingly focused on communication. While it's not much to be desired I find it reassuring. Considering phones today are trying to be your computer/camera replacement.
This one seems to have the best notification LED since the BlackBerry Priv in 2015
Maybe they should've made an updated less rugged version of the the Titan Pocket instead.
Thanks for this! Very helpful. Also, my Titan Pocket frequently does that thing where it scrolls wildly when I'm not even touching it.
Oh nooooo. Wonder what kind of hardware weirdness is responsible for that. Glad I showed it in the video; I was tempted to cut that segment because sh*t happens with pre-release devices sometimes ... but sometimes, the issues persist into production.
@@TheMrMobile yeah, it happened at least once a week while I was using it. Felt like somebody was swiping through my device, very weird. I switched back to a Note 9 because I needed a bigger screen, and was very curious about this new Titan 'Slim'. But seeing this, I'll probably just hope that they come out with a better version next time. I loved the Titan but it was a bit too big, and loved the Pocket but it was a bit too small... Goldie Locks syndrome.
@@TheMrMobile My blackberry KeyOne does the exact same thing. I have a feeling it's a pretty-universal issue across capacitive keyboards like this.
Thanks for covering this phone, MrMobile! It's why I love your channel! ^^
I'm absolutely praying this gets a revision to iron out the kinks because this has the potential to be the perfect phone for me, but for now I guess I'm better off seeing what happens with the Z Flip 4
The slim did a lot of carb loading.
I love my key2... Wish BB comes back with new license deal 🇮🇳❤️
really good review, the thumbnail and title tickles my curiosity without giving dubious or false information. Still waiting for good smartphone with keyboard, im still struggling typing on touchh screen since the genesis of smartphone
I always love Vocabulary with Michael, just learned Anachronism lol!
Love all your videos. Fantastic productions and honest take on anything you review.
I'll keep typing on my Key2.
I just bought a TCL 20 (slab). I like how they built their phones.
If it had a stylus and a few software features seen on the old Windows Mobile Phones, it would've been like a PDA.
I've been using this for over a year and fucking love it. Does everything, does it faster than my productivity with any other phone hands down. Doesn't have a weird screen like the other Titans. What a weird take that you weren't into this.
Watching on my Jelly 2. I've had it for almost a year now and for the most part I love it. The battery life isn't as good as it once was but it's still acceptable given the size of the phone. I think it would be perfect if it had a slide out horizontal keyboard under the display and a bigger battery. Thickness may well be an issue in that case too.
Watching youtube videos on a jelly 2 must be horrendous
@@yusefziayi3404 it's actually surprisingly good. I have a tablet for productivity and longer media consumption sessions so my jelly is very much just an on the go device and it's more than adequate for that.
@@PublicLeePhotoVideo i guess i am wrong i am glad you enjoy it
This is an excellent review! One of your best so far this year. Always appreciate your opinion when it comes to Unihertz phones. I have the Jelly Pro from way back in 2016 and it's a unique phone that always grabs peoples attention. Keep up the great work!
Thank you for reviewing the phones other channels wont
I LOVE your videos! I have a good old phones collection (nearly 170 pieces) most of them working 100%. But you are totally at a different level!
This seems to have been an idea they were holding onto until OM folded. I would have liked to see a Titan Pocket with a fully utilized screen space, this 48 MP lens, Demensity 700 5G SOC and all bands including 71 for T-Mobile.
Thank you for conducting this review for us Blackberry Key2 users. I was hopeful that Unihertz would produce a well assembled keyboard mobile device. I will continue to wait on a solid replacement.
Tbh, probably never.
Even if the Slim is far from perfect, I'll support it to help ensure that Unihertz makes another, better keyboard phone.
The mobile landscape is bad enough as is with these endless slabs being 99% of what's available
@@KBoon I agree with your comment that Unihertz could have done better with this plastic looking/feeling cell phone.
Great demonstration of how hard it is to put everything together crafting an elegant classic product, and how easy things can fall apart ....
