Where to buy the BlackBerry KEY2

Your guide for picking up the KEY2 in the U.S. and Canada.

The BlackBerry KEY2 isn’t a smartphone for everyone, but for fans of the BlackBerry brand or those that just want to have their physical keyboard back, it’s the go-to choice if you’re buying a new phone in 2018.

If you live in the U.S. or Canada and are interested in getting a KEY2 for yourself, we’ve put together a guide of where exactly you can pick up the phone. We’ll continuously update this as more info becomes available, but for now, let’s jump right into it.

United States

The KEY2 hasn’t been announced for any carriers, but BlackBerry is making it available unlocked through multiple channels. It’s going up for pre-order on June 29, followed by full sales on July 13. The U.S. unlocked KEY2 is designed for use on T-Mobile and AT&T, as well as their prepaid subsidiaries — so no, there isn’t support for Verizon or Sprint here.

Amazon

Amazon is charging $649 for the unlocked KEY2, in either silver or black. If you’d like to finance your purchase, Amazon offers 12-month no-interest payments for purchases over $599.

See at Amazon

Best Buy

If you prefer to buy from Best Buy, you’ll be able to get either color of the KEY2 from BestBuy.com for the same $649 price. Best Buy hasn’t committed to having the KEY2 in stores, at least at the start, but there is 12-month no-interest financing for purchases of $399 or more.

See at Best Buy

Canada

Bell

The first Canadian carrier on our list, Bell, will begin sales of the KEY2 on July 6.

When purchased with a two-year contract, the phone will set you back $99 CAD.

See at Bell

Rogers

Rogers will also open sales for the BlackBerry KEY2 on July 6, but you’ll pay ever-so-slightly less at $95 on a two-year term.

If you absolutely can’t wait until July 6 comes around, Rogers will open pre-orders starting June 21.

See at Rogers

SaskTel

For customers of SaskTel, you can expect to pay $99 for the KEY2 when you purchase it on a two-year term.

Similar to every other Canadian carrier, you can get your order placed beginning July 6.

See at SaskTel

TELUS

In regards to TELUS, this is where you’ll spend the most on a KEY2 when buying it on a two-year contract.

TELUS is charging $100 for the KEY2, and while that’s not a whole lot more than its competitors, it is worth looking elsewhere if you have the option.

As expected, you’ll be able to purchase the KEY2 on July 6.

See at TELUS

Unlocked

If you’re not about that carrier life and prefer buying your phones unlocked, you have several good options in Canada

Starting in July, BlackBerry says you’ll be able to purchase a carrier unlocked version of the KEY2 from Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Staples, Blueshop, and Visions.

No matter which retailer you decide to buy from, the unlocked KEY2 is going to cost you $829 CAD.

See at Amazon

BlackBerry KEY2

• BlackBerry KEY2 hands-on preview
• BlackBerry KEY2: Everything you need to know!
• BlackBerry KEY2 specs
• BlackBerry KEYone review: Coming home
• Join our BlackBerry KEY2 forums!

BlackBerry

Updated June 21, 2018: Added availability info for the United States!

Nanoleaf Remote review: The Smart Home conversation starter

Fun, fancy lights deserve a fun, fancy remote,

AC
Score
4

Broadly speaking, the appeal of smart lights has always been the ability to control them intelligently. Whether from an app on your phone or a command delivered to your digital assistant of choice, smart lights are able to offer a massive array of options. And while these lights do a great job walking the line between practical and fun, simple acts like turning the lights on and off aren’t really any faster than a lightswitch most of the time.

Sometimes a physical remote is a good thing, but the Nanoleaf team wanted something more than a simple light switch for its impressive Aurora lights. Instead, this remote is something you actually want to show off on the coffee table for everyone to see, and it does a whole lot more than turn the lights on and off.

At first glance, the Nanoleaf remote looks like a large, plain white 12-sided die. It’s not the kind of thing you’d expect to see anywhere but the game night table, but at the same time isn’t going to stand out unless you reach for it to do something. There are no buttons on this remote — instead, the entire system is based on playing with this die. As you play with the die, it communicates with the Nanoleaf Rhythm connected to the Aurora panel instead of over WiFi like the Aurora app. This helps the light control happen a little faster than pulling out the phone, and doesn’t use a lot of power, which is why the remote itself runs on AA batteries.

