A year ago, foldable phones captured the imagination of gadget enthusiasts and did something handsets hadn’t done in a while — elicit genuine excitement. But in a year beset by a global pandemic and now focused on protests seeking an end to police brutality and racial injustice, that sort of whiz-bang product — which so …
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Update, Oct. 23: The Huawei Mate X was released, but only in China so far. Original story follows. Samsung last week spent nearly 15 minutes on stage showing us slick concept videos and stills of its Galaxy Fold smartphone. The amount of time we actually got to see the real thing: Less than two minutes. At MWC Barcelona over the weekend, …
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Update, Oct. 24: A new dual-hinged foldable phone prototype from TCL bends into thirds like an accordion — we went hands-on. Original story follows. If you want a good foldable phone, you need a good hinge. At least that’s what TCL believes. The Chinese company is best known for budget televisions but also produces phones through its BlackBerry Mobile and Alcatel brands. And on Sunday it unveiled …
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Phone launches typically run on a predictable cycle. A new Samsung Galaxy S phone launches in the first quarter, while new iPhones make their debut in September. But BlackBerry Mobile, run by Chinese consumer electronics giant TCL, is bucking its usual trend this year and won’t be launching a new flagship phone in the summer. Francois Mahieu, general manager of …
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Foldable devices are all the rage. Even television maker TCL is getting in on the game. The Chinese company, best known for budget televisions, but also phones through its BlackBerry Mobile and Alcatel brands, is working on at least five devices employing flexible displays, including two tablets, two smartphones and a flexible phone that could curve into a smartwatch, according …
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When I finally got my hands on the Royole Flexpai, the world’s first flexible smartphone, I couldn’t stop obsessing about the rubber spine as I opened and closed it. I worried that I was going to break it, but the two halves snapped into place via magnets just fine. Watching the Android operating system flex and bend on the display …
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There’s at least one company at CES 2019 not buying into the 5G hype. TCL, the Chinese company that makes BlackBerry Mobile and Alcatel smartphones, confirmed it won’t release a phone running on the next-generation cellular network this year. Francois Mahieu, general manager of BlackBerry Mobile, which, under TCL, licenses the name from the original BlackBerry Ltd., said that the …
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Verizon is providing a shot in the arm to BlackBerry Mobile’s quest to return to relevancy in the smartphone world. Or, at least, to get you to realize that it still exists. The largest US wireless carrier will soon start selling the BlackBerry Key2 LE to small and large business customers, which may mean your next work phone could be …
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Foldable gadgets gained an unlikely new champion here at CES 2019: TCL, the company behind BlackBerry Mobile phones and budget Alcatel phones; affordable TVs; and the new, tiny Palm. The device maker told CNET in an interview at the MGM Grand that it will introduce its first foldable product in 2020. We’re just not sure if this device will be a …
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In a year when smartphones are bound to get even more expensive than they already are, it’s nice to know that someone is watching your cost-conscious back. The Alcatel 1X and 1C phones for 2019 seem as exciting as yesterday’s toast, but these budget Android devices fulfill an important role for people who need a basic phone for around one-tenth …
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