Every day I wish for a Priv sequel!
*The landscape oriented F(x) Tec Pro 1-X has left the chat*
The moment that camera comparison with Z Flip 3 at 3:28 - 3:30 the textures on the blue suit🤯
I love this man keeps all previous models and take good care of them for further video porjects. I would love to have such habit. Because remembering old beauties makes you feel good always.
I wish they would target a higher price on these. A lot of these issues make sense with the price in mind, but it doesn't make them less annoying. Just make the phone expensive enough to be truly good.
Watching this on my unihertz jelly 2, which I love.. hope a jelly 3 is on the way!
Agreed!! I absolutely love my Jelly 2, and really couldn't imagine having to adapt to a bigger phone again. Long may the Jelly range continue to thrive!! 😃
What makes a great reviewer? Among other things, the ability to write a decidedly negative review like this one (which I shall call "The Titan Slam") without being unfair. Speaking of BlackBerry designs, I'd really love to see something like the Priv making a comeback. Cheers! -Rick
The "Titan Slam" haha nice one 😆 Yes I agree. I still use my OG Titan and love it, and I wanted to see the Titan Slim be amazing. But the criticisms Michael Fisher gives are indeed fair.
@@terrancecloverfield6791 Well, there are $300 phones that have nothing to envy to $600 phones in terms of performance and value, so I don't think it's unfair to expect a bit more from the Titan Slim. I don't think Fisher "dismissed the Slim completely" and his criticisms of the very distinctive feature of this phone - the physical keyboard - didn't sound superficial to me. The placement and design of the home button/fingerprint sensor appears indeed unfortunate and is the kind of shortcoming that makes you think: "How much was this tested during the design phase?" Saying essentially that this is the best Unihertz could come up with for a $300 phone is rather debatable. Sometimes a product is just... not great and disappointing.
Great video as per usual Michael. I like the fact that this phone has a keyboard but their compromises on things like the phone materials and the bad placement of the touch ID sensor make me think this phone is trash.
Unihertz: the same company that made a 3 inch phone with a headphone jack, can’t fit one in this normal size but super thick phone.
Thank you for this video. The comparison of photo and video was very good. I will wait for a High-End phone with a keyboard. Yes, I have to wait a long time :-(
I suppose the important thing to remember is it's price point. The production cost of the keyboard alone probably takes a fair chunk of the budget they had to work with. It's worth remembering that TCL and Blackberry chose the Snapdragon 660 when the launched the key2. Many people thought that was outrageous on a phone that was at least in the UK between £500 to £600. In the US I believe it was around $600 to $700. Yes the slim is a budget rip-off. But it's not aiming to give you a premium phone. In all honesty it's just aiming to be different and give you a physical keyboard at a very cheap price if you can live with its drawbacks. But I do understand people's disappointment. I really don't see why it had to be that thick and have an IR instead of a Jack.
Nokia used to produce great keyboard phones with very affordable prices
basically people want the refinement of the KEY2 (well, aside from the weakly designed spacebar) and high end specs and they want it all for $250
@@KBoon I don't think it's that great of a product. But I think Michael didn't really give the slim proper context. But I don't deny for one moment most will see it as a dollar store knock off of the original.
@@blackhawk69100 With a phone ring and some practice, the typing experience can probably be pretty good as far as the top heavy side of things.
At least it's not just another bland piece of glass slab, there are more than enough of those out there.
@@KBoon if only Blackberry had used unihertz instead of onward mobility. Never mind.
I really love Unihertz for continuing to do weird stuff, but I was really hoping for another really *good* weird phone, like the Jelly 2.
I'm ready.... But .. what are we watching?
KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS OMG I now want a phone with a keyboard even if it turns out that I don't like physical keyboards as much. I already use lots of shortcuts with an app that gives me swipe gestures from the left, right, and bottom to launch different stuff.
Makes me wish for a UnihertzXMrMobile colaboration for weird but good phones.