If you’re showing off to friends it’s nothing short of magic, but it’s also practical when compared to reaching for your phone every time.

Turning the die to the left or right like you’re rotating a dial increases or decreases the brightness of the entire Aurora panel, while flipping the die onto any of the 12 sides starts up a color program. It can be a light animation, a rhythm program to jam with music, or just turning everything off. The Nanoleaf app lets you program each of the 12 sides to do exactly what you want, and because each side is labeled you can easily remember which side does what. Best of all, when you pick up the Nanoleaf Remote it starts to glow. If you’re showing off to friends it’s nothing short of magic, but it’s also practical when compared to reaching for your phone every time.

While gloriously uncomplicated and reasonably stylish in just about every environment, Nanaloeaf Remote isn’t cheap. This remote will run you $50 if you already have the Rhythm adapter, but if you don’t you’ll be shelling out another $50 for that adaptor. Given the cost of Nanoleaf light panels is already higher than most, these accessories really jack up the initial price of the lights when trying to buy it all at once. But it works well, and looks way nicer than any of the other smart light remotes available today. If you’re already a fan of Nanoleaf lights and want an everyday remote anyone in the house can use, this glossy 12-sided die is a great addition. If you’re just getting started with Nanoleaf lights, you may not feel the need to upgrade just yet.

See at Nanoleaf

Apple Pay Promo Takes 15% Off Orders Placed in the Adidas App Through June 28

Apple has partnered with Adidas for this week’s Apple Pay promotion, allowing customers to save 15 percent on items purchased in the iOS Adidas app until June 28. There’s no promo code this time around, and some exclusions apply in regards to the products that can be discounted, but the companies didn’t provide specifics.

To take advantage of the promotion, download the Adidas app for iOS [Direct Link], add items to your cart, and when checking out choose Apple Pay as the payment method and the 15 percent savings will be automatically applied.

Other retailers mentioned in the summer workout-themed promotional email include The North Face, Oakley, and Reef, which Apple says offer faster checkout thanks to Apple Pay. Apple’s last promotion also encouraged Apple Pay users to get active outside with two free bike rides through the ofo app.

Prior to ofo, promotions have often included partnerships with Postmates, Instacart, Fandango, and more.

Related Roundup: Apple PayTag: Apple Pay promo
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Apple Plans English-Language Adaptation of French Show ‘Calls’

In the latest piece of news surrounding Apple’s original television content plans, the company has given a series order to an adaptation of the French series “Calls,” which aired in France beginning in 2017 (via Variety).

Created by Timothée Hochet, “Calls” is described as a short-form series that tells stories via snippets of audio taken from real-life situations, as well as through the use of minimal visuals. The show’s IMDb and official Facebook pages suggest that many of the episodes lean towards the horror/mystery genre as well.

Image via @callscanalplus on Facebook
It’s believed that the company will keep this format alive in the transition, but the content of the episodes remains unclear. Reports have suggested that Apple intends for most of its shows to eschew mature content in favor of a stable of shows that the entire family can watch — a decision that led to Bryan Fuller leaving as showrunner on Apple’s other series with horror elements, “Amazing Stories.”

For “Calls,” Apple has also acquired the rights to the first season of the French original, suggesting that the company also plans to offer the season as a streaming option on its upcoming service. The amount of episodes and cast members have not yet been revealed for the American version of “Calls.”

It’s been a busy month for news surrounding Apple’s TV content plans, as in the past few days alone reports broke about the company officially ordering Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon’s “Little America” to series, giving a straight-to-series order for a drama about child journalist Hilde Lysiak, partnering with Sesame Workshop on multiple kid TV shows, and even revealing a multi-year production partnership with Oprah Winfrey. Despite the ramp up of show announcements, Apple has yet to explain how users will watch its new TV shows, which are expected to appear sometime before March 2019.

Tag: Apple’s Hollywood ambitions
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Gurman: Apple Considered Removing Lightning Connector on iPhone X

As a side note in his report about technical challenges facing the AirPower, expected to be released by September, well-connected reporter Mark Gurman also noted that Apple considered removing wired charging from the iPhone X.

From his Bloomberg News story:

During the development of the iPhone X, Apple weighed removing the wired charging system entirely. That wasn’t feasible at the time because wireless charging was still slower than traditional methods. Including a wireless charger with new iPhones would also significantly raise the price of the phones.

