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Android-powered BlackBerry Venice appears to have a new name

Trevor Mogg
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android powered blackberry venice looks to have a new name screen
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BlackBerry’s first ever and much-anticipated Android device is expected to get an official launch in a matter of weeks. Up to now, news reports have referred to it by its apparent codename – BlackBerry Venice – but it seems we may now know its official launch name.

Ready for this? According to tech tipster Evan Blass, a man who’s called it right on many occasions over the last few years, it’s going to be called the BlackBerry Priv.

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Sure, the name may look a little odd at first, and could still look a bit strange tomorrow (and the day after). But as Blass said in a tweet on Wednesday, “Names always sound weird until they don’t,” adding, “If you survived the Nintendo Wii, you’ll certainly acclimate Priv.”

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Pronunciation

But how to pronounce it? Is it “Priv” as in “privacy”, a possible nod to BlackBerry’s reputation for powerful mobile security? Or how about “Priv” as in “reprieve”, as if the company’s asking consumers for one more chance? Or might it rhyme with the “-ive” in “expensive”, which hopefully the Priv won’t be.

We should know soon, as the Canadian company is expected to officially unveil the device in the coming weeks, possibly in November.

The Venice Priv appears to be BlackBerry’s last ditch effort to win back users who in recent years deserted the company in favor of Apple and Android devices but who still hanker for BlackBerry’s iconic physical keyboard, or who simply retain a soft spot for the former mobile powerhouse.

From what we know, the Android Lollipop handset is expected to feature a 5.4-inch Quad-HD screen, 1.8GHz 64-bit hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor, and 3GB of RAM. It could also sport an 18-megapixel rear camera with a dual LED flash, and a 5-megapixel shooter on the front.

Design-wise, it’s expected to come with dual-curved edges similar to the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus.

For DT’s full round-up of news on the phone formerly known as Venice, as well as details on the possible launch of a second Android handset, jump over to this page now.

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Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
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