You pulled ZERO punches on this review hahaha savage but honest and it's great
I have this phone since October 2023 and aside from the odd quirks, the phone works incredibly well. I love the case and the screen cover it comes with, it feels more complete and gives that premium feel.
Ironically, the kind of phone that would most benefit from a bezel-less screen would be a keyboard phone. But Unihertz refuse to make one.
They don't refuse, they're VERY limited as to what they can do with their tiny budgets. This is a Kickstarter company, not a giant tech corp like Samsung that blows billions on display R&D
@@KBoon But if you compare the OG Titan, which had almost no bezzels, it's sad. Titan Pocket was the worst in this, that display was a pure joke.
The Yelly 2 looks attractive.
I wish they (the cell phone god's) would being back the sidekick like the RAZR there is something about those phones that was just awesome
Yes!! Or the a clamshell with a keyboard like an updated LG Lotus ughhh so good
If Unihertz made a Priv like device I would pick it up. I miss my BB Priv.
Yeah I am baffled by some choice here, I've had my Titan since launch as my main phone and it's been great, very sturdy and great features, but they really seemed to have cheaped out.
I will still probably buy one tho lol
@@AdvancePlays me too!!!! Lol!
This is a budget phone. They have to cut corners to keep it 300 bucks.
I ordered mine and I love it
“It’s not enough to be weird, you also have to be good.” Nailed it right there. Loved this vid. I’m sure this is super helpful to Unihertz.
Ok but who's gonna make a blackberry priv clone?
folks who bought blackberry's or qwerty phones also couldnt care less if it had a camera, gyro's, sensors, infact they'd buy a separate better camera to use for photos! makes me laugh out loud, that every tech influencer will instantly compare the camera to another phone's camera? duh, its a phone, not a camera!!
I wish they copied the keyboard from the Blackberry bold instead. Why lose the headphone jack!
Hello. I've seen a total of three reviews for the Titan Slim and this is my favorite one. Do you think that the final release will be 5G or slimmer?
Admit it. You also miss a physical keyboard. I miss it so much. 😭😭
Thanks Mr Mobile. As a Q10, Passport, Priv, KeyOne and Titan OG driver I was hoping this would be serviceable but sadly not.
My Titan still rocks the work sim card as it is tough and good battery.
I don't need state of the art flagship camera but I need serviceable these days with a viewable screen.
The keyboard should be better than on the OG Titan
I think this is one of the first times, since I've subscribed to you, being highly disappointed in a phone 😂😂😂
This is why I love youtube, I totally would have wasted my money on this thing. I am extremely sad that blackberry is ending its android phone line. don't know where I am going to get a qwerty phone now.
Some of us just need something to type on physically. You know how hard it is to type on a screen when your fingers are partially numb? Basically android and iphone are making more and more changes to disenfranchise people with coordination and dexterity issues (aka mostly people with disabilities). Gesture navigation, hiding the button bar, etc. It's getting harder and harder to find a phone I can use without extreme frustration. Yeah, might buy the slim anyway. Took your advice on the duo and it was literally the worst experience with a phone I've ever had so while I respect your opinion on many things, sometimes Michael, you miss. For a guy like me, compromising on some things work when basic usability can be an issue. Typing this on a great TCL phone that i have zero complaints about - other than my hands make typing frustrating to the point of irritation because of the screen typing being such an issue.
There are two other Unihertz PKB phones - the Titan and Titan Pocket - and the Pocket's pretty damn good in my experience.
Finally a new mrmobile video they're so gooood
None of y’all will ever make me believe plastic isn’t the best material to make phones out of. I remember a time when I never had to use a case for my phone and I miss those days. Galaxy S5 FTW
Haha yes! Oh the days of not having a case, or being able to drop my phone without worry
It's time for a Jelly3, same size but better camera, that would be a winner for me. I have used the Jelly2 as my daily since launch thanks to you ;) One thing you should cover when reviewing is the lack of software updates, drives me nuts :P
i wonder what Unihertz's target market is (supposed to be) ?