Just to be absolutely clear, Gurman confirmed to me that this would have included removing the Lightning connector from the device. In fact, his report notes that Apple designers eventually hope to “remove most of the external ports and buttons on the iPhone,” although this is likely multiple years away.

A few years ago, it was reported that Apple’s design chief Jony Ive’s end goal is for the iPhone to resemble a “single sheet of glass,” while Apple has repeatedly expressed its ambitions to “create a wireless future,” so the eventual removal of the Lightning connector should perhaps come as no surprise.

Apple is already well on its way towards that wireless future, with products and technologies ranging from AirPods and AirPower to its W1 and W2 wireless chips. Apple also made the controversial decision to remove the headphone jack from iPhone 7 models a few years ago, pushing users towards wireless earphones.

Still, removing the Lightning connector would certainly be another controversial decision, given it is not only used for wired charging, but also for audio and data transfer, such as syncing an iPhone with iTunes on a Mac or PC.

Removing the Lightning connector would also prevent an iPhone from directly connecting to a wide range of peripherals, including many adapters, docks, battery cases, power banks, keyboards, game controllers, audio cables, wired headphones, and other accessories authorized under Apple’s MFi Program.

In many cases, however, wireless alternatives would be available. It’s possible to sync an iPhone with iTunes over Wi-Fi, for example, while wired headphone users can go wireless, Bluetooth-enabled game controllers are available, and upright-positioned wireless chargers can double as a docking station.

Of course, there would be some friction with this transition, just like when Apple switched from its 30-pin dock connector to Lightning in 2012, and removed the headphone jack on the iPhone 7. In both of those cases, however, the controversy eventually died down as many users came to accept the new reality.

It’s also worth noting that Apple considers a lot of different ideas internally that might never materialize in a public-facing product.

At this point, it appears like the Lightning connector on iPhones should live on for at least a few years. Rumors suggest Apple will bundle a faster 18W charger with a USB-C port with iPhones released in 2018, which would connect to the devices with a Lightning to USB-C cable included in the box.

Tags: bloomberg.com, Lightning, Mark Gurman
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Mark Gurman: Apple Aims to Release AirPower By September

Apple aims to release its multi-device AirPower charging mat “before or in September,” after facing a handful of technical challenges with its hardware and software, according to well-connected reporter Mark Gurman.

An excerpt from his Bloomberg News story:

Apple didn’t say when in 2018 it would release AirPower, but engineers hoped to launch the charger by June. The aim now is to put it on sale before or in September, according to one of the people. In recent months, some Apple engineers have ramped up testing of the device by using it as their charger at the office, another person said.

Apple first previewed the AirPower alongside the iPhone X in September 2017. At the time, the company’s marketing chief Phil Schiller said it would be available in 2018, as reflected on Apple’s website. Pricing has not been disclosed.

Gurman says Apple engineers initially hoped for a June launch, presumably at WWDC 2018, but noted the AirPower has been delayed due to technical challenges, including the potential for overheating, complex multi-device charging circuitry, and software bugs with the accessory’s on-board firmware.

AirPower is said to include a custom Apple chip running “a stripped down version of iOS” for power management and pairing with devices:

The AirPower charger is also more advanced than the current competition because it includes a custom Apple chip running a stripped down version of the iOS mobile operating system to conduct on-device power management and pairing with devices. Apple engineers have also been working to squash bugs related to the on-board firmware, according to the people familiar.

AirPower is an oval-shaped mat that can inductively charge multiple Apple devices at once, including the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, and Apple Watch Series 3 models. It will also be able to charge AirPods when they are placed in a new, optional charging case set to launch alongside AirPower.

AirPower’s ability to charge multiple devices is derived from propriety technology developed by Apple. Apple said it will work to have its technology become part of the universal Qi standard, supported by the latest iPhones, so that other third-party manufacturers can release multi-device charging mats.

AirPower is another step towards Apple’s goal of a wireless future. Gurman says Apple designers eventually hope to “remove most of the external ports and buttons on the iPhone,” noting Apple even considered removing wired charging from the iPhone X, but decided wireless charging was not yet fast enough.

Of course, the AirPower is not truly wireless, as power is supplied to the mat with a charger connected via Lightning cable.

