BlackBerry is dead, long live the Astro Slide 5G

The long-awaited 2022 BlackBerry revival may have died a death as OnwardMobility lost its license, but all hope is not lost: British company Planet Computers is here with the Astro Slide 5G.

Like the best BlackBerrys this features a mechanical keyboard that slides out, but you can also use it just like a regular Android device. And just like this year's new BlackBerry was supposed to be, it's 5G too.

With the phone now available to buy and shipping to its IndieGoGo backers, Dom popped by the Planet Computers booth at MWC to take a closer look.

#PlanetComputers #AstroSlide #BlackBerry

[sarysa]

I'm going to be getting one soon. Aside from improvements in tech specs of course, we're in a dark age as far as cell phones are concerned. There's more to phones than just adding pixels and improving the camera. The early '10s had downright weird devices like the Xperia (playstation phone) along with blackberry-likes, touchscreen sliders, touchscreen flippers, 3d phones, etc. Now it's...iPhone clones, and...big iPhone clones, and...iPhone clones that fold.
Sheesh.

[Uderscore]

This looks fantastic but I hate how this has become such a specialized niche little corner of the market, think of how much better it could be if the major manufacturers had competing offerings of this style. everyone demanding something different from all the identical trendy popular phones gets thrown a single bone every few years and they gotta take it or leave it, compromises and all. what if I want a perfectly square screen, no curved edges, no hole punches, no notches, no seams, but current capable technology? I'm just plum out of luck.

[SeaJay_Oceans]

A LOT of people want all the power of a laptop, in a pocket device. Astro Slide 5G and Cosmo Communicator are good examples of PalmPC type devices.

[quacklack]

Blackberry was not only a Device with Pyisik Keyboard, it was software great etc HUB, Messenger

[clarenceboddicker]

I ordered one from PLANET yesterday. In June 22 it should arrive in Germany. I am very

[mahipalsingh]

Nobody is buying this for a camera but having a good processor is something people will like. Because a phone like this should last for 5 years

[leeszeyong]

Were you able to thumb-type? Bought the fxtec pro1, found it difficult to reach keys near the middle

[davetech]

this looks very good for a budget flip phones I may get one just for that keyboard.

[Hitachi]

Gorgeous device. Too bad I can't afford it new and they are hard to come by used.

[MrBratkenSolov]

Ubuntu touch drawback is that filesystem is read-only and you have to use either app manager with limited amount of apps, either use Libertine containers for both CLI and Desktop apps. Desktop apps will appear in your app menu, but for CLI apps you nees to use Libertine commands which is pain.

[adamsmith]

I bought mine on Indiegogo in March 2021 and so far everything has been false promises to have a shipping date. I advise against spending money on this company until they prove they keep their promises and ship the product to their buyers.

[AlTheEngineer]

Thank you for the close ups. Should've just did manual focus with your camera, it was out of focus most of the time, I wanted to see some details which was very hard! Waiting for my ASTRO to ship!

[adriansergeant]

Hello you see the event where you went to and you just played talking about the mobile phone does the event happen every single year and also what’s the actual event called so hopefully for next year I could probably turn up and look at all the new holiday mobile phones

[tony]

Love the form factor myself. Wish it was still mainstream. I had my nokia n900 up until relatively recently.. it was impressive for its time and it was impressive many years after that.

I like having a physical keyboard.

[martinhyska]

Should be nice if planet do also same bigger flagship with 8" and mediatek dimensity 9000

[elgmichoacan]

THE PHONE COMPANY THAT BRINGS THESE BACK ARE GONNA MAKE TRILLIONS $$$$

[ankaz]

What does it have that you say blackberry wasn't going/able to do? I am a die hard blackberry fan. Crying here as my Key2 it's on its last legs...I obviously love it for the phenomenal physical keyboard that can also be used as a mouse but also for ability to use two languages in the same phrase without the phone going bonkers and without needing to switch the language constantly. so many different options to type it has... Sd card, jack - tick. Hub is great. All the personalisation (every key pretty much can be personalised in blackberry not just one like it seems to be the case here); all the productivity apps .... and is there any way to get it on finance? it's a very expensive option as for something without a decent camera

[MietoK]

Nokia should just release good old Communicator with Android. That thing is massive 😢

[paulbailey]

Can the phone be rooted to run Kali NetHunter? No LineageOS rom for this - unfortunately. Is it possible to run other custom ROMs on this device? Looks great with a keyboard!

[MarkDell]

I hope these keys press smoothly. No weird rocking on the keys when not pressed dead center