Blackberry's abandoned customer base. Plain and simple. It's not converting ANYONE to using a PKB. It's only to satisfy our tiny niche population with minimal other options in existence.
why not buy a TCL blackberry than?
@@seero you mean old used phones? Not hardly.
@@seero keyone is laggy, key2 or key2 LE prices are insane
Those who understand the real benefits of a real physical keyboard over yet another slab of glass
Got this phone two days ago and I'm loving it once I have done some settings and went to developer mode
This review has just made me miss my key 2 😭
“It’s not enough to be weird, you also need to be good”
I’ve never felt so attacked in my whole life
BLACKBERRY :( I MISS U
I dunno what's funnier... A case on an already FAT phone or "fat fingers" still not being able to type on a PHYSICAL KEYBOARD. lol
TechOdyssey's video clearly said that this is their best keyboard to date, the keys have better click and travel than the Titan and Pocket which were more stiff. I tried them both and it's true.
I miss the original T-Mobile G2 with the Z-Hinge. It's still my favorite device ever.
I had the Desire Z too. It was awesome.
I never had one but it's the phone that got me into android, when i was a kid I'd make cardboard G2s with slide out keyboards because i just wanted one so badly
@@Combba6 yes! The HTC Vision (why did it have all these names lol) had a really good keyboard. Just a shame Android still made it kinda awkward to use, such as showing only the text box and not the rest of the app when typing…
Thanks for the review. Got to say as a fan of your reviews and physical keyboard phones had many different types (pun intended) over the years I'm gutted it disappoints. You seem one of the few reviewers who seems to accept a use case for PKBs beyond retro novelty. I'm left waiting on the astroslide - had hoped it may have come by now. Dropped my aged key2 recently (typing with it now but its started to stick intermittently) so want PKB options . Seems to be this or the titan pocket. If astro doesn't show soon maybe the earlybird discount kickstarter will entice.
I'd take the Slim over the Pocket, more usable screen and easier to press keys as confirmed by TechOdyssey.
@@KBoon form factor Im for the slim but the "balance" issue worries me and lack of headphone jack simply annoys. I'll be devouring any reviews between now and May to get a range of opinions. Tried various keyboardless slabs but always prefer the physical.
@@brylip8106 the balance should be mitigated with the case on it and a phone ring on the back to help with grip
They really can't put a headphone jack in a phone that thick? Seems like a poor use of space.😅
So many Blackberrys in the intro😍 I didn't even know that my favorite BB of all time, the 9900 came in blue! As I type this on my Fold3, I can't help but to admire how far tech has come. Thanks for the content. Cheers 🍻
Waiting for motorola to release a 2023 new Droid with a real keyboard
Many thanks for the honest review, appreciate it
Why would Blackberry hold onto design patents if they don't intend to make another phone? They should let other companies use their design patents and even license it out to keep their designs in circulation. Or if someone can come up with an updated Android OS for Key2 I would be more than happy to pay for it.
did we just get beamed back to 2008..??? 🤔
Michael: you mention the Jelly 2 in this video. I noticed that Unihertz are launching a tweaked version of the Jelly 2: would you be able to review it and say how it compares to the original Jelly 2, as I may be interested in buying 1 in the future. Your review of the original Jelly 2 back in 2020 led to me eventually getting 1, which I've loved ever since!
I'd take a headphone jack over IR 100% of the time.
I do like the idea of physical keyboard, and I don't mind the thickness.
But I want to see something in Nokia E7 or N97 form factor with modern specs and Android OS.
Noti gang
i misses my htc chacha, the keys felt like soft pillows and i loved it so much. i still have it working, but think android 2 and it's android market, not even google play store, which is discountinued.
We need a sidekick like keyboard
good review dude! Honestly... i will never buy again unihertz, they really dont care about software at al.. never get an update, never got a security patch.. they just sell the item.