Related Roundups: iPhone 8, iPhone XTag: AirPowerBuyer’s Guide: iPhone 8 (Caution), iPhone X (Neutral)
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AT&T Follows Time Warner Acquisition With Reveal of Live ‘WatchTV’ Service and New Unlimited Phone Plans

One week after completing its acquisition of Time Warner, AT&T today announced the impending launch of an all-new live TV service called “WatchTV,” which unsurprisingly includes many channels under the Time Warner umbrella (via Engadget). This appears to be the service not focused on sports that AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said in April would be coming very soon.

The announcement came alongside AT&T’s reveal of two new unlimited wireless plans, called “AT&T Unlimited &More” and “AT&T Unlimited &More Premium.” WatchTV will be directly tied into these cellular plans, offering plan subscribers access to the TV service at no additional cost.

The service includes 30+ live channels, over 15,000 TV shows and movies on demand, and will be available on “virtually every” smartphone, tablet, browser, and streaming device. Subscribers to &More Premium will be able to add one of several premium services for no extra charge: HBO, SHOWTIME, Cinemax, Starz, Amazon Music Unlimited, Pandora Premium, or VRV.

Here’s the full list of channels available on WatchTV at launch:

• A&E
• AMC
• Animal Planet
• Audience
• BBC World News
• BBC America
• Boomerang
• Cartoon Network
• CNN
• Discovery
• Food Network
• FYI
• Hallmark Channel
• Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
• HGTV
• History

• HLN
• IFC
• Investigation Discovery
• Lifetime
• Lifetime Movies
• OWN
• Sundance TV
• TBS
• TCM
• TLC
• TNT
• TRU TV
• Velocity
• Viceland
• WE TV

Channels coming soon after launch include:

• BET
• Comedy Central
• MTV 2
• Nicktoons
• Teennick
• VH1

The &More Premium plan (starting at $80/month for an individual line) offers WatchTV, a premium service add-on, 15GB of high-speed tethering, access to 1080p high definition video, and a $15 monthly credit to put towards DirecTV, DirecTV Now, or U-verse TV, similar to the carrier’s current unlimited plans. On the lower tier, &More (starting at $70/month) offers WatchTV, a $15 monthly credit to DirecTV Now, access to 480p video, and up to 4G LTE unlimited data.

AT&T didn’t give many other details about the new unlimited plans, but said that more information will be coming when they launch, which is expected sometime next week. Additionally, the company confirmed that WatchTV will be available as a $15/month standalone live TV streaming service for those not on an AT&T unlimited cellular plan, and those details will also come at a later time.

Tags: AT&T, Time Warner
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Bitter lawmakers tell Google to justify Huawei link, after AI military deal ends

After Google decided not to renew a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, lawmakers in the United States have written a strongly worded letter to CEO Sundar Pichai voicing concerns over what it calls a, “strategic partnership,” with Chinese smartphone brand Huawei. Once again, the letter refers to alleged security concerns over Huawei, and adds it’s disappointed, “that Google apparently is more willing to support the Chinese Communist Party than the U.S. military.”

The letter confirms that Google has backed away from the controversial Project Maven deal it made with the Department of Defense, in which it would assist with the creation of artificial intelligence to enhance drone strike targeting systems. Google’s involvement caused an internal rift, with 4,000 Google employees putting their names on a petition urging Pichai to end the deal, and to publish a policy statement saying the company would never build technology used for warfare.

Google attempted to calm the situation with an explanation over the project’s aim, which it claimed was non-offensive and would help computers identify and avoid civilian casualties; but it was argued this technology would also would enable a AI system capable of selecting humans for targeting. Approximately a dozen Google employees are said to have resigned over Project Maven, which in the ultra-competitive world of artificial intelligence, may have been a cause for concern at the firm.

Bitter response

The expertise provided by Google to the Department of Defense on Project Maven will inevitably be missed. The June 20 letter to the company makes it clear Google’s decision is the driving force behind it. In it, almost mirroring the internal response Google employees had to Maven, the five Senators and Members of Congress urge Pichai to reconsider the partnership with Huawei, then directly adds, “particularly since your company recently refused to renew a key research partnership, Project Maven, with the Department of Defense.”

It closes by asking for a response with a, “rationale for your decision to partner with Huawei but not the U.S. military, as well as your plans to mitigate the grave risks of working with Huawei.”

In response, Google told Reuters it has dozens of agreements with international manufacturers, that it doesn’t provide special access to Google user data, and it has numerous security and privacy agreements in place to protect the data. Google added it looked forward to responding further.

Google released its policy on developing AI technology on June 8, confirming it won’t develop for weaponry; but would still work with the military on other applications. Huawei and ZTE, another Chinese technology company, have faced heavy criticism over alleged privacy and security issues in the U.S. during 2018.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Google reportedly plans to end involvement with Project Maven
• Huawei to refocus its efforts on other markets in the face of U.S. roadblocks
• Google done weaponizing A.I., will still work with military and governments
• Huawei sees strong rise in profit for 2017, despite U.S. opposition
• New blow for ZTE and Huawei: Devices pulled from military base stores

Hulu: Everything you need to know

From $7.99 to $39.99 per month, Hulu has a lot to offer.

Video streaming services are more popular than they’ve ever been, and one of the companies that’s been leading this charge since the beginning is Hulu.

Founded in October of 2007, Hulu has long been one of the most popular services for TV fanatics. It’s gone through a lot of changes over the years, and the point we’ve now reached is pretty darn great.

Whether you’re just now hearing about Hulu or want some clarification about its live television plan, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about Hulu!

On-demand streaming starts at just $7.99

Similar to Netflix, Hulu gives its users on-demand access to a library that contains thousands of movies, TV shows, and original programs crafted exclusively for Hulu.

The cheapest plan costs $7.99/month, and while you get access to all of the shows Hulu has to offer, you’ll watch them with small commercial breaks throughout. These commercials aren’t nearly as bad as the ones you get with traditional TV programming, but they can interrupt the flow of the story if you’re especially engrossed in something like The Handmaid’s Tale.

Thankfully, Hulu has a more expensive $11.99/month plan that gets rid of these commercial breaks. Some shows still come attached with a small ad before they start, but you won’t have to deal with any interruptions once it gets going.

You can get live TV, too

If you want even more content to watch, Hulu manages to stand out on its own by also including a plan called “Hulu with Live TV.” For $39.99/month, Hulu with Live TV allows you to watch more than 50 live channels across a variety of genres in addition to the platform’s on-demand content with limited commercials.

Some of the channels included with this plan are ABC, Food Network, Cartoon Network, HGTV, TBS, History Channel, ESPN, and plenty more.

You can also enhance your viewing experience with add-ons for HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, a more powerful cloud DVR, and increase the number of screens you can watch on at once.

There are Hulu apps for just about everything

No matter what device you have, chances are you can download a Hulu app for it.

Hulu’s available on Android, iOS, Roku, Xbox, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, etc. Heck, there’s even a Hulu app for Nintendo Switch!

The Hulu with Live TV plan is available on a slightly smaller list of gadgets, however, with one of the most notable omissions being Android TV.

Check out the full list of Hulu’s supported devices

Hulu comes included with Sprint’s unlimited plans

If you subscribe to Sprint for your wireless phone service, we’ve got good Hulu news for you!

As long as you’re paying for Sprint Unlimited Freedom, you get Hulu’s $7.99/month Limited Commercials plan included for free.

Commercials aren’t fun, but for the price of free, you really can’t complain about them.

Learn more at Sprint

New customer? You can get a one-month free trial!

Hulu’s easily one of the best entertainment deals around, and if you’re not on Sprint and unsure if it’s a good fit for you, Hulu lets you test-drive the service completely free for one full month.

If you sign up for Hulu with Live TV, you’ll get a week-long free trial before your credit card is charged.

See at Hulu

Amazon Fire TV Cube is officially available today!

And be sure to check out those trade-in discounts.

Today’s the day, folks. Amazon Fire TV Cube is officially available. And that means a couple things. First is that for those who preordered, it’ll be in your mailbox or on your doorstep (or wherever you receive boxes of things) today. Not tomorrow, today. If you order one today, it can be here tomorrow. Because that’s how ordering things online works.

The other thing you need to know is that Amazon is still offering up to $35 off a new Fire TV Cube if you trade in your old streaming device. That includes devices from Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast, and it’s something you should definitely look into.

Otherwise, Amazon Fire TV Cube will run you $119 — though it does still also come with a $10 credit to Amazon Prime Video when you activate your Cube. Huzzah!

See at Amazon

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